Nigeria Customs Service, on Monday, announced the suspension of the sale of foodstuffs following a stampede that reportedly killed seven persons at the NCS Old Zonal Headquarters in the Yaba area of Lagos State on Friday.

Chief Superintendent of Customs and National Public Relations Officer for Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed the suspension of the exercise in a statement on Monday.

Nigeria Customs had said it was selling seized food items at N10,000 per 25kg to alleviate the people’s suffering as a result of the current high cost of living and other economic hardships.

On Friday, a pregnant woman and six others reportedly died in a stampede after some suspected hoodlums attempted to force their way into the Yaba Customs office compound.

Some Lagos residents who thronged the NCS office in Yaba expressed disappointment on Monday following the suspension of the initiative.

When our correspondent visited the Customs office at Yaba on Monday, a mass of people, including the elderly, queued up in front of the gate to buy the rice.

The PUNCH also observed that despite spirited efforts by officers to assure the people that the service was out of stock, the crowd continued to grow.

Speaking with our correspondent at the scene, one of the intending buyers, identified as Toyin Oke-Owo, urged President Bola Tinubu to find a lasting solution to the economic hardship in the country.

She said, “I have been here since 8 am. They said there would be no rice again. I have not eaten anything since this morning. Help us to tell the President that we are hungry.

“They said they wouldn’t sell it because some people died here. They have been chasing us away with a cane. I am hungry. This morning, I soaked cassava flour for my child to drink as breakfast.”

Another woman, who identified herself as Adesola Odefunso, said, “Please, help us to beg them that they should distribute what they have to those of us who have been here since morning.

“We are not as many as the people who came here on Friday. Help us to beg them to give us rice. We have been here since 5 am. We didn’t sleep throughout the night because of this rice.”

Meanwhile, in a statement on Monday evening, the NCS said the suspension became necessary considering “the recent unfortunate event.”

“We regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, February 23, 2024,” the NCS spokesman said.

He explained that: “The disposal of the food items got off to a smooth start at about 0800hrs. We enjoyed the cooperation of the large crowd that obliged us, giving preferences to the elderly, people living with disabilities, pregnant women, and other vulnerable Nigerians who showed up for the exercise.

“This was the case up until about 1700hrs, as attested to by the over 5,000 beneficiaries and members of the press. However, unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome.

“The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.”

The Customs extended its “heartfelt condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the unfortunate incident.”

The service said it was working with health authorities to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families on their next steps.

Punch

Israel destroys 10km Hamas tunnel in northern Gaza

The IDF claimed that the extensive underground network linked a cancer hospital and a university

Israel’s military say they have destroyed an extensive underground tunnel that was used by Hamas, with openings leading to a cancer hospital and a university in the northern Gaza Strip.

The tunnel, said to be 10km (6 miles) long, ran between the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital and Israa University, located south of Gaza City, up to the northern neighbourhood of Zeitoun. The army unit in charge of locating and destroying tunnel networks said its discovery was part of a wider effort over the past month to find the subterranean network that connects the north and south of the Gaza Strip.

“During our raids, we discovered an 18-metre-deep tunnel under the hospital with two exists both in the southern and northern parts of the hospital,” said a combatant identified only as Major Ron, the chief operations officer of the Nahal Brigade combat team.

The area around the tunnel’s most northern exit in the Zeitoun district of Gaza City has seen heavy fighting over the past week as Israel struggles to maintain hold of the neighbourhood first occupied in the early days of the war in October. On Monday, Israeli forces killed more than 30 Palestinian gunmen there as Hamas fighters waged a renewed battle to take back the city.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) say the latest tunnel they had discovered was used by the group’s Zeitoun battalion and other brigades to move around the Gaza Strip.

They added that it contained subterranean rooms including toilets, storage areas, and the bodies of Palestinian operatives who fell during raids by Israeli troops.

“Throughout the entire war, we’ve witnessed Hamas using civilian infrastructure, ie, hospitals, kindergartens, schools and more, to dig tunnels and dispose of weapons, which we also found inside the Turkish hospital,” Major Ron said in a video statement released by the Israeli army.

The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital has not been functioning since late November after running out of fuel. It was the only hospital in the enclave that offered cancer treatment, and has been unable to resume treatment after being cordoned off by Israeli forces.

Subhi Skeik, the hospital’s director, said the hospital had nothing to do with any such Hamas activity.

“While being at the hospital, I didn’t see anything directly or indirectly in my knowledge about the compound of the hospital. Nothing is there,” he told The Times.

A video released by the IDF pans from the Turkish hospital, built in 2017, across the sand dunes dotted with Israeli tanks and down into pit which shows a small, vertical tunnel shaft. On the other side, the video circles a hole in the ground closer to the hospital building and cuts to a deep hole in the ground, marked by an orange plastic chair.

The tunnel was destroyed, according to the IDF, which released a video showing two large explosions emanating from the dunes.

Israel said on Monday that its army had readied a plan to evacuate Gazans before a feared invasion of Rafah in the south, which Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, warned would “put the final nail in the coffin” of aid operations. Nearly 30,000 people have died in Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

After speaking with the families of abducted soldiers, Yoav Gallant, the Israeli defence minister, said: “The full return of civilians to the northern Gaza Strip will only take place after the return of all the abductees. Even if we have to lay down fire temporarily, we will fight again until the last of the abductees is returned.”

Many of the major Gaza City hospitals including al-Shifa, al-Quds and the Turkish Friendship hospital, have been forced to close under fire. Skeik said they were looking to resume their work as soon as a ceasefire, currently being brokered through indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, came into effect.

“Let us give the people of Gaza the right to health. Let us give them the right to live like other people, especially these cancer patients.”

On Monday Mohammad Shtayyeh, the Palestinian prime minister in the occupied West Bank, handed in his resignation to President Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority. He cited “the new reality in the Gaza Strip” and “the escalation in the West Bank and Jerusalem”, where there has also been daily violence since the war in Gaza began.

The Times

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

NATO troops in Ukraine can’t be ruled out – Macron

French President Emmanual Macron has argued that deployments of troops to Ukraine by NATO members and other allies cannot be ruled out because Western powers must stop at nothing to ensure that Russia does not defeat Kiev’s forces.

“There’s no consensus today to send, in an official manner, troops on the ground,” Macron told reporters after hosting a meeting of European leaders on Monday in Paris. “But in terms of dynamics, we cannot exclude anything. We will do everything necessary to prevent Russia from winning this war.”

France hosted Monday’s summit of Ukraine backers to demonstrate steadfast support and European unity amid concerns that US aid to Kiev may stop, especially if Donald Trump wins this year’s presidential election. Macron said that while Ukraine’s European allies want to avoid escalating the conflict into a direct war with Russia, they agree that they must do more to ensure that Moscow doesn’t win.

“We have to take stock of the situation and realize our collective security is at stake,” the French leader said. “We have to ratchet up. Russia must not win, not only for Ukraine, but secondly, we are, by doing so, ensuring our collective security for today and for the future.”

Macron noted that the allies who say “never, ever” today about direct troop deployments to Ukraine are the same ones that previously ruled out escalations of military aid that were later granted, including long-range missiles and fighter jets. “Two years ago, a lot around this table said that we will offer helmets and sleeping bags, and now they’re saying we need to do more to get missiles and tanks to Ukraine. We have to be humble and realize that we’ve always been six to eight months late, so we’ll do what is needed to achieve our aim.”

There is broad consensus among the nations represented at Monday’s meeting that the allies must provide more aid to Ukraine and step up more quickly, Macron claimed. “We are not at war with the Russian people, but we cannot let them win in Ukraine,” he said, adding, “We are determined to do everything necessary for as long as necessary. That is the key takeaway from this evening.”

Washington ran out of money for Ukraine last month, after burning through $113 billion in congressionally approved aid packages. US President Joe Biden is seeking an additional $60 billion in Ukraine funding as part of an emergency spending bill that also includes aid for Israel and Taiwan. Conservative Republican lawmakers have balked at approving more aid for Ukraine, saying Biden is merely prolonging the conflict without changing its outcome. Trump has claimed he will end the crisis within 24 hours by forcing Ukrainian and Russian leaders to the negotiating table.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine's Zelenskiy urges 'fight' for Crimea after 10 years of occupation

Ukraine and its international partners must continue fighting to restore Ukrainian control over Crimea, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday as Kyiv marked a decade of Russian occupation of the Black Sea peninsula.

Moscow's troops seized control of Crimea in 2014 through a covert invasion, and then used it to help launch its full-scale assault on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

"This cruel war now being waged against Ukraine was spawned by Russian revanchism precisely when it felt that the world could turn a blind eye to such crimes," Zelenskiy said in a video address.

Ukraine was on Monday marking the 10th anniversary of a rally in the Crimean capital of Simferopol against a Russian-backed movement that paved the way for the annexation, which the international community condemned as illegal.

Russia marks the annexation on March 18, the day President Vladimir Putin formalised it with a treaty in Moscow.

Kyiv has said it will fight on until it restores its 1991 borders, which include Crimea, and is leading a diplomatic push to devise a peace plan that envisions a full Russian troop withdrawal.

Moscow says the idea of peace talks without Russia taking part is absurd and that any settlement of the war would have to recognise the "new realities on the ground".

Ukraine's military is struggling to hold back Russian attacks along the sprawling front line as Russia's invasion enters its third year.

Zelenskiy, in his address, urged Ukraine's partners to "fight for the full renewal of international law".

"We can end this war on our Ukrainian terms. We can return our land and people from the occupation," he said. "We can bring Russia to justice for what it has done. But for this to happen, we must fight."

RT/Reuters

As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion nears, and the latest aid package for Ukraine stalls in Congress, we must be clear-eyed about the future.

There is no path for Ukraine to win this war. American support will not change this reality.

Two years ago, the Ukrainian Armed Forces defied expectations immediately. Days before Russia’s massive combined arms incursion, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley spoke for the U.S. military when he predicted to Congress that Kyiv would fall within 72 hours.

Many military analysts similarly predicted the Russian Armed Forces would quickly rout the overmatched Ukrainians. American leaders encouraged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to leave the country, lest Russian troops assassinate him.

These projections of immediate success for Russia misread the progressUkraine had made in capability and readiness since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. They also overestimated the Russian forces’ readiness, air superiority, and command cohesion.

One year ago, all signs were encouraging. Ukrainian forces had been bloodied, but they held on to territory in the east in defiance of expectations. Successful counteroffensives allowed Ukraine to regain territory in the south. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy defiantly declared the coming year one of “our invincibility.” American aid to the country offered a king’s ransom in artillery and anti-tank weapons through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and the flow seemed unceasing.

Inspired by Ukraine’s stunning success against the much larger and more advanced military, the West galvanized behind Zelensky and his troops. Tragically, all these indicators led to unrealistic expectations.

Today, the situation is grim. The fighting has slowed to a cruel slog that works to Russia’s favor. Ukraine runs low on troops and munitions, while Russia maintains both in plenty. The long-planned, high-risk, months-long Ukrainian spring 2023 counteroffensive failed, with Ukraine unable to regain territory seized by Russia. Support for Zelensky in Ukraine and the West has finally slipped. American aid is logjammed in Congress, and the U.S. seems tired of funding the war.

Over much of the past two years, following those predictions of immediate Russian victory, analysts and policymakers have gone in the other direction with a new set of misjudgments: that the Russian Army is a paper tiger; that the generals will turn on Putin; that Ukraine will bleed Russia out in Donbass.

The reality, two years in, is that there is no path to victory for Ukraine, at least not in the sense of pushing Russian troops back to 2021 lines of control. After Ukrainian troops abandoned Avdiivka following some of the war’s heaviest fighting — the most significant loss or gain by either side in nine months — almost all advantages accrue to Russia.

The seizure of Avdiivka does not materially change the war, but it does change the momentum. Moscow can throw mass in terms of bodies, tanks, artillery, and drones at exhausted Ukrainian forces until they crack. Ukraine is exhausted and outnumbered, struggling to recruit new troops. The best Ukraine can do now is fight Russia to a negotiated settlement that allows it to keep its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security against another Russian invasion. Even these provisions may now seem unrealistic.

In the first year after the full-scale Russian invasion — February 2022 to February 2023 — Ukrainian troops overcame massive disadvantages in technology and mass. They did so mainly with American Javelins, Stingers, and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems.

During that period, Ukraine had largely bipartisan support in D.C. Throughout the following year, American aid — including dozens of tanks, more than a hundred Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and more than a hundred Strykers — kept Ukraine in the fight. During this period, support among Republicans in Congress began to wane.

It is clear that even if the House approves the current proposed aid package, the flow of weapons is coming to a close. Without a continuing stream of those weapons, Ukraine will ultimately fall. Even the F-16 fighter jets that the U.S. will ship to Ukraine in the coming months will not turn the tide. F-16s require long, smooth runways; the fighter aircraft will struggle to land and take off on Ukraine’s bombed-out runways.

Russia also has the advantage of time. While Putin can lead Russia along a single strategic trajectory regardless of the length of the war, the U.S. is subject to the whims of democracy. The White House and seats in Congress change hands. Policies change as voters grow weary of supporting other countries.

Geopolitics changes fast. The upheavals in the world over the past two years distracted the U.S. from supporting Ukraine. Hamas’s stunning and savage infiltration into Israeli territory last October, and Israel’s gruesome retaliation, became the primary international focus of the White House and Congress. Iran began a low-grade war against the U.S. through its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria. China promised to invade Taiwan. All of these cataclysms require attention and money — elements in limited supply — otherwise spent on Ukraine.

Adding to the uncertainty is the looming U.S. presidential election this year. Donald Trump, Biden’s most prominent challenger, harbors a deep distrust of NATO. His recent remarks reinforce this, suggesting leniency toward Russia for acting against NATO members who fail to meet their treaty obligations.

Given all these headwinds and the enormous strategic stakes involved, it is critical to consider the path forward in light of the shifting dynamics.

In considering an aid package to Ukraine, Washington policymakers and their constituents must assess how long the cash and weapons will continue to flow and toward what end. Getting to a favorable or at least even negotiated settlement will take more than a year of fighting. Putin has no incentive to stop fighting and every incentive to continue pushing and waiting for his adversaries to run out of troops and munitions, and for policymakers in the U.S. to run out of patience.

None of this is fair to the people of Ukraine, who have placed their hopes of sovereignty on America’s commitment to them. It is, however, the tragic reality of the situation.

The $60 billion aid package held up in Congress will not significantly change the future. This fight is a long haul one that will require additional aid. The spigot will close at some point — perhaps soon — turning off aid and sealing Ukraine’s fate.

** Col. (ret.) Joe Buccino is a research analyst at the Defense Innovation Board and a former communications director at U.S. Central Command. He served as the communications director for the NATO support mission in Europe from February to November 2022. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Defense or any other organization.

The Hill

The relationship between employees and their bosses can truly make or break the work experience. 

Issues such as job satisfaction, productivity, mental health and teamwork can be almost completely dependent on this dynamic.

So, what happens if you truly don’t get along with your boss and you’re beyond unhappy at your job? 

Two experts weighed in on the issue with insights for handling a rocky work relationship with a manager.

Consider if it’s your boss or the company

Understand that there's a difference between disliking your boss and disliking the company.  

"Make that distinction," said Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and executive performance coach who works with clients in Manhattan and Washington, D.C. 

Also, ask yourself: Do you truly dislike your boss — or might it just be his or her style that doesn't quite match yours? 

Plenty of bosses, said Alpert, are competent and know what they're doing and lead a company well — but their managerial style or manner may come across as negative in some way. 

Or, they might be hands-off — or, in the opposite direction, a micromanager — and these styles might be incompatible with your own personal preference. 

"Work through this by shifting your thinking to what you like about the company and your job independent of this boss. Perhaps you like the work, your colleagues and your career advancement potential," said Alpert. 

What are some short-term solutions if you hate your boss?

If the root of your discontent is truly due to a dislike of your boss, then some actions can be taken.

While it’s very rare that someone adores their boss, most employees find a way to co-exist with their higher-ups at work, suggest experts. 

If that’s not the case, here’s how to manage your emotions and your expectations in the short term. 

Focus on your work

You’re there to earn a paycheck — so act the part and do your best to isolate your feelings. 

"It’s OK when working through feelings of frustration and hurt to react in a way that pins the problem on the personal failings of the other person, but keep things professional and positive during work hours," said Anita Grantham, an employment expert and head of HR at BambooHR in Lindon, Utah. 

"The only thing you can truly control in any situation is how you respond."

To that point, Grantham suggested you channel your frustrated energy into doing your part well, and try to block out what negativity you can. 

"Look at what the most important things are to you in your stage of life, and see if your current role and company provide positives that outweigh the manager — or not," she added.

Document the situation

If things have progressed to a point where emotions are running high, it might be time to take a step back and start documenting what's going on, advised Grantham.  

Ask yourself these questions: Do you have clear evidence of mistreatment that can be documented? Or is it less serious than that? 

"It’s important to have documentation if things need to escalate, too," she said.

Have a conversation

Once you have everything mapped out on paper, filter out your emotions or assumptions — then highlight specific job-related issues you can discuss with your boss, she recommended. 

"Too many problems are created or perpetuated by shying away from tough conversations," Grantham told FOX Business. 

"Express your concerns calmly about what you feel could be going better and ask for input on how you can contribute to solutions."

What ‌if short-term tactics don’t work? 

If there's an ongoing problem that a direct conversation hasn’t fixed, and you have thoroughly documented the behavior, Grantham said the next step might be to look for support from HR and maybe even file a complaint. 

Be aware that your boss likely will be notified — so be ready for that variable. 

What if others hate the boss? What can be done? 

A united front in this case usually looks like insubordination, Grantham stressed. 

"Gossip and complaining during work hours or via work equipment is always a bad idea, because it’s impossible to justify," she said. 

"If others are also struggling, exchange phone numbers for moral support, looking for ways to stay positive. But remember, the last thing you want to do is make a bad situation worse by creating a negative echo chamber." 

Also, remember it’s a small world, and you should continue to do your current job with excellence. 

"The world is too small to leave your current role with a poor reference," Grantham told FOX Business. "Focus on building bridges, not burning them."

When is it time for an exit strategy? 

Ultimately, if things don’t improve and the situation is disturbing enough to affect mood, your performance and life outside of work, it might be time to look at new job opportunities, said leadership expert Alpert. 

However, badmouthing your boss isn’t going to score any points with potential hiring managers — so keep the focus on your skillset and your attributes. 

"Hiring managers want to hear why you are excited about their company and what you bring to the table in the role they are hiring for," Grantham with BambooHR explained. 

"Focus as much as you can on the pull factors; you are looking for career growth, positive work culture and mentorship from a great boss."

In addition, she said that saying anything about running from a bad situation makes it look like you don’t care where you land — you're just looking to get out. 

"It doesn’t make you an appealing candidate and could leave a hiring manager wondering what role you played in the problem," Grantham added.

Fox Business

President Bola Tinubu has set up an economic advisory committee comprising the federal government, state governments, and the private sector.

The president announced the setting up of the committee after he held a meeting with some key stakeholders at the State House, Abuja, on Sunday evening.

Tinubu said the goal is to provide “additional efforts” in stabilising the economy and ensuring the “best economic future” for Nigerians.

“Let’s look at what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong to bring life back to the economy. Like I said, many times, the people of this country are only the people who we have to please,” he said.

“And we are very much concerned from students to mothers and fathers, farmers, the traders and realising that everyone of us will have to fetch water from the same well. ⁣
“We are looking for additional efforts that might help the downtrodden Nigerians and we will provide that hope and reassurance that economic recovery is on its way. ⁣
“We are not saying that we have all the answers. But we will not be blamed for not trying. We assure Nigerians that we will do our best to get our Marshall Plan in place and fashion out the best economic future for this country.”

The meeting had Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote group; Tony Elumelu, group chairman of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp); Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder of the BUA group; Segun Ajayi-Kadir, president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in attendance.

Others are governors Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state and Chuwkuma Soludo of Anambra.

The Cable

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) says it is determined to go ahead with its planned two-day nationwide protest over the rising cost of living, irrespective of the intimidation by the government.

In a statement on Sunday, Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, said the hardship that Nigerians are experiencing cannot be cured by intimidation and violence.

Ajaero noted that the protest scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday would be observed in a peaceful manner.

The NLC president said citizens have the fundamental right to peaceful protest.

He urged the government to put on its thinking cap and find a lasting solution to the rising cost of living rather than humiliating the citizens.

He called on the United Nations and other international human rights bodies to intervene and see that Nigerians right to peaceful protest are not violated.

“We would want to inform Nigerians that the State has perfected plans to attack our peaceful rallies across the country,” the statement reads.

“One of the groups being primed to attack our peaceful rallies is by a nebulous name, Nigeria Civil Society Forum (NCSF).

“NCSF is one of the emergency groups put together, funded, promoted and remote-controlled by government to cause violence against our members for electing to peacefully protest against the hunger in the land.

“We would want the State to know that the solution to our horrible economic situation and hunger is not by suppressing peaceful dissent or inflicting violence on peacefully protesting citizens as the government did in Minna and other cities where its agents tear-gassed and beat up women before locking them up for raising their voice against hunger.

“It does not lie in the deployment of State-sponsored terror. The pangs of hunger cannot be cowed by bullets or tear gas.

“In light of this, we at the Nigeria Labour Congress and civil society allies are moving ahead with our protest rallies against economic hardship and insecurity in line with the decision of the national executive council.

“As citizens, we have a fundamental right to peaceful protest and history bears us witness that our protests are always peaceful except in instances of state-engineered violence.

”However, if it is irrevocably set on the path of violence against us and other peace-loving Nigerians, it will be making a costly mistake because if we are attacked there will be a total shut down via withdrawal of services by workers. Let no one be deceived, we and other deprived Nigerians cannot easily be intimidated.

“We however remain resolute, determined and prepared to express our pain and grief in a peaceful manner as Nigerians come 27th and 28th of February 2024.”

The Cable

PRESS RELEASE

Afenifere has distanced itself from the call by some renegade Afenifere members for Yorubas not to exercise their right to protest in joining the NLC and other protests. Afenifere has always supported the right to protest in a democracy from the beginning when Awolowo protested against the colonial constitution to recent protests like that against Jonathan subsidy removal, which even President Bola Tinubu joined. The great leader, Obafemi Awolowo warned Yoruba states and newspapers like Tribune and Sketch under his influence never to stifle voices of dissent.

Are Yorubas not members of the NLC? If ever Afenifere was to advice against a protest, it would be based on solid policy direction and not shallow tribal sentiments to silence the pains and hunger of the masses. Those using the incapacitated retired Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasonranti's name to tarnish Afenifere motto of Abundance For All should know that not only would we never stop people from exercising their constitutional rights of protest, but that Afenifere can't vouch for Tinubu IMF's anti-people policies which have failed in every country they were implemented.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank that inspired and lauded Tinubu's removal of subsidies and floating of Naira in June 2023, released a report this month projecting that the policies would create more hardship, with 44% inflation and devaluation of the Naira to over N2000 to $1 in 2024, with recession till 2028. So where did the shadowy figures using Pa Fasonranti get the information that things will get better? Afenifere has never and will never engage in fooling the masses, especially when it is clear millions will slip further into poverty, losing their homes and lives. Are people to suffer in silence for five years because they are Yorubas?

If the United Kingdom or United States removed subsidies today they would face revolutions within a month. The truth is that pure capitalism with no government intervention and subsidies died with the 1917 Russian Revolution, as all Capitalist nations in fear of revolution introduced social welfarism policies with unemployment, health, education, housing and other subsidies. Awolowo adopted the social welfarism with his free education, free health and other social programs to empower Yorubas.

Also, no socially responsible government would allow its currency to fall below 15% unless there is visible destruction of productive capabilities. The United Kingdom of Britain set a 6% limit when they floated the British Pound in the European Exchange Rate Mechanism in order to unify their currencies for the proposed single currency, the Euro. However, when on Black Wednesday September 16 1992, currency speculators led by George Soros attacked the Pound and it fell beyond the 6% mark by closing time 7pm the same day, the British government halted the floating and exited the European Exchange Mechanism immediately.

So it begs the question that what lower limit did the Tinubu set for floating the Naira, or was it just pushed out of the plane with no parachute. The Naira has lost a 79% of its value since June 2023 and continues to fall due to obvious currency speculation which the government has done nothing about. It is human to err and Tinubu must pull the brakes on his neo-liberal policies before he damages the social fabric of this nation beyond repair.

All capitalist nations are sustained with subsidies used to pacify their masses, even when it is evident that there is some abuse in welfare benefits and agricultural subsidies. It is illogical to claim corruption in petrol subsidies justified its stoppage while palliatives are disbursed through more opaque and corrupt avenues. The focus on the consumer element of subsidies blinded the government to the huge multiplier effects that fuel subsidies have on the economy. The Nigerian economy is largely based on small and medium enterprises that rely on cheap fuel. Transporters, barbers, salons, metalworks, hospitality business and even processing industries of food, beverages and tobacco are being destroyed with this policy.

Also, over 70% of raw materials used in our local production is imported, as we also import the vast majority of our consumer goods, therefore both manufacturers and importers are adversely affected by the mindless devalutaion. This is leading to foreign manufacturers leaving Nigeria, causing more unemployment. So although Afenifere is not organizing any protest on its own or in a coalition at the moment, we respect the constitutional rights of those organizing or partaking in civil protests.

Unfortunately like in the case of Abraham when he became old and senile, and was taken advantage of by Esau, we know the renegade ex officials of Afenifere who are mischievously using Pa Fasonranti’s fraility of mind and body to rob Yorubas and fellow Nigerians of not only their birth rights to abundance to life but their voice. Therefore we warn well meaning Yorubas and other Nigerians to be more discerning when they read antithesis of Afenifere. The proof of Afenifere is in our activism to better the lives of Yoruba and all humanity, and not as paid voices of the government in power, regardless of tribe and religion.

Signed:

Justice Faloye, an Economist, author and media practitioner, is the Deputy Publicity Secretary, Afenifere.

Netanyahu says a cease-fire deal would only delay 'somewhat' an Israeli military offensive in Rafah

An Israeli military offensive in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah could be “delayed somewhat” if a deal is reached for a weekslong cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday, and claimed that total victory in the territory would come within weeks once the offensive begins.

Netanyahu confirmed to CBS that a deal is in the works, with no details. Talks resumed Sunday in Qatar at the specialist level, Egypt’s state-run Al Qahera TV reported, citing an Egyptian official as saying discussions would follow in Cairo with the aim of achieving the cease-fire and release of dozens of hostages held in Gaza as well as Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Meanwhile, Israel is nearing the approval of plans to expand its offensive against the Hamas militant group to Rafah on the Gaza-Egypt border, where more than half the besieged territory’s population of 2.3 million have sought refuge. Humanitarian groups warn of a catastrophe. Rafah is Gaza’s main entry point for aid. The U.S. and other allies say Israel must avoid harming civilians.

Netanyahu has said he will convene the Cabinet this week to approve operational plans that include the evacuation of civilians to elsewhere in Gaza.

“Once we begin the Rafah operation, the intense phase of the fighting is weeks away from completion. Not months,” Netanyahu told CBS. “If we don’t have a deal, we’ll do it anyway.” He said four of the six remaining Hamas battalions are concentrated in Rafah.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC that President Joe Biden hadn’t been briefed on the Rafah plan. “We believe that this operation should not go forward until or unless we see (a plan to protect civilians),” Sullivan said.

Early Monday, Netanyahu’s office said the army had presented to the War Cabinet its “operational plan” for Rafah as well as plans to evacuate civilians from the battle zones. It gave no further details.

His office also said the War Cabinet had approved a plan to deliver humanitarian aid safely into Gaza.

United Nations agencies and aid groups say the hostilities, the Israeli military’s refusal to facilitate deliveries and the breakdown of order inside Gaza make it increasingly difficult to get vital aid to much of the coastal enclave. In some chaotic scenes, crowds of desperate Palestinians have surrounded delivery trucks and stolen the supplies off them.

Heavy fighting continued in parts of northern Gaza, the first target of the offensive, where the destruction is staggering.

“We’re trapped, unable to move because of the heavy bombardment,” said Gaza City resident Ayman Abu Awad.

He said that starving residents have been forced to eat animal fodder and search for food in demolished buildings. In nearby Jabaliya, market vendor Um Ayad showed off a leafy weed that people pick from the harsh, dry soil and eat.

“We have to feed the children. They keep screaming they want food. We cannot find food. We don’t know what to do,” she said.

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the U.N. agency for Palestinians, said it has not been able to deliver food to northern Gaza since Jan. 23, adding on X, formerly Twitter, that “our calls to send food aid have been denied.”

Israel said that 245 trucks of aid entered Gaza on Sunday — less than half the amount that entered daily before the war.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED DEAL

A senior official from Egypt, which along with Qatar is a mediator between Israel and Hamas, has said the draft cease-fire deal includes the release of up to 40 women and older hostages in return for up to 300 Palestinian prisoners, mostly women, minors and older people.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations, said the proposed six-week pause in fighting would include allowing hundreds of trucks to bring desperately needed aid into Gaza every day, including the north. He said both sides agreed to continue negotiations during the pause for further releases and a permanent cease-fire.

Negotiators face an unofficial deadline of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan around March 10, a period that often sees heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions.

Hamas says it has not been involved in the latest proposal developed by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, but the reported outline largely matches its earlier proposal for the first phase of a truce.

Hamas has said it won’t release all of the remaining hostages until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws its forces from the territory, and is demanding the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including senior militants. Netanyahu has rejected those conditions.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday made clear that a cease-fire deal for Gaza wouldn’t affect the military’s daily low-level clashes with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a Hamas ally.

“We will continue the fire, and we will do so independently from the south,” he said while visiting the Northern Command.

Israel declared war after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took around 250 hostages. More than 100 hostages were released in a cease-fire deal in November. More than 130 remain in captivity, a fourth of them believed to be dead.

Families have followed the negotiations with hope and anguish.

“It feels like Schindler’s list. Will he be on the list or not?” Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of Omer, 21, told Israeli Army Radio of his chances of being freed.

Israel’s air and ground offensive has driven around 80% of Gaza’s population from their homes, putting hundreds of thousands at risk of starvation and the spread of disease. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says 29,692 Palestinians have been killed in the war, two-thirds of them women and children.

The ministry’s death toll doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israel says its troops have killed more than 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

NEWBORNS DYING IN RAFAH

The war has devastated Gaza’s health sector. Less than half of hospitals even partially function.

At the Emirates Hospital in Rafah, three to four newborns are placed in each of its 20 incubators, which are designed for just one.

Amal Ismail said two to three newborns die in a single shift, in part because many families live in tents in rainy, cold weather. Before the war, one or two newborns in incubators there died per month.

“No matter how much we work with them, it is all wasted,” she said. “Health conditions in tents are very bad.”

AP

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia will try new offensive in Ukraine as early as May, Zelenskiy says

Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer, but Kyiv has a clear battlefield plan of its own, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday.

Speaking a day after the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskiy said it was vital for Kyiv and its Western allies to remain united and reiterated that Ukraine's victory depends on continued Western support.

"We will prepare for their assault. Their assault that began on Oct. 8 has not brought any results, I believe. We, for our part, will prepare our plan and follow it," Zelenskiy told reporters in Kyiv.

Zelenskiy said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since February 2022, giving the first official toll in more than a year. The Russian foreign ministry rejected the Ukraine figure as untrue.

Zelenskiy said that troop rotations would be critically important for the war effort and emphasised that Ukraine needed to better prepare its reserve forces.

A New York Times report in August cited U.S. officials as putting the Ukrainian death toll at close to 70,000. The same report said as many as 120,000 Russian troops had died during the war.

The tallies could not be independently verified. Both Russia and Ukraine have often underestimated their military casualties in the war, while exaggerated the losses they claim to have inflicted upon each other.

TIME RUNNING OUT FOR WESTERN SUPPORT

Two years into the war, Moscow's troops bear down along the sprawling 600-mile (960-km) front line in Ukraine's east and south and problems pile up from shortages of artillery shells and the need for longer-range missiles to a lack of fresh troops.

Zelenskiy said he was confident that the U.S. Congress would approve a major new batch of military and financial assistance and that Ukraine needed that decision within a month.

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The Ukrainian war effort depended on Western support, he said, adding that the European Union had only supplied 30% of the 1 million ammunition shells that were promised.

Russia secured its biggest battlefield gains since May 2023 this month as it captured the town of Avdiivka, which Ukrainian troops retreated from to avoid being surrounded.

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russian troops would push fartherinto Ukraine to build on their success in Avdiivka and on Sunday Russian defence ministry said its forces had taken more advantageous positions near the town.

'THERE IS A PLAN'

On Ukraine's battlefield intentions, Zelenskiy said Kyiv had a clear plan to counter Russian forces, but that he would not disclose details that could compromise it.

"There is a plan, the plan is clear, I can't tell you the details," he said.

Kyiv's troops conducted a much-vaunted counteroffensive last year but were unable to pierce Russia's defensive lines.

Zelenskiy said replacing his popular armed forces chief in a dramatic military shake-up this month was part of his military strategy that would remain under wraps.

The Ukrainian leader said earlier that Kyiv's plans for last year's counteroffensive had ended up "on a desk in the Kremlin" before the operation had even begun but did not say how.

Kyiv hopes to hold a summit in Switzerland this spring to discuss its vision for peace with its allies, he said, adding that the peace blueprint would later be presented to Russia.

"I hope it will take place this spring. We must not lose this diplomatic initiative," he said.

** Zelenskiy says 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed since Russia invaded

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since Russia's full-scale invasion two years ago, giving the first official figure for more than a year.

Zelenskiy told a news conference in Kyiv that he could not disclose the number of wounded because it would help Russian military planning.

"31,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000 ... (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is lying there ... But nevertheless, this is a big loss for us."

Ukraine has not put a number to its military losses since the end of 2022, when presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said 13,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the invasion on Feb. 24.

Battlefield casualties are a highly sensitive subject in a country trying to reform how it mobilises civilians into the army to regenerate its forces after last year's counteroffensive proved unable to break through Russian lines.

A New York Times report in August cited U.S. officials as putting the Ukrainian death toll at close to 70,000. The same report said as many as 120,000 Russian troops had died during the war.

Zelenskiy told reporters that 180,000 Russians had been killed in the fighting.

Russia does not disclose military losses, which it regards as secret. Both sides regularly describe the other's military losses as vast.

The Ukrainian leader also said that tens of thousands of civilians had been killed in the occupied areas of the country during the war. Kyiv says it cannot accurately assess the scale of such losses because it does not have access.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine on another retreat in Donbass – media

Ukrainian troops have abandoned the settlement of Lastochkino, a few kilometers west of the strategic city of Avdeevka recently captured by Russian troops, the local outlet Strana reported on Saturday citing Ukraine’s military.

The website cited a Ukrainian volunteer fighting with the neo-Nazi Aidar battalion as saying that units had to withdraw from the area to “avoid the blocking of their logistical routes” and to “save personnel.” The Ukrainian Telegram channel DeepState confirmed the development, wondering where the Ukrainian high command would announce the preparation of a new defensive line.

Several Russian Telegram channels claimed that Moscow’s troops had already entered Lastochkino, posting unverified pictures and a video of soldiers waving a Russian flag in the middle of the devastated settlement.

Neither the Russian nor Ukrainian Defense Ministries have confirmed the reports. However, officials in Moscow said on Saturday that the Russian military “continued to occupy more advantageous… positions” in the Avdeevka sector while repulsing Ukrainian counterattacks.

Moscow announced the capture of Avdeevka last weekend, which has been a frontline city since 2014. It claimed that the Ukrainian retreat had turned into a disorganized rout with heavy losses. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky called the decision to withdraw “absolutely logical,” insisting that it was necessary to avoid heavier casualties.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that the capture of Avdeevka was “certainly a success,” adding that it needed to be expanded upon.

The Avdeevka area was previously used by Kiev as a launching ground for attacks on Donetsk, the capital of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). The Defense Ministry in Moscow previously said that the capture would help protect the latter city from “terrorist attacks by the criminal Kiev regime.”

The DPR, along with three other former Ukrainian regions, overwhelmingly voted to become part of Russia in the autumn of 2022 in public referendums.

Reuters/RT