Kano Police urge peace, patriotism ahead of court’s sitting
Emirship
By Aminu Garko
Kano, June 20, 2024( NAN) The Kano State Police Command has called on the public to remain peaceful and patriotic as the Federal High Court prepares to hear sensitive cases related to the Emirship tussle.
This is contained in a statement issued by the command spokesman, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, in Kano on Thursday.
Kiyawa reiterated the commitment of the command to protect lives and property, while warning against any attempt to incite violence.
“In collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, the command will strictly enforce the ban on public protests, processions and unlawful gatherings imposed by the state government.
“Violators and their sponsors will face legal consequences.
“Adequate security personnel will be deployed to maintain law and order.
“The public is urged to cooperate with the security forces and provide actionable information to preserve peace and detect deviants.
“Non-state actors, including vigilantes and hunters, are advised to refrain from participating in security operations under any guise,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Insecurity: NHFSS hails Kogi Govt on recruitment of 1,050 hunters
Hunters
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, June 20, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), has commended Kogi Government on the recruitment of 1,050 young men and women to join its fold to boost security in the state.
This is contained in a statement by the Commandant-General of NHFSS, Dr Joshua Osatimehin, on Thursday in Abuja.
Osatimehin said the recruitment would go a long way in helping the government’s resolve to deal with the challenges of terror attacks, banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other related criminal activities in the state.
He said that Ododo had through the action, demonstrated that he meant business when he recently gave quit notice to all criminal elements to leave the state.
According to him, the recruitment of 1.050 indigenes of the state into the NHFSS will ensure that criminal elements operating within the forested regions of the state will henceforth be flushed out.
Also speaking on the development, the Deputy Commander General of NHFSS, Technical Services, Amb. John Metchie, commended the speaker and members of the Kogi State House of Assembly for the promptness with which they approved the governor’s bill.
Metchie described them as true representatives of the people who were committed to the security, peace and overall wellbeing of the state and its people.
He also used the opportunity to urge other state governments to emulate Kogi, Ondo, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Borno and others that are currently working with the NHFSS.
According to him, their synergy with the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, NSCDC, DSS and others, especially in the areas of intelligence gathering and sharing, has been a major contributing factor to the relative peace in the states.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Kogi State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, approved the recruitment, with a view to strengthening the security architecture of the state.
Gov. Usman Ododo had earlier forwarded a letter to the assembly requesting for approval of the recruitment of 50 people from each for the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.
After reading the letter, the Speaker, Aliyu Yusuf, said it was previously resolved by the lawmakers that there was need for the recruitment hunters into the NHFSS, given the security challenges in the state and the shortage of manpower.
In a voice vote, the lawmakers unanimously approved the recruitment of 1050 hunters, adding that the payment of their salaries would be paid by the respective Local Government. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Senior military officers in a group photograph with wounded-in-action soldiers during a dinner in their honour at 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, Wednesday.
Wounded-in-action soldiers true heroes of Nigeria – NDA Commandant
Dinner
By Muhammad Tijjani
Kaduna, June . 19, 2024(NAN) Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, Commmandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), on Wednesday celebrated with wounded-in-action personnel and declared that they were true heroes of Nigeria that must be celebrated.
Ochai celebrated the heroes at a dinner in honour of wounded soldiers receiving medical attention at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the event was organised by the NDA to honour the wounded soilders.
“The soldiers are the real heroes because they took the bullet on our behalf,” Ochai declared.
According to him, the event is part of the tradition of the military which stipulates that leaders must ensure that troops wounded in action are provided with needed succour.
“Just within the week, we were at our various houses and villages to celebrate Sallah holiday, but the wounded-in-action action soilders were here in the hospital, not out of choice, but out of necessity.
“They took bullets for the nation to be at peace.
“So, a gathering like this gives them a sense of belonging and makes them understand that we truly appreciate their sacrifice.
“This is an encouragement to all those out there in the field on operations. It shows that in the event of injury or death, we’ll continue to be with them and ensure they and their families receive necessary support.
“It shows that their sacrifices are not in vain,” Ochai said.
Maj.-Gen. Ochai and other senior officers serving wounded-in-action personnel on Wednesday in Kaduna.
In a message, Samuel Aruwan, overseeing Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna State, said that the wounded-in-action personnel were the reason for Nigeria’s stability,
“They stand between us and the enemies and the enemies of our existence,” he declared.
Col. Stephen Onuchukwu, Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD), appreciated the NDA Commmandant for the kind gesture, and particularly commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja for his leadership.
He further commended Lagbaja for providing the necessary resources to ensure the well-being of soilders wounded in action.
The Acting Chief Medical Director, 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Col. Stephen Onuchukwu, making his remarks at the Dinner in honour of wounded-in-action in action soldiers on Wednesday in Kaduna.
“This is a clear commitment to national service,” Onuchukwu said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
We have prosecuted 600 suspects in 6 months – Ondo Amotekun
Arrest
By Muftau Ogunyemi
Akure, June 19, 2024(NAN) The Ondo State Amotekun Corps says it has arrested and prosecuted no fewer than 600 suspects in the last six months.
Chief Adetunji Adeleye, Amotekun Corps Commander, disclosed this while parading 48 suspects on Wednesday in Akure.
Adeleye explained that the criminal activities spread across kidnapping, stealing of cows, attempted murder, fraud and illegal counterfeiting of money.
He said that those arrested and prosecuted were involved in cultism, illegal migration, stealing of planks, burglary, arson, anti-grazing activities and vandalisation of government assets.
Adeleye said that the 48 suspects had been profiled and would soon be prosecuted in court.
“The signals we are sending to criminals is that Ondo State is not a place where they can stay.
“We want them to know that once you kidnap, you can’t get away with it. If you steal a car, you can’t get away with it; if you breaks a house, we’ll pick you; so, what’s the point doing what you know you won’t get away with.
“We’re telling criminals in the state to get out of Ondo State.
“And to the good people of Ondo State, we want to reassure you that the government of Lucky Aiyedatiwa is resolute in making the state conducive for business, social activities and all that makes the state a good one to stay.
“About 600 suspects have been prosecuted between January and June 2024.
“So, kidnapping in Ondo State has gone down by 90 percent and the remaining 10 percent, we only have them in the boarders and the extreme.
“But in all of these few occasions, we always ensure that we rescue the victims and the suspects are made to face the music. (NAN) (www.nannnews.ng)
OMA/ISHO/IKU
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Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Tayo Ikujuni
Port Harcourt, June 19, 2024 (NAN) The Police command in Rivers says the killing of a former student leader, Mr Endwell Ejindu is not connected to the ongoing clashes by political factions in the state.
The Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that Ejindu was killed by cultists.
”Ejindu was attacked and killed in the late hours of Tuesday by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
”The murder of the victim is unrelated to the current political crises in Rivers state,” she said.
NAN gathered that the former Student Union President, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, was killed along Ula-Upata Road, Ahoada East.
Initial reports linked the killing to clashes between rival political factions struggling for the control of the 23 local councils offices in the state.
An eyewitness, who identified himself as Samson, told newsmen that Ejindu was murdered in cold blood by a group supporting a prominent politician in Ahoada.
He said that the incident happened shortly after the victim left the Ahoada-East council secretariat where he joined other youths to protest the tenure extension of the outgoing council chairman.
“Ejindu boarded a motorcycle at about 7.00p.m. on Tuesday, and was later ambushed by three gunmen along Ula-Upata Road.
“The gunmen opened fire on him, and he was killed instantly while the motorcyclist sustained gunshot wounds,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Malam Shehu Mohammed
Licence
By Ibironke Ariyo
Abuja, June 19, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) produced 73,740 National Drivers’ Licences (NDLs) in two weeks, the Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, has said.
A statement by the Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide quotes Mohammed as saying this on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Corps Marshal said that the achievement followed strategic interventions introduced to clear the backlogs of licences.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed, on assumption of office, visited the FRSC Print Farm as a major step to revamp the entire process of service delivery with respect to issuance of drivers’ licences.
The assessment was propelled by the rate of public outcry over the unprecedented delay faced by applicants in obtaining National Drivers Licence.
At the end of the assessment, the Corps Marshal set up a taskforce to ensure that the backlogs were immediately cleared as soon as possible.
He directed 24 hours production and immediate rectification of the identified technical glitches that affected the overall production capacity of the farm.
“As at the moment, a total of 84,500 NDLs are on queue for production and expected to be delivered to the respective State Licensing Authorities nationwide,” he said.
Mohammed assured the public of the Corps’ commitment to quality service.
The corps marshal advised applicants, especially those who have been awaiting issuance for sometime, to visit their state licensing offices to check and pick their licences.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
ICA/OIF/AOS
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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Bayo Sekoni
Abuja, June 19,2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Wednesday said that 14 persons were arrested for allegedly stealing crude oil in Abia.
A statement by the NSCDC Spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi in Abuja stated that the suspects operated an illegal refinery in a forest at Umelehi, Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state.
Afolabi said that after the arrest of the nine male and four female suspects by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGsSIS), the illegal site got dismantled.
He said that the Commander of the Squad, Apollo’s Dandaura, attributed the successful arrest to the credible intelligence provided to the corps by well-meaning Nigerians.
“Our operatives were strategically positioned due to the quantity of already siphoned crude oil which were loaded in locally fabricated cooking ovens for refining into Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).
“Some had been refined into Kerosene and AGO with both stored in GP tanks, cellophane bags and many sacks,” he said.
The spokesperson pledged that thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain the level of involvement of the suspects.
According to Afolabi, some of the recovered exhibits were; generator sets, pumping machines, hoses, galvanised metal pipes, shovels, head flashlights, cellophane bags, bags of cement among others.
He reiterated the commitment of the NSCDC to safeguarding all critical national assets.
The NSCDC spokesman said that the corps would prosecute the oil thieves and their sponsors.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Police Recruitment: Corruption allegation against PSC diversionary — Union
Corruption
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja, June 19, 2024 (NAN) The Joint Union Congress (JUC) of the Police Service Commission (PSC), says the corruption allegation against the commission by the Nigeria Police over recruitment of Constables is diversionary.
The Chairman of the Union, Mr Augustine Adoyi, said this while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Nigeria Police had alleged irregularities and corruption in the list of successful candidates released by the PSC for the 2022/23 batch of Constables recruited into the Nigeria Police Force.
Adoyi said the allegations were unfounded, spurious, and speculative and did not follow the official channel of communication.
He said it was a deliberate effort by the police to divert the attention of the public from their failure to open Police Training Schools for the successful recruits.
“The allegation of fraud leveled against the commission is a deliberate effort to divert attention of the public from the real issues at hand.
“The Nigeria Police Force seeks to leverage on this allegation to divert attention from their non-preparedness to open the Police Training schools, in spite of availability of funds for the exercise.
“Their unwillingness to deploy funds as appropriated for the training schools must be investigated,” he said.
The union chairman urged the Nigeria Police to come clean and submit itself for accountability and probity.
He said the commission had it in good authority that the training schools were not in good condition to receive and accommodate the recruits for training.
Adoyi said the allegation of corruption and irregularities against the commission were baseless, the selection process was conducted using comprehensive criteria, including Computer-based Test (CBT).
He said gender inclusivity and sensitivity as well as Federal Character were put in place to ensure a fair, inclusive and merit based recruitment.
The chairman called for a forensic review of both the commission’s list and the one the Nigeria Police sought to foist on the recruitment board.
“This will help to ascertain the veracity of the allegation and determine where the truth lies,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Mr Danilo Campisi, Deputy Country Representative, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
World Drug Day: UNODC urges Nigeria to adopt empirical prevention
Prevention
By Ibironke Ariyo
Abuja, June 19, 2024(NAN) The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for urgent and evidence-based measures to tackle drug abuse in Nigeria.
Mr Danilo Campisi, Deputy Country Representative, UNODC Country Office in Nigeria made the call at a press briefing organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the World Drug Day is celebrated annually on June 26 globally.
Campisi emphasised the need for scientifically-backed strategies to address the growing drug problem in Nigeria.
He said that the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, was aimed to promote global cooperation and action towards a drug-free world.
Campisi said that this year’s theme, “The Evidence Is Clear, Let Us Invest In Prevention”, was particularly relevant for Nigeria, where youth involvement in drug use was alarmingly high.
According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, drug use prevalence in Nigeria stands at 14.4 per cent, three times the global average, with the highest rates among those aged 25 to 39.
“Projections indicate a 40 per cent increase in drug use in Africa by 2030, primarily due to the continent’s youthful population.
“The global drug problem presents a multifaceted challenge that touches the lives of millions worldwide.
“From individuals struggling with
substance use disorders to communities grappling with the consequences of drug trafficking and organised crime, the impact of drugs is far-reaching and complex.
“Central to addressing this challenge is the imperative to adopt a scientific evidence-based approach that prioritises prevention and treatment,” he said.
Campisi, however, said that UNODC had worked with the Government of Nigeria to adapt and implement evidence-based prevention measures.
This, he said, included the highly successful UNPLUGGED, a school-based Drug Prevention Programme implemented together with the Federal Ministry of Education.
“This initiative was developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and supported by the MTN Foundation.
“Implemented in 110 Unity Schools and several states, including Kebbi, Bayelsa, and Kaduna, the program has shown significant success in reducing substance use among students and improving their academic performance.
“However, the UNPLUGGED program currently reaches only two per cent of the school population, prompting calls for broader adoption by state governments and private schools.
“In addition to UNPLUGGED, UNODC has piloted other effective programmes in Nigeria. These include the Strengthening of the Family Programme and Strong Families, which focus on building family resilience against substance use,
“Other are the Line Up Live Up (LULU), a sports-based prevention program targeting out-of-school youth, and the Drug Education for School Children program, aimed at sensitising young students about the dangers of drug use, “ Campisi said.
The UNODC representative commended the European Union for its support in adapting and evaluating the UNPLUGGED program in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the UNODC’s commitment to provide technical and normative support for these evidence-based prevention and treatment programs.
NAN reports that the press briefing was organised ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Security
By Thompson Yamput
Lokoja, June 19, 2024 (NAN) The Kogi Government is set to recruit 1, 050 hunters to beef up security in the State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Lokoja that this followed the State House Assembly’s approval of the government’s request on Wednesday at plenary for the recruitment of that seizable number of hunters.
The commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Salami Ozigi-Deedat, had sent a letter to the house for the recruitment of 50 hunters each in the 21 Local Government Area of the state.
In the letter the state government gave reasons for the proposed recruitment to include shortage of security personnel in the state and the need to curb crime and criminality in the state.
The assembly speaker, Alhaji Umar Aliyu, read the letter sent out during plenary on Wednesday.
Aliyu reminded the house of their previous resolve to recruit hunters, given the security challenges in the state
According to him, there is serious shortage of manpower in the state, and that the government’s request was in the right direction.
Consequently, in a voice vote, the legislators unanimously approved the recruitment of the 1, 050 hunters.
The house directed that the payment of salaries of the hunters would be made by the Caretaker Chairmen of the 21 local governments. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
