By Deborah Coker

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo Command, says it foiled a jailbreak attempt by inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) facility, Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area.

Mr Richard Ogbebor, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command in a statement in Benin disclosed that the attempted jailbreak occurred from 15:00 hours to 17:00 hours on Wednesday.

Ogbebor explained that the corps had received a distress call on the attempted jailbreak and subsequently mobilised its personnel led by Mr Samuel Ogbeide, an Assistant Superintendent of Corps 1, to the facility.

He said that on getting to the facility, it was discovered that the inmates had broken out from their cells and were already engaging the correctional officers in fight.

He disclosed that in a bid to bring the development under control some of the officers sustained different degrees of injury.

He further said that, however, with assistance from the personnel from the Nigerian Army, 4th Brigade, and the Edo Command, Nigerian Police Force, the inmates were eventually overpowered and taken back to their cells.

He added that security had been fully beefed up at the correctional facility by all security agencies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Muslim faithful in Nigeria to devote themselves to higher virtues of kindness, love and generosity towards one another as they observe Ramadan.

The vice president spoke with State House correspondents shortly after presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Muslims in Nigeria on Tuesday joined their counterparts around the world to begin the 30 days Ramadan fasting.

I must express my very sincere greetings to our Muslim brothers and sisters who have begun the Ramadan fast already.

This is not just a time for abstinence from food, drink and other worldly pleasures; it is a time of rededication to the higher virtues love, kindness, generosity, and consideration for others regardless of faith or ethnicity.

And also for our nation, the time, I believe to recommit ourselves to unity, brotherhood, to peace and reconciliation in various ways so that our country will achieve all of the objectives that we set for ourselves.

So, I wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a very happy period of Ramadan; Ramadan Kareem, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ikenna Osuoha

Eze Samuel Ohiri, former chairman of Imo Council of Traditional Rulers, on Wednesday urged Nigerians not to entertain fears about safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, have recommended that America suspended the Johnson

By Sani Idris

The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Board (PHCB), says it will provide supplements to 67, 500 pregnant women in the state, to boost their nutrition and immune system.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Hamza Abubakar, disclosed this on Wednesday when the Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), a Non-governmental Organisation, paid him an advocacy visit in Kaduna.

Abubakar who was represented by Dr Neyu Iliyasu, said that the intervention would also save the lives of the unborn children.

According to him, the pregnant women will be given iron and folic acid, as well as Sulphadoxine Paramitamin to prevent malaria.

The iron, folic acid and SP will also prevent anaemia among the pregnant women, Abubakar said.

He assured that supplementing the targeted 67,500 pregnant women within 2021 would be achieved considering the number of facilities in the state.

On malnutrition, the secretary noted that it has lingered in the state due to many reasons, but assured that the government has the political will to address the situation.

According to him, the intervention for nutrition has been scaled up in Kaduna State, with the government releasing N1 million monthly to all local governments to support nutrition interventions.

Abubakar also said that nine facilities in each local government were utilising the minimum packages for nutrition services.

We usually have an annual operational plan which we cant disclose now, but the plan is also to scale up nutrition, we usually do the planning with Civil Society Organisations.

We thank the media for availing us the opportunity to be updated based on the new priorities coming up in the state.

It is an opportunity for us, if we dont meet the target we want in terms of capacity building, then it will be chipped into the annual operational plan.

The annual operational plan is not just a document for the state, but for partners and CSOs to use and understand where the state is heading, Abubakar said.

He thanked the group for its advocacy and assured that the board was committed to improving the nutrition status of women and children.

We have enjoyed a lot of support from various partners especially CS-SUNN that has been in the forefront in ensuring that nutrition is supported in Kaduna state, he said.

Earlier, the project officer of CS-SUNN, Mary Makanjuola, said that the objective of the advocacy visit was to follow up on basic minimum packages of nutrition in the state.

We want to know the gaps, lapses, and challenges of the minimum package of nutrition in the state, she said.

Also, the CS-SUNN Advocacy Chairman in Kaduna State, Mr Steven Odawn, commended the board for the progress so far recorded in addressing the scourge of malnutrition.

He urged it to continue to increase interventions and reach out to more malnourished children with treatment and preventive services across the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Yahaya Isah

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has said that the Federal Government was set to sanction any foreign organisation who breached the countrys Expatriate Quota rule.

Expatriate Quota is the total number of quota given to foreign companies within which to operate in the country.

Aregbesola gave the warning at the 2Stakeholders meeting on Expatriate Quota Administration in Nigeria at the Grand Pela Hotel and Suites, on Wednesday, in Abuja.

The Minister noted that it had become imperative to impose severe sanctions on whoever breached the countrys Expatriate Quota rules, noting that it had seriously impacted on the rate of unemployment in the country.

Whoever is not worried about the rate of unemployment in the country is not a patriot. We must be concerned about the high level of unemployment in the country.

This is largely due to the breach of the quota rules by foreign companies, who take up most of the jobs that ordinarily would have been taken by our citizens, he said.

Aregbesola recalled that he inaugurated a nine-man Special Task Force on business permit on Expatriate Quota Administration (EQA), on Dec. 1, 2020, to investigate, inspect, penalise and enforce sanctions for breaching the utilisation of EQA.

In Nigeria, whether indigenous joint venture or foreign, this permit and EQ are the best practices globally.

Every nation regulates its economic relations with other nations, in a mutually beneficial way, but putting its national interest and citizens above others.

All nations of the world, in short there is no nation that can be careless of it because every nation is there to promote, advance and to protect the interest of its own citizens.

It is a healthy competition that has survived the test of time. If properly and effectively managed, it will lead to technology transfer, manpower development and rapid industrialisation.

Where nations are careless or unmindful of it, it leads to untold consequences of lopsided and imbalanced relationship, foreign domination, stunted development of the host countrys personnel, and ultimately creates a dependency syndrome, he said.

The Minister noted that the country had suffered from the syndrome of quota breach to a reasonable degree, due to a non-diligent implementation of the rules and guidelines.

It is also replicable in many African and developing economies. So, this is a very serious national policy, as an average of 30,000 expatriate quota positions are issued and given to about 4,000 companies annually on the average.

In strict compliance with local content regulations and national interest, therefore, about 60,000 middle level employment opportunities are expected to be created equally and annually for knowledge and skills transfer.

But unfortunately, the country does not seem to benefit from these and the question to ask is that, since we do not have the benefits, how do we organise ourselves to earn it, the Minister noted.

Aregbesola reminded those behind such practices to desist as the Federal Government had resolved to deal decisively with them.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Yerima Tarfa, noted that Nigeria had reached a stage where the enabling Act , guidelines, processes and its monitoring/evaluation had to be holistically reviewed to achieve local content.

Tarfa was represented by the Director of Employment and Wages, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr Inyamali Audu.

He noted further that local capacity that existed and which held prospective job opportunities for thousands of Nigerians were unlawfully and arbitrarily filled by expatriate firms, especially in the construction and oil and gas sectors.

The concern is not just that Nigerians are denied the available opportunities in these areas, but many companies actually exceed their legitimate quota, he said.

He urged the Federal Government to rise up to the challenge and come up with stringent measures to address the ugly trend, as well as ensuring that the local contents were secured. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has assured parents of Chibok girls, Miss Leah Sharibu and other abductees that Federal Government had not forgotten about them.

Farouq said this in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Nneka Anibeze on Wednesday in Abuja to mark the 7th Anniversary of the abduction of Chibok girls.

Let me assure the parents of the Chibok girls, Sharibu and other abductees, that this government has not forgot about them.

We have heard your demands and the responsible ministries and agencies will respond on behalf of the government.

All our children deserve quality formal education. Our country needs them to be educated for our development. No one should have to choose between school and safety.

We will employ all our efforts to give every Nigerian child the opportunity to rise out of poverty and attain their ambitions through education, Farouq said.

The minister said, President Muhammadu Buhari came into power with a public mandate to control the insurgency in the Northeast that led to the Chibok girls abduction, and to fight the corruption that hampered the rescue efforts.

She explained that the Federal Government had achieved a lot, adding that significant work remained for all levels of government.

Half of the Chibok girls have been rescued and reunited with their families and have resumed their education. We will continue working to bring back those left behind.

Local, state and Federal Governments readiness to respond to attacks on schools has greatly improved. We are working to prevent such attacks from occurring in the first place, she said.

The minister said that she would not like to speak openly about the security strategies and measures.

But I can assure you that President Buharis government holds the safety and security of Nigerians as its sacred duty.

We are fighting a regional tide of criminality and violent extremism in partnership with others, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 300 female students of Government Secondary in Chibok were abducted by members of Boko Haram onApril 14, 2014.

Eighty two of the girls were reported to have been released in May 2017.

One ofthegirlswas rescuedin January 2018. An unknown additional number of girlsescapedinJanuary 2021, but over 112 were believed to still remain in captivity. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) South-West Caucus of the House of Representatives, has hailed the successful conduct of the zonal congress, which produced the Amb. Taofeek Aragbaja-led executives.

The caucus gave the commendation in a statement jointly signed by the House of Reps Deputy Minority Whip, Rep. Adesegun Abdel-majid Adekoya, (PDP- OGUN); and the Chairman, House Public Accounts Committee, Busayo Oke (PDP-OSUN) and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

Arapaja emerged PDP National Vice Chairman (Southwest) after defeating his opponent, Dr Eddy Olafeso.

The Caucus said that the outcome of the congress, in spite all envisaged fears, had shown that there was no alternative to PDP in the zone and Nigeria.

It advised all to put the contest behind them.

Now that the election is over, it is now time to mend fences ahead of future elections in the zone and Nigeria.

Now the battle has been won and lost. But there is no vanquished and there is no restrictive winner. The victory belongs to all of us.

This is now the moment to mend the broken places to reconcile and rebuild without any recourse to personal triumphalism.

We are all winners, we have proven to them all that PDP is not like them, we belong to the same family under one umbrella, South-West is back under the umbrella now.

We can confidently say that PDP is reclaiming all the South-West States come 2023, starting from Ekiti and Osun States governorship polls, the war is over in the Zone with the outcome of the Zonal Congress, the caucus said.

It commended Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, party leader in the zone, for his leadership qualities and for making the congress a success.

The caucus called on party leaders to support the governor in rebuilding the party in the zone for the task ahead. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

The Presidency has reassured parents and concerned citizens that the missing students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno, remain constantly on the minds of government as they are always on the minds of their parents.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, gave the reassurance in a statement to mark the 7th anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls.

He also gave assurances that the release of the remaining Chibok girls is still work in progress.

No one is giving up hope here. Efforts to secure their release through various channels and activities of the security and intelligence agencies remain on course.

According to the presidential aide, the recent decisive push by the military against the terrorists gives hope that a breakthrough is possible and can happen anytime soon.

Shehu asked for support, understanding and prayers for the military as they discharge their historic mandate to quickly finish off the insurgency war and free all citizens held hostage. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Usman Aliyu

The Main Organising Committee (MOC) of the 20th National Sports Festival held in Benin says the festival tagged Edo 2020 cannot be forgotten by all participants.

Secretary of the committee Peter Nelson stated this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Benin.

Nelson described the festival as an impressive one with fantastic ultra modern facilities that stood the test of time.

According to him, the facilities on ground are avant-garde that majority of the athletes have not seen in their various states.

I am highly impressed. What we have seen in Edo is fantastic.

Most of the facilities on ground are ultramodern facilities that stand the test of time and most of our athletes, majority of them have not seen these facilities from their various states, very few have seen it.

Using it for the very first time, they actually saw difference and that is highly appreciated for the all efforts Edo has put in place.

I must confess to you that this is a sports festival never to be forgotten by all those that were present, he said.

On complaints and petitions, Nelson noted they were inevitable things that were bound to happen in competitions of such magnitude.

The MOC scribe explained, however, that the complaints were minute for media discussion.

I will tell you that there were complaints in term of disciplinary action, little fight. Those are inevitable things that are bound to happen. It happens, but you wouldnt pronounce it.

It is not a thing to be discussed because they are just minute issues that actually happen, and that is why I said to you often and again that this festival is a festival never to be forgotten.

Heads didnt roll; things went on smoothly; the facilities were fantastic, the officiating officials with the current and ultramodern rules that are being used internationally were the people that we invited to officiate.

So the element of bias were highly minimal, but remember, not that there were not bias.

Petitions were treated and it is a good festival, said the MOC senior official. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Edith Ike-Eboh

Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) says NEITI will continue to strengthen its partnership with the media for effective reportage of the extractive Industries in the country.

Orji made this known at a capacity building for newsmen on Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and NEITIs operations in Nasarawa, on Wednesday.

He said that the media have a major role to play in ensuring that government got value from revenue generated from the extractives industry in the country.

He said that Nigeria remained member country of the Global EITI and must be transparent in what happened in the sector.

According to him, the EITI has been changing on it focus and have moved from focusing on oil and gas, Extractives revenue to Environmental, gender equity and other areas.

This, he said, the media must be abreast of as those that help in forming the opinion of the public.

The EITI is evolving and will continue to change, it has moved from oil and gas, to environment, to gender and even to beneficial ownership

It is looking at why the extractive industry is dominated by male and also at equity distribution in the industry. It has also expanded to energy transition.

In all of these, how will the media report, interpret and form opinion of people in some emerging economies.

That is part of why we are here, we need to be knowledgeable enough to be able to effectively report these areas and NEITI will continue to partner the media especially in area of capacity building, he said.

He further urged the Media to continue to be responsible in reporting and ensuring that government revenues were properly remitted to help grow the economy.(NAN)

Source: NAN News