Department of State Service (DSS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Bello Bakori has vowed to ensure that Abuja is free from security breaches.
Bakori promised that the DSS would continue to provide intelligence to assist the FCT Administration deliver good governance to the people.
He spoke during a courtesy visit to the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu.
In a statement sent by the Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Muhammad Sule, Bakori was quoted as saying, “My office would continue to provide quality intelligence to assist the FCT Administration deliver good governance to the residents.
“We will also continue to strive for the Federal Capital Territory to be free from any security breaches by providing the necessary intelligence”.
Mr. Chukwu called on synergy between all security agencies operating in the FCTý, to ensure that Abuja is free from all criminal activities.
He said that the call has become necessary because of the ever influx of people into the Territory, due to security challenges in some parts of the country, thereby making the security situation in the FCT more challenging.
Engr Chukwu added that, “We want continued peace and stability in the entire 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory because Abuja is hosting Mr. President, members of the diplomatic community as well as serving as the seat of government, which calls for security agencies to be more proactive in service delivery.
“This is a period of reflection and change, I will like to also call on the security agencies in the Territory to continue to put in their best to enable Abuja remain a pacesetter because it’s no longer business as usual.
“I will like to enjoin all the heads of the security and anti corruption agencies in FCT to bridge the gap between the staff of the FCT Administration and their respective organisations, since we are all working for the government and for the common good of the people”.
A total of 490 persons including vulnerable children from 10 years and above in Tunga Maje, Gwagwalada Area Council have been tested and treated free for Hepatitis B and C.
The outreach was organised by a civil society organisation, Elohim Foundation.
Speaking during the event, the Project Director of the organisation, Julius Ibecheole stated that the exercise which is part of the activities marking this year’s 2015 World Hepatitis Day, marked globally every July 28.
He added that this year’s event is aimed at creating the needed awareness on the increasing spread of Viral Hepatitis in Nigeria, which currently has an infected population of about 20 million Nigeria.
Ibecheole called on the Nigerian government to provide access to treatment and support for infected persons as the cost associated with obtaining the treatment from the very few available specialist centers in the country was very high.
He further called on development agencies and pharmaceutical groups to support hepatitis treatment in Nigeria as the burden of Hepatitis is astronomically far higher than that of HIV and the infection more deadly than HIV.
Beneficiaries of the screening who tested negative were given free vaccination while those that tested positive were referred to Bwari and Asokoro General Hospital.
“These hospitals have specialist to handle the needed treatment while organization follows up the patient through linkage to her support group mechanism to enable them access behaviour change communication, treatment literacy education, treatment support and adherence counselling services.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has inaugurated the third tier of government in the state. And what a colourful event it was. Various segments of the state population cast aside all religious and tribal differences to usher in the new local government area chairmen in style.
Since the governor took over power on May 29, the appointment of council leadership was his first major official duty. The inauguration took on a carnival atmosphere.
Governor Lalong said, “We are gathered here today to witness the swearing-in of Management Committee Chairmen as well as the formal inauguration of Management Councils for the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.
He said, “It became a matter of necessity for the government to dissolve the local government executive and legislative arms after an assessment of the operations of the councils within the provision of the law, which leaves much to be desired in government expectation of leadership at that level.
“As a responsible government committed to reducing the sufferings of our people, we have satisfied in our estimation the requirement of law, conscience and the expectations of the people of Plateau in our actions. Our Government for the purpose of emphasis will not fold her hands and watch those who are called to the highest threshold of accountability in leadership become unaccountable in public service to the mandate given to them.
“As a new government, we are confronted with the challenge of paucity of funds in the midst of security concerns, myriad of social welfare and developmental challenges needing immediate attention, for which we are resolute on delivering on them in our quest, to restore Plateau to her glorious days and position of pride in the comity of States.”
The governor told the new council chiefs, “Your selection as Management Committee Chairmen and that of your other members is a product of a broad spectrum consultation, so that you are conscious of the expectation of the people and morally under the burden of conscience to deliver on the expectation of the citizenry. We are on a Rescue Mission and now as a part of the team, you are under mandate to provide purposeful leadership in line with our policy trust of revamping the economy, sustaining peace and security, ensuring prosperity through good governance which is the hallmark of development; within the duration of your service.
“You should therefore see this appointment as an opportunity to drive the needed change the people at the grassroots yearn for and for which you are under obligation to deliver.”
A cultural group from Mangu
As soon as the swearing-in ended, the people exploded into festivities, each of the 17 local councils displaying their cultural riches in honour of each of the newly inaugurated chairmen.
The carnival later moved to the residence of the various chairmen or some location chosen by the new leaders. Some of those outdoor locations included the Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Rayfiled Resort, Plateau Hotels and Rock Garden, among others.
Since the ban on commercial motorcycles in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), some 20,373 of the two-wheeled vehicles have been impounded by the administration.
The FCT Permanent Secretary Mr. John Chukwu, an engineer, has warned commercial motorcycle operators to stay away from Abuja because their motorcycles will be impounded, if caught.
Mr. Chukwu also stated that in order to ensure the safety of lifes and property on Abuja highways, the FCT Administration has used its new computerised Vehicle Inspection Scheme to check the roadworthiness of 11,000 vehicles from September 2014 to date.
He claimed that the FCTA Computerised Vehicle Inspection Scheme is the first and the only one in Nigeria and added that the policy has become very necessary, considering the number of the unfortunate road crashes in and around the 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.
Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary FCT, Muhammed Sule made the revelation in a press statement where he said that Engr. Chukwu disclosed that the inspection is ongoing and
urged the motoring public to take advantage of the scheme to know the status and be sure of their vehicles before using them on the highways.
He restated that the vehicles’ test would make the Directorate of Road Traffic Services certify such vehicles for use thereby minimizing avoidable road accidents.
Chukwu also added that in order to improve service delivery, the FCT Administration has approved six additional Driving Training & Test (DTT) Canters for the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services to run driving tests simultaneously as well as the issuance of drivers’ licenses and assured that the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services as at today, has the capacity to process new vehicle number plates /vehicle papers within 24 hours except for fancy or out of series numbers that may take longer time.SSS
Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has announced the establishment of the church’s hospital in Kubwa to cater to its members.
The church also urged members to patronise the facility.
The church made the call in its Bishop’s Charge delivered during the first session of the 3rd Synod at Abuja, with theme: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”
He also reported to the faithfuls that the commencement of the Anglican University, Pegi also in the Federal Capital Territory has been suspended because the National University Commission (NUC) refused to approve the 25 hectares of land of the proposed site in Pegyi.
Akamisoko noted that the commission has insisted that the church acquire 100 hectares of land but getting such a large expanse of land in Abuja is a difficult task.
The cleric noted that that Nigeria needs good leadership to harness and have proper administration of all the God’s given natural resources in the country.
Presenting the charge, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko sought the rebirth of every Nigerian, stressing that the United States of America has a very strong institution that no President can manipulate since the system would simply send the leader packing.
He said: “Nigeria needs good leadership to harness and have proper administration of all the God’s given natural resources on our land. This has to start from you in your offices to the presidency.
“American…has a system set up in such a way that no President can mess America up. The system will throw him out. If you take President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to America as President, he will perform.”
The US institutions at all levels, according to the cleric, are too strong so they always make their leaders sit up.
Continuing, Akamisoko added: “Then bring President Obama to Nigeria, he will be corrupted by the Nigeria system and will not be able to perform as a good president.
“We all have roles to play in the issue of our country.”
The residents of Adadu community in Kwali area council has called on the council administration to provide a clinic in the area so as to alleviate the suffering of the residents as it comes to getting quality health care.
Speaking during an interview recently, the chief of the community, Habila Joshua stated that the residents especially the women and children needed a health facility which can cater to their health needs.
He stated that pregnant women usually deliver at their homes because of the distance of the hospital in the area adding that when there was complication in the pregnancy, taking the woman in labour to a hospital was always an uphill task.
“Our roads are very bad. So in order not to complicate the situation, the woman who is in labour are carried on someone’s back. Normally, we use motor cycles for transportation but carrying a woman in a bike and in the bumpy road is a difficult task,” he said.
Habila also stated that the bad road in the community has cut it off from other communities as the people find it hard to transport themselves from the community to another due to the bad road and called on the council to help them in solving their problems.
He expressed gratitude to the government for providing potable water to the community adding that the availability of the water has help the people a great deal in their quest for a clwan drinkable water.
‘’We are grateful that we were remembered. We need more things like a clinic. We have to go to far places to receive health care. Because the road are bad, it takes us hours to get to access a clinic. We are happy that we have a primary school. We remember we always remember we have a government with the school,’’ the community chief said.
There is no taking the foot off the accelerator in the drive against criminals in Kaduna State.
The state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai declared war on miscreants terrorising the state, adding that anyone who committed murder or engaged in any criminal act must face the music.
The gesture has sent a strong signal to the criminals. Just after he constituted General Martin Luther Agwai led committee on Southern Kaduna killings, the war against criminals has been progressive.
After 120 suspected criminals, including new Sara-Suka miscreant gang members were charged before a Kaduna court, 41 others have been paraded by the police for armed robbery, illegal gun production and car snatching among others.
The suspects were taken to court and later assigned to various magistrate courts by the Chief Magistrate Court I, Awaulu Musa Aliyu, for the continuation of the case. However, the suspects were taken back to police custody.
Speaking with journalists over the arraignment, Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, Deputy Supretendant of Police, DSP Zubairu Abubakar, disclosed that 120 suspected criminals and terrorist gangs were charged before the court for criminal activities adding that there is no hiding place for miscreants in the state.
He explained that: “We arrested 120 suspected criminals with some acts of terrorism, armed robbery and rape. Some are suspected to be members of a terrorist gang known as Sara-Suka. We arrested some of them on the spot while committing the crime, while others were arrested based on complaints from the public”.
But of specific interest in the Friday parade of suspects at the police headquarters was the case of a car thief who vehemently rejected being referred to as a car snatcher. Aliyu Yakubu who confessed to have stolen about 300 cars from Kaduna since 2012 said, he never snatched a car in his life. Yakubu who suddenly turned an English language teacher, told journalists that, a car snatcher robs the owner at gunpoint.
According to him, “I have a master key that can open any type of car and that is what I have been using to move cars from where they are parked. Immediately I pick a car, I move straight to Niger Republic where I sell it at a fixed price of N300,000:00.
“I normally target places like big people’s areas, rich people’s occasions, because I know they won’t be pained much because they have many other cars. So, they don’t usually report to police on time, before they report, I must have gone far,” Yakubu explained.
On whether his choice of ‘business’ has dark side, he said yes, “In 2013, I was arrested by police for the same offense and I was subsequently charged to court. But a friend, who has political intention came to my rescue and secured my bail.
“So, the case is still in court due to bureaucracy and redtapism. It was as a result of come to court today come tomorrow that I added one plus two and continue with my business pending the time the court will determine my case”, he hinted confidently.
He further added that, “I sometimes traced unsuspecting motorists to their destinations where I use the master key to unlock the car’s sensor after which I drive as fast as I could straight to Niger Republic where my regular buyer would be waiting for the consignment.
“I started in 2012 when I was told that I could make as much as N300,000 on one car. I tried it and I saw that it was not difficult so I continued until when I was caught few days ago by the police in Kaduna”, he explained.
Luck however ran out of him when he attempted to steal another car on popular Isa Kaita road, Kaduna.
Newly established Goshen International Business School has expressed its intention to train Kwara State civil servants.
The training, if consummated, will be in the areas of human capital development, transformation of the state civil service through our training programmes, socio-economic research, environmental Conservation activities; partnering with state government in its economic transformation programme and social awakening of the citizens of the state.
Others are offering genuine advice to the state government on its socio-economic activities and advice on security to the state government, the Chairman, Governing Council of the school, Bayo Atoyebi has said.
Mr. Atoyebi, a lawyer, said this at the commissioning of the school in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
He added that “it is with this in mind that the school’s management has taken a decision to partner the state government to help develop the civil service by way of bringing the civil servants up to date in terms of the required knowledge to translate government policies into economic development.
“We intend to contribute to the extension of the frontier of knowledge of the civil servants in terms of Management training in key areas. This we hope would empower them to effectively transform and translate the state’s economic policies into real development to the benefit of all.”
He said that a well equipped civil service will facilitate rapid economic transformation efforts of the government.
The governing council chair stated that no amount of salary paid to civil servants could make them as effective as the knowledge of economic transformation/policies that “we are ready to provide not only for this state but for the states around Kwara in the first two years of our operation in Ilorin.”
Said he: “It becomes imperative here to highlight the strategic importance of the state as the gateway between the southern and northern parts of the country. It is also one of the middle-belt states which make it accessible to the two divides of the northern and southern states of the federation.
“Its accessibility is not in doubt considering the avalanche of routes open to would-be visitors and tourists to the state. The state is accessible by Rail through the main trunk from Lagos to Kano, it is a nodal city considering the road transport, it can be accessed through the International Airport situated in the Capital City, Ilorin which also host an Aviation College. There is no gainsaying the fact that Ilorin presents the best location ever possible to site the school, and which we have done.
”Equally important is the fact that the proponents of the school are stakeholders in the state who are willing to contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.
“We therefore appeal to His Excellency to consider this school as one of your achievements in the state during your tenure particularly when measured against the huge potentials it has, to help build a solid human capital base for the state.
We offer to train the entire civil service staff in batches at a discounted rate as part of the school’s contribution to the state government.
“We wish to appeal to you to avail this school the opportunity to train the entire civil servants of the state in phases such that in a spate of one-year, the bulk of the service would have been translated from mere ‘worker’ to human capital – an essential ingredient for accelerated socio-economic development of the state.”
He said that the school has designed retreat/Workshop for state executive council members; retreat/Workshop for members of the House of Assembly; facilitating local and overseas training for senior civil servants; skill acquisition for all categories of civil servants.
Commissioning the project, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed represented by his deputy Peter Kisra said that his administration would not allow the current financial challenges in the country affect the training of its civil servants.
He added that the school is in a position to contribute to the economic activities in the state as its students and faculty would patronize business across the state.
Governor Ahmed said: “I find it remarkable that Goshen Business School is focusing on strategic areas that are of priority interest to my administration of particular interest are human capital development, Training of civil servants, environmental conservation and security. I assure you that the state government stands ready to collaborate with you in these and other areas of mutual interest to uplift our state and create a better life for our people.
“We are particularly interested in human capital development especially through the expansion to access to quality health and provision of functional education. In line with this commitment, this administration intends to extend our hospital remodeling project to an additional five general hospitals in the state in our quest to ensure that more of our people can access affordable quality health care wherever the live in the state.
“The establishment of additional comprehensive and primary health care centres will also complement our efforts in this key sector. Additional, we will boost educational reforms and ensure that our youths receive functional education that will prepare them for entrepreneurship and instead of searching for increasing competitive and shrinking positions in the public and private sector.
The Acting Director, FCT Secondary Education Board, Hajia Rakiya Daniya has stressed the imperatives of education, saying it is the key to social and economic development. She advised communities to make it a priority.
Daniya stated this during her first visit to Kabusa community in the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Her prompt visit which was to inspect the Senior Secondary School and solicit for the Chief and the Community’s support in facilitating the movement of the school to its permanent site was accompanied by officers from the Board.
The acting education boss explained that educating children has proven to be a great asset to parents, communities and the nation, adding that investing in it will make positive impact.
She noted that no community can develop without providing functioning education services.
In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer, (PRO), Odugbo Sarah, she further stressed that the FCT Secondary Education Board in fulfilment of its mandate of providing and sustaining qualitative senior secondary education to FCT residents will continue to work assisdously to achieve its objectives.
The acting director stated further that the establishment of Government Secondary School in kabusa among other communities in the Federal Capital shows the determination of the FCT Administration to make Education accessible and affordable as it has place education in its front burner for its teeming populace all around the six Area Councils of FCT.
Daniya while soliciting for the Chief’s support in ensuring the existing mutual relationship between the school and its host community is maintained said, it is the wish of the Board to embark on its projects at its permanent site noting that, the present structure and facilities at the old site are over stretched.
She appealed to the community to continue to encourage their children to take the advantage of the school and learn for their advancement.
Daniya restated that, the FCT Administration is committed to providing functional and sustainable education aimed at bringing speedy development to its indigenes and residents.
In response, the Chief of Kabusa Community, Yohanna Koche commended the Ag. Director and her team for their visit and expressed his readiness to help where necessary in the movement of the school to its permanent site.
He noted also that, the establishment of the school has been a blessing to the community and as such, the community will not hamper its expansion.
He also appealed to the authority to assist in providing other social amenities needed in the community.
Apart from the Sambisa forest, the base of the Boko Haram insurgents, there is Kamuku, another stretch of vegetation covering four Northwest states and Niger, used by criminals. The good part is that the state governments have teamed up to rid the forest of hoodlums. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports
The horrors of Boko Haram inside Sambisa forest are well documented. Not so the evil perpetrated in and from the Kamuku forest, which stretches across four northwest states of Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, and the Northcentral Niger.
While Sambisa has served the insurgents as an operational base, den to keep hostages and routes through which to ferry arms and other supplies, the Kamuku vegetation has provided cow thieves places to keep stolen animals, as well as a base from which to strike such cities as Kaduna and rob and kill victims. Criminals using the forest as hideout are not members of the Boko Haram group, though, but they are no less dreaded.
The governments of the states, seing the present and future threat of the forest, came together with an action plan to smoke the criminals out of the forest. They want to tame the evil forest and contain other security challenges peculiar to their states. They fear that Kamuku could breed future insurgents.
The governors met in Kaduna to brainstorm ways of addressing the security threats posed by the forest. Even though, the resolution of the meeting held behind closed doors in the state Government House was not disclosed, the host Governor Nasir el-Rufai told reporters their discussion was mainly about security.
He said, “The forest which is in the centre of the Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara, has been of serious security concern. So, we need to address it because that forest is capable of breeding future Boko Haram. So, we have just met to brainstorm with a view to fashioning out a coordinated approach in tackling the security challenges in our states. This has become necessary to avoid spillover.
“We met with security chiefs in charge of our respective states so that we can as quickly as possible bring an end to the loss of lives, cattle rustling and loss of property.”
He disclosed that the five state governors have the support of the federal government in the plan. Even, the Federal Government has demonstrated commitment to collaborate with the state governments. But the most gratifying news is the arrest of nine accused cattle rustlers and recovery of over 2,000 cows in the Kaduna axis of the forest.
The breakthrough was achieved after the joint security operatives, including the military, police and others raided the bandits hideout in Birnin Gwari and Damari village. Three suspects were killed in the gun battle with the security operatives.
Governor el-Rufai, who visited the forest, commended the security personnel for their “swift intervention”, pledging that the government would offer maximum support to ensure success of the operation.
He said that the operation was part of the new offensive in the Northwest against cattle rustling. “So far, so good. We are satisfied with the work done by the armed forces in trying to contain the problem of cattle rustling and general security threats that have lingered for too long.
“The joint operation is between six states that share the Birnin Gwari forest, that is Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto and Niger. This operation is the Kaduna State end, but it is also happening in the other affected neighbouring states. We will recover stolen cattle and tackle the security challenges in the area,’’ he said.
Over 700 cattle have been recovered.
•Some of the suspects
The nine arrested suspects, under interrogation by el-Rufai and Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu, said they were innocent. One of them who was allegedly arrested with rustled cattle told the governor that he is a farmer.
But after touching his palms, el-Rufai said they were too soft to be a farmer’s.
The security operatives also informed the governor that one of the accused identified as Iliya had local bulletproof, otherwise known as ‘Odieshi’ or anti-bullet charms.
With the recent arrest, residents of villages bordering the forest expressed the hope that crime in their area will be curtailed. Virtually each of the five states bordering Kamuku forest has had its share of attacks by the criminals in the last four years, with Kaduna and Zamfara the worst hit.
The criminals suspected to be a large group had invaded villages in the two states of Kaduna and Zamfara, killing not less than 25 persons.
In October 2012, a group of high profile gunmen from the forest who always disguised as armed robbers, invaded Dogon Daji community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least 20 villagers including those who were leaving a mosque after the morning prayers.
They carried out the brazen attack in the early hours of the day after embarking on a house to house search and shooting and killing people indiscriminately. Some of their victims were stabbed to death, while others were slaughtered.
Sources in the village claimed the killings were a revenge attack by armed robbers as the community vigilance group helped capture some robbers who were attacking passengers and motorists in the area some weeks prior to the attack.
Some villagers sharply disagreed with the armed robbery theory, insisting that the attackers had other motives beyond armed robbery.
In Zamfara, the same group of gunmen under the guise of armed robbery attacked several villages in the remote villages of Zamfara bordering the forest and killed 27 persons.
The Nation gathered that the Zamfara attack was also a revenge mission, after some criminal gang members were arrested or killed and the gangs blamed the villagers for informing on them.
A police source in Gusau said they were not suspected to be members of Islamist sect Boko Haram, which have infiltrated most of northern Nigeria, but another terrorist group.
Out of the 27 persons, 18 were killed at Dangulbi village in Marua Local Government Area and the rest from other surrounding villages of Diya, Guru and Sabo Kasuwa.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen numbering over 30 stormed Dangulbi around 2am with an informant who was directing them to the houses of key members of the vigilance group.
Since the 2012 attacks, crimes around the forest have been unceasing, and even though previous governments of the respective states took several security to contain such criminality, there was no permanent solution.
