NEWS
Kidnapping: Security Agencies on Holistic Operation to Suffocate Criminals in FCT – Official
…..Kidnapping: Security Agencies on Holistic Operation to Suffocate Criminals in FCT
Department of Security Service (DSS), Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Wednesday evening said that a security operation is ongoing to suffocate criminals operating in Abuja.
The Department’s Secretary, Command and Control Centre, Dr Peter Olumuji disclosed this in Abuja, while reacting to the recent security concerns in some parts of FCT, adding that the capital city was relatively secure throughout the festive season following improved security operations.
This, according to him, is evident with how residents thronged recreational parks and other centres to have fun during the Christmas and New Year celebration.
He, however, acknowledged some attacks, particularly around Bwari Area Council’s axis, where a community was attacked but were repelled by the security in collaboration with vigilantes and hunters.
“Yes, there were pockets of attacks in one or two of the villages within the council, but the security agencies being complimented by the vigilantes and the hunters were able to repeal the attacks.
“On January 3, the Police Commissioner, FCT Command, along with his tactical team paid a confidence building visit to the Bwari Area Councils and most communities experiencing kidnapping.
“The FCTA has also asked the police commissioner to deploy more manpower, vehicular assets, and tactical team to the area, which he has done. So Bwari is fully covered.
“Before now, people have been complaining about Kuje, Kwali, Jikwoi, among others, but there was no reported incident in these areas within the festive period. This should tell you that security in FCT is improving on a daily basis,” he said.
He assured residents that the security agencies have up their game to suffocate all criminal elements operating within the city, particularly along border communities.
Olumuji stressed that current security challenges affecting the city were basically in the neighbouring communities of Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and Nasarawa states.
He said that criminal elements come into FCT from the neighbouring states, commit crime and go back, adding that security agencies have deployed personnel to fortify the border communities.
He called on the security chiefs of the G-7 security initiative, comprising FCT and its neighbouring states of Benue, Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau, to live up to their responsibilities.
He explained that the initiative was to strengthen collaboration among the security chiefs in FCT and the six contiguous states, to tackle cross-border security challenges.
While acknowledging the gains recorded so far, the secretary said that the FCT still bears the larger burden of the G7 and urged the other states to do the needful from their own end.
“If they do what we are doing, especially in the border communities, that will help to dismantle criminals coming from the states to commit crime in FCT and go back.
“The FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike said that he would collaborate with the neighbouring states to make the security water tied, especially at the border.
To address the challenge, Olumuji, said that the FCTA was considering the use of technology, particularly drones, to improve security surveillance in the border communities.
“We have the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as part of the security network of FCT, so the FCT Administration will be relying on their capacity, technology wise particularly their use of drones.
“Operation Safe FCT was inaugurated by the FCT Minister made up of all security agencies including the Airforce.
“NAF has surveillance drones that we can leverage on, and the FCT Administration has gotten in touch with the NAF authorities to make those assets available for the security of FCT,” he said.
The secretary also said that the FCTA equally adopted the kinetic and non-kinetic approach to tackling insecurity in the capital city.
He said that one of the strategies of the non-kinetic approach was ensuring that the residents of FCT have the Police Command Control phone number to always call during security incidents.
…..Kidnapping: Security Agencies on Holistic Operation to Suffocate Criminals in FCT
NEWS
Alia Has Demonstrated Capacity, Courage to Entrench Good Governance—Speaker
The Speaker, Benue Assembly, Mr Hyacinth Dajo, has said that Gov. Hyacinth Alia has so far demonstrated capacity, courage, and uncommon zeal to entrench good governance in the state.
Dajo stated this in his remarks during the presentation of the 2024 budget estimates to the house by Alia on Wednesday in Makurdi.
The speaker said that as elected representatives of the people, lawmakers could attest to the smiles on the faces of their constituents.
“For instance, apart from the payment of pensions and salaries between the 22nd and 23rd of every month, Mr Governor, you graciously approved and implemented a N75,000.00 minimum wage with arrears for Benue workers in November, 2024.
“This amount is one of the highest among the 36 states in the country,” he said.
He noted that the progress on road infrastructure, investment in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to digitalise the state institutions, and the silent industrial revolution under the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) was outstanding.
Dajoh lauded the effective management of the security challenges facing the state as among the achievements of the 2024 budget under your watch.
The speaker expressed optimism that the 2025 budget would be used to sustain the achievements recorded so far and accommodate new projects and programmes to move the state to the next level of development.
He assured that the house was willing to process the budget estimates speedily and return the same within record time.
Dajoh, however, decried a lack of a befitting chamber and office accommodation for members of the assembly.
“May I once again bring to the attention of the governor that the house does not have a befitting chamber and office accommodation for members.
“I, therefore, request that His Excellency see to the completion of the comprehensive renovation that he began last year.
“Otherwise, most members use their cars as offices, and this is not honourable,” Dajo said.(NAN)
NEWS
Energy, Solid Minerals Top Priority, Tinubu Tells German Businessmen
President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, assured the German government and businessmen of Nigeria’s preparedness to expand frontiers for investors by removing administrative bottlenecks in the energy and solid minerals sectors.
Tinubu said this at a business session during the State Visit of Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German President, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said activation of the latent potential in the energy sector remained central to Nigeria’s development.
“I welcome Mr President to Nigeria and the State House. Your visit is a significant milestone. And I must thank you for the warm reception when I visited Germany.
“We need each other, and you emphasised this in our private discussion.
Nigeria is going through a transformative period and trying to align with the best strategy and practices on good governance globally.“We like our relationship with you as friends and partners. Germany is well-industrialised and renowned for its sustainable infrastructure,” Tinubu said.
He reassured the German businessmen that Nigeria was ready and open for business.
“As you mentioned, you are ready to support Nigeria in the energy sector, which you have long been doing.
“Also, in alternative energy, we have the sun, and you have the technology. We should continue our partnership in every way that we can,” said the President.
Tinubu said the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Solid Minerals, Power, Industry, Trade and Investment had been directed to work closely with investors to develop the energy sector.
“I will re-emphasise again and again, we must enhance the possibility of becoming highly industrialised by exploring opportunities in our natural resources,” he added.
Tinubu said the country’s reforms had been designed to bring long-term prosperity through sustainable and dependable frameworks.
“We are synchronising to ensure a grounded and flourishing partnership that brings prosperity to our people. We know that Germany has the capacity and is involved in regional cooperation and collaboration.
“We are glad that we are trading in Euro with you. We are more transformative than before. We have made changes in the way we do business. It is now easy in and easy out for investors.
“We are projecting investment in gas and alternative energy. Our transformation involves natural gas.
“We are leveraging solid minerals, particularly lithium. We have a dynamic, anxious-to-learn and flexible youth population.
“We have many Nigerian students who were trained in Germany. We want domestic investment that will promote growth in our economy. Equally, we need skill development,” the President said.
Tinubu noted that Small and Medium Enterprises were also being repositioned to play a more central role in development, assuring that bottlenecks to investments had been removed.
In his remarks, the German President assured Tinubu that there were also more specialised companies in Germany that would be encouraged to look towards Nigeria for expansion opportunities beyond the big brands in the energy sectors.
“There is a growing interest in Nigeria on the German side beyond those who are already here, like Siemens. Other companies are looking for investment opportunities, especially in renewable energy,” he stated.
In his presentation, Mr Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said Germany had a dedicated one billion Euro fund for diversifying the supply chain in renewable energy, and modifying the conditions could easily accommodate the opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
Alake said the critical minerals for energy transition, cobalt, nickel and lithium, were readily available in Nigeria.
“German companies can come in under the Renewed Hope Agenda that has sanitised the environment, enhanced security with a new architecture around solid minerals, created tax incentives and waivers for important equipment and provided opportunities for joint ventures,” he said.
He said pre-feasibility studies had been concluded, urging German investors to look to Nigeria for diversification of the energy supply chain.
Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; and Mr Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, also made presentations at the business meeting.
The business delegation from Germany and their Nigerian counterparts commended President Tinubu for his long-term vision for the economy.
They also praised his courageous steps in repositioning Nigeria for greater prosperity by making the economy more globally competitive with streamlined foreign exchange and improved ease of doing business. (NAN)
NEWS
Nigerian Who Wrote WASSCE 17 Times Bags Distinction from London School
Dr Emmanuel Ahmadu, a Nigerian who wrote the West Africa School Senior Certificate Education 17 times, has earned a distinction from the prestigious London Graduate School in the UK.
Ahmadu, a Nigerian mental health advocate and accomplished professional based in the U.S., disclosed this in an interview in Lagos.
He said that he was also inducted as a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC) in Lagos.
Ahmadu said that the formal induction ceremony and certification workshop took place in Lagos and UK on Nov.
26, where he was lauded for his exceptional contributions.According to him, this dual honour highlights his inspiring journey from writing O’level examinations 17 times, due to family instability, to becoming a globally recognised figure in mental health advocacy and consultancy.
Ahmadu said his new accolades would significantly amplify his global impact, which would enable him to contribute further to addressing mental health challenges, particularly among Gen Z, teenagers, and adolescents.
“My Fellowship, the highest grade of membership in the Institute of Management Consultants, will position me as a thought leader equipped to provide innovative strategies in tackling depression and suicide.
“This recognition is not just a personal milestone but a step forward in the global fight against mental health crises.
“It’s a call to action to innovate solutions that inspire hope and resilience”.
The Institute of Management Consultants, in its nomination statement, praised Ahmadu’s “outstanding academic and professional standing and demonstrated commitment to creating, maintaining, extending, and promoting the highest world standards of management consulting practice.”
Ahmadu said: “My certification as a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) will further enhance my credentials, making me to offer my expertise across over 50 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom,” he said.
He said that his personal story had resonated globally, inspiring millions.
“A childhood marked by instability saw me attend 16 primary schools and 14 secondary schools, yet I persevered, ultimately earning two honorary doctorates and publishing in mental health journals”.
On Instagram (@mr.voiceover), Ahmadu shared, “Nothing is impossible with God.
“I’m forever grateful for this life-changing moment and determined to keep pushing forward in this journey to make a positive difference in the world. Glory be to God almighty,” he said.
He said that Prof. David Iornem, Director-General of IMC Nigeria, during the induction, remarked that he (Ahmadu) exemplified the transformative power of resilience.
“His expertise and leadership will undoubtedly elevate global efforts in mental health advocacy and management consultancy,” said Iornem. (NAN)