IBB with Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) and Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger

By Rita Iliya
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger and Chairman North Central Governors Forum, has described Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.), popularly called IBB, as a true patriot and nationalist who gave his all to ensure the unity and survival of Nigeria.

This is as the Elder Statesman marks his 79th Birthday Anniversary on Monday.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mrs Mary Berje, the governor said IBBs doggedness and resolve in nation-building were crucial to the stability, national and international unity as well as development of the country.

I congratulate you on this special day of commemorating your birth. On a day like this, memories of your courage, invaluable service to the Nigerian Army in protecting the sovereignty of the country and your exemplary leadership which have indeed helped as well as stimulated the younger generations come to mind.

My fervent prayer for you is to continue to get good health and may Almighty Allah also strengthen you and grant you more blessed years to continue to reap the reward of your hard work. He said.

According to him, the elder statesmans policies and programmes during his regime as the Military President in the country between 1985 and 1993 still stand the test of time.

Bello added that the celebrant has continued to symbolise statesmanship, patriotism, professionalism, vision and courage even after active service to the Nation.

He said even as the Former Military President is advancing in age, he remains an asset to the country, where his wise counsel and advice are needed for the growth and development of the State in particular and the Nation at large.

Source: NAN News

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said funds was not a challenge delaying completion of the 1.6 billion dollar Lagos-Ibadan rail project.

Amaechi said in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mr Eric Ojiekwe, that the delay was due to lack of workers on sight.

The minister was quoted as disclosing this on Saturday while inspecting the project in company of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Project was paused due to the onset of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

The minister, however, tasked Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), the contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail to complete the project within five months.

He argued that COVID-19 had come to stay thus, Messrs CCECC were to devise measures of completing the project.

He urged them to procure personal protective equipment for their workers as no excuse for failure would be accepted.

He advised the company to adhere to safety measures such as compulsory use of masks and safety shields by all workers to get the required number needed to work in all stations.

On why the Ibadan-Kano 5.6 billion dollar rail yet to commence, Amaechi stated that government was yet to secure the loan facility from China Export-Import Bank.

He gave assurance that the project remained a priority of the President Muhammadu Buhari s led administration.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed, on his part, commended efforts made so far on the project.

Mohammed said:I am very impressed. The reason we brought you here is to see that it is not a concocted story.

This is the reason why we are borrowing the money so that Nigerians can travel in dignity and comfort.

He explained that monies borrowed were not for grandiose display nor for overhead or running costs for the nation but rather for capital projects which on completion would create jobs and provide needed infrastructure for Nigerians.

He noted that there was nothing bad in borrowing so long as it was used to provide improved service delivery for the people.

Mohammed commended Amaechi for the passion exhibited in driving the project and urged CCECC not to disappoint.

The Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Fidet Okhiria, disclosed that the corporation was working out modalities on commencing operations on the Lagos-Ibadan and the Itakpe-Warri rail corridor in September.

Other dignitaries on the inspection tour included Managing Director, Nigeria Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Board Chairman, NRC, Mr Ibrahim Alhassan Musa, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello, among others.

Source: NAN News

Lagos churches comply with COVID-19 guidelines, as worship resumes

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ekiti chaper, appealed to the state government to allow the conduct of multiple services by Churches, to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rev. Fr. Peter Olowolafe, the State Chairman of CAN, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti.

NAN reports that the deadline for worship centres to meet certain conditions before reopening for normal services expired on Friday August 14.

NAN investigation revealed that mosques on Friday commenced normal Jumaat (Friday congregational) prayers with full adherence to COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing and washing of hands with water and sanitisers.

Olowolafe, who expressed the readiness of the Churches to reopen for normal devotional services on Sunday, appealed for the review of the COVID-19 protocols as they affect Churches.

According to him, Churches should be allowed to conduct multiple services in view of the limited worship hours occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.

We are also appealing to the government to allow full attendance and participation of children in Church services as we have put in place solid arrangement for them.

Children are known to have separate arrangement for their Church services; all we need to do is to ensure strict adherence to the laid down COVID-19 protocols and conditions.

We, as leaders of Churches in the state, want to assure government that the granting of this appeal will not in any way jeopardise the efforts toward curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

We are trying as much as possible to abide with the conditions, but leaving the children and the people above 65 at home calls for a review.

It is risky leaving children at home. It is like telling the parents not to come.

Even in Lagos State which is the epicenter of the pandemic in Nigeria, the governor has opened the Church and by Sunday, they can have multiple services.

Our position is that in Ekiti, having two hours service for people above 12 and below 65, is not just enough, he said.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), announced 325 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 48,770.

The NCDC, which made this known on its official twitter handle on Saturday, also said that one death was recorded in the country.

The health agency said till date, 48,770 cases had been confirmed, 36,290 discharged while 974 deaths were recorded in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It stated that the 325 new cases were recorded in 20 states and the FCT.

The NCDC said that Lagos, the nations COVID-19 epicentre, reported 87 new cases while the FCT had 49.

Among others states with new cases were Gombe, 28, Ebonyi, 20, Plateau, 19, Kwara, 18, Enugu, 17, Imo, 12, Rivers, 12, Kaduna, 11, Ogun, 10, Edo, 9, Oyo, 9, Ondo, 8, Osun, 8, Ekiti, 4, Borno, 1, Kano, 1, Bauchi, 1 and Nasarawa, 1.

The NCDC said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country.

It further said that It had continued to prioritise training across states for current response activities and to strengthen its health security for future disease outbreaks.

Our focus is strengthening existing skills in disease surveillance, case management, risk communication, sample collection and others, it said.

The health agency also said that there was currently not enough evidence to suggest COVID-19 survivors become immuned after recovery.

It, however urged Nigerians to take responsibility andwear mask, observe physical distancing and wash their hands frequently with soap and water.

Meanwhile, Nollywood superstar, Mrs Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, had said she was in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.

Jalade-Ekeinde revealed this on her verified Instagram page where she shared her recovery progress.

Hello all, I know you must have been wondering where Ive been.

Well, I contracted COVID-19. I have been ill, in isolation, and now getting better, she said.

Source: NAN News

Appraising Nigerian Armys EX-Sahel Sanity in combating banditry in Nigeria

By Sumaila Ogbaje, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

The Armed forces of Nigeria launched a number of operations in the North West and North Central zones of the country aimed at combating and eradicating banditry including kidnapping, cattle rustling and other sundry security challenges in the zones since 2015.

It appeared in recent time as if the military and other security agencies had no solution to the problem which has elicited comments and call from different quarters for the military to change their strategies. In some quarters, the call for the change of security architecture and/or removal of the service chiefs is also very loud.

To find a lasting solution to these lingering security challenges and show the resolve of the military to deal with the recalcitrant bandits in the north western states of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara and parts of Kaduna and Niger states, the Federal Government launched the Exercise Sahel Sanity on July 6, 2020.

The commencement of the exercise which transformed into real time operation, heralded the 2020 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL), which took place at the Special Army Super Camp 4 in Faskari, Katsina State, the hub of the exercise.

After one month of the commencement of Ex- Sahel Sanity, various stakeholders like the members of the National Assembly, governors of the affected states and the traditional rulers, have given their appraisal of the exercise.

According to information released from the operation centre, since the beginning of Ex Sahel Sanity, series of operational successes has been achieved which include capture and destruction of bandits enclaves and logistics such as the notorious bandits leader Dangote triangular camp in Jibia Forest on July 18.

There was also the recovery of several arms and ammunition, killing of several armed bandits, rescue of kidnapped victims as well as recovery of several rustled cattle and arrest of suspected bandits and their collaborators.

The centre revealed that the troops had in various operations killed 81 and arrested 78 armed bandits, rescued 48 kidnapped victims, arrested 13 bandits logistic suppliers, arrested one arms supplier, arrested seven buyers of rustled cattle and recovered 2,855 cattle and 1,081 sheep as well as several arms and ammunition.

These successes, according to the centre, have paved way for massive resumption of farming, social and economic activities by residents of the affected areas while troops have continued to dominate the general areas with aggressive patrols.

During the visit by the Chairmen, Senate and House of Representative Committees on Army, Sen. Ali Ndume and Mr Abdulrazak Namdas, to the Special Army Super Camp in Faskari on Aug. 8, they applauded the renewed efforts of the Nigerian army against the scourge of banditry in the north west and north central zones.

The Chairman, Senate Committee, Ndume, said his concern that farming activities could be stalled due to issues of banditry at its peak at the beginning of the farming season had been addressed seeing that farmers had been able to go back to their farms in various parts of the region.

I can confidently tell the people that with what I have seen between here and Kaduna that we that depend on the North West for basic grains or food supply have no cause to panic and that farming activities are going on. We also saw herdsmen herding their cattle scattered from kaduna down to here (Katsina).

I am really elated at what the army has been able to achieve with its limited resources and from the briefing we just received, the successes recorded is very commendable, he said.

The Chairman, House Committee, Namdas, on his part also commended the Nigerian army for the launch of the exercise, adding that the successes recorded in one month was commendable.

According to him, the number of arrests of bandits and rescue of kidnapped victims also showed the level of successes so far recorded.

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State, during his visit on Aug. 10, said that prior to the commencement of Ex-Sahel Sanity, several villages were being attacked and citizens displaced by the bandits with attendant high number of casualties.

Masari specifically recalled how the bandits attacked and killed over 50 people in one community on June 5, followed by another attack almost a month after in Batsari area of the state.

The governor also called on the locals in various communities to assist the security agencies with useful information and shun any act of giving information about troops movement to bandits in order to enable the military track and apprehend the bandits.

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, who was at the camp alongside his Sokoto state counterpart, Aminu Tambuwal on Aug. 11, also commended the Nigerian Army for the commencement of the Exercise.

Matawalle was optimistic that the troops would be better positioned to defeat the criminals at the end of the exercise, adding that the state had begun to witness some level of peace in different parts.

On his part, Gov. Tambuwal said that Sokoto state was gradually returning to peace especially the eastern part where we have had many challenges of banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping and if we can have more and more of this, we will soon end this issue of insecurity.

Tambuwal said that the military needed more funding in terms of equipment and welfare, adding that there should be special funding other than the conventional budgetary appropriation by the national assembly.

On Aug. 12, the governors of Niger and Kaduna States, Alhaji Abubakar Bello and Malam Nasir El-Rufai, were at the camp o see the level of successes by the Nigerian Army in respect of the exercise.

On his part, Bello said that the planned expansion of operations in the region by establishing more camps would go a long way towards addressing the security challenges, adding that most of the forest areas where bandits operate are connected to the affected states as well as between the boundaries of various states.

I believe that once these locations are manned fully, it will definitely go a long way towards improving security. Overall, I think tremendous successes have been recorded so far and I am sure the Nigerian army are up to the task.

It will only get better and very soon we will have a serene and safe environment so that economic activities would continue, he added.

Gov. El-Rufai said that the biggest fear of the governors earlier in the year was that the level of banditry escalated in various states in the North West and Niger state could cripple farming activities in the region.

According to him, the menace could lead to serious food shortages and insecurity but we are grateful to Mr President for introducing this kind of intervention which has subsequently reduced the menace.

We are, therefore, very impressed on behalf of the people and government of our states, the seven states of the North West and Niger state express our gratitude to officers and men of Nigerian armed forces and other security agencies that support them and particularly the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

With this intervention, a lot will be achieved within a month and the communities that live in the areas of operation and those of us who are responsible for overseeing their safety and security are aware of this achievement, he said.

Similarly, the visits of the Emirs of Katsina, Anka and Gusau on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14, climaxed the appraisal of the stakeholders on the operations of the Nigerian army through Ex Sahel Sanity.

While the Emir of Anka, Zamfara State, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, said the military and other security agencies had done and still doing their best, he added that the recent introduction of Exercise Sahel Sanity had changed the narratives of banditry in Zamfara and other affected states.

Ahmad also called on the political leaders to develop strong political will in support of the effort of the military towards addressing the menace of banditry and other forms of insecurity in the country.

On his part, the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, commended personnel of Operation Sahel Sanity for making farming activities possible in Zamfara and other states in the Northwest.

Bello said that normalcy was gradually returning to the areas and farm lands that were hitherto no go areas, due to the nefarious activities of bandits, kidnappers and cattle rustlers, are picking up.

He assured that traditional rulers in the northwest and other parts of the country would continue to support security agencies in their bid to curb criminal activities in the country.

He also pledged that the people of Gusau Emirate would continue to give the Nigerian Army and other security agencies the needed moral and spiritual support for them to succeed in the fight against bandits and other bad elements in the society. NANFeatures.

If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Source: NAN News

Trump loses younger brother

By Harrison Arubu

U.S. President, Donald Trump, has lost his younger brother, Robert, the White House announced in a statement on Saturday.

Robert, 71, died a day after the American president paid him an emotional visit on his hospital bed in New York.

It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight.

He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will meet again.

His memory will live on in my heart forever. Robert, I love you. Rest in peace, Trump said in the statement, which was silent on the cause of death.

According to reports, the deceased was a business executive and real estate developer, who avoided the spotlight unlike the president.

Trump, 74, had expressed worry over his brothers health during Fridays visit to him at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Centre. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Telegram launches video call service, eyes videoconferencing

By Harrison Arubu

Instant messaging app, Telegram, has launched a video call service as part of activities marking its seventh anniversary.

In a blogpost, the company said the video feature was added in response to the need for face-to-face communication as the world goes virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 highlighted the need for face-to-face communication, and our alpha version of video calls is now available on both Android and iOS.

You can start a video call from your contacts profile page, and switch video on or off at any time during voice calls.

Like all other video content on Telegram, video calls support picture-in-picture mode, allowing you to scroll through chats and multitask, while maintaining eye contact, the company said.

It explained that the video calls were protected with end-to-end encryption, with the security confirmed by matching emojis shown on-screen on both ends of the line.

If they match, your call is 100 per cent secured by time-tested encryption also used in Telegrams Secret Chats and Voice Calls, it added.

The company disclosed that it was also working to add more features and improvements to the video call package, including group video calls in the coming months.

The upcoming feature will allow the app to jump into the videoconferencing market, which has become more crucial as people stay at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Telegram was founded by two Russian brothers, Nikolai and Pavel Durov, in 2013 with its headquarters in London and operational centre in Dubai.

The company said it currently had no fewer than 400 million active users, from 100,000 as of October, 2013.

Telegrams video feature is coming about four years after its rival, WhatsApp, launched the same app in 2016. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patience Aliyu

To ensure food security for citizens, at least 2.4 million households will benefit from the Federal Governments post COVID-19 stimulus package, a presidential aide says.

Dr Andrew Kwasari, Senior Special Assistant (SSA), to the President on Agriculture, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Abuja.

Kwasari was speaking against the backdrop of the number of projects anchored by the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Committee (NESC), to secure the economy against the effects of COVID-19.

NAN reports that the stimulus package would be provided through the Agric for Food and Jobs Plan (AFJP), under the Agricultural Sector of the Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), headed by the SSA.

The NESP, set up by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020, is being chaired by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, with members from key sectors of the economy, to forestall the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on the economy.

The Economic Sustainability Committee needed to be very strategic in utilising the minimal resources, overall, not only for the agriculture sector.

So for the Agric Sector, we decided that we will use this strategy to utilise available cash to work with financial institutions, led by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

To see how we can get stimulus packages to about a minimum of 2.4 million households or to fund 2.4 million hectares of land that will be cultivated during this 2020 wet and dry season farming, he said.

Kwasari added that it was in a bid to answer the question What must Nigeria do to ensure food sufficiency in the wake of COVID-19? that the agricultural sub-sector of NESC decided to clearly define and understand the global scenario of the pandemic.

The Nigerian economy was already disrupted; we had lost a large share of our GDP income which comes from oil.

So with this reduced GDP, even if there is stable food systems supply, Nigeria may not be able to afford importation of food in order to feed over 200 million people.

Imagine then where we have both global food system disruption in productivity and output and the loss of national income from oil revenue losses.

Then we are in a more dangerous situation, he stated, adding thatNigeria opted for large scale food production to cushion the effects of COVID-19, due to dwindling resources.

Nigeria has a plus in terms of a large population that can be channeled into food production, so we capitalised on it to grow food during this 2020 wet season and dry season farming, he said.

Kwasari noted that in tackling the problem of the impending economic depression, the committee also had to increase its limited resources to reach the larger population of indigent Nigerians.

NAN reports that the households to benefit from the Agric for Food and Job Project are small scale farmers with farmlands ranging from 1-5 hectares across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT; and enumeration is already in progress. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NANTS president Ken Ukaoha

By Emmanuella Anokam

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), has called on well meaning Nigerians and credible leaders, to do something about the perennial attack on Nigerian traders in Ghana by Ghanaian authorities.

Dr Ken Ukaoha, NANTS President, made the call in a statement in Abuja, while reacting to the viral video clips of the Saturday humiliation of Nigerian traders in Ghana.

The Ghanaian Authorities had rolled out all their Forces against Nigerians and their businesses, forcefully locking all shops belonging to Nigerians, including those whose papers and tax payments were up to date.

Ukaoha, a Trade and Economic Development Law Advocate, expressed sadness over the incident, adding that the degradation had defied all solutions, and even overwhelmed ECOWAS.

He recalled that in the incident, some Nigerians were manhandled and some goods and belongings confiscated.

He said the humiliation was a clear signal, and perhaps must be the final call that must awaken the Nigerian government to the plight of its citizens abroad.

Will the Nigerian government be deceived again by the diplomatic lullaby deployed by Ghana to rubbish Nigeria? Is this not the real face and meaning of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for Ghana?

Would the Nigerian government wait for further signals to understand that reciprocity is part of diplomacy. How long shall we suffer this humiliation?

Who can help us awaken the Nigerian government to protect and secure its citizens? The Nigerian media should take up the battle from here.

The cries, the tears and the voices of our fellow citizens and comrades seeking attention. Who would help?, the expert asked.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that in Nov. 2019, Ghana Union of Traders Association had in a similar incident, closed down foreign-run shops it accused of violating a Ghanaian law barring non-nationals from operating in the domestic retail space.

The Ghanaian government in July, reopened more than 600 shops belonging to Nigerian Traders in Ghana, having been under lock and key since Dec. 2019. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nigerian Youths

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Free Community Foundation, an NGO, says it is training more than 100 youths on different skills acquisition in Kuje Area Council of the FCT.

Mr Mark Agu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of the foundation, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on the sidelines of the training in Kuje.

Agu said the foundation was training the youths on Solar installation, fashion design, catering, bead making, cable installation, website and graphic design, video editing, CCTV installation and paint making.

According to him, the aim and objective of the organisation was to empower and support entrepreneurial development, to ensure self employment and wealth creation for youths in the country.

Free Community is a world of artisans saddled with the responsibility of empowering and supporting youths through free skills acquisition programmes.

We have drawn participants from various parts of the FCT, to train them for two weeks on different skills acquisition.

There is need to engage ourselves in various skills and stop looking for white collar jobs that are no longer available, he said.

He assured that the participants would not only learn from the training, but would be given adequate mentoring and coaching to become professionals in their chosen fields.

The best thing for the youths is to look for a means to be self employed, which is the best option of survival in our country today.

The government is doing its best, but needs to double the efforts by assisting artisans at the grassroots through the provision of soft loans and an enabling environment, Agu said.

The chief executive, however, urged individuals and corporate organisations to support the foundation in actualising its vision to save and secure the future of the nations teeming unemployed youths.

Miss Devin Silas, a participant, who enrolled for fashion design, said she would use the opportunity given to her to acquire the necessary skills and become self employed.

Silas, therefore, called on youths in the country to seize every opportunity at becoming self reliant for the development of the country.

Mr Gadon Lucas, another participant, who is training on CCTV installation, said he would use the knowledge acquired to be self employed to support his family. (NAN)

Source: NAN News