Category: Featured

Gunmen have killed one person and burnt the Secretariat of Nnewi South Local Government Area in Ukpor Anambra State.

The incident took place on Thursday morning. Eyewitnesses said the deceased was one of the security men in the Council Secretariat.

Tension enveloped the Council with residents fearing for their lives.

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Ukpor in Nnewi South is the local government area of some notable politicians, including first Minister of Aviation, Mbazulike Amechi, 92; former House of representatives member, Hon Cyril Maduabom and former Anambra Speaker Hon Rita Maduagwu among others.

Confirming the incident, Anambra Police spokesman, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he has not ascertained the number of casualties yet.

He said operatives had been deployed to the area while men of the State Fire Service were were already on ground to quench the fire.

Tochukwu further said Anambra Commissioner of Police had gone to the scene to assess things for himself.

He said that it was a case of arson.

The terrorists who attacked a Kaduna-bound train and abducted unspecified number of passengers on Monday, have contacted their families.

They are yet to demand ransom, the families said yesterday.

No fewer than eight people, including  Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretary-General Musa Ozigi-Lawal, TUC Kwara State chapter Chairman Akin Akinsola, National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) director at Kaduna office, Abdul Isa Kofar-Mata and a dentist Dr Chinelo Nwandowere killed by the gunmen. About 41 others were injured.

A member of one of the families told our correspondent that the abductors informed them that their family members and many other passengers were safe.

The family member, who pleaded not to be named for security reasons, said the bandits made a telephone call on Tuesday night.

”They told us our sister and other missing passengers were with them in their camps and that she was safe. They didn’t say more than that before ending the call.

”We are scared. We are just praying for God’s intervention and her safety. We are pleading with the kidnappers to release her for us,” he said.

A journalist, whose mother and sister were kidnapped, said the bandits also contacted his brother.

He said his mother and sister arrived in Nigeria from Saudi Arabia and boarded the train to Kaduna.

”My mum and sister were on the train and are among those not accounted for.

”The bandits have contacted my brother but didn’t ask for ransom yet. They have told us that my mum and sister are with them in the forest.

”Please, join in prayer for their safe return. We are praying fervently that nothing bad will happen to them and others in their custody,” the journalist said.

Staff members of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), whose Managing Director Alwan Hassan is still missing, were in a sober mood at the headquarters in Kaduna.

Some of the survivors yesterday accounted their encounter with the terrorists in interview with our correspondent.

The Federal Government said it was working on measures to ensure there are no further attacks on trains, including recruiting villagers to secure the tracks and deploying aircraft and drones.

The police have acquired five additional high-powered unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), otherwise known as drones.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, in a statement by the Acting Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police (CSP), said the equipment was part of a policy to integrate the use of innovative technology in law enforcement duties.

”The drones will assist the [olice in monitoring active crime scenes, coordinating response operations, and providing aerial support to responding officers.

”The UAVs include an ALTI Transition, capable of covering up to 150km in a single flight with high endurance of up to 14 hours, and an Elistair Orion fixed-wing aircraft, capable of covering up to 92m altitude with high endurance of up to 50 hours and other sensitive and forensic-based features,” he said.

A police source said most of the drones will be deployed to monitor the Kaduna/Abuja rail track.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said there were plans to work with the Department of State Services (DSS) to employ villagers to man the rail tracks.

He thinks Monday’s attack succeeded because the Airforce could not deploy aircraft to accompany the train due to poor weather.

Amaechi said the Airforce had promised to resume escorting the train when operations resume, pending the installation of the integrated security surveillance and monitoring solution.

He spoke in Kaduna during a visit to the victims.

Amaechi said the damage caused by the attack would require significant expenses to repair. He put the cost at N8billion.

He said: “The level of damage supersedes the request we made for the purchase of equipment that will help install security, especially as it pertains to surveillance.

”We are going to repair the track, between one and a half to two kilometres and that is huge. We are going to replace the locomotives. About one or two of the coaches were damaged. We are going to buy some coaches.

”A coach is about $4million, so if we are going to fix about four or five of them, then $4million should be about N2billion.

”So, imagine we are replacing about four, it will be N2billion multiplied by four and we are also going to replace about two locomotives which I don’t know the cost yet.

”We are going to replace about two kilometres of tracks, so it is quite huge.”

But governors expect more from the Federal Government in tackling worsening insecurity.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) believes the incessant violent attacks constitute a challenge to the capacity of the nation’s leadership.

In a statement by its Chairman, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, the NGF said: “First, as leaders, we owe the victims and their relations an apology as these unwarranted acts of violence are becoming too regular and they basically question our collective capacity to govern.

”The NGF will want to call on the authorities to immediately install all necessary safeguards to forestall future acts of banditry on our rail tracks, roads, ports and borders.

”We need not remind those concerned that these constitute a major backbone to our national assets. We need to improve on security intelligence and the ability to act on intelligence gathered.

”In general, we need to give comfort to all our citizens, residents and investors that the security of lives and property can’t  be taken for granted and that there is a government that is clearly in charge of what needs to be done.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) lamented that the North had come under the siege of insecurity.

It also urged the Federal Government to deploy technology in protecting rail travellers.

”The ACF calls on government to put a 24-hour surveillance on the route to at least avert the ugly situations occurring,” the group said in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mallam Murtala Aliyu.

It urged the government to retool its failing security architecture.

”The Forum commiserate with the souls lost, sympathises with the wounded and prays for an end to such ugly menace, not only in Kaduna State but all over the federation.

”As a guardian and custodian of the welfare and integrity of the North, the ACF is tired of crying out on the issue of security, and other challenges, in the northern part of the country.

”It is curious that a train carrying almost 1000 passengers can be exposed to the kind of situation we found, on the fateful Monday evening, without any precautionary measures taken.

”It would be recalled that, some few months ago, there was a blast on the same route, and the government’s promise to take a concrete measure to avert any future occurrence, is yet to materialise.

”Moreover, the fact that both air and rail systems out of Kaduna, have been compromised, it is to be expected that a sensitive government should protect the only route (Kaduna/Abuja highway),” the ACF said.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki suggested steps the Buhari Administration should take to forestall further attacks.

Saraki tweeted: “Drastic and decisive steps need to be taken to review our nation’s basic security infrastructure to protect lives and property

“One, the Federal Government must immediately establish an inter-agency task force that will formulate strategies to smoke out all bandits on the Kaduna-Abuja rail and vehicle routes.”

“Two, the Service Chiefs must have a meeting and develop an immediate plan for inter-agency collaboration.

“The gaps in coordination, intelligence-sharing, and synergy amongst our security agencies must be immediately redressed.

“Three, we must adopt 21st-century solutions to our present-day problems. We must make better use of technology to track the activities of these terrorists.

“We must equip our security operatives with the modern tools and equipment that they need to keep us all safe.

”Four, we cannot view these attacks in isolation. Our intelligence network must be proactive.

“We must be able to analyze and plan effectively to deal with all perceived threats and all enemies of the Nigerian people.

“Five, we must show the strength of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by making sure that our Police, DSS, and Armed Forces immediately find, apprehend and prosecute all those that planned, participated, or facilitated these attacks in any way.”

 

 

Katsina State Commissioner for Health, Danja Yakubu Nuhu and four other survivors yesterday relived their experiences on the train.

Nuhu shared his experience with visiting  Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and his team in Kaduna. The others survivors—Fatima Shaibu,  Mallam Muhammed and Maimuna Inbrahim–spoke with Channels and a  radio interview.

They said the gunmen, who first targeted the VIP coach but could not gain entry,   had to use coach SP 17 to do so.

At least eight of the train passengers were on Tuesday confirmed dead and 26 injured. Many others were taken hostage.

Fifteen of the injured persons were discharged yesterday by two hospitals that treated them. One of the nine patients is said to require heart surgery for which Kaduna State Government said it was making efforts to ‘import’  a cardiologist.

The survivors and government spoke as more Nigerians and groups flayed the attack, the second within five months on the same Abuja-Kaduna rail corridor.

Among those that flayed the attack are Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; a former Senate President and  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Anyim Pius Anyim: Senate Chief Whip. Orji Kalu;  former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili;  former National Assembly member,  Shehu Sani; Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency( NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh and Zamfara State Speaker, Alhaji Nasiru Magarya.

The Kaduna State branches of the Council of Imams and Ulama and the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) also flayed the attack.

President Muhammadu Buhari led   Federal Executive Council (FEC) members to observe a minute- silence in honour of the victims yesterday.

The Katsina State commissioner said he lost one of his fingers to the attack by the gunmen who also shot dead a pregnant woman.

According to the Nuhu, the gunmen came in three Volkswagen Sharon vans which the attackers used to move many of their victims.

He said: “The operators were clever in shutting down the engines and the lights. So, that inculcated fear in the bandits because they did not know what to confront.

“Most of the passengers tried to see how they could hide under the chairs, some went into the toilets and other places. They (gunmen) started by forcing the door of the VIP coach but they could not open it.

I was in that coach. So, they entered through coach 17.

“Before then, about three minutes before the train halted, we had the train making a sound like an old trailer on bad pavement for about two minutes and people were asking themselves what was going on but before we knew it, they(attackers) started shooting from all angles. I think they put the gun in a rapid mood, so that inculcated fear in people.

“I could see when bullets were penetrating the body of the train, I saw holes.   I tried to move my leg because it was on the floor and I was wearing a shoe but the bullet penetrated and one of my fingers is completely off.

“We waited for about  90  minutes before the rescue came. We were not sure whether the bandits had gone because we could hear the sounds and some sounds that seemed to be alien. They(gunmen) entered and they were matching people. They would  climb the chairs and then swing themselves up.

“I heard when they were asking who is a member here? I think they were looking for a better catch or maybe they had a target or a clue but they were asking questions in Hausa. I saw when they shot a pregnant woman, they were really merciless.

“One of the escapees was telling us that immediately you climb up to the embankment, you will see them standing with Sharon buses. He said the buses were three.

“I asked him how he managed to escape and he said he sat at the back and that when they got to a hilly place , the bus was struggling, he took the risk by jumping through the window.

“He was fractured. He said it is better to sustain the fracture while trying to escape than the uncertainty that awaits him if he gets to the bandit’s camp.”

Another survivor,   Fatima Shaibu, told Channels that after the train derailed, they first heard a loud sound and then gunshots from all directions.

She said: “They (terrorists) broke into the train through the door of the VIP coach, shot at many and took several others away. My sister who was sitting next to me was one of those shot and killed by gunmen.

“I don’t know what to say again because there is now a lot of insecurity in Nigeria. By road we are not safe, by train we are not safe.”

Shaibu corroborated the account of another survivor, who told The Nation on Tuesday,  that the attackers were young men that looked like Nigeriens and Chadians.

“They looked young and they were speaking a different language from Hausa or Fulani,” she said.

Mallam   Muhammadu  said that he hid under a seat in coach SP 17  from where he saw the gunmen taking his fellow passengers away.

He added that they killed a passenger in the coach before proceeding to join their colleagues that first gained entry in the VIP coach. The gunmen, he said abducted and moved many passengers in the VIP coach into a Volkswagen Sharon Van.

According to him, one of the abducted VIPs escaped from the van and joined nine of them that were in coach SP 17.

He added that the train driver was among those killed by the attackers while fleeing the scene.

“We saw the train driver. He came out and attempted to run but they shot and killed him. The terrorists were chanting Allahu Akbar,  Allahu Akbar and saying   Come down, come down!!”.

”I was hiding under the seat praying…it remained about two steps for the terrorists to get to me but after killing a passenger, they started arguing before going to the VIP coach.

“They abducted many passengers.

“Some old passengers had trauma. One had an asthmatic attack and another died of a heart attack. All the dead bodies were left in the train because the soldiers felt it would be difficult to convey them to where we took refuge.”

Maimuna Ibrahim, who spoke in her hospital bed said soldiers moved her to a safe place by the highway after she was shot in the thigh.

She explained that she was returning to Kaduna from Abuja where she attended a workshop.

She said: “We saw hell, I prayed and prayed and prayed. I was shot in the thigh. But the bullet did not touch my bone. The bullet penetrated out of my thigh. I was unable to walk, it was the soldiers that carried me on the back of a vehicle that brought us to the hospital.

“We suffered seriously, but thank God soldiers came and they really helped us”

“I went to a workshop in Abuja in the morning and I was on my way back to Kaduna that same day after the workshop.”

“I saw the terrorists from the window. They were many.    I saw them forcing  and  beating them   out of the train.”

 

FEC observes a minute of silence for victims

At the FEC meeting yesterday, President Buhari and members of the council observed a minute of silence in honour of the victims.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, who called for the observance, said that both the main  and  rescue train was attacked

Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the  Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation joined Anyim, Ngige and others in condemning that attack.

 

El-Rufai: We are in state of war

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai said the attack by terrorists on the Kaduna-bound train was a pointer to the fact that “we are in a state war.”

Speaking when the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi visited him, the governor said bandits’ hideouts were known.

He urged security agencies to wipe out the terrorists.

El-Rufai said: “We have enough intelligence for us to take action. We have enough surveillance equipment. We know what they are planning. We get the reports.

“Don’t wait until they attack before they respond. The Army should go after their enclave to wipe them out. Let the Airforce bomb them.

“Before they were categorised as bandits and if you bombed them, you would have issues with human rights organisations and international criminal courts and so on.

“But now that have been declared terrorists by the courts, they can be legally killed without any consequences to international human rights organisations.

“We know where their camps are, we know where they are, the SSS have their phone numbers, they listen to them, and they give me the report. We know what they are planning.

“We shouldn’t be waiting for them to attack. Why can’t we go after them? We are in a state of war; this place should be declared a war zone.

“The Army, the Airforce, the Police should go in there and kill them. Will there be innocent casualties? Yes! In every war situation, there are casualties.”

 

Kaduna Muslim clerics, CAN  want change in tactics

The Kaduna State branch of the Council of Imams and Ulama and the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna urged the Federal Government to take drastic steps to halt worsening insecurity.

The council, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyyu,  said the continued application of sporadic tactics in fighting the bandits will not yield the desired result.

It said the hideout of the bandits was well-known to all security agencies, yet they are allowed to operate without hindrance.

“The government must be held responsible for any single soul that is lost.

“The Council urges the government to secure our villages and roads and ensure we are safe. Enough o the talking. We need action, Mr President,” it said.

CAN said the bandits appeared to have evolved an extended network for intelligence gathering and planning on how to fulfil their mission of terrorising innocent citizens.

“On the contrary, the resilience of the government and her intelligence gathering happens to be more about settling scores with perceived foes,” it said.

The association urged the Federal Government to deploy everything at its disposal to crush the bandits.

A former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, yesterday said a family of six was among those kidnapped by terrorists from a train on Monday.

In a tweet via his verified Twitter handle @ShehuSani, he tweeted: “A whole family in the hands of the train attack terrorists. If this doesn’t touch the heart or prick the conscience of this country’s leaders, nothing will.”

He also tweeted a photo of the family members.

Sani called for the establishment of the Northwest security network to help tackle bandits in the region.

He said: “We need our own North-Western Security Network (NWSN) to tackle bandits.

“If you are travelling to and from Kaduna by road or rail, it is until you pass the villages of Rijana or Katari before you know that you have made your journey; anything short of that your life is on a scale of probability.”

 

There is panic among families and relatives of kidnapped victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train, which came under terror attack on Monday, The Nation has gathered.

It was learnt the abductors have kept the families in suspense though they didn’t make any demand for ransom after contacting them.

One of the families told The Nation the abductors contacted them but only confirmed their daughter and many other passengers were with them.

A family source, who does not want his name in the print, said the bandits called on Tuesday night but did not request the ransom.

According to the source: “They called Tuesday night and told us our sister and other missing passengers are with them in their camps and she is safe. They didn’t talk more than that. They just cut off the call

“Now, we are scared, we are just praying to God for intervention and her safety. We are pleading with the kidnappers to release her for us,” he said.

A Kaduna- based journalist, whose mother and elder sister were kidnapped, confirmed the bandits contacted his elder brother.

The journalist said his mother and sister arrived from Saudi Arabia and were returning to Kaduna when they were caught up in the ill-fated train.

According to him: “My mum and sister Adama were in the train and they were among those that were not accounted for. But now, the bandits have contacted my elder brother but they didn’t ask for ransom yet. They have told us that my mum and sister are with them in the forest.

“Please, join in prayer for their safe return. We are praying fervently that, nothing bad will happen to them and others in the custody.”

Workers at the headquarters of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) whose Managing Director, Malam Kabiir Adamu, were among abducted passengers, were in a sober mood, praying for his safe return.

Some of them said they were shocked by the Managing Director’s abduction.

The mouthpiece of the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has tackled the Federal Government over Monday’s train terror attack in Kaduna.

ACF said it was tired of crying over insecurity in the region, stating that the north is clearly under siege.

The apex body, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Mallam Murtala Aliyu, called on the Federal Government to revisit the security architecture with a view to protecting lives as the current structure has failed.

The Forum lamented banditry and terrorism have excised the North with major economic activities frustrated, warning it was a new ploy to block Kaduna, which is the main gateway to the North.

Parts of the statement titled: ‘North is under siege’ reads: “As a guardian and custodian of the welfare and integrity of the North, the ACF is tired of crying out on the issue of security, and other challenges, in the northern part of the country.

Read Also: Mayorkun blames FG for Kaduna train attack

“It is curious that a train carrying almost 1000 (one thousand) passengers be exposed to the kind of situation we found, on the fateful Monday evening, without any precautionary measures taken. It would be recalled that, some few months ago, there was a blast on the same route, and the government promise on taking a concrete measure to avert any future occurrence, is yet to materialise.

“Moreover, the fact that both air and rail systems, out of Kaduna, have been compromised, it is to be expected that a sensitive government should protect the only route (Kaduna/Abuja highway).

“The ACF has described as unacceptable, the frequency of such attacks on our towns and villages, highways and now train tracks and airports.”

It added: “The ACF cautions on what it terms as unnecessary attacks that stretches our security and economic services in the country. One can, easily, recall how the lives and economy of the Borno, Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, and Kaduna (Birnin Gwari and Southern parts of Kaduna) were damaged, and now, taking their turn on the infrastructure.

“The Arewa Consultative Forum calls on government to put 24-hour surveillance on the route to at least avert the ugly situations occurring. ACF equally, prevails on the AZMAN and Air Peace airlines to have a rethink over their resolve to suspend flights to Kaduna International Airport. Such action contributes, negatively, to the resolve of the problems.”

The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari and four other officers facing trials over alleged Cocaine deal have landed in Kuje prison custody.

Prison authorities said there would be no special treatment for anyone of them, The Nation learnt yesterday.

The authorities, however, assured that they are safe.

Justice Emeka Nwike of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ruled that Kyari and others standing trials before him be taken to Kuje custodial centre, asserting that the National Drug Laws Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant refusal of bail to Kyari and co-defendants.

Kyari and six others who are facing drug trafficking charges have been kept in NDLEA facilities since their arrest.

Other former members of the Police IRT unit denied bail by the court are ACP Sunday Ubia, Inspector Simon Agirgba, Inspector John Nuhu and James Bawa.

The Kuje prison authorities said Kyari and others are safe in their facilities and dismissed insinuations that they could be harmed in anyway.

Read Also: Drug trafficking: Court declines Abba Kyari’s, others’ bail plea

The authorities said Kyari and the other Police officers would be kept in awaiting trials cells, assuring that the facilities would remain under the close watch of different security agencies assigned to protect them.

The Public Relations Officer of the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr Humphrey confirmed that Kyari and others facing trials in the drug deal have been admitted to the Kuje facility.

Humphrey said the authorities do not treat anyone specially but noted that 15 awaiting trials persons, including Abba Kyari and his men were admitted from various courts on that day.

The PRO said “The case is a normal procedure for us. He is being kept where awaiting trials persons are and his co- Defendants as well. We are surprised that someone said he is not safe. How can someone said the facility is not safe…is it in his house that the inmates would be safe?

“The facility is a safe facility, we have all the security apparatus here, the army is there, the police, the DSS and our men. So if anyone is saying the facility is not safe…is it from internal incursion of external incursion. We are here as professionals and we will do our jobs to the best of our ability.”

A former aide to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race.

He declared support for former Anambra Governor Dr Peter Obi.

Okupe made the declaration while addressing newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State, saying the move was to ensure equity, justice, and fairness between the Northern and Southern parts of the country.

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Okupe, who was Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, said, he has consulted far and wide with the political stakeholders in the South before taking the decision.

Speaking on zoning arrangement of the presidential ticket in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said: “I observed that the leadership of the PDP seems to be driving us all towards a fait accompli.

“The most central consideration concerning the presidential primaries is the issue of zoning”.

Details Shortly…

The newly elected National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Abdullahi Adamu has finally assumed leadership of the party.

The Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Gov. Mai Mala Buni, formally handed over after about 21 months at the saddle of the party.

Read Also: Ministers express confidence in Adamu

The brief ceremony, which took place at the National Working Committee (NWC) Hall at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja was witnessed by all the newly elected executive members and Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Sule.

The Adamu-led NWC was elected on Saturday at the party’s National Convention in Abuja.

Details Shortly…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday led the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to observe a minute silence in honour of the victims of the terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train.

This is coming hours after the President ordered the military and security outfits to go after the terrorists, rescue all kidnapped passengers and bring the terrorists to justice.

The weekly virtual FEC presided over by President Buhari, started by 10am with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, calling for a minute silence to be observed.

Mustapha disclosed the main and rescued train were attacked resulting in the death of eight persons, over 46 people injured and several others kidnapped.

Read Also: Survivors relieve horrors of Kaduna train terror attack

Others in attendance were the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd); and Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.

Other cabinet members physically attending the meeting are; Ministers of Information and Cultur Lai Mohammed; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Justice and Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami; Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faroq.

Others are Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), Minister of State Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, while other ministers are attending virtually from their various offices.