The Nation Newspaper

Tag: borno

  • Police to domesticate community in Enugu

    The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, has assured that he would replicate and domesticate community policing framework in the 43 police stations in the state.

    Danmallam gave the assurance at a Stakeholders’ Forum to domesticate Community Oriented Policing ( COP ) Framework in Enugu on Thursday.

    Danmallam, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Imaikop Okponkpong, said that the command was the first to domesticate the community policing framework in the country.

    “The command is doing this in collaboration with stakeholders in the community and representatives of our sister security agencies.

    “The command is committed to further contextualise and domesticate this community policing framework to ensure that it meets the realities and peculiarities of policing in the state.

    “Following the validation of its pilot scheme in Central Police Station in Enugu, the command will implement the framework across the 43 police station in the state,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Police kill suspected kidnapper

    The National Manager of the Nigeria Policing Programme ( NPP ), Mr Emeka Ukatu, said that the programme would work with the Nigeria Police at Federal, state and local government levels.

    Ukatu said that the programme would be addressing problems as well as positive influences the three levels had on the national security.

    He said that the pilot states for the domestication of the community policing framework include; Borno, Enugu, Kano and Lagos states.
    “In Enugu state, Central Police Station in Enugu is the pilot division, the state team is led by Mr Solomon Akpanufot,’’ he said.

    The forum is expected to generate a draft implementation paper which will be adopted.
    It was organised by the Police Command, Enugu State in partnership with NPP and attended by participants drawn from the police, sister security agencies and members of various communities in the state.

    NAN

  • Committee conducts surgery on 38 patients in Taraba

    The Presidential Committee on North-East Initiatives ( PCNI ) says it has so far conducted surgeries on 38 out of the 2,000 patients it treated in Taraba, under the one week free medical outreach scheme.

    Dr Gabriel Toma, Head of Surgeons, who disclosed this to journalists in Takum, said the surgeries include appendectomy, hernia, Myomectomy, caesarean section among others.

    He said the scheme, which began on Tuesday, might not reach the 170 target surgeries, given the limitation of personnel and the curfew imposed on the area.

    Toma, however, assured that the team would try its best to conduct qualitative surgeries within the time available.

    Also speaking, PCNI’s Head of Humanitarian, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Dr Sidi Mohammed, said the free medical outreach initiative was aimed at reaching out to the less privileged in the society.

    He said the scheme focused especially on those who fled insurgency in the North-East.

    “At the height of the insurgency, most people, including health workers were displaced and could not afford to pay medical bills.

    ‘’ So the programme is designed to reach out to such categories of people.

    “We have another medical programme specifically for those in Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps, but only 10 per cent of the displaced people are in the camps.

    Read Also: The President goes to Taraba

    ”So that is why we are here in General Hospital, Takum to reach out to as a many as possible.
    “During our one week outreach programme here, we will be treating people of various ailments and conducting minor and major surgeries and attending to other health needs of the people,” he said.

    The News men reports that the scheme is in collaboration with Pro-Health International and the West African Association of Surgeons.

    He said PCNI had conducted free medical outreach in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba under the first phase of the scheme.

    Mohammed also said the second phase of the programme would commence on April 8, to last for two weeks, adding that it meant to enhance people’s greater accessibility to health.

    Mrs Juliet Hananiya, Programme, Manager, Free Health Care, Pro-Health International, said the partnership which began in 2017 had helped a lot of patients suffering from hypertension, ulcer, diabetes, malaria, among others.

    One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Mr Richard Sak, who said he battled hernia for six years, commended the Federal Government and its partners for the assistance.

    NAN

  • Borno orders closure of public boarding schools

    AS part of measures to enhance security in schools, the Borno Government yesterday ordered the immediate closure of public boarding secondary schools in the Northeastern state.

    The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information & Culture, Dr. Muhammad Bulama, who announced the measure in a statement in Maiduguri, said the decision was taken at the end of an expanded Security Council meeting of security agencies, government and traditional leaders on March 15.

    The statement reads: “All boarding secondary schools in the state with the exception of those in Maiduguri and Biu will, until further notice, be closed with immediate effect.

    “Sequel to the unfortunate recent attack on Rann town in Kala-Balge Local Government Council by Boko Haram, urgent and immediate measures will be taken jointly by the Borno Government, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to forestall future occurrences there and in other vulnerable communities.

    “Elaborate security, infrastructure, personnel and logistics arrangements will be put in place preparatory to the imminent return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Bama, Gwoza and Dikwa local government areas and the subsequent return of their Royal Highnesses to their respective domains.

    “To speedily establish structures of civil authority, local government councils, para-military agencies, the judiciary and traditional institutions, as pre-requisite to relocating IDPs to their places of origin.”

    The commissioner disclosed that the council had approved the re-opening of Maiduguri-Bama-Banki Road for public and commercial purposes.

    According to him, the road would be reopened on Friday March 24.

    He added that the council also called for improved synergy between the military, other security agencies and community leaders to enhance intelligence gathering.

    “The Nigerian Armed Forces are implored to encourage senior military officers in command positions to closely liaise and synergise with traditional rulers in their areas of operation and also endeavour to regularly attend the meetings of the security committees at local government levels,” Bulama said.

    The commissioner warned that Boko Haram collaborators would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.

    He announced that effective measures have been put in place to check the menace of illicit drug abuse, warning that drug peddlers would face the wrath of the law.

    The commissioner said: “All stakeholders will be mobilise and sensitise to squarely address the problem. The State Drug Abuse Committee will be reactivated and reconstituted without delay.

    “Intensive and sustained media campaign against the dangers of illicit drug peddling and illegal consumption will be mounted.

    “All premises where the illegal consumption of alcohol, illicit drugs, substances and other vices detrimental to the moral wellbeing and security of society take place, especially in the Galadima area of Maiduguri metropolis will be closed immediately.”

  • Army arrests four Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa

    The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it had arrested an alleged high profile Boko Haram insurgent, Bubayi Isa, in Adamawa.

    Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Army Public Relations said in a statement he issued in Maiduguri that Isa was arrested alongside three other suspects.

    Chukwu listed the names of other suspects as Muhammad Buba, Yakubu Abubakar and Yakubu Abdullahi, adding that Isa was number 37 on the list of Boko Haram insurgents published by the army.

    Chukwu explained that Isa was arrested on March 20, following an intelligence report, adding that the suspect hailed from Panama village of Biu Local Government of Borno.

    The army spokesman said that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects participated in operations, coordinated by the Boko Haram insurgents at various times.

    “Troops of 23 Brigade, Operation Lafiya Dole on March 20, arrested a wanted Boko Haram suspect, Bubayi Isa from Panama village, Gunda District, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State following a tip off.

    “Further investigation reveals that Bubayi is the 37th suspect on the list of Boko Haram terrorist suspects, published by Army Headquarters.

    “Other suspects arrested with him are: Muhammad Buba and Abdullahi Abubakar from the same area while Yakubu Abdullahi hails from Sabon Gari Gado in Bayo Local Government Area of Borno.

    “The suspects were arrested in Kalaa village in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa.

    “The suspects have also confessed of belonging to a Boko Haram terrorists group and their various involvements, following a preliminary investigation by the troops.”

    NAN

  • UN allocates $9m to support life-saving aid in North-East

    The United Nations (UN ), through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund, has allocated nine million dollars to provide life-saving aid to some 60,000 children, women and men recently displaced by ongoing hostilities in Borno.

    Ms Yasmina Guerda, Public Information, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ), in a statement made available to our reporter on Thursday in Abuja.

    According to her, the money includes $2 million in support of the UN Humanitarian Air Service for frontline responders in North-East Nigeria.

    “The humanitarian crisis in the region remains one of the most severe in the world today, with at least 7.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018 in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

    “About 80 per cent of them, 6.1 million are targeted for humanitarian assistance,’’ she said.

    She said the $9 million allocation would help fund 15 projects.

    She added that it would also support humanitarian rapid response in areas recently affected by large-scale conflict-related displacements, particularly in the northern parts of Borno, along Maiduguri to Monguno axis.

    Guerda said close to 30,000 persons have fled the violence in areas that are hard to reach for international humanitarian organisations in three months.

    She added that the persons are in dire need of food, water, shelter, blankets, clothes and medical services.

    Guerda said the funds would help to scale up the response near the border with Cameroon in eastern Borno such as Gwoza, Bama, Dikwa, Kala/Balge, Monguno, Askira/Uba and northern Adamawa (Madagali).

    “Another 30,000 persons approximately have arrived in just three months following military operations.”
    She said the funds would also help maintain UN Humanitarian Air Service operations.

    She added that the UN Humanitarian Air Service operations are crucial for aid workers to be able to reach and deliver aid in remote areas of the north-east, especially areas where roads cannot be used.

    She quoted Edward Kallon, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, as saying that the crisis continues to displace thousands of vulnerable women, children and men every week.

    Kallon said many have gone through unspeakable hardship and the UN and its partners remain committed to help alleviate their suffering.

    “This UN fund give us the flexibility to prioritise those who are most in need of aid and act swiftly for the good of the people of north-east Nigeria,” he said.

    Nigeria Humanitarian Fund ( NHF ) was created to provide funds in a flexible and timely manner so those who need it the most have access to basic life-saving support.

    The fund was managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs under the leadership of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.

    The NHF is one of 18 country-based pooled funds and was launched during the Oslo Humanitarian Conference for Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region in February 2017.

    NAN

  • 1, 700 candidates to sit for UTME in Borno

    1, 700 candidates to sit for UTME in Borno

    No fewer than 1,700 candidates registered for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Borno, Mr Babagana Gutti, the Chief Examiner Officer, has said.

    Gutti told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the candidates would participate in the conduct of Computer Based Test (CBT) in eight designated centres in the state.

    He disclosed that each of the CBT centres was designed with a 250 capacity, adding that seven centres were set up in Maiduguri and one in Biu.

    Gutti listed some of the centres to include Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, National Open University (NOUN) and Nasara Computers.

    The JAMB official added that adequate arrangements and effective security measures had been put in place to facilitate smooth conduct of the examination, which commenced on Friday, March 9,

    According to him, the board had conducted a mock examination to test equipment and prepare the students for the final examination.

    “The mock examination was conducted successfully, reports from other centres in the country indicated promising outcome,” he said.

    Gutti added that the board also adopted proactive modalities and solved some of the problems associated with biometric data capture during registration process, to facilitate a hitch free exercise.

    Read Also: UTME 2018: Candidates call for transparency in admission process

  • Four policemen, Six soldiers killed in Rann attack – CP

    Four policemen, Six soldiers killed in Rann attack – CP

    The Police in Borno on Thursday confirmed that four policemen and six soldiers were killed in the Boko Haram attack in Rann community of Kala Balge Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner, Mr Damian Chukwu, disclosed this while fielding questions at a monthly police meeting in Maiduguri.

    “In the recent attack in Kala Balge Local Government Area, four mobile policemen and some six soldiers were killed.

    “The police are part of the counter-insurgency campaign to restore peace and stability, and were deployed to various locations,” Chukwu said.

    He also disclosed that over 500 men had been deployed to Operation Lafiya Dole, and reiterated the commitment of the command to the successful implementation of the counter-insurgency campaign.

    According to our reporter, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs  (UN-OCHA) had said that three aid workers were killed and three others sustained injuries while a nurse was declared missing during the terrorists’ attack in Rann on March 1.

    The UN agency said the aid workers were providing humanitarian services to over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled their homes due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

    NAN

     

  • IDPs protest over shortage of food in Adamawa

    IDPs protest over shortage of food in Adamawa

    Hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) from Fufore and Malkohi camps in Adamawa staged peaceful protests over lack of food in their camps.

    The IDPs mostly Women and Children on Wednesday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in their plight.

    Adamawa has only two designated camps managed by NEMA and they are situated at Fufore and Malkohi villages with a total number of about 3,000 IDPs.

    The IDPs, who mostly are from Borno, were in the two camps for over two years waiting to be evacuated to their state of origin.

    The IDPs in separate interviews with our reporter complained that many families in the camps were in critical living conditions due to hunger.

    Malam Adamu Bukar from Malkohi camp said that he has one wife and three children and they only eat once in a day.

    “Since early January, when they distributed the normal thirty days food items to us, we have never received anything again.’’ Bukar said.

    According to him, people living in the camp need urgent food intervention, because any moment from now some people, especially children would die of hunger.

    Also speaking, Malam Haruna Bana, from Borno and living in Malkohi camp expressed fear of imminent starvation and malnutrition in the camp.

    Bana said that they received the last food in December 2017 and since then they were not given anything.

    He appealed to Borno government to come to their aid and evacuate them.

    A security officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, at one of the camp also confirmed the situation, saying that the development was a threat to the camp security.

    “On daily basis, the IDPs in sizeable number go out of the camp to look for food, which is a security challenge to the entire people living in the camp,’’ the source said.

    When contacted over the situation, Malam Abbani Imam, the state Coordinator NEMA in charge of Adamawa and Taraba confirmed the development but said the challenge would soon be addressed.

    Imam said that the state office had already informed the NEMA headquarters of the situation and were waiting for the approval to release food to the camps.

    NAN

  • Agency urge organisations to resume operation in Borno

    Agency urge organisations to resume operation in Borno

    The Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency ( SEMA ), Hajiya Yabawa Kolo, on Wednesday appealed to humanitarian organisations to resume their services in Rann community to fast track support to displaced persons.

    Kolo made the call against the backdrop of suspension of activities by humanitarian actors at Rann in Kala Balge Local Government Area of the state.

    Our reporters,  reports that Boko Haram insurgents had on March 1 killed three aid workers and injured one other while three female nurses were declared missing.

    Sequel to the sad development, aid organisations suspended their services of providing assistance to over 50,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the community.

    Kolo said that the call was imperative to enhance support to displaced persons and guard against escalation of humanitarian crisis in the state.

    She said the agency in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would adopt proactive measures to protect the displaced persons from difficulties due to the suspension of humanitarian services by the organisations.

    “The incident is unfortunate and regrettable; we sympathise with the victims and their families.

    Read Also: Three JTF members die in Borno attack

    “We appeal to the humanitarian bodies to revisit their decision for the sake of humanity and continue with their services, their intervention is catalyst to addressing humanitarian crisis in the region,” she said.

    The chairman said that the agency was augmenting efforts by NEMA and other humanitarian organisations to provide services in areas of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and provision of condiments to IDPs.

    She disclosed that the agency would continue with its services in the affected community despite the difficult terrain and security challenges.

    “NEMA and SEMA with the support of the military will continue to provide support and assistance to the displaced persons in Rann,” she said.

    Kolo further called on the insurgents to lay down their arms and embrace peace to facilitate restoration of peace in the troubled region.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram: NSA inaugurates Helipad in Borno

    Boko Haram: NSA inaugurates Helipad in Borno

    The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, on Wednesday inaugurated a helipad set up by the Nigerian Air Force in Monguno, Borno to enhance its operation against the Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad region.

    Monguno also commissioned an office complex and residential accommodation built for officers and airmen at the newly- established 171 NAF Detachment in the area.

    The NAF 171 detachment was set up in the 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Monguno in Monguno Local Government Area, Borno.

    Monguno said the new Air Force unit would add value to the counter-insurgency operation, restoration of peace and stabilisation process in the troubled region.

    He described the projects as significant milestone in NAF’s drive to enhance air power in all the nooks and crannies of the country.

    The NSA added that the project was designed to provide additional military options in conducting aerial surveillance on the border with Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republics to check terrorists’ activities and cross border crimes.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique  Abubakar, explained that the service detachment was designed to enhance the endurance limitations of air power in the counter-insurgency operations in the North-East and the Lake Chad region.

    “The establishment of the unit will expand and increase the reach of the service platforms in operations around border areas,” Abubakar added

    The projects include: a block of 11-rooms for airmen and a block of flats for officers and a helipad.

    NAN