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Tag: Man O’ War

  • Man O’ War rallies volunteers for stronger community safety, school protection nationwide

    Man O’ War rallies volunteers for stronger community safety, school protection nationwide

    Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, NC Adedamola Gbenga, has reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to deepening community safety efforts across the country, pledging sustained collaboration with the Federal Government to secure schools under the Safe School Initiative.

    Speaking at the 3rd National Commandants Conference in Abuja, convened to mark International Volunteers Day and launch the 2025 Man O’ War Week, Adedamola said the organisation’s work in youth leadership, emergency response, civic discipline and community safety continues to expand nationwide.

    He noted that Man O’ War personnel are already being deployed to schools in several states to support local security structures and strengthen community resilience.

    “Man O’ War is a strategic national partner in securing schools, empowering young people and strengthening community resilience. Every contribution matters, and we remain committed to supporting government efforts to keep Nigerian children safe,” he said.

    The Safe School Initiative, launched in 2014 after the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls, is a government–UN–private sector partnership aimed at protecting schools in high-risk communities and boosting emergency response capacity.

    Representing the Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms. Rinsola Abiola, the Director of Operations and Rescue, Dr. Alero Abokwara Adjekota, commended the organisation for its role in volunteer mobilisation and its expanding footprint in community safety programmes.

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    She said the partnership between CLTC and Man O’ War Nigeria is built on shared values of civic responsibility, adding that volunteer-led organisations remain essential to tackling national challenges in security, education and community development.

    “Societal progress is the cumulative result of intentional and consistent contributions. We must build a culture where citizens see themselves as part of the solution. Every act of service strengthens our national fabric,” she said.

    Delivering the keynote address, financial and investment expert and Man O’ War patron, Adebayo Lawal, called for stronger community-based security structures and urged schools to work closely with trained volunteer networks to enhance safety for students.

    He stressed that sustainable security architecture depends on synergy across government agencies, private sector partners, civil society groups and volunteer organisations.

    “Every child’s safety matters. National progress is achieved when citizens recognise their responsibility in securing their communities,” he stated.

    The conference drew national officers and state commanders, with several inductees recognised by the World Institute of Peace for notable contributions to volunteerism and community safety.

  • PAGE Initiative launches in Ogun State to empower youth, enhance community security

    PAGE Initiative launches in Ogun State to empower youth, enhance community security

    In a renewed drive to promote national development through grassroots engagement, Man O’ War Nigeria has launched its flagship programme, The PAGE Initiative, an acronym derived from the name of the National Commander, Prince Adedamola Gbenga Emmanuel (PAGE).

    The initiative is aimed at empowering Nigerian youth while strengthening community security systems nationwide.

    Speaking at the official launch held in Ogun State, the National Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria and convener, Mr. Adedamola Gbenga, described the programme as a transformative milestone for the organisation, underscoring its potential to drive meaningful change at the grassroots level.

    He said, “It is a new dawn to the organisation and it marks the beginning of a new era in Man O’ War Nigeria,” Adedamola said. “It symbolises the readiness of Man O’ War Nigeria to develop our youth from the grassroots level. And we are here today in Ogun State to unveil the initiative that is meant for the development of Nigerian youth right from the grassroots level.”

    The PAGE Initiative is scheduled to roll out across all 36 states of the federation, beginning with Ogun State as the pilot phase.

    According to the national commander, Mr. Adedamola Gbenga, the next destination is Kano State in the northern region, with plans underway for a phased expansion to other parts of the country.

    “We have our work plan, and in implementing the work plan, we intend to start from Ogun State, which we have just done. After that, we are going back to the north, specifically Kano State, for the second phase of the initiative,” he explained. “And as soon as we are through with this, we move to other zones, and by doing so, it will cut across the 36 states of the federation.” He added.

    In addition to youth development, the initiative places a strong emphasis on health empowerment, particularly for girls and young women. During the Ogun State launch, Man O’ War Nigeria donated 500 packs of sanitary pads to its members and students from local schools in Ogun and Oyo States, reinforcing its commitment to promoting hygiene and well-being among young females.

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    He said, “What we have just done today, by donating 500 packs of sanitary pads to our young girls, is to ensure that health-wise, we contribute our quota, we are equally concerned about the health, the well-being of our members, and their welfare also.”

    Addressing the ongoing security challenges affecting various parts of the country, Mr. Adedamola Gbenga highlighted Man O’ War Nigeria’s expanding role in community policing and security awareness.

    He emphasised the organisation’s position as a key player in Nigeria’s grassroots security architecture, committed to promoting safer and more vigilant communities.

    “Like you have rightly said, the issue of insecurity is an issue that is of general concern to every citizen. And Man O’ War is part of the community,” he noted. “We are building our youth, who are members of the community, to be concerned about the security of the environment. And this is just the concept of our community policing that the citizens have been clamouring for.”

    He further revealed that the organisation has introduced a separate initiative aimed at equipping its members with the necessary logistics and resources to enhance their effectiveness in community security operations.

    “What we are doing is to ensure that the youth, who are members of the community and citizens, participate effectively in the security of the environment.

     In totality, Man O’ War is not a non-governmental organisation, just like other organisations. It’s an establishment of the National Assembly, though it’s a voluntary organisation, part of our initiative is to ensure that we get support from well-meaning Nigerians and philanthropists to execute some of our programmes.”

    As the PAGE Initiative expands nationwide, Mr. Adedamola Gbenga urged Nigerians to support the organisation’s mission to instil discipline, nurture leadership, and promote a culture of civic responsibility among the country’s youth.

    “The organisation needs citizens and members of the public to join them. Joining us will mean a lot to Nigeria in terms of development, in terms of providing and supporting manpower to security agencies, in terms of building character and building values, inculcating values in our children and our young people.”

    With the successful launch in Ogun State and subsequent phases planned for the north and other regions, Man O’ War Nigeria is positioning itself to take on a more dynamic role in advancing national youth development and driving community-led security reform.

  • Man ‘O’ War member jailed for phone theft

    Man ‘O’ War member jailed for phone theft

    The Lagos State  Mobile Court on Thursday sentenced one Moses Prince, a member of the Man ‘O’ War, to one-year imprisonment for stealing a Phantom 6 mobile phone ,valued at N150,000.

    The court’s magistrate, Mr Lateef Owolabi, convicted Prince for stealing while serving with the Lagos State Taskforce.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos State Mobile Court was established in 2016 to handle special criminal offences.

    The 34-year-old convict and a paramilitary officer with the Man “O’’ War committed the offence while serving with the Lagos State Taskforce.

    He pleaded guilty to committing the offence.

    Earlier, the chairman of the taskforce, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, had told the court that Prince stole the mobile phone at 22, Ereko St., Fadeyi in Lagos State during a raid.

    “Prince stole the mobile phone in the kitchen of one of the accused in the recent fracas in Mushin area of Lagos State.

    “The taskforce had raided Mushin area to arrest notorious miscreants who recently engaged in a bloody clash there,’’ he said.

    Egbeyemi said that the arrest and convict of Prince would serve as a deterrent to other officers who were usually involved in criminal acts during their lawful duties  to desist,” he said.
    NAN reports that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Code Law of t Lagos State, 2011.

    The section stipulates three years’ imprisonment for offenders.

  • Police to Man ‘O’ War: support to combat crimes

    Police to Man ‘O’ War: support to combat crimes

    The Onipanu Divisional Police Officer in Ogun State, Baba M. Mayaiki, a Chief Superintendent of Police, has urged the Ado/Odo-Ota Chapter of Man ‘O’ War, a non-profit making group, to partner the security agencies in the state in combating crimes.

    He spoke at the group’s launch of Man ‘O’ War Traffic Corps in Ado/Odo-Ota.

    The Police boss said the job of policing is collective, adding that it must be embraced by all if the society must be free from crime.

    He said community policing is not limited to the police alone, and that it is a job for everyone, adding that it requires more public awareness and information.

    He appealed to the group to reach out to all divisional police posts and work with vigilante groups to enhance information delivery.

    He enjoined the group to be of good behaivour, exhibit good character and respect their uniform. He urged them to join security agencies to protect lives and property.

    The Ota Unit Commander, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Adekunle Ajibade, thanked the group for the voluntary assignment. He said road safety is a collective responsibility.

    He urged them to offer their support to the Corps to eliminate road crashes and consider their safety while on patrol, saying road crashes do not respect anyone.

    The founder/originator of the group in Ado/Odo-Ota Local Government Area, Comrade Babatunde Ajani Faleti, said the group launched the traffic corps to support traffic agencies to reduce road crashes.

    He urged members of the group not to be discouraged from offering selfless services and maintain discipline in the society.

  • Man ‘O’ War appeals for development centre

    The Akwa-Ibom State Command of Man ‘O’ War has appealed to Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel to assist it in its efforts to build a skills development training centre and workshop on the land it has acquired for that purpose since 10 years ago. It also appealed to the governor to fix the Uyo-Oron Road that leads to the site.

    Making the appeal at Ifa Ikot Idang village in Etoi area of Uyo Local Government Area after an over six kilometres “endurance trek” exercise, the State Commander, Mr Abimelech Boniface Matthias explained that the piece of land was donated to the organisation by the village.

    Speaking on the endurance trek exercise, Abimelech said: “It was part of the activities of the Akwa-Ibom State Man ‘O’ War Council meant to keep my men fit and gallant.”

    He said the organisation is partnering the state government in this era of ‘dakkada’, to assist in whatever area possible such as combating crime, ensuring orderliness and maintaining discipline in society.

    As part of its efforts to fulfil its dream of having a school and skills acquisition and development centre, the Man O’ War state Commander said:” We have liaised with the state ministries of education and youth and sports. While the Ministry of Education should be building a nursery and primary school, the Ministry of Youth will build a skills acquisition centre for the command.”

    Abimelech further said the skills acquisition centre will be beneficial to the group, the community and the state as different trades will be taught to the youth. He expressed optimism that the centre will help in reducing crime rate in the community and the state, adding that all unemployed youth will be gainfully engaged.

    The village Head of Ifa Ikot Idang, Chief Morris Asuquo Ibanga appealed to Man O’ War to help maintain peace and make the environment crime-free.

    He also appealed to the state government to provide them with basic amenities such as primary school, health centre, access road to link Uruan with Isiet Beach from Uyo-Oron Road and functional power.

     

  • Man O’ War appoints VC

    The Unilorin Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), has been appointed the Grand Commander of all paramilitary groups on the campus.

    Disclosing this when he led a group of officers of the university’s Man O’ War on a visit to the Vice-Chancellor penultimate week, the Commander-in-Chief of the UNILORIN Man O’ War, Adesanya Misbaudeen, said Ambali would be decorated with the new title at a colourful ceremony later this month.

    Misbaudeen, who disclosed that the UNILORIN Man O’ War was established in 1985, pointed out that the group is focused on “raising better citizens and leaders through the citizenship and leadership training centre.”

    The 400-Level student of the university thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his earlier visit to the Man O’ War Bay and the donation made to the organisation.

  • Man O’ War recruits members

    No fewer than 25 students have been recruited into the Man O’ War cadet at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). The recruitment was held for two days at a hill behind the institution’s Senior Staff Club known on the campus as ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’.

    The exercise, which was coordinated by the club’s commandant, Emeka Nwaede, a 400-Level Medical Physiology student, lasted for six hours, with the recruits being taking through physical fitness, such as push-ups, rolling, high jumps, frog jump, endurance trek and mounting climbing.

    This was followed by oral interview, where the recruits were assessed based on their intelligence quotient and academic records.

    Emeka said: “The oral interview was basically to test the IQ of the students to know how broad their thinking capacity is. We also need to know their and academic performance, because we would not recruit students with poor academic records.”

    While observing that there no casualty injury during the exercise, Emeka said some of the recruits, who developed fear for altitude adapted to the task.

    “Having gone through this rigorous screening exercise, I officially welcome you to the club. You must be disciplined. Do not see the club as an outfit of intimidation against your fellow students. You must be good ambassadors. Anyone who defaults our rules will be penalized,” Emeka said.

    A recruit, Chinedu Ejechi, a 200-Level Philosophy and Religion student, said he was happy about the success of the exercise. He promised to use his experience to help make the campus peaceful.

  • Man O’ War opens command in college

    Man O’War in Tertiary Institutions (MTI), the umbrella body of Man’O War corps on campuses, has established a new command at the Federal Collage of Agriculture, Ishiagu (FCAI), Ebonyi State.

    This was followed by a ceremony organised by the MTI co-ordinator, Pat Emeka Onu, in the college.

    The event attended by the Acting Provost, Dr Theodore Enebunwa, and other principal officers.

    Speaking, Onu hailed the Provost for allowing the para-military group to establish a command in the college, noting that the cadet would foster the school’s security through partnership with the management and students.

    On the rewuirement for admitting members, Onu said: “Man O’War is not for non-students. The cadets must be duly registered students. When the interested students obtain membership forms, they will be trained and screened by MTI on the grounds of fitness, smartness and consciousness.”

    He explained that Man O’ War’s functions on campuses differed from those of them outside the campus, saying: “The Man O’ War officials on the campuses are different. They are with students all time. They eat with them, bathe with them and attend the same classes with them. So they are part of the students’ body and that is why they find it easier to get access to information more than the school security and even the police. The management should work closely with them because they can contribute a lot in enhancing security within the school.”

    He thanked the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Pius Ayim for his role as the Grand Patron of the association and urged other well-meaning to support the students group and promote peace on campuses.

    DrAnebunwa, promised to give necessary support to ensure the success of the group.

  • Man O’ War gets vehicle

    Man O’ War gets vehicle

    The Vice-Chancellor (VC), University of Calabar, Prof James Epoke, has donated a brand new Sienna Land Jet car to institution’s Man O’War.

    The vehicle was presented to the corps by the VC at the Administrative Quarters of the university.

    Prof Epoke, who was represented by the Director of Works, Mr Alderton Ewe Ewa, lauded the role of Man O’War in the university. He urged the members to make good use of the vehicle.

    He said: “The management is happy about the activities of Man O’War in this university and that informed the presentation of this vehicle. We are giving you the encouragement to perform your duties more effectively with the use of this vehicle.”

    The Chief Command Officer (CCO) of Man O’War, Chief Emeka Onu, thanked management for the offer, saying: “We are privileged to be the first students’ group to receive a New Year gift from the VC. We lack words to thank him for this gesture but one thing we assure him is that we will try our best to serve the students community, the management and the society and to be good ambassadors of this great institution.”

    Cross River State Coordinator of Man O’War Dr Bassey Oben, thanked Prof Epoke for recognising the contributions of the corps in the university, promising to partner with the institution to ensure peace on campus.

    The Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), Prof Eyong Eyong, commended the activities of the corps. He said management would continue to support the organisation.

     

     

  • Varsity inaugurates Man O’ War

    Varsity inaugurates Man O’ War

    The first set of Man O’ War Statemen has been inducted at Nnamdi Azikwe University in Awka, Anambra State, with a charge to be good ambassadors in selfless service.

    The National Commander and Director-General, Man O’ War Nigeria, Ikenna Chidoka, led other officers of the command to perform the ceremony. He said the organisation was aimed at promoting the ideals of nation building.

    He charged the university community to strive for excellence, describing the organisation as a disciplined and committed to the values of selfless service.

    The Anambra State Commander, Nkem Amene, reminded the new members to be mindful of the aims of the organisation which included, among others, rendering voluntary services to the society.  She encouraged members to discover themselves and be law abiding.

    The Chief Commandant of Man O’War, UNIZIK unit, Prof Oby Okonkwo, thanked those who supported event.

    She gave an insight into the formation of the club, urging members to work as a team to promote the group.

    “With the arrival of Faculty of Education from Anambra State University of Technology (ASUTECH), Enugu, in 1990, Prof Oby Okonkwo organised members of Kampus Fitness Center to start Man O’ War Club at ASUTECH. This club could not attract many members due to apathy from various persons.’’

    She continued: “The survival of the unit depended largely on the initiator, who hired commanders from other units to help train our members. Apart from sponsoring their consultancy services, we also sponsored Man O’ War activities single handedly until the floating of Man O’ War Statemen early this year.’’

    The Registrar, C. C. Okeke, who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof Boniface Egbokar, expressed delight that the organisation has come to stay. He said that discipline was an integral part of the university administration and assured it will always be upheld in the institution.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Red Cross Society, Anambra State, Justice Paul Obidigwe, assured  the members that both organisations would work together to make positive changes.

    Other inducted members statemen included the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) Prof Joseph Ahaneku; Director of Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Ojukwu; Director of Sports, Amaechi Makasi and former Head of Department, Mass Communication, Prof Kate Azuka Omenugha.  Others were Pastor Chima Okeke and Onyeka Ibegbu.