Tag: BUHARI

  • Buhari declares Lagos theatre open for public use

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday declared open the new 500-seater Lagos Theatre in Oregun, Ikeja area of Lagos State for public use.

    The theatre is one of the five built by the state government in line with its vision to use entertainment, arts and culture to boost the state’s economy.

    The President, who arrived the venue at exactly 11:30a.m, after the inauguration was treated to a live dance performance by a young group of talented artists before taking his leave.

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode said the construction of similar theatres in Igando, Badagry and Epe, all of which had been completed and ready for unveiling, was meant to harness the potential in the sector and also create employment for youths in the state.

    Ambode said that the state was more than ready to take the driving seat for the development of tourism, arts and entertainment in Africa.

    The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture,Mr Steve Ayorinde, said that infrastructural development, regeneration of old and creation of iconic attractions for entertainment, arts and culture enthusiasts were some of the methods used by the state to boost economic activities and improve domestic tourism.

  • Sunmonu to Buhari: ignore IMF pressure on subsidy

    Founding President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alhaji Hassan Sunmonu, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to adhere to recent call by the International Monetary (IMF) to remove subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol.

    He warned the President lose public goodwill should he heed the call.

    Sunmonu gave the advice on Tuesday in Lagos during the public presentation of the Minority Report & Draft Constitution of the 1976 Constitution Drafting Committee, a document authored by Dr. Olusegun Osoba and the late Yusufu Bala Usman that was not allowed to see the light of day by the military administration of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The trade unionist said Nigeria should not go back to the 1980s when the country became a debtor nation and the IMF influenced the cut in subsidy on education, health, transportation, as well as the stopping of the rail system that was being built then.

    He said: “Now, the Buhari administration is bringing back the railways – not even the narrow gauge but the standard that you can have trains that can run at 200 kilometers per hour or more. This is what IMF influenced our government under Babangida to stop. After it destroyed our education, it now came up with what it called IMF support for education.

    “So, we want President Buhari to be very, very careful of the neo-liberalists that surround him and who are intent on taking Nigeria back to those dark days.”

    Speaker after speaker at the event emphasised the fact that the problems bedeviling the country today would have been nipped in the bud, if the authorities then had accepted the report and made it part of the constitution.

    The co-author of the book, Dr. Osoba, 83, said restructuring is a recurring lie in the lexicon of the ruling class because it is presented as a one-stop solution that can solve all the economic and social ills in the country.

    He said restructuring as being presented by its proponents is all about creating more states and introduction of resource control, to give more opportunities and access to the ruling class to continue to loot the treasury.

    Osoba said: “They’re only talking about sharing power and wealth horizontally, among states, ethnicity and religion; not vertically from top to bottom and that’s the most important form of restructuring. Continuous struggle is the only solution to our problem; not restructuring.”

    Attahiru Bala Usman, son of the co-author, the late Yusufu Bala Usman, also said the “Minority Report” will add value because there were many things that were thrown out by the soldiers that foisted the current flawed constitution on Nigerians.

    He said the report is now published with a new introduction to bring it to the knowledge of the public and to make it available to members of the National Assembly so that Nigerians can talk about it.

  • Buhari rallies Qatar on investments, recharge of Lake Chad

    The issue of the recharge of the Lake Chad with water from Congo basin dominated talks Tuesday when President Muhammadu Buhari hosted Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Althani.

    In a statement issues at the end of the meeting and signed by the media aide to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, the issue of

    Investments in sectors like petroleum, power, aviation, agriculture, railways, and many others, also featured prominently in the discussions.

    The president stressed the need for the recharge of Lake Chad with water from the Congo Basin, so as to grant succour to the more than 30 million people adversely affected by the shrinkage of the lake over the years.

    “We invite you to invest in our refineries, pipelines, power sector, aviation, agriculture, education, and many others, so that you can have your management here to oversee the investment. We need your expertise,” President Buhari said.

    On the receding Lake Chad, he said of the over 30 million people affected, more than half were in Nigeria, and it has contributed greatly to illegal migration, as innumerable youths dare the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea, in order to find safer shores in Europe. A large number die in the process.

    “We need help with the recharge of Lake Chad, as it is not a project that the concerned countries can handle alone,” President Buhari said, adding: “Recharging the lake will bring back fishing, farming, animal husbandry, and the youths won’t be attracted by insurgency or illegal migration. We want Qatar to be involved because of the humanitarian nature of the endeavour.”

    Sheikh Hamad Al-thani said he was honoured and happy to be in Nigeria for the first time, stressing it was a reciprocal visit to the one paid to Qatar in 2016 by President Buhari.

    “The relationship between our countries is very good. We just have to build on it,” the emir said. “We share a lot of similarities in different areas. We need to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation. We are willing to do a lot more with Nigeria, and will continue to work on investment opportunities of mutual benefit,” he added.

    The Qatari leader arrived the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, by 12:11pm wearing dark ash suit, white shirt, navy blue tie and black shoe, the emir was received by President Buhari at the forecourt.

    After a brief ceremony at the forecourt that lasted for about 30 minutes, the two leaders went into the meeting.

    The meeting is still on as at the time this report was filed.

    The return visit is coming three years after President Buhari visited Doha, the Qatari capital in February 2016, where he attended a meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

    The emir is expected to return to Doha, the Qatari capital Wednesday.

  • Inject fresh ideas, NCRIB advises Buhari

    The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has advised  President Muhammadu Buhari to inject fresh ideas into the running of the economy, besides sustaining  the tempo of his positive economic policies.

    NCRIB President Shola Tinubu gave the advice during the Council’s press conference and quarterly media briefing held at its office in Lagos.

    While expressing the council’s delight that the 2019 general elections have been held, throwing up new political office holders to steer the affairs of the nation for the next four years, he said it was quite heartwarming that the polity, has given new hope of stability.

    According to him, politics and economy are inextricably woven, as one negative or positive development in one would most assuredly affect the other, and vice versa.

    He observed that the stability of Nigerian political environment is an harbinger of a stable and progressive economy.

    Tinubu said: “As actors in the financial ecosystem, the NCRIB is using this platform to advise the government to inject fresh ideas into the running of the nation’s economy while at the same time sustaining the tempo of existing positive economic policies already put in place by the government. The reflation of the economy should be anchored on enhanced promotion of local capacity to reduce over dependence on foreign goods and services, and by so doing, reduce the strain on the nation’s currency vis- a-vis other foreign currencies.

    “Government must create an improved enabling environment for business and professional growth through initiation and tenacious pursuit of laws and regulatory prescriptions that would enhance economic growth.   In specific terms, urgent attention must be paid to reducing poverty, which has as its bye product, unemployment and poor standard of living.

    “While Nigerians are awaiting government to give more teeth to implementation of Oil and Gas reforms, power sector reforms and human capital development and redouble efforts in promoting agriculture, more attraction should also be given to the state of security in the country. Since insurance thrives more when the economy thrives, it is our belief that the industry will witness desired northward trend when the economy is on a sure sound footing.”

    Speaking on building collapse, he said: “In the light of recent building collapse in Lagos and Oyo states as well as other similar disasters, the NCRIB is quite touched. It is our belief that the unfortunate incidences are actually accentuated greatly by the lax of regulatory enforcement in the construction environment.

    “To combat this, government needs to be more proactive in implementing building laws. Also, they have to continually engage stakeholders in the construction built environment and related institutions to elicit their input for a long lasting solution to the malaise. While the council commiserates with the victims of the building collapse, we like to use this opportunity again to call on government to give more impetus to the implementation of the enforcement of compulsory building insurance as enshrined in Section 64 and Section 65 of Insurance Act 2003”, he added.

  • Kokori weeps, says Ngige dropping Buhari’s name to oppress me

    Former General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) Comrade Frank Kokori on Thursday shared emotional tears when Organised Labour stood solidly behind him to insist he be inaugurated as Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

    This was after the Minister of Labour and Employment dropped his name and appointed another chairman.

    The inauguration of the Board of the NSITF by the Minister had been delayed for over one year by the Minister, leading to a conflict between him and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole who insisted that the board be inaugurated in line with the directives of the President.

    However when the Minister decided to inaugurate the Board, Kokori’s name was omitted and replaced with Austin Enajemo-Isire as chairman, a position strongly resisted by Organised Labour who stormed the Minister’s conference room to demand that Kokori be inaugurated.

    In his show of gratitude to his former colleagues, Kokori could not help but shed tears, saying he was being oppressed by the Minister even though he laid his life for the actualisation of democracy in the country.

    In a shaken voice, Kokori told the Labour leaders: “Today, I am very emotional and want to cry. I want to weep for this country. I am proud of you, my comrades. I have done my best for this country.

    “When nobody raised their voice against the military, I came out against the military to fight for freedom and democracy of Nigeria.

    “I spent four good years in one of the worst prisons in the world, in Bama prison and in solitary confinement.

    “In 1997, I was declared a prisoner of war by Pope John Paul. The same year, the Madibba, Nelson Mandela also declared me a notable world prisoner of conscience.

    “I stood for this country and in all my years of service, there were temptations to take some of the biggest bribe.

    “But I stood my ground for democracy and 20 years into the same democracy, Comrade Kokori is being oppressed by somebody like Ngige. What is the reason?

    “The reason is because Frank Kokori is regarded as a man of integrity, a man of honour and a transparent Nigerian.

    “This is a government that talks of integrity and you allowed a man like Ngige to humiliate me for two years after my appointment.

    “Yesterday, they now said I should go to Micheal Imoudu. If they had given me Micheal Imoudu when I retired from NUPENG, I should have accepted.

    “Why should I subject myself to trauma for two years and you promised that the appointment remains and congratulated me for more than five times.

    “The President assured me during the last June 12 exercise that they will not do anything to my appointment.

    “I feel Ngige is on his own, dropping the name of the President, not the President I know and who assured me that he will not change my name.

    “I am thankful to the Nigeria labour movement and the great union called the National Union of Petroleum and Natural gas.

    “I spent the whole of my youthful life to build this union as a fighting machine. I thank you all for your support and may God bless you all.”

  • Buhari challenges Atiku to present his credentials

    President Muhammadu Buhari has responded to allegations in the petition by Atiku Abubakar and his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), before the Presidential Election Tribunal.

    Buhari, in a response filed on Tuesday by a team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), debunked Atiku’s and PDP’s claim  that he was not qualified to run for President.

    The President said he was far more qualified than Atiku and challenged him to produce his academic credentials before the tribunal.

    He argued that Atiku was not qualified to run for the office.

    Buhari said he did not, “at any time, provide any false information in Form CF00] submitted to the lst respondent, either in 2014 or 2018.

    “The affidavit of compliance to the 2019 Form CF001 was correct in every material particular.

    “In filling Form CF001 in 2014 and 2019, respondent was not oblivious of the constitutional qualifications stipulated in Section 131 of the Constitution and interpreted in Section 318 of the same Constitution.

    “Petitioners themselves are also not oblivious of the fact that respondent possesses far more than the constitutional threshold expected for a candidate contesting for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “The respondent avers that he is far more qualified, both constitutionally and educationally, to contest and occupy the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria than the 1st petitioner (Atiku); and that in terms of educational qualifications, trainings and courses attended, both within and outside Nigeria, he is head and shoulder above the 1st petitioner in terms of acquisition of knowledge, certificates, laurels, medals and experience.

    “Respondent states further that it is the 1st petitioner, who is not qualified to contest the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and challenges the educational credentials and certificates of the 1st petitioner.

    “1st petitioner is hereby given notice to produce and tender his educational certificates, indicating the schools attended by him, with dates.”

    The President gave his educational resume as: “Elementary School, Daura and Maid’adua (1948 – 1952), Middle School, Katsina (1953-1956, Katsina Provincial Secondary School (now Government College, Katsina (1956-1961).”

    Buhari faulted the entire petition filed by the PDP and Atiku,noting that they are more about pre-election issues, which the Court of Appeal, sitting as a tribunal lacked jurisdiction.

    He also argued that the petitioners told lies against themselves in the petition and made conflicting claims which the tribunal cannot grant.

    Buhari noted that while the petitioners claimed to have won the last presidential election and also won elections in many states in the Southsouth and Southeastern part of the country, they also urged the court to nullify the election and order a fresh presidential election.

    Buhari argued that by virtue of Section of 137of the Electoral Act, petitioners cannot question the results of elections in states where they claim to have won and still retain themselves as petitioners.

    Buhari faulted the petitioners’ claim that the election was marred by corrupt practices and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

    The President also faulted the petitioners’ claim that they won the election, insisting that, by the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the last presidential election election.

    Buhari denied the claim by Atiku and PDP that the Trademoni policy of the government was a vote buying measure.

    He argued that the policy forms one of the many social intervention policies of the Federal Government, directed at alleviating the suffering of the masses.

    Buhari argued that the claim by the petitioners that they won by results they obtained from a purported INEC server lacked a legal basis and should be ignored by the tribunal.

    The President challenged the petitioners to produce evidence of their claims that their votes were depleted and manipulated.

    The President, in a preliminary objection he filed with his response, noted that the questions about his academic qualification and the reliefs predicated on the issues were matters over which the Court of Appeal had sat, adding that the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to hear them.

    He also faulted the petitioners’ allegations of vote manipulation made against some security personnel, some named private individuals and organisations, without making them parties to the petition.

    He asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds that the reliefs the petitioners sought by the petitioners are frivolous.

    “The entire reliefs are not justifiable, as the petitioners, who claim to have scored majority of lawful votes in substantial number of states, are also questioning their own return in those states.

    “The petitioners cannot act as petitioners and respondents in the same petition.

    “The alternative relief sought is self-defeating, apart from being frivolous.

    “The election to the office of President on 23rd February, 2019, was conducted in substantial compliance with the provision of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended),” he said.

    Buhari, challenged the petitioners to produce “specifics of website: www.factsdontlien .com, including its domain owner, proprietor, lessee, lessor,  etc., pleaded in paragraph 29 of the petition.

    “Details of the electronic data on the servers of the 1st respondent (Inec), including the time, the details were downloaded, the person who downloaded them and the means of downloading (paragraph 29 of the petition).

    “The documents from the 1st respondent, publishing the registered voters in Nigeria, as 84, 004, 084 and the number of PVCs collected as 72,775,502 (paragraph 30 of the petition).

    “Details and documents, showing a breakdown of the electronically collated votes of 664, 659, allegedly cast for the petitioners in Abia State (paragraph 34 of the petition).

    “Documents showing the published registered voters in Bauchi State, as pleaded in paragraph 41 of the petition.

    “Details of the electronically collated 332,618 votes in Bayelsa State (paragraph 42).

    “Documents showing how petitioners’ votes were depleted by 173,153, in Benue State (paragraph 44).

    “Details of how petitioners’ votes were depleted by 210,109 in Bomo State (paragraph 46 of the petition).”

  • FUNAAB honours Buhari

    The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) inaugurated a car park/bus stop in President Muhammadu Buhari’s honur to mark its 30th anniversary and Founder’s Day.

    The project, undertaken by the immediate past executive of the Students’ Union (SU), was inuagurated by the incumbent SU President, Comrade Popoola Ayobami, popularly known as Dasilva.

    According to Popoola, the car park would be known as President Muhammadu Buhari Car Park/Bus Stop, with the aka acronym ‘PMB square’.

    The two accompanying shed stands were also named; one in honour of the incumbent Vice Chancellors, Prof Felix Kolawole Salako, and the other for his predecessor Oluwafisayomi Adelaja, (now late).

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE shortly after the event, Popoola expressed happiness over the completion of the project, describing it as a dream come true.

    He also said the car park would address one of the problems of the institution.

    He said: “This is going to be a welcome development because we have just been able to salvage one of the problems affecting the university, which is a key factor to the growth of the university.

    “What we have just done is one of its kind, which is a landmark in the history of students’ unionism and we have not had any regret for embarking on this project.”

    Before cutting the ribbon, the vice chancellor appreciated the students and the union executives for their good conduct which made the project see the light of day.

    Prof Salako also described the project as one that would alleviate the sufferings of students, who usually wait for hours for vehicles after lectures.

    He said: “It (the project) is going to be a lot of relief for commercial vehicles going from the gate to the campus. Definitely, people are going to have a space to sit while waiting for vehicles, the commercial vehicles will also be relieved having a conducive environment to really do their work. This project will go a long way in terms of community relationships.”

    The naming was done to appreciate President Buhari-led administration’s efforts to dualise Camp-Alabata Road leading to the main campus. “The road has been abandoned for years until recently when little attention was given to it. Though the road needs total reconstruction because its design  was done more than 20 years ago. This cannot match the 21st Century demand on the road. So, there’s need for Federal Government, especially the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power to look into this and do the needful.

    “Our decision was based on the fact that we appreciate the efforts of Federal Government led by President Buhari on the anti-corruption crusade, economy and security nationwide as well as the dualisation of Camp-Alabata road leading to main campus.

    “This is the first time President Buhari would be honoured at FUNAAB and this honour was carried out by students’ leader led by the number one student on campus Comrade Da Silva.

    “It behoves the Federal Government, especially President Buhari, to give this number one University of Agriculture in Africa and one of the best in the world, the needed attention and funding so that  food insecurity could be addressed by transformative and proactive ideas from these students of Agriculture driven by technology.”

  • Chibok Girls, Leah Sharibu can still return, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday that all hope is  not yet lost on the possible return of the remaining 112 Chibok girls from Boko Haram captivity.

    Buhari assured the girls’ parents that he has not forgotten them.

    It is exactly five years today that Boko Haram terrorists stormed the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, seized about 276 of them.

    About 60 girls managed to escape in the melee following their abduction while Buhari Administration secured the release of 107.

    About 100 are still with the sect.

    But Buhari speaking on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the abduction yesterday said government was still working on getting the girls and Leah Sharibu back home.

    Leah and about 110 other students of Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe State were abducted on the night of February 19, 2018.

    But while all the other girls were released almost immediately, the terrorists have held on to Leah because she refused to renounce Christianity her faith.

    Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Leah’s return was being hindered by fear on the part of her abductors.

    His words: “President Muhammadu Buhari would like to remind the parents of the school girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State that he has still not forgotten their daughters who were kidnapped from their dormitory five years ago (April 14, 2014).

    “He promised the parents when he met them, at the beginning of his first term as president, that he would bring their daughters home.

    “He is aware that this promise he made is the main reason the people of Chibok voted overwhelmingly for him in the February elections, and although his government has so far succeeded in bringing back 107 of the girls, the President will not rest until the remaining are reunited with their families.

    “President Buhari assures the parents that his administration is still on the matter.

    “Diverse efforts are being intensified to secure the release of the Chibok Girls, along with all hostages in Boko Haram captivity, including Leah Sharibu who was kidnapped from her school, Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018.

    “On Leah Sharibu’s abduction, the interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far.

    “The report reaching us says her return to her family has unfortunately been hindered by the fear of the militants.

    “They worry that heavy military presence in areas where they previously moved about freely could affect their safety after they return her to the government.

    “At the same time, the military cannot jeopardise the security of the entire north-eastern region by halting their operations to accommodate Boko Haram’s fears.

    “Leah Sharibu will be reunited with her family as soon as any conclusions are reached on a number of options being considered for her safe transportation.

    “The success of the Nigerian military in subduing Boko Haram is evidenced by the large numbers of militants who have surrendered recently, especially in neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.

    “A similar mass surrender of militants is expected to happen soon in Nigeria.

    “While Nigerian military operations are ongoing, the government is also engaging with the militants but the talks have been affected by the factionalisation of Boko Haram – with one group adopting a hard line attitude and intensifying attacks on Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and another group engaging with the government for peaceful resolution.

    “President Buhari also uses this opportunity of the commemoration of the Chibok tragedy to commend the girls, now women, who have triumphed over it all.

    “He sends special greetings to the 106 girls sponsored by the Nigerian government to continue their studies at the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

    “He encourages them to stay focused on becoming women who will inspire girls in Nigeria and around the world to triumph over the daily battles they face in a world that is often unfair to the girl-child.

    “President Buhari also extends his best wishes to Chibok girls in other schools in Nigeria and around the world.

    “He sends special congratulations to Kauna Yaga Bitrus, who has excelled beyond expectations in her college in Maine, USA, and who is soon to receive a special ‘Against All Odds Award’ from her school.”

     

  • Buhari to visit Chad Saturday for CEN-SAD meeting

    President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Saturday for N’Djamena, Chad to participate in the Extraordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD).

    Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed the movement in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

    Shehu said Buhari and other regional leaders would join their host and current Chairperson of CEN-SAD Conference, President Idriss Deby Itno, to deliberate on political and security issues, among others.

    The presidential aide said the regional leaders would also deliberate on state of peace and ways to address multifaceted threats in CEN-SAD area, especially Boko Haram and refugees.

    He said that the leaders would make a declaration on the entry into force of CEN-SAD revised Treaty intended to fast track the realisation of the objectives of the body.

    “During the opening Session of the Conference, special Awards will be given to heads of state and military contingents in Mali, Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic and in the Lake Chad Basin,’’ Shehu further explained.

    Read Also: Buhari to security chiefs: be ruthless with bandits

    Created by the Treaty of Tripoli on Feb. 4, 1998, with six founding members, Nigeria joined the current 29-member regional economic community in 2001.

    The group seeks mainly to create a free trade area in Africa as well as to “strengthen peace, security and stability, and achieve global economic and social development of its members.”

    Delegations from 22 member-countries are expected at the extraordinary meeting of CEN-SAD holding at the Radisson Blu Hotel, N’Djamena.

    Sudan which is a member of CEN-SAD may not be represented at the meeting following socio-political uncertainties in the country caused by the removal of President Omar Al-Bashir from office by the Sudanese military on Thursday.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that Al-Bashir, had earlier indicated interest to attend the CEN-SAD meeting holding from Friday to Saturday.

  • Updated: Deal ruthlessly with bandits, kidnappers, others, Buhari orders security chiefs

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday charged the security agencies to put their acts together and deal ruthlessly with bandits, kidnappers and other security challenges in the country.

    The Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, briefed State House correspondents at the end of about two hours meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the President said that no stone should be left unturned towards securing every part of the country.

    He said “The security meeting we just had with Mr. President today is to review the strategy that we are adopting in confronting security issues in Zamfara State especially and other places nationwide.

    “And this review strategy is to address all the issues including kidnapping, banditry and other associated issues confronting the nation.

    “And we are coming out with a revised strategy to handle those challenges.” he said
    Asked if there was any marching order from the President, he said “Yeah, the marching order is for us to deal with this issue immediately and ruthlessly and ensure that all those bandits are immediately dealt with and all those issues that are bordering with our security are properly addressed.”

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said that the frequent kidnapping on the Abuja-Kaduna road have been tackled.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Professor David Ijalaye at 90

    He said that the route is now very safe.

    He said “I want to assure Nigerians that Kaduna–Abuja roads are now safe. We have cleared the roads, we have arrested a lot of kidnappers and in confrontation with some of them, some were fatally injured.

    “So the road is cleared. Our patrol teams, the combined security services that are patrolling the road are constantly there, 24 hours.” he added
    The Service Chiefs at the meeting included Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete IIbas, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.

    Others at the meeting included the National Security Adviser, Major Gen. Babagana Monguno, Director General of National Intelligence Agency, the Director General, Department of Security Service and Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu.

    Also at the meeting were the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dangazzau and the Minister of Defence, Brigadier Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali.