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Oyo Ethnic Conflict: Governors’ Forum promises to rebuild Sasa market
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), on Tuesday, pledged to help rebuild the Sasa Market, Ibadan, which was burnt down in the wake of the crisis that engulfed the market last week.
A delegation of the NGF led by the governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, which visited Ibadan, delivered the promise after a tour of the trouble spot.
Bagudu, who was joined by his colleagues from Zamfara, Kano, and Niger States, said that the city of Ibadan was calm, contrary to the pictures being circulated on social media.
He lauded the Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde for what he has done so far in restoring peace and normalcy to the community, adding that the streets of Ibadan are calm and peaceful.
“We, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, are going to support. As a matter of fact, we have given a token to those who are already displaced, and we will meet at a wider table tomorrow and can assure that more support will be mobilised”, Bagudu said.
Governor Makinde, who led Governors Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi; Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Kano; Bello Muhammad Matawalle, Zamfara; and Abubakar Sanni Bello, Niger, to Sasa community, assured that his government would continue to look for avenues to restore peaceful co-existence.
He declared that the unity of Nigeria and the need to restore peace were weightier than political divides, adding that his administration was ready to ensure peaceful co-existence among the residents of Sasa community in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
While speaking at the palaces of Seriki Sasa and Baale Sasa, the governor called for calm and unity among the Hausas and Yorubas living in the community, urging everyone to join hands with the administration.
He appreciated the governors for coming together in one accord to find a way to restore peace to Oyo State and to the country.
He said: “As a government, we will continue to look for an avenue to restore a peaceful co-existence for all of us. Please, I want you to join hands with us and we also acknowledge that sometimes, we process information and we may not get to the roots of the issue. If you see something, say something to us and we will address the challenges frontally.”
The governor explained that his relationship with the Arewa community through the Seriki dated back years before he became governor of the state, adding that his message to all sides is to give peace a chance.
The governor added, “Even before I became the governor, I have always had solid interaction with the Arewa community through Baba. I still remember that in 2013, I came here, and Baba was trying to make me feel comfortable.
“So, we have been together for long. I feel the pain of everybody involved here because properties were lost, and we can replace properties. It may be painful, but when the fire started, and I was contacted. I said they should send a fire truck here and the fire truck was vandalised, damaged.
“So, I told the people that it is annoying that we have to use money that could have been used for something else to replace the fire trucks and to rebuild all of these places. But those are minor cases; when a life is lost, we can’t replace it. We cannot make life. So, my message is that of peace”, he continued.
Governor Makinde also commended the NGF for coming together to identify with the state and to show solidarity with efforts to unite all sides.
“We all have to come together, and I thank my brother governors that have come here, first to identify with us in this period of crisis and also to show solidarity with our efforts towards uniting everybody.
“So, again, on behalf of the government and people of Oyo State, I want to thank Your Excellencies for your time this morning. This is a period to show leadership for the country at the top level and you can see that it is appalling seeing that some people are trying to politicise issues of security and loss of lives.
“My brother here is the governor of Zamfara, and he is from the PDP. I am PDP but the issue of unity in Nigeria transcends PDP, APC, and all of that. That is why we are coming together in one accord to find a solution that will restore peace to Oyo State and to our country.”
The governor equally urged the promoters of fake news to desist from spreading falsehood, saying that fake news can easily stoke fires in the society.
“And we have observed also that some people have made it a duty to be mongering fake news. They are the ones stoking fire around here and some of the people that are not aware will easily buy into it and start doing something that we will all regret later.
“I want to urge the promoters of fake and divisive news to please desist. Let us have the chance to give our people the opportunity to earn their decent living.”
Speaking on the relocation of some traders to Iroko, the governor declared that he has also closed the said market adding that every stakeholder in the markets must sign an undertaking to maintain peace before he would agree to reopen the market.
While speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum shortly after the inspection, Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagadu, explained that the motive of the governors’ visit was to commiserate with the government and people of the state on the unfortunate incident that led to the destruction of properties in the state.
He called on Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and other tribes living in fear to send their community leaders to the Government House, Ibadan, so that the government could address their fears.
Atiku Bagudu said: “For the generality of all Nigerians, it is important to know that the streets of Ibadan are calm. People are not chasing one another. People are supporting one another to resume normalcy.
“To those outside Ibadan, particularly the Northern states, we want to extend that the regrettable incident has happened, but it is not a tribal but a regrettable conflict that different communities in Oyo State are holding themselves to sort out.”
The Kebbi governor added the Nigerian Governor’s Forum will assist the state government in rebuilding the market and providing palliative for the victims, saying: “We were well received by our host, Governor Makinde, who briefed us about what happened. And, today, he has taken us to Sasa market. On our way, we had a stop-over at Bodija market and we are pleased that we saw Nigerians of different tribes at the market conducting activities, which is evidence of return of normalcy.
“In fact, we saw some onion sellers from different states, including Kebbi, Zamfara, and Sokoto and other states.
“We went to Sasa market and saw the destruction but more than the destruction was a regrettable loss of lives that was caused by a condemnable spontaneous response to emotions, because both the Hausa and Yoruba community were unanimous that two issues led to this situation.
“One, there had been contention over the leadership of the Sasa market but even though the Seriki Sasa and Baale of Sasa are in agreement about leadership, other interested groups were not so in agreement. So, there was this undercurrent playing out.
“On the other hand, there was somebody pushing a wheelbarrow with tomatoes and it fell in front of a shop. Ordinarily, one would have thought such is normal in a market but since emotions are pent up, unfortunately, we had such a situation. We sympathise with all those who lost their lives and property.
“We saw the damage and we appreciate what the governor has done so far. We have seen what the security agencies have also done, and we are glad that things are returning to normalcy.
“The Seriki Sasa and Baale have confirmed that everyone is ready to stay and conduct their lawful activities and the governor has assured that he will continue to ensure that all communities continue to live without fear.”
… Assures Prompt Salary Payment
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, has announced the release of withheld local government allocations, assuring that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the prompt payment of workers’ salaries.
Ibas disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administrators in Port Harcourt, describing the engagement as a crucial step towards restoring stability and progress in the state.
He lamented the economic hardship in the Niger Delta, noting that despite the region’s wealth of natural resources, many of its people continued to suffer.
“This is unacceptable,” he said, stressing the need for transformation and financial accountability.
The administrator expressed concern over the delay in salary payments across local government areas, acknowledging the struggles of affected workers.
“I feel the pain of the workers,” he stated, assuring them that the withheld allocations had been released and that his administration would ensure prompt payment of salaries.
However, he warned that financial discipline would be strictly enforced, directing all local government areas to submit their wage bills with supporting documents through the office of the Head of Service.
Ibas, a retired Vice Admiral and former Chief of Naval Staff, vowed to scrutinise public funds and take decisive action against mismanagement.
“Good governance is not just a slogan; it is a commitment to changing the negative narrative within the next six months,” he added.
He also emphasised the need for collaboration with traditional rulers and security agencies to enhance grassroots security.
“You must take the lead in ensuring security within your domains,” he charged local government administrators.
Reacting, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Administrator of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Clifford Paul, commended the Federal Government for appointing Ibas, attributing the decision to his leadership competence.
He urged the administrator to prioritise workers’ welfare, stating that local government workers were currently owed two months’ salaries.
“With the release of the withheld allocations, we are hopeful that workers will receive their entitlements soon,” he said.
Paul further called on stakeholders to seize the opportunity to rebuild trust and foster unity in the state.
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (rtd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, following a brief meeting at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday afternoon.
Ibas’ appointment comes a day after Tinubu, in a nationwide broadcast, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The President cited Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for his action, stating that he could no longer stand by as the political crisis in the state escalated.
However, the suspension of Fubara and other elected officials has sparked widespread condemnation. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, senior lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and several civil society groups have rejected the move, describing it as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
In contrast, the pro-Nyesom Wike faction of the Rivers State Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule, has praised Tinubu’s decision, accusing Fubara of disregarding a Supreme Court ruling related to the state’s political crisis.
Vice Admiral Ibas, a retired naval officer, previously served as Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari. Born in Cross River State, he attended the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 and went on to have a distinguished military career, rising to the highest ranks in the Navy.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management. In 2022, Buhari conferred upon him the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in recognition of his service.
Ibas now assumes leadership of Rivers State amid a deeply divided political landscape, with tensions running high over the legality and implications of the emergency rule.
The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the federal, state, and local governments surged by 43 per cent in 2024, reflecting a major boost in government revenue inflows.
According to the latest FAAC Quarterly Review released in Abuja on Tuesday, the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) disclosed that a total of N15.26 trillion was allocated to the three tiers of government within the year under review.
NEITI’s Acting Director, Communication & Stakeholders Management, Obiageli Onuorah, described the disbursements as a historic high, noting that the allocations surpassed previous years by a remarkable margin.
Key Drivers of Revenue Growth
The report attributed the surge in FAAC disbursements to sustained fiscal reforms by the Federal Government, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and foreign exchange rate adjustments. These policies have significantly boosted oil revenue remittances and overall government earnings.
Speaking at the official release of the report in Abuja, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, highlighted the impact of these reforms on national and subnational finances. He noted that the withdrawal of fuel subsidies in mid-2023 reshaped revenue distribution and affected debt repayment deductions from state allocations.
Dr Orji stated that the objective of the report was to assess the sustainability of government borrowing, the fiscal implications of resource dependence, and the economic realities confronting states benefitting from the 13% derivation revenue from oil, gas, and solid minerals.
“The analysis focused on crude oil revenue derivation states, as solid minerals continue to underperform despite their significant potential,” he added.
Breakdown of FAAC Allocations
According to the NEITI report, FAAC disbursements in 2024 were as follows:
Federal Government: N4.95 trillion
State Governments: N5.81 trillion
Local Governments: N3.77 trillion
Total FAAC Disbursement (Including Derivation Revenue): N15.26 trillion
State governments recorded the highest percentage increase in allocations, jumping by 62% from N3.58 trillion in 2023 to N5.81 trillion in 2024. Local government councils saw a 47% increase, while the federal government’s share rose by 24% from N3.99 trillion in 2023.
The report highlighted that FAAC allocations grew by 66.2% over three years, rising from N9.18 trillion in 2022 to N10.9 trillion in 2023 and N15.26 trillion in 2024, with the most significant leap occurring between 2023 and 2024.
Economic Risks and Challenges
Despite the revenue boost, NEITI cautioned that economic risks associated with fiscal reforms must be managed effectively. Key risks identified include:
Inflationary pressures
Possible rise in debt servicing costs
Fiscal uncertainty for oil-dependent states
The agency urged governments at all levels to adopt innovative measures to cushion the impact of these economic challenges.
State-by-State Allocation Analysis
Lagos received the highest FAAC allocation in 2024, with N531.1 billion, followed by:
Delta State: N450.4 billion
Rivers State: N349.9 billion
Conversely, the least allocations went to:
Nasarawa State: N108.3 billion
Ebonyi State: N110 billion
Ekiti State: N111.9 billion
The report also showed that six states—Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Kano—each received over N200 billion, collectively accounting for 33% of total state allocations. Meanwhile, the six lowest-receiving states—Yobe, Gombe, Kwara, Ekiti, Ebonyi, and Nasarawa—received only 11.5% of total allocations.
Debt Deductions Raise Fiscal Concerns
A total of N800 billion was deducted from states’ allocations for foreign debt servicing and contractual obligations, representing 12.3% of total state allocations.
Lagos State had the highest debt deduction, with N164.7 billion, followed by:
Kaduna State: N51.2 billion
Rivers State: N38.6 billion
Bauchi State: N37.2 billion
NEITI warned that many states with high debt burdens were among the lower FAAC recipients, raising concerns about debt sustainability and overall fiscal health.
With the federal and state governments increasingly reliant on oil revenue, the report emphasized the need for economic diversification, stronger financial management, and sustainable debt practices to ensure long-term fiscal stability.
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