By Hamza Suleiman

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has inaugurated the Tukur Buratai Institute for War and Peace built as part of the concerted efforts to overcome the challenges of insurgency in the Northeast.

Speaking at the event, Zulum lauded the foresight of the Nigerian Army in building the institute, located in Buratai, Biu Local Government Area of the state.

Zulum regretted that the insurgency had inflicted debilitating impact on the state and the neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

He said: Our dear state is the worst affected with many citizens still in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

Im not unaware of where we were before the inception of the President Muhammadu Buharis administration and the successes recorded by the military in the war against terrorism.

With the level of destruction of infrastructure and displacement of people from their communities, we have the task of rehabilitating them.

The task before us now is to return the people to their communities and restart their means of livelihoods.

The governor said that it was for such reason that the state government was devoting its limited resources to empower and encourage the people to return to their communities.

The army is a reliable partner in this endeavour, he said, adding that the state government shall work with the institute to design a template and programmes for peace building, reconstruction and development of the communities.

He appreciated the sacrifices of gallant troops, saying, We shall continue to support the Armed Forces.

When we occasionally criticise them, we do so with a view to improving on our successes and not out of lack of appreciation.

In a remark, The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, regretted that one of the greatest challenges facing the world today is terrorism with its huge toll on human lives.

Buratai said that Nigeria has had its fair share of terrorism in the form of Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast part of country.

He said that the military had been working substantially with the support of government and other security agencies to rout terrorism and return peace to the affected areas.

He said that the success of the troops would enable the IDPs to go back to their communities and resume their normal productive activities.

This is the surest way to put in a nail on the coffins of insurgency, he said.

He commended the troops for their sacrifices in defending their country, saying the Nigerian Army would continue to treat their welfare and families with topmost priority.

He commended the people of northeast for their continued support, pointing out that without their support and understanding, the successes achieved would not have been possible.

Continue to support our security agencies with timely intelligence as the war on terror is a collective responsibility of all, he said.

He said that the institute waspart of Nigerian Armys aim of understanding all forms of warfare, particularly new forms of asymmetric conflict, including terrorism and insurgency.

The Tukur Buratai Institute aims at training and capacity building for military personnel as well as civilians in counter-terrorism and insurgency, humanitarian responses, peace building and construction.

The COAS said the institute had six centres, including research, documentation, counter-terrorism and insurgency, cyber security, strategic communication and centre for museum and archives.

In a speech, the Vice Chancellor (VC) of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Prof. Kyari Mohammed, said the conversion of the museum to an Institute of War and Peace was part of armys efforts of defeating the Boko Haram insurgency not only by kinetic force.

Mohammed said that in 2014, Buratai town was severally attacked by insurgents.

He opined that the institute would intellectually provide education, which the insurgents detested in their campaigns of war.

Academicians intend to look for and proffer solutions to end the ongoing war with Boko Haram and abet future occurrences.

The institutes building was donated by Buratai in 2015 as a museum, where relics of war and insurgency were displayed.

In 2019, the Nigerian Army decided to upgrade the museum to become a centre for counter-terrorism and insurgency, Mohammed said.

According to him, this year, the University Council in its wisdom thought it necessary to upgrade the centre to an institute.

It will deal with post-conflict peace building and reconstruction, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration.

The centre will also study other forms of conflict around the country and beyond.

We aspire to be the centre of excellence in post-conflict peace building and proffering solutions to violent conflict, the VC said.

He said the insitute would be devoted to the study of all aspects of war and peace.

NAN report that the more than a decade-long Boko Haram insurgency has claimed at least 36,000 lives with the destruction ofover billion (N3.42 trillion) worth of property in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Source: NAN News

PENGASSAN Logo

By Joan Nwagwu

Mr Osifo Festus of Total Nigeria Plc has emerged as the new President of thePetroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASAN).

Festus emerged as the 16th President of the association at the end the 6th Triennial National Delegates Conference with the theme as,The Future of Work Post Pandemic and Energy Transitions, on Friday in Abuja.

He defeated his sole challenger, Mr Roland Frederick of Shell Petroleum by 200 to 183 votes.

Others elected are, Mr Duru Mathew as the Deputy President and Mr Victor Ononokpono as the National Treasurer of the association.

A total of 384 delegates drawn from the associations branches nation wide participated in the 6th Triennial National Delegates Conference.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the new president of the association Mr Osifo Festus will pilot the affairs of the association for the next three years.

Festus took over from Mr Ndukaku Ohaeri who served for only a year after the unfortunate death of the association president, late Mr Francis-Olabode Johnson, who died on May 31, 2019. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mrs Julie Okah-Donli NAPTIP D-G

By Ramatu Garba

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 35-year-old teacher, Ibrahim Mohammed, of Unguwar Kadawa Quarters Kano for allegedly sodomising two under-aged boys.

Mr Shehu Umar, the NAPTIP Zonal Commander in charge of Kano confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Friday in Kano.

He noted that the command on Aug.25, received information that Mohammed sodomised his two under-aged student at Unguwar Kadawa, Kwanar Dillalai Quarters Kano.

On receiving information, we swung into action and arrested the suspect and rescued the two victims.

He alleged that the suspect was married and has been an Islamic teacher for the past seven years.

The offence is punishable under NAPTIP Act. Investigation is ongoing and when completed, the suspect would be charged to court, he said,adding that the victims will also be united with their parents.

Meanwhile, the command confirmed that it rescued six victims and arrested one suspected for human trafficking in Kano.

Umar explained that the NAPTIP Joint Board Task Force(JBTF) received intelligence information on the movement of the victims and suspect.

On receiving information, the command carried out an operation on Aug.23 , raided New Paradise Hotel in Sabon Gari Kano, which led to the arrest of the suspect, one at large and rescued the victims

The victims were camped at the said hotel for onward movement out of Kano to Libya.

The victims are from Ogun, Oyo, Imo and Abia. The offence, external trafficking, is contrary to section 15(b) of NAPTIP Act

Umar called on the general public especially parents to ensure they know the whereabouts of their wards and to always check on them periodically at the various Almajiri schools. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has again joined other Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in an emergency virtual extraordinary summit over the ongoing political crisis in Mali.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ECOWAS leaders had earlier met, via video conferencing on Aug. 20, to deliberate on same matter where they called for immediate release of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali, and a return to Constitutional order in the country.

NAN observed that the ousted Malian president, Keita, was released from detention by the military junta on Aug. 27 in line with the request of the ECOWAS leaders.

NAN gathered that the ongoing summit of the ECOWAS leaders would review the socio-political situation in Mali, following the insistence of the Malian military junta to stay in power for three years before returning the country to constitutional order.

The summit, chaired by current ECOWAS Chairman and President of NigerRepublic, Mahmadou Issoufu, is also expected to consider the report of ECOWAS Envoy to Mali, former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, who recently returned from Mali, where he interacted with leadership of the military junta.

Those with the president at the Council Chamber for the meeting include Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada.

Others are National Security Adviser to the President, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and Director General National Intelligence Agency, Abubakar Ahmed Rufai among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Court Symbol

By Olawale Akinremi

A businesswoman, Morufat Giwa, on Friday prayed a Customary Court in Mapo, Ibadan, to grant her request for divorce and save her from husband, Kamardeen and his children.

Giwa said:I filed the suit for divorce to have a breathing space from my husband who is cruel to me.

Kamardeen and his children from his first wife have terrorsied me enough. My husband ran down my business.

He has stolen from me and his children sold my car without my permission and knowledge.

He has abandoned the two children I had for him. He is stingy. He only gives them N20 a day as their daily upkeep.

I moved out of his move house because he has a wicked heart.

She alleged that he traced her new location and set all her belongings ablaze in protest.

Kamardeen, a retired teacher, consented to the suit, but denied some of the allegations leveled against him, describing his wife as a devil in reincarnate.

The two children she brought from her former marriage are the major problem in their matrimonial home. They steal. They are my headache.

It is true that my children beat her up and it is because Morufat stripped me naked during an argument and she nearly killed me that day.

My son and I never sold her car. The truth of the matter is that Morufat joined our daily contributory group and we gave her the contribution due to her at the end, he said.

Delivering judgment, Chief Ademola Odunade, the President of the court dissolved the 12- year-old marriage.

Odunade held that he dissolve the union in order to forestall any action that might result in blood shed.

He therefore awarded custody of the two children to the plaintiff and ordered the defendant to pay N10,000 as the childrens monthly feeding allowance. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

The number of daily new coronavirus infections in Israel has breached 2,000 for the first time in a month, the Health Ministry said on Friday.

On Thursday, 2,068 new coronavirus cases were recorded, the Health Ministry said.

The last time numbers breached the 2,000-mark was on July 28, when 2,129 new cases were recorded.

Numbers in Israel were relatively low at the beginning of the pandemic due to a strict government stance, but an early easing of restriction in May caused the caseload to spike, with numbers recently stabilising around 1,650 new daily infections on weekdays.

Case numbers, however, started climbing again in recent days.

Schools in Israel are due to open on Tuesday with some coronavirus restrictions in place, although the governments goal had initially been to get daily numbers below 400 before the end of the summer holidays.

Health officials are also concerned about contagion during upcoming Jewish festivities in September.

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein recently urged people to refrain from family gatherings during the feasts.

This year we need to be careful, he said.

In total, Israel has recorded 111,493 coronavirus cases and 891 fatalities related to the virus.

Source: NAN News

Lightning

Ten children have been killed in a lightning strike while sheltering from a storm during a football game in northern Uganda, police said on Friday.

The boys, aged 11 to 16, had been sheltering from a storm in a makeshift structure in Arua city, northwest of the capital Kampala on Thursday, police spokeswoman Josephine Angucia told dpa.

These are young boys who had been playing football when rain began to fall and lightning struck them, Angucia said.

The children, were sheltering from the rain in a grass-thatched house when the lightning struck Thursday evening.

Police said they had been playing soccer in a nearby field. Four other children were injured.

Relatives have been picking up the bodies from the mortuary since yesterday and the burials are taking place from today, she added.

Angucia said Deadly lightning is commonly reported in the East African country during the wet seasons,urging children to avoid playing in the rain.

The football pitches are usually within or near schools.

Its advisable for schools to fix lightning arrestors so that we offer protection to our children, she said.

Uganda National Meteorological Authority recently warned of enhanced rainfall.

Coupled with floods, thunderstorms and lightning over several parts of the country that could lead to a loss of lives and property.(dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Hajia Aisha Ahman-Patigi

By Usman Aliyu

Hajiya Aisha Ahman-Patigi, Commissioner for Special Duties in Kwara on Friday announced her resignation from the cabinet of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Ahman-Patigi announced the resignation in a statement she personally signed, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.

She noted in the statement that life is in phases and having enjoyed the political terrain with the governor, it was now time for her to leave and focus on new ideals.

I, Aisha Ahman-Pategi, the outgoing Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties, effective from today, Friday 28, Aug. 2020, humbly wish to formally announce my resignation from the cabinet of His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

I wish to thank God Almighty for giving me the grace and opportunity to serve as Commissioner for Local Government and now exiting as Commissioner for Special Duties, serving my fellow Kwarans and representing Pategi Local Government in our drive to better the lot of Kwarans.

Life is in phases and Im bold to say that having journeyed the political terrain with His Excellency, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, now is the time for me to leave and focus on new ideals.

Going forward, my interest in Community Service and Grassroots Development will continue.

Once again, I would like to thank Almighty Allah, the People of Patigi, Kwarans, our dear party APC and most of all, His Excellency for bringing me into politics.

May Allah reward him and continue to be his guide as he pilots the affairs of our dear State.

God bless Pategi, Kwara and Nigeria, the statement read.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Scene of the helicopter crash

By Yunus Yusuf

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed on Friday that two persons died in a helicopter that crashed at Opebi in Ikeja, Lagos.

The Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that the crash occurred at No. 16, Salvation Road in Opebi, north of Lagos.

One person was rescued alive and two persons died, including the pilot Farinloye said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace have bolstered their attacking options ahead of the new English Premier League (EPL) season with the signing of Eberechi Eze from Championship side Queens Park Rangers (QPR).

Eze, who earned rave reviews last season and scored a majestic goal in his final appearance for QPR against West Bromwich Albion last month, is joining on a five-year deal

Eberechi is a player whose development we have followed closely, Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish said of the England Under-21 international.

We are delighted he has chosen to sign for us over the other clubs that were interested and we feel that this is the right club for him to continue his development.

The attacker, who was a target for West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, could potentially forge an exciting partnership with Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha could however become a transfer target for several clubs during the transfer window.

As a club, I feel like there are great players here and its a brilliant opportunity for me to come and be with these players, to link up with them and to really push on, Eze said.

Crystal Palace finished in 14th place last season but scored only 31 goals in the league campaign.

Source: NAN News