Gunmen Attack Taraba Community, Kill Monarch

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June 4, 2024

Gunmen Attack Taraba Community, Kill Monarch

Residents of Usmanu Village in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State have been thrown into mourning, following the murder of their village head by unknown gunmen.

It was gathered that the unfortunate incident happened on Sunday night.

There were sporadic gunshots which scared away inhabitants of the community.

Chairman of Karim-Lamido Local Government Area, Bitrus Danjos, confirmed the incident to newsmen.

He noted that the news of the monarch’s death came as a shock to him, especially since the deceased’s younger brother was also killed a few months ago.

He said, “I was called from Usmanu Village that the village head, HRH Auwal, was killed by unknown gunmen.

“The people have deserted the community. As we speak, security agencies are in the village to ensure calm and normalcy.”

Police Tighten Security In FCT Over Bandits Invasion

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June 4, 2024

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Police Tighten Security In FCT Over Bandits Invasion

By Uche Onyeali

Police in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have deployed officers, material and physical assets over alleged planned invasion by bandits.

A message broadcast on WhatsApp on Sunday and yesterday stated that there was a movement of bandits led by one Ardo – a sub-commander of a notorious bandits leader, Boderi Yellow mai One Million.

The WhatsApp broadcast reads in part, “There is movement of bandits led by Ardo, a sub-commander of Boderi yellow mai one million. They are coming from Kweri forest Kagarko, Kaduna State. Their destination is Gauraka/Kubwa Hills, FCT.

“Sir, following the escape of Inusa Lawal, male, 18 years from the camp. He was one of those kidnapped in Ushafa alongside others at Dawaki on May 19. He escaped from their custody today, June 2 at about 06:00hrs.

“During interrogation, he confirmed that the bandits had 10 hostages including him in their camp. He also said that the victims kidnapped from Dawaki and Dakwa are all in the camp. Intelligence from our sources confirmed that Ardo led 10 of his gang members from the camp to the FCT since yesterday night.”

The message added, “Their mission in the FCT is not clear, however, in view of the above, there is the need for security forces to collaborate in the operation already in place in the hills (Kubwa-Gauraka Hills) today.”

The security alert urged security agencies to intensify patrol across locations in and around Bwari Area Council.

It added, “In view of this movement, it is clear that Ardo and his gang have potential targets in Kubwa, Zuba and Mpape General Area. Additional sources confirmed that he is frustrated that the families of the victims refused to pay the ransom demanded. They are really in need of funds for the upcoming Sallah, reason why they are becoming more desperate.”

Reacting to the development in a statement yesterday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh admonishes the general public to always give useful information to the police to aid its efforts in the fight against insecurity within the territory.

Adeh said, “The attention of the FCT Police Command has been drawn to a publication making the rounds on social media on the alleged entry of some suspected bandits into the Federal Capital Territory.

“Consequent to the above, the commissioner of police wishes to appreciate members of the public for their outstanding environmental alertness and admonishes the general public to always give useful information to the police to aid its efforts in the fight against insecurity.

“He therefore urges residents to go about their lawful business without fear from any quarters, as the command has made the necessary deployments of both material and physical assets, and is working assiduously to ensure the safety of all residents and avert any intended attack within the nation’s capital.”

Why We Revamped Old Institutions In Edo – Obaseki

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June 4, 2024

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Why We Revamped Old Institutions In Edo – Obaseki

FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY

Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki said his administration will complete the ongoing revamping of old institutions and reposition them to meet present-day realities.

The governor said this while addressing journalists after inspecting facilities at the newly revamped Edo Broadcasting Service, EBS.

He said his administration intends to undertake a total revamp of these institutions including their human resources.

According to the governor, “The work is a bit slow. I had expected that by the first quarter of this year, all of these will have been completed because what we are doing is a total revamp. We are renovating all our institutions built decades ago.

“We have revamped the Nigerian Observer Newspaper, bought new machines and intend to do the same for Edo Broadcasting Service, EBS, including its human resources.

“This revamp will include making sure that we have digital broadcasting with up-to-date equipment which we are bringing in to enable us have multiple channels so that we can render a wider range of service to our citizens.

“I came here to inspect the work done so far and to see what needs to be done in terms of landscaping. We have instructed the commissioner for roads and bridges and other related agencies to come up with a design on how to stabilise this premises which is erosion-prone.

“We will make sure we have good designs for the paving and parking, making sure we have horticulture. We will bring horticulturists here to do proper landscaping. We will ensure that this is not just a broadcasting station, but also a beautiful place where people will come and relax,” he said.

Autonomy, Only Way To Save LGs — Sani

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June 4, 2024

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Civil rights activist and social critic, Senator Shehu Sani, said local government autonomy is the only way to strengthen governance at the grassroots and save local government councils from paralysis.

Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly and served as Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday.

NAN reports that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice recently filed a suit at the Supreme Court against state governments, seeking the enforcement of full autonomy for local governments in Nigeria.

In the suit marked: SC/CV/343/2024, the federal government urged the court to issue an order prohibiting governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.

Government urged the court to issue an order permitting funds standing in the credit of local governments to be directly channelled to them from the Federation Account in line with the provisions of the constitution as against the alleged unlawful joint account created by governors.

Besides, it prayed the Supreme Court for an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments as against the constitutionally recognised and guaranteed democratic system.

It equally applied for an order of injunction restraining governors and their agents and privies from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefit of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is in place in states.

The 36 governors were sued through their respective attorneys-general.

Reacting, Sani said the step by the federal government has the potential to restore development at the grassroots and strengthen the local government system.

“Local government autonomy is the only way to save the third tier of government from bankruptcy and paralysis.

“Poverty and insecurity are rooted in the destruction of the local government system,” Sani said.

According to him, most chairmen only go to their offices when federal allocations are released.

He said lack of financial and administrative autonomy had affected the performance of the third tier of government.

Sani described the federal government’s proposal that State Electoral Commissions, SIECs, should be scrapped as a good move,saying it would deepen democracy at the grassroots.

“The scrapping of SIECs is a step in the right direction.

“It has become impossible for opposition parties to win elections at the local government level because of the institutional rigging and imposition of candidates by governors.

“Chairmen and staff of SIECs are all agents of governors and the ruling party in their respective states”, Sani said.

NAN recalls that the AGF, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, had on Monday proposed that State Independent Electoral Commissions should be dispensed with.

Speaking at a one-day discourse in Abuja, Fagbemi also posited that the powers of SIECs should be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Fagbemi said governors had exploited the flaws in certain sections of the 1999 constitution, effectively rendering local governments powerless and irrelevant.

According to him, these inadequacies have allowed them to abuse the rights of local governments by using SIECs to impose leaders on them through sham elections.

He said other governors who do not conduct sham polls appoint vassals as caretaker leaders for the local governments.

Fagbemi called for a robust constitutional amendment that will remove all hindrances to the development of local governments and bolster their ability to fulfil their constitutionally recognised mandate. NAN

10,000 Children Born With Clubfoot Yearly – NGO

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June 4, 2024

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10,000 Children Born With Clubfoot Yearly – NGO

Nigeria Partners on Clubfoot Treatment said yesterday that over 10,000 children are born with clubfoot yearly in Nigeria.

President of Nigeria Clubfoot Treatment Partners and Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Peace Amaraegbulam made this known in a press statement to commemorate World Clubfoot Day with the theme, ‘Empowering Life: Steps to Clubfoot Freedom.’

World Clubfoot Day is celebrated on June 3 annually to raise awareness about clubfoot and underscore the importance of early detection, referral and timely treatment.

The Nigeria Partners on Clubfoot Treatment consisting of three Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, said no child should suffer from untreated clubfoot and called for the integration of clubfoot treatment into the public health system.

Amaraegbulam described Clubfoot as the most common musculoskeletal birth defect which causes the feet to turn inwards and upwards.

She said, “In Nigeria, over 10,000 children are born with this condition each year and without treatment, walking becomes extremely difficult and painful, as they walk on the sides of their feet.

“This leads to discrimination, social stigmatisation and loss of economic opportunities.”

He, however, said Ponseti treatment is an effective option for clubfoot but barriers such as out-of-pocket healthcare costs, poor access to healthcare facilities, inadequate number of healthcare professionals and lack of foot-abduction braces prevent many children from accessing care.

An online portal, Hospital for Special Surgery noted that Ponseti method is a systematic series of casting and orthotic bracing treatments that permanently and nonsurgically correct clubfoot in young children.

The statement also noted that Nigeria Partners on Clubfoot Treatment consisting of Straight Child Foundation, HANDS, and Positive Care and Development Foundation in collaboration with MiracleFeet ensure that children with clubfoot can receive care locally.

“These three organisations in Nigeria operate clubfoot clinics in select states. To avail yourself of the free clubfoot treatment, kindly locate the clinic nearest to you in the state where you reside. The clinic schedules specific days for treatment, ensuring that children receive the necessary care and support for clubfoot correction.

“We call on government and health institutions to integrate free clubfoot into Nigeria’s health system to enable the treatment become more accessible.
Philanthropists should also consider giving towards the cause of providing free treatment for clients, especially neglected older children,” the statement added.

NDLEA Arrests 70-year-old Grandpa, Seizes N2.1bn Codeine

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June 4, 2024

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NDLEA Arrests 70-year-old Grandpa, Seizes N2.1bn Codeine

Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a 70-year-old grandfather with 57.2kg of cannabis in Nasarawa State and also seized over N2.1 billion codeine-based syrup and Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, at Port Harcourt seaport and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Also arrested by the anti-drug operatives were two suspects with 426kg of cannabis in Ekiti State.

The developments were made known on Sunday in a statement signed by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

The anti-narcotics agency also made other arrests in the FCT, Katsina and Nasarawa States.

The statement reads, “Large consignments of codeine-based syrup and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis worth over N2.1 billion in street value have been intercepted at the Port Harcourt seaport, Onne and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

“At the Lagos airport, NDLEA officers with the cooperation of other security agencies on Friday, May 31 intercepted a large consignment of Loud, packed in eight suitcases, containing 320 parcels with a total weight of 164.50kg of the strong psychoactive substance coming from Canada on a KLM flight via Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“The consignment estimated to be worth N960 million which was brought in by a passenger, Ughenu Nnaife Francis, was discovered at the E-arrival hall of the airport by personnel of the NDLEA, customs and others during a joint search operation while the suspect was attempting to smuggle the suitcases out of the hall.”

According to the statement, the suspect arrested at the Lagos airport claimed he was recruited to transport drugs from Canada to Nigeria for a fee of N6 million.

The suspect said he was a resident of Germany but travelled to Toronto to collect the drugs and was caught with a large consignment of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain, worth N960 million.

Strike: WAEC Begs NLC, TUC To Consider Candidates

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June 4, 2024

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Strike: WAEC Begs NLC, TUC To Consider Candidates

West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has appealed to organised labour to consider students sitting for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, as it plans an indefinite strike.

Head of National Office, WAEC, Dr Amos Dangut, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Lagos.

He said the council shares the concern of organised labour and those of the entire workers.

According to him, most of WAEC’s employees in Nigeria are members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, or Trade Union Congress, TUC, both of which called for the strike.

“The attention of West African Examinations Council has been drawn to a notice of the commencement of an indefinite strike by NLC and TUC effective Monday, June 3.

“WAEC shares in the concerns of the generality of Nigerian workers, as most of its employees in Nigeria consist of members of both unions.

“It is also worthy of mention that the unions have always been partners with WAEC in the successful implementation of its mandate through the years.

“On this premise, therefore, we wish to, however, gently remind the unions of the ongoing conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.

“The examination commenced in Nigeria and other member-countries of WAEC, The Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone on April 30 and is scheduled to end by June 24.

“The week, June 3 to 7, is scheduled for the conduct of such papers as Physics, Economics, Government and Civic Education across the federation and some West African countries”, the WAEC boss said.

According to him, any disruption in the activities and arrangements for the conduct of the examination will place candidates at a major disadvantage in their academic pursuit.

“We hereby appeal to all stakeholders and the unions to cooperate with the council, as always, to allow the continuous smooth and peaceful conduct of the examination as has been scheduled.

“We remain committed to excellence and the service of the Nigerian people within the mandate of the council”, he said. NAN

Autonomy, Only Way To Save LGs — Sani

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June 4, 2024

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