MODIBBO: How I Discovered That I Was Stepping Into A Landmine In FCT
By Martins Oloja, Abuja Bureau Chief

Dr Aliyu Modibbo, the last civilian State House officer standing when president Obasanjo came in 1999 began his foray into political power arena when he was appointed Minister of State, Power and Steel Ministry under President Obasanjo in 2002/3. After that 'tour of duty' he returned to Aso Rock where he worked again as a presidential assistant this time in the office of the Chief of Staff to the President. But he was along the line drafted as interim Chairman of Peugeot Nigeria Limited, (PAN) where he used the office to market the company's modern products to customers outside government for the first time. He was PAN boss that influenced the presidency to get the then FCT Minister to adopt what we now know as Green Cabs of Abuja.

He was Obasanjo's last Minister of Commerce and Industry. But in June 2007 when President Yar'Adua constituted his first cabinet, he emerged as FCT Minister.

As he confessed in this interview with Martins Oloja,

Abuja Bureau Chief, he had expected to build on the "giant strides" of his very popular predecessor Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. But in this interview, he said he was disappointed by the emerging facts from the acts of one of the biggest apostles of former President Obasanjo:

IT is one year since you assumed office as the FCT Minister. Could you recall the state that you met the territory?

It is a mixed bag kind of answer that I will give you. On one level, I met an FCT that, as a resident, as a layman, I thought I was coming into a structure that had been defined by my predecessor with a lot of vigour and energy. And really, with a lot of resolve to restore the master plan by any means necessary. And so, it was a little bit unsettling. You know you just feel like okay: what are you going to add to that already if somebody has been that dynamic? And then, the reality set in. The sobering reality was when I confronted those cases. I mean those court cases of people that were aggrieved. As usual, I, too, assumed that it was one of those Nigerian things because Nigerians complain a lot. Nigerians go to court easily. Nigerians get court injunctions very easily. And then I went further and asked this question: why did this happen?

The first thing that I confronted within my first week was a case of a gentleman - it was actually Alhaji Mohammed Makarfi, former Governor of Kaduna State - whose file came before me. He had gone to Mr. President and complained that the title to his house had been revoked. Mr. President gave the papers to me. Initially, I wanted to dismiss the case because personally, I was also a little bit biased. I have to make this confession because Nasir el-Rufai is my friend and I know his relationship with the then Governor Makarfi and I said, 'oh, this man, what does he want?' But something in my head reminded me that I took an Oath when I was being appointed Minister and the line that is always ringing in your head, if you are in public, is that, 'I will do same to all manner of people.'

So, when the Makarfi paper was being examined, the Director, Legal Services, FCTA, was standing in front of me and I said, let me just take a look at it. I looked into the file and saw that his plot was revoked and there were pictures attached. He said there was a building there that was almost 90 percent completed. There was roofing and everything, then why was it revoked? Then, I saw the last Minister's minutes: "Revoked for overriding public interest." Coincidentally, the then Director-General, AGIS (Abuja Geographic Information System) was sitting in front of me. Then I said let me see if the "overriding public interest" issue was explicitly stated there. But I didn't see anything.

What precipitated that decision was that Makarfi had sent in May 2007 (I don't recall the day, just a couple of weeks before the end of the administration) for his Certificate of Occupancy (C of O). He said since he had almost completed his building, he needed his C of O; and that was when it came to the attention of the then Minister (Mallam Nasir el-Rufai), simply wrote: "revoked for overriding public interest."

So, I checked in the file and there was nothing like that. I looked at the Director, Legal Services and said, "what is this?" She said she did not know about it. I said what about you DG, AGIS? She then started smiling and laughing. I said, 'what are you laughing about?' She said, 'but you know our minister then blah, blah.' And I said, 'what did you guys do? Did you advice him that he was right or wrong?' They said, 'no.' I asked for their advice? That was the first sobering experience when I discovered that I was stepping into a landmine.

There are things that I may keep encountering that are different from my own principles and what I believe in. And the next one was this issue of 'Okada" riders in the city. When I came in, there was the challenge of moving okada out of Abuja. We did the first operation, the second operation and then the Police came. I told the Police Commissioner, 'Sir, you know we don't have a holding charge on okada. I said what do you mean?' He said, 'there is really no law and this time, Mr. President has said everything has to be based on the rule of law. We have to own up to you; we've been doing it. We put them on trucks and take them out of Abuja and that's it.'

I said, 'well, it has to continue.' I told them I had no choice because Abuja residents, including me, were happy that there was no okada. Because I recall, as a friend to the former minister, I also applauded him and had also been pushing him to make sure that we drove out okada from Abuja because we could not build that expensive infrastructure just for somebody to ride a motorcycle on. Otherwise, the Federal Government should have just spent half of that amount for motorcycle lane. That expensive infrastructure is meant for wheel-vehicles and buses and things like that.

Of course, I found my way out because, then, my Legal Adviser said we could have a way with this. I was told that under the environmental laws, you have anti-pollutant charges. And you know most of these motorcycles pollute the environment. So, that is what I gave the police pending the time we would have the real law. Thank God, about two days ago (May 19), the General Counsel came here smiling. He said: 'Can you believe that the Attorney General of the Federation had sent the Council Memo to the National Assembly?' When I first took the Bill to the FEC, though the Anti-Okada Bill was not approved, it was forwarded to the Attorney General and then finally they said the Attorney General had forwarded it to the National Assembly. So, these are things that we started.

You retained most of the personal staff of your predecessor. Why?

I was looking for somebody to run a secretariat for me. When I came in, I said this is the Federal Capital Territory; it should reflect the nature of Nigeria. It should not be the appointment of the minister's friends only or his kinsmen or acolytes. Already, I was getting query from the National Assembly, I mean from the Senate Committee on FCT that had observed that the Secretariat structure was not covered by law. But when I got fully briefed, I said it's just our administrative instruments and that is why Mr. President gave the approval and they (personnel) are billed as his special assistants. But because the FCT Administration has returned to what the Constitution has envisaged - not a Ministry but a Territory administration - and all the ministry staff have been taken away, we are operating just like a state because the Constitution says we should run "as if we were a state."

We have to have state type of structures even though we cannot call ours Commissioners or Attorney General and some other nomenclature because the Constitution forbids it. Actually, our secretaries are like commissioners and are the members of the FCT Executive Council since the president is the governor and they are his proxies.

I found that the composition of the FCT Executive Committee/Council was lopsided and I mine would be different and that was how I went to Mr. President and argued for an additional Secretariat from five to six, to give it our well beloved and cherished federal character. At least I could have one person from each geopolitical zone. And I said I wanted an Igbo person, somebody from the Southeast, to run transportation because there was a vacuum and they said the best man was Engr. Chigbo. But the snag was his appointment as a public servant, which had been terminated by the last administration. When I asked what happened, they said, 'ah, he is this and that.' But the people that I asked said that he was really the best person for the job because he was passionate about railways, passionate about transportation.

So, I looked at his file and saw in it his termination letter. But no (due) process was followed. He was not given a query. The only thing was that the termination story emanated from the Chief of Staff to the Minister. It was not even the Minister that terminated him; it was the Chief of Staff to the Minister terminating a Director.

That sobering reality, too, dawned on me that certain things were wrong. Hence, from being somebody, who thought I was going to come and build on something solid, I came to the chilling reality that there were certain things that had to be changed.

Curiously, having retained a lot of the personal staff, you have been complaining that el-Rufai has had access to so many documents. You even complained about alleged leakage of vital documents.

To be honest with you, that's a point that I am a little bit disappointed about (at the Senate Public Hearing on the FCT Administrations). You can add that to the list of some of the real things that were very funny at the Senate Hearing because in the gallery I saw, courtesy of the beauty of live television, people I trust passing papers to people in the last administration to defend themselves. I mean people that are still working for me.

I wanted to be fair and I didn't want to really hurt anybody, to deprive anyone of his or her job. But then they have betrayed my trust and it is between them and God. But now we have to do what is right and, of course, we can't work with them. We can't work with most of them because I will be an idiot to do that. Now, it is so clear because I believe God has done it for me. Whatever steps I take, I don't have any worry in my head.

But there was a gentleman that I treated very fairly because he is one of the most controversial gentlemen that I inherited from the last administration in land matters and I moved him because I didn't want to deprive him of his job; but we moved him to another department. And there he was (at the Hearing) just sitting and undermining me on television. I saw him with my very own eyes. That kind of thing we can't tolerate.

However, there are still some of the personal aides I inherited that I have even promoted as CEOs of some public enterprises in the FCT. Some of them are in AICL (Abuja Investment Company Limited): Dr. Abdul Mukhtar is the managing-director of Abuja Investment Company Limited while Martins Akumazi is in charge of the Boulevard project. That is the paradox we live with now! Thank you Martins.

'My Problem With El-Rufai Over Abuja Matters'

THERE is this loyalty to friendship because the person I took over from was my friend. We've known each other for a long time and we have considered ourselves friends and so on. We have been intimate. We have known each other for 27 years and we respect each other. I don't know about him but I have tremendous respect and admiration for him. We have never quarrelled before. That is why I retained even his personal staff. And when we met in the week that he came back, he said, 'you know, Aliyu, you really have to take me as a brother but I don't want you to go further so that you don't carry my liabilities, my excess baggage.' Very honest advice!

Well, the only person I said I had to get was my Chief of Staff. And I already had my ideas how to get somebody, who could navigate me through the FCDA. I wanted a professional, somebody that was groomed, that had been there in the FCDA. And I had known Engr. Ismaila, now my Chief of Staff, for a long time. He had been a Deputy Director and also an outstanding character. My predecessor said, 'good choice' until the day I made a very important change of an individual and it didn't go down well with him. That was when I noticed something unusual. Even up to that time, I thought were friends.

So, this was the dilemma. On one level, you should be able to stand by your Oath; also, on the other level, you are a professional, you are not a dunce. Because I didn't go for all this education for nothing, I didn't go to (pardon this) "University of Toronto". You know I am also versed in administration. Though I am not saying I am perfect, I have watched the process for a long time. So, somebody with my pedigree, with my type of background and with my knowledge shouldn't blind fold himself to what I have found that needed to be done.

The other challenge is that I am working with a completely different president. I have the privilege of working with former President Obasanjo. I know his moods, I know his nuances and I have been his Minister twice. But this new President also has his mind. He is different. Of course, you have to also fit in. But I am not someone that was oblivious of that background because I had served four Heads of State even though I was not in the position at that time because I was a Special Assistant. But like I keep saying, I am among the most privileged Nigerians that had really been at the forefront of this process.

Throughout the military regimes that I served - Abacha, Abdulsalami - I was the only civilian allowed to sit in all their meetings by virtue that I was the Special Assistant to the Principal Staff Officer. I gave him cover. I would be there but they would ask other civilians to leave. I was in the Security Council meetings; I was in the Council of State meetings; I was in the National Defence Council meetings; I was in the Federal Executive Council meetings; I was in the PRC meetings. So, watching that process, not talking, not contributing, just listening, seeing different styles, of course, you know I have learnt being a student like that for 12-15 years.

This year, by the grace of the Almighty, is 2008. I got my PhD in 1992 from the University of California, Los Angeles. And even there I had excelled. So, I applied myself and said I had to also be myself. Friendship aside, I thought whoever is on the margins would give me the benefit of the doubt. Then I said, ok, there were certain controversial decisions that were on my neck that I had to resolve right away and bring my own element of style and that was when the problem started.

Of course, the problem started when I appointed a panel to examine land matters, when I saw that those land problems were too many. I said, 'internal panel check, give me an inventory of these land matters so I could have information to work with.' That's all. I wanted an assessment of what had gone on.

That's that famous document that was noisy. Who were the members?

Ismaila, the Chief of Staff, was the chairman. He was Nasir el-Rufai's classmate and was his Director of Special Projects; Altine Jibril, who was the Director General, AGIS, an appointee of the former Minister; Helen Oloja, who was the Director, Legal Services. I inherited her there; and Isa Shuaibu, Director of Development Control, the man that did most of the demolitions under Nasir.

So, on the day the final report came - to show you the good faith, but it didn't happen until the thing just blew up -when the Chairman brought it, I said, 'give me an extra copy, to send to the former Minister to get his comments.' Up till now, the second set is in my personal house - in my library. Then I said one of the real quick resolutions I needed was on Pendan Dam: the owners of the Pendan Dam plots were all coming to me. Titi Ajanaku, Kema Chikwe, (former) Governor Muazu were all coming and they are all living. Everybody wanted his plot back because now it's a new dispensation. They showed me that the former minister had revoked it (plots).

I decided to take a Memo to the Council so that we just formalise it. I raised a Memo to Mr. President and said this was revoked by the last administration for these reasons, etc. I then put an added prayer because I went there physically to the Pendan Dam and said this would be a good resort site. I took it and my prayer was not granted by the Federal Executive Council; I mean one of my prayers. But my main prayer was that the revocation be upheld. It was very clear in the Memo but unfortunately for me that day, I had to dash to Sri Lanka for the Commonwealth Games 2014 bid.

As usual during the press briefing, Segun Adeniyi whispered to Mr. President that Modibbo, who brought the Memo, should explain before leaving. But I had to catch my 2 o'clock flight in Lagos and by that time, it was already 12 o'clock. Of course, the Councilmen, in unison, said but he had the Minister of State, who could do the briefing. And that was when the Minister of State gave that briefing that was twisted. Well, I don't know whether it was twisted but he gave it the way he understood it. He didn't put it in the right perspective and then the press carried it and before you knew it, my predecessor got angry and said that I was playing to the gallery. I didn't respond; my media people said we shouldn't respond because there was no big deal about it. But the thing went on and then articles started coming out: Abuja is this, Abuja is that - all sponsored articles that I was playing to the gallery - up to the time we thought it was just not possible to keep quiet anymore.

There was again this classic incidence of a petition sent to us by Senator Kuta, who bought that famous portion of the NEPA plot. He is also alive and since they have all been in the public hearing, there is no need to even hide anything. He wrote the petition, I was not even around; I was on Hajj. And then the press got it and before you knew it, the response of the team of my predecessor was that they gave my wives plots, too. Up to that time, I swear to God, I didn't know that my wives even got those plots. I know they applied. Two of my wives applied in 2001; my third wife applied in 2005. It was when Daily Trust said el-Rufai gave his wives the NEPA plots and then the response from them - to be fair to him, it was not him who responded because he was on Hajj with me; it was his spokesperson, one idiot who said that Modibbo, too, got plots on May 10- that I knew.

Of course, I am revoking all of the May 10 (2007) allocations, the only exception will be those that have developed theirs. We've been taking the inventory. We've gone physically to do the inspection. W we will revoke particularly the famous ones - the 720 allocated on May 28.

And so, there were so many issues like that that I just really was bottling up that were breaking my heart because there is no way you can go out and look like a fool. And then there was a Mabushi scandalous land story also, which didn't even come out in the press because I kept it under wraps: I just didn't want to discuss it but I informed my predecessor because when I called him, he said he was surprised.

What was the untold story about Mabushi?

The whole residents of the Ministers' Quarters wrote me a petition: Ojo Maduekwe, Hakim Baba Ahmed, Frank Nweke, etc. They wrote a petition to me that the other spaces around the Ministers' houses had all been beaconed and allocated - 65 in all. And particularly the beacons are so close to the doors like the case of Senator Jibrin. He came with pictures. He said the beacons are right in front of his door. What they bought when the monetisation exercise went was the whole thing. So, if you have 4,000 square metres you bought 4,000 square metres. If it is 5,000 square metres, it is 5,000 square metres. Whether your house just occupies only 1,500 square metres, it is the whole thing just like the other houses that are fenced - you know the Mabushi Ministerial Quarters is porous.

I went there with my team and I said, 'give me the allocation of the 65 people.' And there it is: some staff of the last administration have five, some six (plots). So, I called (el-Rufai) and asked him: do you know that your people did this? He said he didn't. But these are the things that really made life a little bit difficult for me in the beginning. I realised that on the Day of Judgment, nobody is going to intercede on my behalf with God. My father is not going to intercede on my behalf; even my mother that gave me life, brought me to this world, is not going to go and beg God for me because it will be me and my deeds; no one will talk about friendship. I said I was going to do the right thing. That was when we started that reconstruction and in the process also trying, as much as possible, against all odds, to bring out our own vision.

We Must Not Abuse Our Powers As Public Officers, Says Modibbo

IT is alleged that you were part of the main sponsors of the Senate Public Hearing on the on FCT Administrations, in order to destroy your predecessor. What was your connection with the organisers?

That is cheap propaganda. It was a National Assembly affair. Most members of the Committee and, indeed, the Senate said they were living witnesses to the anomaly they inquired into. So, if I wanted to do a Commission of Inquiry with all the facts that I have on the FCT, nothing prevented me. If I wanted to destroy my predecessor, I could have gone to town with it a long time ago. But we thought it was not necessary because my philosophy of governance is that you come and you build on what you found and you correct certain distortions that are committed either through error or through whatever state of mind that led to such elements.

But that is not our business. Our business is to really forge ahead and to correct things because you, too, are not infallible: you make mistakes but you know an honest error is always an honest error. But the thing that you do, whether you deceive yourself or not, is when you do it with malice. When you do something with malice, you are betraying public trust. Whether people know, whether you bamboozle them with fanciful grammar, you know it's not right and God knows even if nobody knows in the whole world. You know your intention but you yourself know that you have not done the right thing.

Can you imagine how perverted the human mind can be to claim that I will go and influence the whole Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? How can people assume that I have even influenced the Senate Committee on FCT of say 19 people? I would just go and bamboozle them with whatever means. Now, the other body has to accept.

I do believe that in the process of democracy that we are building, there are people of integrity there. We cannot rise up and say the whole executive or the whole people in government are crooks. There are people with integrity in the Senate, people that will say no, just like I am saying no now. There are people with principles that will say who is Modibbo? Who the hell does he think he is? How can he even interfere in our work? So, to look at people sitting there like Senator Sodangi, Senator Henshaw, Senator Heineken (Lokpobiri), Senator Obiora, etc. - that I will go and meet them to investigate so and so person because I am a coward, I don't want to do it myself. Haba! What is somebody going to do to me? Nothing! The worst that you can do is to kill me.

A few days ago, somebody shot at my house and I said it was too bad they missed it. I even want to be martyred. I want somebody to kill me so that I can go to paradise because we, Muslims, believe that once you take my life, you take all my sins. So, I am not afraid of dying or anything. That's the worst thing you can do to me. And I know there is no way you can persecute me. Even if you persecute me on the things I have not done - and people have been persecuted in history on things that they have not done - I know, for a fact that since I entered public service, I have tried my best to live on the most stringent principles that we inherited from our parents; that we received from some of the leaders and people that we admired.

That is what we are trying to establish now. This is the next stage of our development: forget about the infrastructural thing that we have been failing at. Nigeria is actually not a failed state: Nigeria is a nation that has refused to develop. But we are evolving now a dogma, a philosophy for the people of our country. It is our choice. It is the choice of due process, of rule of law. It's slow but steady to reach the desired goal!

Is it an authoritarian regime, a totalitarian dispensation or this issue of might because you are in government and you have the police behind you? You can do and, of course, you still reach the desired goal because you can still build infrastructure, you can maul people and we see it in different countries such as Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Russia but everybody is coming back to square one. That you first maul a citizenry, but first everybody believes they can be treated fairly.

Once your citizens know that they can expect justice from you, they will respect you. Let me give you a classic example - and I told Mr. President the other day. I said, 'do you know, Sir, I don't use siren anymore?' Even though I am allowed - I am the only Minister by virtue of the fact that I am the Minister of the FCT (as a Governor), I can go with siren - but I told my people to pack it unless we are dashing to the airport or somewhere else where nobody gives me right of way. My siren does not mean anything to me anyone. Our citizens believe that we are not delivering services, so they will say what the hell is this idiot blowing the siren behind me when I don't have water in my house, I don't have light and he is there enjoying? But the moment I abandon, that siren people give me way. Believe it or not, people allow me to pass. They will say, 'ah, Minister' and they will wait. They are so excited because you know you have not bamboozled them. I will take you along, to go round Wuse Market, one of these weekends and you will see for yourself. I will go with one or two of my assistants. We go round and listen to people. These are things that I enjoy. I go to shopping malls or markets and somebody wants to give things to me free. Some scream, 'ah, Minister, take, don't worry.' This is the type of things you start giving our citizens. How can you now start the difficult things and they will comply willingly not through coercion? That has not worked and has not moved us anywhere!

Were you disappointed by the conduct of the Public Hearing?

I was disappointed, to be honest with you, in a lot of ways because as I said, the issues they asked advance questions about were very clear. They were not expected to waste time on whether somebody was being allocated a house or not because that is an administrative issue (at our level) that can be sorted out. It was not even an issue of the manner of demolition or whatever. The fundamental thing that ought to come out to the general public is whether we followed "due process or rule of law" in all these.

We thought the legislators wanted to establish if any one of us (in the executive) believes that he can be above the law? Or he can do what he wants because he has public office and he has the apparatus of public office behind him?

Clearly, that is the lesson that needs to be passed to us now in government: that we should be careful. There's enormous power out there. You have everything as FCT Minister. You have the ear of the President; you have the police, you have the military and you have the EFCC. They are all your friends and you have favours to dispense. But that is not it because the Oath of Office is very, very clear. And I hope that in this your article, you will just capture the essence of the Oath of Office of a public officer in two or three paragraphs. Capture it and let people reflect on that Oath: "I will do same to all manner of people." So, if I give my relatives plots and didn't give you that have had your application there for ages, I have not done the "same to all manner of people." And if now, I use my power arbitrarily because I don't like your face or because you crossed my path or because you snatched my girlfriend like the case has been, that is betrayal of the Oath.

To be honest with you, there is one sad case that didn't even come up at the Hearing - a very glaring thing. Just because of a girlfriend, somebody's plot was taken and the man came to me and reported. And then the other disappointment I have is from the people that complained to me even while the Hearing was on. I couldn't believe that they didn't go to the National Assembly, as they promised. The second time I appeared I had to call some of their names. Even this Makarfi we are talking about never came because I solved his problem. (Abubakar) Rimi, too, I solved his problem. Of course, all of them that you know - I solved most of their problems.

As I was saying, there was this gentleman that came and proved to me, scientifically, that his plot was taken because he was sharing a girlfriend with one of those people. And I said, 'put it in writing,' as the Public Hearing was going on. He said, 'no' and I said, 'come on, why chicken out?' There were people that alleged that they were offered plots to buy and I said, 'go and complain, as the Hearing is on.' Where were they? Even after the Hearing, they are still writing. Why are they still writing things to me?

Besides, there are other issues that show you how this country has degenerated, particularly in public service. And the old timers that will read this article will attest to this, as seen at the Public Hearing. I mean retired public officers will weep because somebody, who has been out of government, was flashing government documents at the Public Hearing. That is against the law. There is the Official Secrets Act.

These are things that happened during the Public Hearing that I was very disappointed about. There are FCT documents that I have seen all over the place - contradictory documents. Even these files you see on my table, except that we are doing this interview in Government House, not my personal house, do you know it is against the law for me to come out with a file out of the office, according to the Official Secrets Act?

A public officer is not supposed to carry out anything to his personal house. As a public officer, once you finish, you leave it in the office; the next day you come back and you take it. Not that after you leave office, as a political appointee, you photocopy every file and put it in your archives because one day, you will be called to account. Then you know you have not done something right because if you feel you have to defend yourself with facts and figures, then there is something wrong. A defendant should subpoena official documents. The defendant should have the right to recall and say, during my tenure, I did this and that, ask the officials to bring the file. Not for me, when I am leaving, to carry Federal Executive memos, photocopy all or put them on CD-ROMs because one day I will need them. These are all things we are doing wrong that we should have learnt from. These are the things that came up from the Senate Public Hearing.

What have you learnt from the Hearing that you will correct immediately to prevent recurrence?

The most important is this allocation of land. We must return the Land Use Allocation Committee and I am glad it is flexible and not as complex as it sounds. I think you as a minister, when you work through it, you now have a modus operandi. So, I have taken a memo; already I have composed the Land Use Allocation Committee for my tenure. Mr. President is going to give me his consent, then I will announce it and they will sit and look at all the applications. That's one.

On demolition, we are still going to demolish, to be honest with you, even though people think that we are sitting there, doing nothing about the rot in the system. People are saying, 'Modibbo has human face.' But let me warn that all that perception can't carry anybody anywhere because Abuja is becoming a slum. We are still going to demolish but we will do it through the established process. The Urban and Regional Planning Tribunal is there. First of all, we are going to take the bulk case of the distortions to the Tribunal. The Tribunal will rule. We will file with the courts so that there will be no problem with injunctions anymore. Even the Chief Justice (CJ) advised me and said this was very simple. If you acquire a green area, you can't escape; it's clear. You know because you have the ruling so we are going to do that, too.

In addition, I told my people we are going to publish it once a week in the national dailies. We will advertise it. So, the Federal Capital Territory is putting the public on notice that so, so buildings located in Maitama have contravened the Land Use Act and are going to be demolished in two weeks. Like I said, it is tedious but we have to establish that. We have to establish a process but if we keep doing it arbitrarily, we will make mistakes and then the problem with mistakes is that you cover a mistake with another mistake. You cover a mistake with a lie and so on. These are the issues but we will follow the due process. So, that does not mean that we will allow lawlessness. You know we have opened a Pandora's box and I am pretty sure we will continue this probe till the next couple of years but we will be careful but not completely careful to the extent that we become complacent. No.

Could you be specific on the lessons you learnt from the Public Hearing?

I don't want to enter into any trouble but I would like to make one statement unequivocally, which represents my own perception of the Hearing. One lesson that I learnt - and have already advised some of the people that I know on the Panel - is that our legislature is just evolving.

This legislative oversight is very important. Public hearings are very important in some countries because they enable the people to know the truth about some issues. But then, the practitioners, most of the legislators, have not been quite prepared. Let me give you an example: they (Panel members) asked us for tons of pieces of information but they never used them. And then, I asked one of them to let some of their legislative aides to summarise some of those things for them to deepen their understanding of the issues. All this information, we took time to give them because it is their right and we were compelled to give them by law. But it appears they did not read the documents.

So, it makes everything look ridiculous, it makes people to be sceptical. And that is the most frustrating for me: to see things that can be obviously done in one or two minutes, they allowed it to be prolonged, wasting time on the intangibles, as I told them when I went there. I did not ask for the investigation; so they shouldn't make me fill in the gaps for them because if I wanted to do inquiry, I would do it quietly, differently and efficiently. But if you are going to do it, please, do it thoroughly so that nobody will be embarrassed, nobody will look stupid. That's one big lesson I learnt and I have passed it and given my own little advice. I said, 'please, it's good we are starting this but do your homework.' There were two or three of them you could see that knew the issues. Some were just following (as mere participants).

Will you set up a Commission of Inquiry to try past administrations, especially since you were not satisfied with the Senate Hearing?

No, it is not necessary. I have wasted too much of my time and I am moving ahead. I am going to do my own thing. I have my programmes that I am pursuing. You can see that I am proud about one of the modest things that we are doing in security. And I want to be remembered that during my time, people really feel secured and I hope that when I leave, people will remember me for that.

Macintosh HD:Users:theguardiannewspapersltdgnl:Desktop:Pol-MODIBBO INTERVIEW 8/6/08
Source: The Guardian, 8^{th June 2008.}

Day of street dancing in Abuja

AFTER treating entertainment enthusiasts in the city of Jos, Plateau State to the best of Street Dance performance by young and talented dancers from the region comprising, the Malta Guinness Street Dance Africa crew stormed the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to select one dance group to represent the region at the National finals which is billed to hold in Lagos in the near future.

The Abuja event followed a screening of about 30 dance groups, which registered for the competition. The initial screening was held for two days at the Blakes Resort, Area 11, in the heart of the city from which five groups were finally selected to contest for the one slot to represent the region at the national finals.

The five groups that made it to the Abuja regional final were Soul Quest, Switch, Soul Steppers, G.T.P. Strangaz and S.T.Y. Crew. Just like the regional finals event in Jos, the competition in Abuja was full of fun and excitement as the five dance crews which made it to the finals came smoking hot with the zeal to outdo one another.

The regional event, which was held at the NTA Arena witnessed a large turnout of spectators and supporters of the various dance groups that came out to cheer their friends to victory.

After the first round of highly energetic and well rehearsed choreographed dance displays, the Judges, made up of Guinness world record holder for the longest dance ever, Kaffayat Shafau, popularly known as Kaffy, Wale Rubber and Frank, selected three dance crews, for a final showdown, after which one dance crew, emerged winner of the regional contest. The three groups that made it to the second round of the Abuja regional finals were G.T.P. Strangaz, Soul Quest and Switch.

In the final round, the three groups returned with so much enthusiasm, displaying more of their choreographic and unique styles, which definitely made them exhibiting the virtuosity, which could make them compete comfortably with world class dancers. It was, indeed an event full of creativity and great dance alignment. However, it was Soul Quest, an all masked dance group that wore the crown. It will represent Abuja region at the national finals.

While speaking after being announced winners, the leader of Soul Quest dance crew, Ibrahim Suleiman, expressed happiness and thanked God for the opportunity afforded his crew, to showcase their creativity and finesse which made them clinch the coveted first position to represent the region. The Malta Guinness Street Dance Africa is an exciting competition which is being introduced by the market leading non-alcoholic brand to further bond with its consumers, and also to give opportunity to Nigerian youths to showcase Nigeria's hottest dance talents.
Source: The Guardian, 6^{th June 2008.}

FCTA moves to check land documents' fraud
From Terhemba Daka, Abuja

WORRIED by the sharp practices by some elements in the allocation of plots in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has initiated strategies aimed at tackling widespread land document forgery in Abuja.

Minister of the FCTA, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, disclosed this on Monday after the Administration's weekly executive meeting in Abuja.

He said the widespread forgery of land documents, particularly Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) in the territory by touts, has become a source of concern to government and would be tackled head-long.

The minister revealed that the administration is working with law enforcement agents, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police to fish out perpetrators of the act both within and outside the system.

Modibbo assured that the network must be broken and the culprits prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others who make fast money at the expense of innocent and unsuspecting residents.

He, however, cautioned the general public to always conduct proper investigations from the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) to ascertain the authenticity of such documents.

"I wish to advise the general public to conduct proper search in AGIS before any land transaction is consummated to stop or minimise the proliferation of forgery", he added.

The minister disclosed that the administration is working on synchronising, harmonising and standardising of Land Use Codes, as well as its definitions.

"The government has embarked on this project with the aim of preparing standard Land Use Codes for use in all FCT Administration service departments", he added.

He further explained that the FCT Administration would soon organise a meeting with stakeholders, including Urban and Regional Planning; Development Control, Engineering Services, Survey and Mapping and AGIS at a retreat.
Source: The Guardian, 4^{th June 2008.}

Growing Up In Abuja
By Bridget Onochie

'Abuja Is Cool. Life Is Simply Beautiful Here; I Can't Live Elsewhere'

Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory is located at the centre of Nigeria. Built mainly in the 1980s and officially declared Nigeria's capital on December 12, 1991 to replace Lagos, the previous capital city, Abuja remains one of the best planned cities in Africa, with a population of 778,567, going by the 2006 census.

The beauty of Abuja rests largely on the elegant structures that adorn the landscape and its alluring road networks. A journey round the city at night reveals well illuminated space that is protected against hoodlums, who choose the cover of darkness for their nefarious operations.

It would be recalled that part of what gave impetus for the relocation of the capital to Abuja was the need to decongest Lagos, which had become overcrowded, with most of the population living in squalid conditions.

In line with the orders of the Federal Government, the Nigerian civil service, with the exception of a few, relocated their headquarters to Abuja, subsequent to the formal declaration of the new capital territory; embassies and other international organisations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the United Nations (UN) offices, among others, followed suit.

Abuja is divided into three phases. The first comprises five districts - Central, Garki, Wuse, Maitama and Asokoro. The second phase is made up of Kado, Durumi, Gudu, Utako and Jabi, while the third phase has four districts - Mabuchi, Katampe, Wuye and Gwarimpa.

These districts are popularly referred to as "towns" considering the fact that they are located at the city centre and host the best structures and infrastructure in the FCT. Although some development is catching up with the other five sub-urban districts such as Nyanya, Karu, Gwagwalada and Kubwa, as well as other satellite settlements such as Lugbe, Chika, Mpape and Karimu, the difference between these and the main districts, in terms of infrastructural development, is mostly glaring.

However, within the so-called towns are noticeable disparities, with Asokoro topping the list of the wealthiest and most expensive districts, followed by Maitama and Garki.

INVESTIGATION shows that children who were born and brought up in Asokoro and Maitama find life slightly different from those who live in the other three districts. To them, Abuja is not only beautiful but also cool, devoid of the hustle and bustle that characterise other cities they have heard about or visited during holidays. Talk about child labour or the dangers associated with boarding motorcycles (okada) and they would shiver. To them, such things do not exist in Abuja - not in their vicinity at least.

Only a handful of them who occasionally board taxis to school complained of hike in fare and occasional recklessness by commercial bus drivers. Yet, none could imagine leaving Abuja for any of those states they have heard of.

"Abuja is cool, no traffic, everywhere is clean, roads are tarred, there are no problems anywhere. Life is simply beautiful here. I don't know if I can live elsewhere," says Andrew Essien, an SSS 2 student of Christ the King Secondary School, Gwagwalada.

Asked if he had been to Lagos, he says: "I have not been there but my mum tells me the place is rowdy, people are always fighting and rushing to catch a bus."

Many of the children hear about robbery cases but have never experienced it. Damilola Daniel Sadiku, 13, lives in Kubwa and schools at Lungi Barracks, around Maitama. He believes that security is very tight in Abuja compared to Lagos from where his parents were transferred. He, however, complains of heavy traffic jam he has to put up with every morning, which makes him leave home as early as 5.30 pm.

"The fare is not high and there are vehicles but I have to leave home by 5.30 in order to get to school early because of traffic. Getting to school is not stressful." On his feelings about the government, he said: "The government is not doing enough, like our roads; there is a lot of traffic. I think the road should be expanded. We don't usually have light and we have to buy water most of the time. I also feel sad when I see my mates hawking; it is because their parents have no money. Government should put them in schools," says young Sadiku.

A 16-year-old student of Gwarinmpa Secondary School and of Gbagi tribe, Sunday Banshi, says all is not well with children in the FCT, especially those of them that live in the suburbs. Though he lives close to his school and does not have to pay fares, he feels government should equip the schools in order to create a balance between them and their counterparts in private schools "We like living on our own because we enjoy farming and we live in peace. We just want government to help upgrade our schools and develop our area by giving us light and water. The settlement is not so comfortable because sometimes, the government seems to forget us. It is only recently that Oceanic Bank built its branch in our area."

For Salisu Umar, 16, also of Gbagi tribe, who lives and attends school in Jabbi, life in Abuja is simply good. Contrary to Banshi's claim, he believes his school, Junior Secondary School, Jabbi, maintains the same standard academically with most private schools in the city. "My school is good; we have qualified teachers and I know I can compete with those in private schools." He only complains of the epileptic power supply. "The government is trying but they should do something about light because this makes it difficult for us to read in the night."

Some of the teachers in the school, who agreed to speak to The Guardian but begged to remain anonymous, are of the view that life in the FCT is expensive, but no so with regard to education. Said one of them: "I think the cost of schooling is relatively cheap unless you want to go to a private school. No school fees are paid except small charges for the students, like school uniform and sandals that the parents need to provide.

"For transportation, most people live far away from their places of work and it is difficult to bring the students with them and go back. Though there are schools close to them, most families do not allow their children to stay at home while they are in the office, so they prefer to take them along so that if they close, they stay with them while they work. It makes it a little bit clumsy and tedious. Power supply is zero for now; no light in most places."

A journey through some streets in the FCT reveals that the splendour and relatively easy life style in Abuja, does not extend to all children in the city. The menace of street urchins may not after all be limited to Lagos or some other large cities in the country. On this, the teacher at the Junior Secondary School, Jabbi, says: "It is pathetic but when you look at the cost of living and the disposition of most parents, you cannot but just be helpless. Because many parents cannot afford a meal a day, some children, out of frustration, get themselves on the streets just to make ends meet."

For Mrs. Margaret Bargo, Director/Co-ordinator, Daughters of Abraham Foundation, a charitable organisation supported by churches and individuals in Jabbi, "Abuja has a lot of other sides, apart from the glamour of the highly placed in the society. It is a place where young people, males and females alike, troop to because of the notion that there is money in Abuja," she says.

"Most of the girls we have to handle here belong to that group. Ninety per cent of the girls that are going through training here are girls who left their home towns, most from very poor parents without proper home training and if they see girls come in from Abuja with new dresses and shoes, they think all is well with Abuja and they run to the city. But coming to Abuja, they discover it is not what they thought and because they have no other means of going back home, they move to the street."

Bargo adds: "I just want to say that for young Nigerian children, it has not been easy. For those who have their parents and families, it is good but majority of young people you see who end up as house maids, washing dishes in brothels and slums and roadside cafeterias are people who are homeless. In the day time, they seem very busy but at night, they are very vulnerable. Some of them sleep under the bridges, some in market shades when everybody is gone and they can turn to anything."

She informs that to get the kids off the streets of Abuja, government should liaise with credible organisations and child care institutions in tackling the problem.

EIGHTEEN-YEAR old Gabriel Enyi, a secondary school leaver, says he has not heard about or experienced police brutality in the FCT. He isn't even familiar with checkpoints or the usual "toll-gates" where security men mount roadblock to collect money from motorists. "I come across them sometimes but they have not demanded anything from any of the drivers whose buses I entered. Even when they try to stop your car or bus, they are not hostile. They smile most of the time." He is rather accustomed to Road Safety officials and Vehicle Inspection Officers, better known as VIOs, who are everywhere, sometimes, molesting innocent drivers.

Stella Ikenwe is a first year student of Sociology, University of Abuja. She came to Abuja at the age of nine when her father was transferred from Lagos. She finds Abuja a nice place and by no means comparable to Lagos. Though she says the city is gradually reducing its glamour due to poor power supply, traffic problems and the increasing wave of crime among youths, the city remains better and relatively, more secure than Lagos.

For children living around Wuse, child labour, street trading, pick pockets and the gradual infiltration of street urchins (area boys) are no longer news to them. In fact, they encounter these on a regular basis.

A 21-year-old girl, Chisom, who visits Lagos occasionally for holidays, says the life at Wuse market area reminds her of Oshodi bus stop - an overcrowded area of Lagos, full of petty thieves. She says she has not been robbed, but an older brother has once lost his cell phone to a pick pocket, while trying to catch a bus back home after office hours.

The general belief, however, is that life in Abuja is expensive but worth living in. For the young persons, who disclosed to The Guardian about their experiences growing up in the city, despite the high cost of living that obtains there, life is easier in Abuja than anywhere else in the country, although there are many other children who can be said to be missing out of the comfort and peaceful life that Abuja seems to boast of.
Source: The Guardian, 1^{st June 2008.}

FCT to demolish squatter-settlements
From Terhemba Daka, Abuja

ANOTHER round of demolition of illegal structures will this week begin in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The targeted areas are those which have recently been turned into squatter settlements.

FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, told journalists in Abuja at the weekend that the next round of demolition expected to start this week would be carried out by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) beginning from Gosa, a settlement along Airport Road in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Modibbo said the exercise would rid the territory of illegal structures caused by influx of people into the capital city.

He said that adequate notices would be sent to residents in the affected areas, stressing that the new approach would be fair and transparent.

On security, Modibbo said the administration would collaborate with the private sector to install security cameras at strategic locations in the territory to assist in monitoring criminal activities in the city.

He said the new metropolitan policing would operate in three shifts with two vehicles dedicated to patrolling each of the districts.

The minister added that arrangements had been concluded to send police officers on courses on Metropolitan Policing abroad, adding that two patrol teams would be assigned to provide perimeter at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Source: The Guardian, 26^{th May 2008.}

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Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
The President of
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Dr. Goodluck Jnathan
Vice President
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Parliament

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua congratulating Senate President, David Mark and Speaker of the House, Dimeji Bankole.

 Senate President
David Mark

Speaker of the House
Dimeji Bankole

ABUJA
The Capital of Federal Republic of Nigeria

Abuja was initiated in 1976 to locate in the centre of the country to make the capital of the country more accessible to all Nigerians.

It was officially proclaimed opened between  1991 and 92 when major activities relocated from Lagos to Abuja.

It has many expressways, highways or major roads leading to it from the east, west, north and south. With its international airport (Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport) it is accessible by air whether international or domestic flights. And being that it was built near the rivers, the Niger and Benue, it is also accessible by sea.

Some of the towns found in Abuja are Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.

Abuja Gate

Abuja Airport -Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport

Abuja Mosque

Aso Rock

Zuma Rock