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Tag: jumaat prayer

  • Great burden rests on IGP, says Almakura

    The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Almakura, on Friday said that the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu has a substantial burden on his shoulders, especially with the forthcoming general elections in the country.

    He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for finding an indigene of Nassawa State worthy to be the IGP.

    Briefing State House correspondents after jumaat prayer at the Presidential Villa, Al-Makura also described the new police boss as a professional that will give the force a direction and will ensure that all the candidates in the forthcoming elections have level playing field.

    He said, “The IG has a substantial burden on his shoulders, he is coming as new, and within the next one month, he is going to embark on a difficult exercise.

    “But my consolation lies in the fact that he is someone whose commitment and loyalty to service is not in question.

    “I believe that he will bring to bear this pedigree to ensure that he puts the professional focus of his job to satisfy all and sundry, both the government, opposition, and all ordinary men and by sticking to his direction so that whatever decision he takes will be in the best interest everybody and everybody will be convinced.

    “I have no doubt in my mind that he will be an IGP that will be a pride to this nation.” he said

    Al-Makura added “On behalf of myself, government and people of Nasarawa State, I will like to sincerely thank Mr. President for considering a citizen of Nasarawa State worthy of occupying this important position of the IG of the Nigeria Police.

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    “I congratulate him and I believe that the appointment is based on his capacity and professionalism pedigree. Adamu is someone I have known right from childhood in Lafia and all his life in the police force, he has exhibited tremendous amount of professionalism and commitment to his responsibilities.

    “I believe if you look at the places where he has worked before, you be assured that he would have no blemish and I believe that he will bring that excellence that he has gathered over time to ensure that he puts the police in the right state and also give this nation a proper and most professional leadership of the police for everyone to be happy with the police,” he said

    He said that the state has embarked on rigorous and vigorous implementation of ranching and that his government has been able to accommodate most of the herdsmen that were driven away from Benue state.

    “We have been able to accommodate them, right now there has not been any farmers/herdsmen crisis because of the influx of such herdsmen.

    “What is the magic, it is the community-based conflict resolution mechanism and we have decided to accommodate them as people who are bona fide and also made arrangement where there will be interface between the farmers and the herdsmen to the extent that we now have a very comfortable relationship.

    “I can assure you Nasarawa state will remain peaceful for as long as this mechanism exists.” he said.

  • Buhari, governors meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, governors meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and state governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting, which took place in the Council Chamber, started immediately after the President observed his jumaat prayer in a mosque beside his office.

    Some of the Muslim governors also joined the President for the prayer.

    During the meeting, which included governors from all the major political parties, the President commended Osinbajo for running the country with intellect in his absence.

    He said: “I have just addressed members of APC and PDP senior officials that came to welcome me back. I thank you very much for the national approach in your leadership, those who are leader at political level and those who are chief executives in their respective states.

    “I had so much time to watch television, especially NTA 24. I heard so much information about the states. I am very pleased with the states, you are all doing your best and you are lucky. Your best is proving to be good enough on agriculture and solid minerals. You are succeeding in agriculture because I think people cannot afford foreign food.”

    “The devaluation of the naira is not our making. It may not favour us, but it is something we cannot change. Some people were asking me if we should be more strict on the borders, but I want to thank God last year and this year is better than what it used to be.”

    “The efforts of the vice president are commendable. He used his intellect to run all over the place. I was seeing him 24 hours on NTA.

    “I congratulate them and I allowed him to come and see me to thank him personally for what he has done.”

    The President said he was very happy with the national prayers that were held for him, noting that they crossed various religions and ethnicity.

    On the protesters abroad who called for his resignation or for him to return to Nigeria, he said: “In fact some groups in London came and sang the national anthem and asked that I should go back home, indeed I have come back home. I hope those who went there are not stuck there, they will come back and join us.

    “Those that are stuck there with the Brexit, I hope they have weighed the implications that it won’t affect them including those that have properties there and those who are not paying tax here.

    “I hope when they sale their properties there they will bring some of the money here. We need it very badly here.

    “I thank you very much. My morale has been raised greatly by the love shown to me and the security of the country.”

    Speaking on behalf of the governors, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Abdulaziz Yari, commended the President for always bailing the governors out of economic challenges.

    He noted that many states at the inception of this administration owed up to 28 months workers’ salaries.

    He said the consistent release of bailouts have assisted states to clear salary backlogs.

    On his part, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, assured President Buhari of the governors’ support in the bid to transform the country.

    He also commended the President for always treating governors equally, irrespective of party affiliations.

    Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said: “First of all we thank God Almighty, we thank the good people of Nigeria and those outside the country who stood firm behind Mr. President and the country.

    “Our President went to take care of his heath and now he is back healthy and healthier than before. We are here to appreciate him. We thank almighty God that he is back safely. We equally thank his able lieutenant, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who held the country firm in his absence.

    “That is the demonstration of team work. It has equally shown that Nigerians selected the best and elected the best in 2015 general election and today Nigeria is better for it.

    “We thank people across the world who really stood firm behind the country in the absence of Mr. President. He is back and we are celebrating life. We are celebrating health.”

  • State House Permanent Secretary not suspended

    The Presidency on Friday denied media reports claiming that the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Jalal Arabi, has been suspended.

    A statement by the Deputy Director (Information), Abiodun Oladunjoye said that Mr Arabi was at his desk on Friday dutifully attending to important state matters.

    The statement also noted that Arabi is not under any probe, and neither is he a subject of any enquiry.

    “Also, there is absolutely no truth in the spurious allegations levelled against the Permanent Secretary and his office in the fictitious report published by an on-line medium.

    “I remain committed and dedicated to the professional discharge of my duties and I refuse to be distracted by adversarial forces,” Mr Arabi was quoted in the statement

    The Permanent Secretary also attended Juma’at prayer at the State House mosque with other Muslim faithful with President Muhammadu Buhari in attendance.

  • Breaking: Buhari attends Jumaat prayers

    Breaking: Buhari attends Jumaat prayers

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday observed the Friday  Muslim prayers at the Aso Rock Mosque in the presidential villa.

    The President, who did not observe the jumaat prayer in the mosque last week Friday and a fortnight ago, was wearing white ‘Babanringa’ and cap to match.

    Among those who prayed with him on Friday included the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, Director-general of Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

    Others included the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

    The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Baru Maikanti and other top government officials also observed the jumaat prayer in the mosque.

  • Buhari, Magu observe Jumaat in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Magu observe Jumaat in Aso Rock

    The embattled acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu was among Muslim faithfuls that observed their jumaat prayer at the State House mosque in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Muhammadu Buhari was also at the jumaat prayer service.

    Magu’s nomination was rejected for the second time by the Senate on Wednesday.

    The Presidency is yet to decide whether it will represent Magu’s name to the Senate or present a new nominee.

    It is still awaiting communication from the National Assembly before it will react to the latest development.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina had said on his Twitter account that the Presidency was yet to receive any communication from the Senate.

    “The Presidency will respond to the non-clearance of Magu as EFCC boss, after it receives official communication in writing from the Senate,” it stated.