By Naomi Sharang

Sen. Bima Enagi (APC- Niger) has pleaded Niger government to work closely with vigilantes and traditional institutions to effectively address incessant bandit attacks on residents of the state.

Enagi made the call on Wednesday while reacting to the recent abduction of innocent people in Batati, Lavun Local Government Area and pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

He said that proactive measures should be taken with the rising spate of insecurity in some parts of the state, including close collaboration with the local vigilantes.

He called on the government to mobilise and equip them to assist the conventional security agencies to tackle the situation.

The lawmaker said unless an urgent step was taken, most villagers in the affected areas would not be able to go back to their farms.

This, he said, would heighten food insecurity, thereby posing hardship to poor Nigerians who relied solely on farming as means of livelihood.

He noted that government must do everything possible to protect lives and property of citizens, while advising the citizens, especially traditional rulers to assist the government on their part as custodians of tradition to restore normalcy to their domains.

Enagi sympathised with the affected families and communities and urged them to support the authorities towards safe release of the abductees.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Defence Headquarters says the military has continued to achieve appreciable successes in all the theatres of operation against criminal element across the country.

The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, stated this while briefing newsmen on the operations of Armed Forces of Nigeria between May 20 and June 2, on Thursday in Abuja.

Onyeuko said that the troops had conducted series of clearance patrols, ambush, raid, picketing, cordon and search operations as well as artillery bombardments in various theatres during the period.

In the North East, he said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai on May 20, rescued victims and eliminated scores of terrorists in different parts of Borno and Yobe during the period.

He added that items like large numbers of jerry can and drums of PMS, assorted arms and ammunition and assorted logistics items were also recovered from terrorists logistics suppliers.

According to him, this large consignment of logistics has drastically dislocated the terrorists logistics network in the region.

The defence spokesperson also disclosed that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji had remained vigilant and dominated the operational areas with constant aggressive patrols against bandits, kidnappers and other criminals in the North West and Central.

He said that troops of Operation Safe Haven and other security agencies in the North Central had rescued several kidnapped victims, eliminated scores of bandits and arrested some during the period.

According to him, troops also intervened in a recent clash between farmer/herder at Fubur in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau.

The clash which was provoked by the destruction of farmlands by herders cattle was amicably resolved by troops, who invited both parties to peaceful dialogue.

In a similar development, troops were able to restore normalcy by ensuring the release of a herder who was abducted by Berom youths at Byei Village in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

The swift intervention of troops in both incidents averted imminent reprisal and retaliatory actions that would have resulted in bloodshed in the Region, he said.

Onyeuko said that troops of Operations Whirl Stroke, Thunder Strike and Whirl Punch recorded tremendous operational successes during the period.

He further disclosed that troops of Operation Delta Safe, immobilised several illegal refining sites along with numerous reservoirs and polythene bags of illegally refined oil products at different sites in South-South.

According to him, troops also intercepted and deactivated boats and vehicles used for illegal bunkering and illegal economic activities as well as recovered large quantities of oil products and other items of economic value.

In other encounters, own troops in Ikot Ekpene area arrested some IPOB/ESN members at Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom following credible intelligence on their activities in the area.

The suspects were identified to be part of the IPOB/ESN members involved in killing and burning of policemen and stations in the area.

Also, troops arrested some members of the Scorpion Confraternity, who have been terrorizing and robbing people at Ikong-Offiong in Akpabayo LGA of Cross River.

Relatedly, troops on May 23, repelled members of IPOB/ESN attack on troops at Amoka Village in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

During the encounter, a member of the IPOB/ESN was neutralised in contact and some arms and ammunition were recovered.

Gleaning from the operational activities of the troops in the various theatres of operations as I have just highlighted, there is no gain saying the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the security agencies are dedicated to ensure peace return to our dear country, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Gov. Abdulahi Ganduje of Kano State has called on the military to take urgent action against the gathering of bandits in parts of Falgore forest in the state.

Ganduje made the call when he paid a courtesy calls on the service chiefs in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that bandits had started grouping themselves in the forest, adding that they might be planning to carry out attacks on communities in the state.

The governor said the state government was working hard to open up the forests, saying he was committed in supporting the security agencies to sustain the relative peace in the state.

At a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, Ganduje urged the Nigerian Army to hasten the work on the Army Training Depot at Falgore forest.

He said this was to ensure that the military took total control of the forest.

Ganduje attributed the prevailing peace in the state to the cordial relationship between the government and security agencies.

My visit here today is to condole with the Nigerian Army over the death of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru and ten other officers.

It was painful, it was untimely and sorrowful but we are consoled that they died in active service to the nation.

I am also here to seek the help of the Nigerian Army to sustain the peace in Kano State; bandits have converted some forests in the state to hideouts.

We are building houses, schools and hospitals for the herdsmen in some of the forests but we want the Army to commence activities at the Falgore forest, he said.

Responding, the Chief of Army Staff, promised to visit Falgore to see how work could resume on the army training facility in the forest.

Yahaya said that the Nigerian Army in synergy with sister services and other security agencies was committed to overcoming security challenges across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Kano governor also visited the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor and other service chiefs. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

How Oyo women farmers react to NiMet 2021 weather forecast

A News Analysis by Ibukun Emiola, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
As the planting season begins, farmers in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State have expressed concern about the prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) that rain will cease early in 2021 and how to go about the development.

The agencys zonal manager for Southwest, Mr Adewale Ajeyomi, had earlier advised the women to utilise climate smart solutions to beat the predicted early rain cessation.

He said: There has been a shift in the weather system due to climate change brought about by development everywhere, buildings and all sorts are affecting the wind pattern, temperature and many other things. Deforestation is part of the problem of climate change.

Ajeyomi noted that the northern part of Oyo State, the Saki area, which is the fringe of Ibadan, would experience fluctuating weather according to NiMets recent forecast.

This means the temperature can be a little bit higher, and during the rainy season, they are going to experience dry spells. They are expected to be having rain but at a point in time the rain would cease.

Farmers can do their planting in their normal pattern this time around except for the Oke-Ogun areas, that is, the northern fringe of Ibadan.

The farmers need to employ climate smart solutions; they should be climate smart, do irrigation or get our bulletin or updates from our office or on our website, weekly or sometimes daily updates to guide their activities.

To combat the scourge, smallholder women farmers on the platform of Small Scale Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), have learned the techniques of irrigation farming.

Irrespective of this initiative, Mrs Musilatu Ashiru, Saki East SWOFON leader, said: We do irrigation farming manually. We wet the plants ourselves because we lack the modern technology for doing proper irrigation farming.

We need water; so we want boreholes to continue the irrigation farming, we plant vegetables, tomatoes and pepper. For irrigation farming you can have pepper all year round.

We ought to have cultivated our lands in preparation to plant yam since last year but most people have been unable to cultivate their lands since last year not to talk about planting yam and the irregular rainfall patterns have started again, she said.

Also, Alimotu Sulaiman, SWOFON Coordinator in Iseyin Local Government Area, said that farmers in the area wanedt to be equipped to practise irrigation farming.

She said: Irrigation farming is practised by northern farmers; there is nothing stopping us from practising the same here in the south.

What we plan to do is to acquire land for farming and have amenities installed for irrigation farming that is what we want.

Recounting her ordeal in the 2020 farming season, Yemisi Ojeleye of the Garri Processing Plant in Oje Owode, Saki East Local Government Area of the state, said the low yield in the last planting season had an adverse effect on production.

She said: As we are short of cassava supply from farmers, it has an effect on our work and then makes the price of Garri go up.

There are more than 200 women who work at this processing facility. But the shortage of cassava supply has reduced the number of women who come to work.

Also, Latifat Muritala, a smallholder farmer at Olorunsogo East Local Government Area said: As it stands now, rain ought to have started falling so that cultivation would go well but we have yet to have rainfall and that was the cause of devastation to crops during the planting season in 2020.

Beyond the forecast and its implications on farming activities, farmers in Nigeria are calling for sustainable solutions to the effects of climate change.

Jide Oguntokun, a large-scale farmer at Ido, Oke Owa and Lanlate, said that climate change had affected his livelihood so badly.

Government is asking people, especially youths, to go to the farm but there are issues that need to be addressed if farming will be productive for people in the business. We need to look at how to sustain the agricultural initiatives.

We need to start to look at 2021 for food sufficiency because COVID-19 will just be a minor thing in the face of impending famine and starvation that is to come, he said.

Corroborating him, a climatologist from the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ibidun Adelekan, said, If the seasons are delayed, then it will affect crop production and good yield.

However, David Afolayan, a geographic information system analyst, said that a major solution is the need for public private partnerships that will promote climate smart agricultural techniques that leverage the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology.

Since climate change is occasioned by human activities over a long period of time, efforts should be made towards ensuring climate-friendly practices and tree planting to correct damage done to the ozone, layer thereby reducing the adverse effects of climate on nature.

There is also a need for collaboration to merge technology with native intelligence in beating the present climate conditions to optimise crop planting.

This will afford us to predict when farmers can plant and to have seeds that are climate smart; meaning they have been modified to adapt to changes in the climate, Afolayan said.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ibironke Ariyo/Isaac Aregbesola

Two persons died on Wednesday while four others sustained various degrees of injury in a road accident involving a gas tanker truck and another vehicle at the Church Gate flyover, Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Central Area, Abuja.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Ochi, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Ochi said that the accident, which occurred at around 1 30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Constitution Avenue at Centre Business District in Abuja, and Olusegun Obasanjo Way interception was caused by speeding and loss of control.

He said that the crash involved a SINO Truck with Number plate, KJA 941 YA laden with cooking gas and Volkswagen golf 3 with registration number GWA 91 TT

A witness report reaching us indicates that the driver of the tanker laden with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) (Cooking Gas) en route Abuja from Lagos, had a collision with a Golf car.

A total of six persons were involved in the crash, comprising three in each of the vehicles.

Four of them including the driver of the tanker sustained some degree of injuries and were taken to Wuse General Hospital by the FRSC rescue team from FCT Command.

Two male adults, who were passengers in the gas tanker truck, were, however, confirmed dead and their bodies had been deposited at the mortuary, he said

He said that the obstruction on Olusegun Obasanjo way (from Garki to Wuse), and Constitution Avenue at Centre Business District, linking Airport Road to Federal Secretariat had been cleared.

Ochi said that it took the combined efforts of all the security and safety agencies to avert what would have resulted in a fire incident.

The agencies according to him, include the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service.

While condoling with families of the dead, Ochi warned motorists against speed limit violation.

He urged them to drive safely to avoid accidents and loss of lives.

Speaking, the Team leader of the Federal Fire Service, Wuse Command, FCT, Mr Usman Hammed, explained that his office received a distressed call around 1 30 a.m. and quickly dispatched the team to attend to the situation.

Usman said that the tanker fell off from its head when the driver lost control, in his bid to avoid the golf, adding that the gas-laden tanker was hanging on the retaining wall of the flyover.

He said that the service deployed its machinery to avert an explosion.

Similarly, Mr Frank Onuorah, Zonal Commander City Operations, FCT Fire Service, said that his team arrived at the scene of the accident around 1.30 a.m. and was able to put the situation under control to avert an explosion.

He said that the scene of the accident, which was a stone throw to the NNPC Mega Station and two other filling stations, was cordoned off.

He said that the service swung into action immediately and began to spray water mixed with chemicals to cool the tanker to avert an explosion.

Onuorah said that the gas tanker that was already off its top was evacuated through the help of a crane to a safer location.

He said that his team and others were at the scene for close to 13 hours before the road was cleared after the debris had been evacuated.

He said that there was, however, a delay in the evacuation because of the fragile nature of the product which was already leaking because of the impact of the accident.

Mr Bitrus Samuel, Head NEMA Abuja Operation, also commended all the agencies for the joint efforts to avert further damage, stressing that all put in their best for the success of the operation. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has inaugurated a steering committee for a 10-year development plan for the state, as part his administrations quest to fast track the overall its development over the next decade.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Mohammed Onogu said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday.

According to him, the UNDP and SDG office would be providing technical and financial support, to make the historic plan a success.

While inaugurating the committee on Wednesday, in Lokoja, Bello tasked the members on broad -based consultations and effective delivery of their mandates.

Bello urged members of the committee to provide overall leadership and guidance, in various areas of jurisdiction, to ensure that, the right environment was created to have access to current data.

The governor also urged the committee to put in place, a team of relevant minds that will work with the State Technical Committee, as members of

Technical Working Group (TWG).
He charged members of the committee to be committed and dedicated in the discharge of this all-important assignment.

This is an important state assignment. We must, therefore, show reasonable commitment and leadership, to be able to have a state plan that speaks to issues in the State.

As you know, our people have varying needs. We must go to them and find out what these needs are. There must be a broad-based consultation and inclusion of the various stakeholders in this process.

This is not going to be an arm chaired plan; we must go to the people. The plan must take a bottom-top approach and NOT a top-bottom approach.

The plan is for the development of our people. Therefore, they must be involved, Bello said.
The governor also said that in the coming days, the State Technical Committee (STC) would also be inaugurated, urging everyone to respond with dispatch, to enable work to commence in earnest.

At this point, my appreciation to UNDP and SDG for their technical and financial support, to make this historic plan a success.
Let me congratulate all the committee members, for the opportunity to serve our people. We pray you invest everything, to ensure the success of the assignment, the governor added.

Source: NAN News

By Ibrahim Kado

The People of Mubi, Northern Adamawa district, and Chamba Cultural Development Association (CCDA) have demanded for the creation of Amana and Gongola States, out of Adamawa.

The groups made the demand at the North East Zonal public hearing for the review of 1999 Constitution before the House of Representatives Committee in Yola on Wednesday.

Mr Ahmad Sajo, Spokesperson of Mubi Local Government Area, said that Mubi deserved to be a state, named Amana with capital city in Mubi.

According to him, originally they are part of Cameroun, but by choice, they joined Nigeria because of promises made to them by the then Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, for peace and progress.

Hence we anchor our demand on the premise of the trust we had in Nigeria which in Hausa means Amana.

Restore our status as an autonomous region or state as it was when we joined you.

This is because the premier of Northern Nigeria promised us our continued status as a distinct entity within the Nigerian state and our capital which is Mubi, he said.

Similarly in his submission, Alhaji Yunusa Gisilanbe, State Chairman of CCDA, also demanded creation of Gongola State.

He said the new state would constitute southern senatorial district of Adamawa made up of Ganye, Toungo, Jada, Mayo-Belwa, Demsa, Numan, Lamurde, Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas.

He said that if created, three additional local government areas needed to be created- Gangdu from Ganye, Yelli from Jada, Nasarawo-Jereng from Mayo-Belwa, Barrong from Demsa.

He further said that the association also supported local government autonomy in all ramifications.

In his remarks, Rep. Mohammed Monguno, Chairman, House of Representatives Constitutional Review Committee, Yola Centre, assured that all memoranda would be submitted before the house for considerations.

Mohammed, who is the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, said that the review of the constitution would be based on wishes and aspirations of the people. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ologunagba

The International labour Organisation (ILO) says the economic crisis triggered by the COVID pandemic was expected to lead to the global unemployment of more than 200 million people by 2022.

ILO noted in its World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2021, (WESO Trends), on Wednesday, that women and youth workers were worst hit by the economic crisis.

It stated that although the nations would emerge from the ongoing health crisis, five years of progress towards the eradication of working poverty have been undone nonetheless.

Weve gone backwards, weve gone backwards big time. Working poverty is back to 2015 levels; that means that when the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda was set, were back to the starting line, said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder.

The worst-affected regions in the first half of 2021 had been Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, all victims of uneven recovery.

Theyve seen estimated working-hour losses exceed eight per cent in the first quarter and six per cent in the second quarter, far higher than the global average.

Women have been hit disproportionately by the crisis, seeing a five per cent employment fall in 2020, compared to 3.9 per cent for men.

A greater proportion of women also fell out of the labour market, becoming inactive, ILO said, noting that additional domestic responsibilities had resulted from lockdowns, which risked a re-traditionalisation of gender roles.

Youth employment has also continued to suffer the economic downturn, falling 8.7 per cent in 2020, compared with 3.7 per cent for adults.

The most pronounced fall has been in middle-income countries where the consequences of this delay and disruption to the early labour market experience of young people could last for years, ILO warned.

Pandemic-related disruption has also brought catastrophic consequences for the worlds two billion informal sector workers.

Compared to 2019, an additional 108 million workers worldwide are now categorised as poor or extremely poor meaning that they and their families live on the equivalent of less than 3.20 dollar per person, per day.

According to ILO, global unemployment will reach 205 million people in 2022, up from 187 million in 2019.

The Geneva-based organisation also projected a jobs gap increase of 75 million in 2021, which is likely to fall to 23 million in 2022 if the pandemic subsides.

The related drop in working-hours which takes into account the jobs gap and those working fewer hours, amounts to the equivalent of 100 million full-time jobs in 2021 and 26 million in 2022.

This shortfall in employment and working hours comes on top of persistently high pre-crisis levels of unemployment, labour under utilisation and poor working conditions, ILO stated.

The ILO report maintained that although global employment recovery should accelerate in the second half of 2021, it would. however. likely be an uneven recovery. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government has berated Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, over his fake tweet and misinformation on the death of the Registrar of National Examinations Council (NECO), Prof. Godswill Obioma.

Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, had tweeted that Obioma was strangled to death contrary to what the family of the deceased said.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Odinkalu acted irresponsibly by the fake tweet.

Without mincing words, the action of Prof. Odinkalu is the height of irresponsibility that is at variance with someone of his pedigree.

His tweet is a clear case of fake news that could have caused a breach of public peace.

And I am told this is not the first time he is engaging in this kind of action, just like many others like him.

It was reported that the police, the family and NECO confirmed that Obioma died after a brief illness, contrary to the fake news that was willfully tweeted by Odinkalu, he said.

The minister reiterated his position that fake news and misinformation constituted grave danger and monster that might not be easily tamed.

He recalled that his ministry had inaugurated the campaign against fake news, hate speech and misinformation since 2017.

Mohammed said they would continue to call out all those who engage in disseminating fake news and misinformation.

He also assured that the laws of the land would eventually catch up with them.

Obioma was reported to have died on May 31, in his house on London Street, Dutsen Kura area of Minna, Niger, after a brief illness.

NAN reports that the late registrar, who was said to have returned from an official assignment in Abuja at about 9 a.m. and decided to rest before going to the office, slumped and died in his bedroom.

The family of the deceased in a statement issued to the Director, Human Resources of NECO, Malam Mustapha Abdul, informed the board, management and staff of NECO of the occurrence. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) said it remitted N5.36 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) from its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) between January 2016 and March 2021.

NIPC disclosed this in a report released on Thursday on the summary of its IGR and CRF payments since 2016.

The report stated that the amount represented 46 per cent of the total IGR of N11.61 billion it generated during the period.

Following NIPCs addition to the schedule of the Fiscal Responsibility Act in November 2016, the Commission had been subject to the remittance of 80 per cent of its Operating Surplus to the CRF.

The report also stated that as part of its commitment to better governance, proactive compliance and transparency, NIPC made quarterly proactive disclosures of material, financial, legal, procurement, personnel and operational information.

It noted that NIPC generated N5.59 billion, its highest income in 2018, a result of the backlog from the lifting of the two-year suspension on the administration of its Pioneer Status Incentive (PSI).

According to it, PSI service charge accounted for 96 per cent of NIPCs IGR during the period covered by the report; with its average annual IGR over the period put at N1.93 billion.

In 2020, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Compliance and Transparency Award, NIPC was ranked second out of 213 Ministry, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) evaluated, maintaining the impressive ranking, first attained in 2019, for the second successive year.

The commission was the most consistent among the leading MDAs ranked in 2019 and 2020, it said.

The report cited NIPCs ranking and the improvement, from its 2016 ranking of 90th out of 131 MDAs, as validating the efforts of management and staff at improving internal transparency and compliance with the FOIA. (NAN)

Source: NAN News