NEWS
Any Chairman who fails to Hold Monthly Security Meeting is a Security Threat -Wike
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike at the weekend, mandated Chairmen of the six Area Councils in Abuja to ensure they hold monthly security meetings.
The Minister gave the directive while speaking separately at town hall meetings on addressing FCT insecurity in the Abuja Municipal and in Abaji Area Councils in Abuja.
According to the Minister any council chairman that does not hold monthly council security meetings is a threat to the security of the council.
He said, “therefore, I will be calling meetings of all traditional leaders, meeting with all council chairmen and meeting with all security agencies.
“If there is no monthly meeting held in terms of security meeting in the councils, I should be aware, and I will hold that chairman responsible for any security bridge.
“If you do your job, I do my job, traditional leaders do their own job, and security agencies do their own job, we won’t have problems.
“But if I don’t do your own part, I don’t do my own part, he does not do his own part, then we are bound to have security problems.”
He assured residents that the government would provide everything that security agencies require to help them to perform their duties.
He pointed out that some of the security agencies do not have the needed equipment and operational vehicles to perform optimally.
“They don’t have the needed logistics and communication gadgets, yet we want them to perform wonders, we want them to perform miracles.
“If they don’t have information, they will not perform miracles; if they don’t have information no wonders would be performed,” Wike said.
The minister stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together and support security agencies to succeed.
“Our is not to carry guns; ours is to provide information through the area councils, through our traditional rulers; and through my office, then to security agencies.
“When we give them information, they will take proactive actions,” he said.
He promised to construct a police station and some access roads as requested by the council’s chairman, Mr Christopher Maikalangu.
Earlier, the Chief of Karshi, Alhaji Ismaila Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of traditional leaders at the meeting, called for working synergy between security leaders and community structures.
Mohammed warned politicians against provocative statements with respect to the security situation in the FCT.
“Please do not politicise the security situation in the FCT. Leave the security challenge out of your politics.
“God forbid, if there is a problem here, all of you will run back to your states. We don’t have anywhere to go, so please, don’t create problems for us here,” he pleaded.
The chief asked the minister to compel the council chairmen to hold the mandatory monthly peace and security meetings.
He explained that the meeting was supposed to be monthly where all the Divisional Police Officers, Area Commanders, Heads of Department of State Services meet to exchange security information.
The Chairman of AMAC, Maikalangu, said that insurgents’ activities in the neighboring and other states, had led to an upsurge of migration of people into FCT as their safe haven.
This, according to him, had increased the rate of crime in rural communities and the city centre.
He applauded the minister for initiating the FCT Ministerial Taskforce, adding that the initiative was already yielding positive results.
He pointed out that lack of access roads to some of the communities that became kidnappers’ hideouts, particularly Kabusa, Ketti, Gbawu was compounding the security challenge in the area.
He appealed to the minister to support the construction of the access roads in the communities including Ketti, Takushara, Burum, Gidan Kwano, Leka, Kutasa, for the good and safety of the people.
He also appealed for the establishment of a police division within the Takushara axis to provide security presence in all the surrounding communities.
By David Torough, Abuja
The remains of elder statesman and President General of the pan-Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, have been slated for burial on November 1.
Chairman of the burial committee, Senator Ben Obi, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Alongside with the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb Okey Emuchay and burial sub-committee chairmen, Senator Osita Izunaso, Gen.
Azubuike Ihejirika (retd) and others, Obi unveiled a series of activities culminating into the actual burial ceremony.“Our message today is to convey the dates for the burial of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“Lagos day of tributes, Wednesday 16th October 2024 at Eko Hotels and Convention Centre.
“Abuja Day of Tributes Friday 18th October, 2024 at the National Ecumenical Centre.
“Enugu Day of tributes, Saturday 26th October with a brief stop at Ohanaeze headquarters, 7 Parkland GRA Enugu while the main event will be held at the Okpara Square.
“Owerri Service of Songs Tuesday 29th October 2024. Commendation Service on 1st November in Owerri and Imo day of burial on Friday, 1st November 2024,” he said.
He added that further details will be communicated in due course.
On whether the Federal Government would participate in the burial, Senator Obi said the committee will visit President Bola Tinubu to intimate him about the transition of the statesman and details of his burial.
“We will be visiting President Tinubu to formally announce to him details of this transition and I am sure the President knows all that Chief Iwuanyanwu had done and he will do the needful,” he said.
Asked whether the late newspaper publisher had regrets about his inability to secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ensure the realization of a restructure federation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo scribe said Chief Iwuanyanwu died a fulfilled man because he never shies away from doing his best in the circumstance.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu and I visited Kanu in jail and I think that was his last official assignment before his demise.
“Prior to that, he had never missed any opportunity to call for the release of Kanu.
“On restructuring, he never minced his words on equity, fairness and justice and he knew that he couldn’t do it alone.
“So he operated with the South-South PANDEF, Middle Belt Forum and Afenifere. He asked for parity in the number of states in each geopolitical zone.
“We in Ohanaeze will continue to pursue these issues that were very dear to his heart and we want to give the assurances that we will not fail,” Obi said.
President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, said in a statement on Thursday.“President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the UK, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country’s challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.
“At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria’s national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings,” said the statement.The high-level General Debate, with the theme, “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations,”will run from Sept. 24, to Sept. 28. (NAN)
The National Examinations Council, (NECO) has released the June/July 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination results (SSCE), with 60.55 per cent of candidates securing five credits and above in English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the NECO headquarters on Thursday in Minna, Niger.
Wushishi said that a total of 1,376,423 candidates, representing 706,950 males and 669,473 females, registered for the exam.
The registrar said that 1,367,736 candidates sat for the examination, representing 702,112 Males and 665,624 females.
He said that 828, 284 candidates had five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, representing 60.
55 per cent.Wushishi said that the number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, were 1,147,597, representing 83.90 per cent.
He said that there was a great reduction in the number of examination malpractices this year compared to 2023.
“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437 as against 12,030 in 2023, which shows a reduction of 30. 1 per cent,” he said.
The registrar, however, said that 40 schools were found to be involved in mass cheating during the examination.
” During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole school (mass) cheating in 17 states.
” They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.
“A school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and 01 Science subject.
” Similarly, 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states,”said.
He urged candidates that sat for the examination to visit NECO website to access their results.
Wushishi said candidates can access their results on NECO website: www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration number,” he said.(NAN)
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