NEWS
Army Reaffirms Commitment to Addressing Security Threats

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to effectively address all security threats facing the nation.
Oluyede made the pledge at the 2024 Army Headquarters Departments and Commands West African Social Activities (WASA) in Abuja on Saturday.
He stated that the Nigerian army recognised the huge expectations of Nigerians and the importance of peace and security for meaningful development in any society.
The COAS expressed his appreciation to all officers and soldiers for their dedication to making Nigeria safe.
He also appreciated the continued support and cooperation of all security and intelligence agencies in the execution of the army’s operations across the country.
“I assure you that the Nigerian Army will continue to foster stronger partnerships to enhance our collective capacity to address the nation’s security challenges,” he said.
Oluyede also expressed his unwavering commitment to the welfare and well-being of officers, soldiers, and their families.
“To my officers, soldiers, and their families, I want to express my unwavering commitment to your welfare and well-being.
“I have the privilege of visiting and conducting these challenges without any perturbation, and I have started addressing them within available resources,” he said.
According to him, the army has started addressing the challenges within available resources, and are happy with the Federal Government’s initiatives.
The initiatives include affordable home ownership options for all soldiers and the Staff National Empowerment Scheme.
Oluyede said he was committed to providing the necessary support to enhance the combat readiness of the army, ensuring they achieve the highest standards of professionalism.
He said the army had worked tirelessly to address all forms of threats to national security, including insurgency, terrorism, banditry, economic sabotage, and organised kidnapping.
Oluyede thanked President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support and strategic guidance to the Nigerian army.
The Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Maj.-Gen. Koko Isoni, described WASA as an enduring tradition of the Nigerian army.
According to him, it is where officers, soldiers, and their families come together to socialise and mark the end of year activities.
“WASA plays a vital role of eliciting nostalgia amongst the older generation of the barracks community by reminding them of the memorable traditions of typical Nigerian villages.
“At the same time, it connects the younger generation who were probably born outside their traditional communities to their roots.”
“Also, WASA serves as a veritable tool for the sun has set on the activities of the year being celebrated while encouraging them to approach the activities lined up for the new year with renewed zeal, vigour and commitment,” he said.
The commander said the garrison had a successful 2024, adding that the command would continue to provide operational, administrative and logistic support to Army Headquarters Department, formations and units.
He assured that troops of the command were poised towards approaching their duties with renewed vigour and commitment in terms of professionalism and responsiveness in the discharge of their constitutional roles.
Report says that the activities featured cultural display by various ethnic groups, display of traditional cuisines and tug of war competitions.
The 053 NAF Camp Team won the Tug of War, Mega Suya competition was won by the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, while the Office of the Chief of Army Staff won the Nigerian Traditional Cuisine. (NAN)
Foreign News
Taraba 2025 Appropriation Provides for Budget Funding Through Loans-Lawmaker

The Taraba House of Assembly has said that it’s approval for the Executive to secure a N350 billion bond from the Capital Market was in line with provisions of the 2025 appropriation law.Mr Jetro Yakubu, Majority Leader of the assembly, made the clarification on Friday while speaking to newsmen in Jalingo.
Yakubu revealed that the request to secure the loan was in tandem with the provisions of the 2025 appropriation bill passed into Law by the assembly. He stressed that Gov. Agbu Kefas of Taraba had already indicated in the budget proposals his intention to fund part of it through loans from financial institutions.According to him, the request could only become abnormal if it is outside the budgetary provision. Yakubu, who represents Wukari I State Constituency also noted that the assembly approved the loan because the governor had carried the it along right from the preparation of the Appropriation. “The governor is a leader that believes in carrying everybody along. He had already carried the assembly along right from when the appropriation was being prepared.“We don’t give approval for any loan that is not in the appropriation.“The governor is a very strategic thinker. The bond which is at N20 lbillion per year would be funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and not through Federal Accounts Allocation.“The governor is very passionate about stimulating the economy of the state so that the it can be viable to fund the bond,” he said.Daily Asset recalls that Kefas earlier requested an approval from the house of assembly to secure a N350 billion bond from the Capital Market.The legislators had since granted him the approval to borrow the funds. (NAN)NEWS
NDDC Seeks Legal Advocacy to Accelerate Niger Delta Development

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has emphasised that legal advocacy on issues affecting the Niger Delta holds the potential to accelerate the region’s development.
Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made this assertion during the 2025 MOOT and Mock Trial Competition, which featured participation from 20 law faculties across universities in the Niger Delta.
This is contained in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Ogbuku, who was represented by Mr Boma Iyaye, NDDC’s Executive Director of Finance and Administration, underscored the role of legal advocacy in addressing the complex challenges facing the region.
“We are passionate about education, and as such, we remain committed to supporting the growth of education in the Niger Delta,” he stated.
He noted that the competition focused on key legal areas relevant to the region which included environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development.
Ogbuku also highlighted the commission’s investments in tertiary institutions, including the construction of hostels in various universities and polytechnics across the Niger Delta.
In his remark, Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, a former Attorney-General of Rivers, described the legal profession as noble, honourable, and learned.
He urged the student participants to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and good character throughout their career.
“Students must remain open to new ideas, as the legal profession requires deep and varied knowledge.
“Legal practitioners should also invest in continuous learning, acquiring both hard and digital copies of books, in their role as ministers in the temple of justice,” Adangor advised.
Also speaking, Justice Daketima Kio of the Rivers State High Court commended the NDDC for the initiative, expressing confidence that the programme would foster a more united and developed region.
He expressed optimism that the competition would serve as a springboard for aspiring legal professionals in the region to excel in their careers.
On his part, Mr Victor Arenyeka, NDDC’s Acting Director for Legal Services, explained that the competition was designed to prepare students to confront the specific challenges facing the Niger Delta.
He stated that participants were tested on environmental law, oil and gas, and sustainable development.
Arenyeka encouraged the students to seize the opportunity to broaden their legal knowledge and lay a solid foundation for successful careers in the legal profession. (NAN)
NEWS
TMSG Hails FG’s Cash Transfer to 15m Vulnerable Households

The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has hailed the fast-track disbursement of funds to 15 million households under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme of the President Bola Tinubu administration.The group said the fast-track disbursement was due to the delay in the full implementation of a scheme, which it said was central to the administration’s quest to lift millions of vulnerable Nigerians out of acute poverty.
Mr Emeka Nwankpa, the Chairman of TMSG, in a statement on Saturday, said with the newly inaugurated inter-agency task force in place, the stage was set for a wider coverage of the poverty-alleviation scheme. “We are aware that President Bola Tinubu formally launched the Conditional Cash Transfer programme targeted at 15 million households across the country soon after assuming office in 2023.“The idea was to improve on the same scheme introduced by his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, by reaching more Nigerians than the 1.6 million households (8 million individuals) who benefited from the Buhari administration’s disbursement of N10,000 bi-monthly as of 2021.“So, President Tinubu’s CCT initiative is clearly more ambitious, with the target of ensuring that 15 million households receive N25,000 per month thrice in a year,” said the group.But it said since the announcement, the process had been slowed down by financial inclusion bottlenecks, which had been addressed by an inter-agency task force.The task force includes the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).“We view the composition of the task force as a statement of intent. The Tinubu administration is set to navigate issues of distrust that characterise the previous scheme and ensure that all beneficiaries have a digital footprint aside from bank accounts.“We still recall how state governments under the auspices of the National Economic Council (NEC), in July 2023, disowned the National Social Register (NSR), the database for vulnerable populations used by the Buhari administration for the CCT programme.“But now, with NIMC working with the Central Bank and other relevant humanitarian agencies, we are convinced that more of the intended beneficiaries would be able to have the NIN, which is now mandatory for benefitting from the CCT and other social services.“In addition, the issue of distrust in disbursement would be addressed, and the possibility of funds getting to intended beneficiaries would be higher with proper documentation and identification,” said TMSG.It commended the Tinubu administration for taking these additional steps against the backdrop of the alarm raised by the World Bank recently on increasing poverty in rural Nigeria and the need to ramp up social protection initiatives.“Recently, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, told Mr Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President, West and Central Africa, that there was evidence that six million households were benefiting from the scheme.“So, we hope that in due course, the Tinubu administration’s target of reaching out to 15 million vulnerable households would be met,” said the group.It urged agencies involved in the process to live up to expectations by ensuring swift completion of the task of addressing the delay in cushioning the impact of economic hardship on vulnerable Nigerians. (NAN)