MTN Fine Imbroglio: A National Disgrace!

by Eze Eluchie

What we had hailed on this Page as a mark of seriousness on the path of the Nigerian Presidency, under the ‘saint’ Muhammadu Buhari regime, in addressing disregard by foreign corporations of domestic laws and norms in Nigeria is fast turning into a national embarrassment, an expensive mockery on Nigeria’s sovereignty and one more reason why we are where we are and the rest of the world keeps on forging ahead.

Why will Nigeria’s Minister of Communication trivialize and politicize the fine levied on MTN by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for breaching regulatory provisions regarding registration of telephone numbers, by stating that final decision on whether the fine gets paid or not, lies at with the President, ‘saint’ Muhammadu Buhari?

Globally, such political interference in what is basically commercial decisions by regulatory commissions serve to diminish the stature of such regulatory commissions and portray the country concerned as a jurisdiction where the Head of Government is a 'strongman' and institutions and practices of State are at the whims of the political rulers.

Till date, MTN, despite the expiry of the time fixed to pay the fine, a cowardly bungling and 50% reduction of the fine by the NCC/’saint’ Buhari and the telecommunication giants continued failure to pay any part whatsoever of the fine imposed, MTN continues to do business in Nigeria as though nothing (and really nothing except for noise from the NCC) transpired.

Wither the once touted ‘giant of Africa’?

Earlier blogpost on the MTN Fine affair:

http://ezeluchie.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/mtn-fine-appropriate-punishing-for.html

Picture: NCC Headquarter complex, Abuja, Nigeria.

Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance To Fight Terrorism – A Diversionary Non-Starter!

by Eze Eluchie

Considering that Nigeria, like some of the West African countries mentioned as members of the 'alliance', is a secular State with a minority Muslim (or as is the case for some of the African countries purported to be part of the alliance, sizable non-Muslim) population;

And further considering that Islamic countries with majority Shi’ia sect members (Iran and Iraq) and Syria were excluded from the so-called Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance;

And also considering that the announcement of Nigeria’s membership of the Sunni Muslim (Saudi Arabia)-led Islamic Military Alliance was made a day after Nigerian soldiers slaughtered dozens of Shi’ia Muslim adherents in Zaria, Kaduna State, northern Nigeria:

And ultimately considering the opaque and largely non-committal stance of the Saudis, thus far, in efforts at curtailing extremist Islamic terror;

Would Christian or Muslims of the Shi’ia sect or persons of other faiths (not Islamic), serving in the Nigeria military (or the military of the other 34-countries purported to be part of the alliance), be expected to participate in this Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance?

Would such a refusal to be deployed or serve under such a Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance amount to conscientious objection to serve?

Would the Nigerian National Assembly or other legislators of other secular states or states with substantial non-Muslim populations really serve under such Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance?

The pertinent question in the face of realities and the solo-announcement of the alliance by just the Saudi Foreign Minister (without any of the coalition partners present) is: was the Saudi announcement of an ‘Islamic anti-terror Military Alliance/Coalition genuine or merely diversionary?  

The idea of a Saudi Arabia-led Islamic Military Alliance is a diversionary non-starter from the very onset!

Picture: Saudi Deputy Crown Price and Defence Minister, Mohammed bin Salman, who announced the ‘alliance’.

The Slaughter of the Shi'a by Nigerian troops: Opening Fresh Vistas of Violence

by Eze Eluchie

Having perused the accounts of the authorities of the Nigerian Army on the slaughter of Shi’a Muslim followers of Sheikh Zakzaky in Zaria, Kaduna State (North Central Nigeria), which sought to justify the use of life bullets and mass slaughter of several dozen Shi’a protesters who blocked a road, denying the Chief of Army Staff passage, one is forced to wonder if there was no other alternative resolution to the impasse created by the blockage than to kill and maim so many.  

When one realizes that during the electioneering campaigns preceding the last presidential elections, the convoy of the then sitting President, Goodluck Jonathan, which had much more fire power and reason to unleash lethal force on a mob after been pelted with stones by an enraged mob, opted to hastily seek alternative routes to avoid what would have been a massacre in Bauchi, one is forced to inquire as follows with regards to the carnage which played out in Zaria:

1. What was so important on that particular trip by the Chief of Army Staff as to necessitate the wastage and maiming of so many?

2. Faced with clear consequences of shooting into an unruly mob, why did the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff not either turn back, seek alternative routes or solution than to resort to the mass slaughter?

3. After having cleared the road to enable the Chief of Army Staff ‘safe passage’, was it also necessary to extend the pursuit of the fleeing Shi’a to the residence of their leader, where more causalities occurred?

4. Considering that the rise in Boko Haram terrorism is attributed to the killings by our security operatives of the erstwhile leaders of the then Boko Haram Islamic organization, was it wise to have gone on another killing spree when Nigeria is still striving to contain the consequences of earlier killings?  

5. Was it deemed conducive to kill so many Shi’a merely on account of the fact that they are a minority Islamic sect?

6. Would a similar action have been taken if those ‘blocking the safe passage’ had been members of the Sunni sect, the dominant sect amongst the Muslim population in Nigeria?

7. Will the killings in of Shi’a adherents in Zaria by our military authorities not unwittingly expose our already stretched facilities by unwittingly importing the fratricidal Shi’a-Sunni rivalry, currently playing out in the Middle East, into Nigeria?

8. Considering the continuing terror activities in the North-East zone, the threats to return to the creeks and violence of the Niger Delta militants, the ongoing quest for self-actualization and sovereignty in the South-East, and the wait-and-see attitude adopted by the South-West to committing to the Nigeria project, is it really wise for the military to open a new vista of discontent?

To the Nigerian Army, these killings were unlawful, unconscionable, unnecessarily provocative  and wrong. Caution, caution and more caution is advocated.

Let us peacefully restructure and renegotiate the Nigerian polity whilst there is yet time.

Picture: Corpses of some Shi’a followers of Sheikh el Zakzaky killed in Zaria (13th December 2015).