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Tag: Muhammadu Buhari

  • PPA chieftain hails Buhari, Red Cross, over release of 82 Chibok Girls

    A chieftain of Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), in Enugu state, Mr Godwin Ezeemo, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, Red Cross and Non-Governmental Agencies for the release of 82 Chibok Girls.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Boko Haram members in 2014 abducted more than 200 secondary school girls of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno.

    Twenty one of the girls were released in October 2016, while President directed the security agencies to continue the search until all of the affected girls were released and re-united with their families.

    Ezeemo told NAN in Enugu on Sunday, that the release would help to check the emotional trauma the parents of the released girls might be facing for over three years.

    He noted that the release of this “massive number’’ was an indication that the Federal Government and its partners had the capacity to release the remaining girls.

    “I am overwhelmed with joy when I heard about the news.

    “It is a good development, coming, timely, before emotional trauma sends the parents of these girls to their early graves.

    “It is going to bring a lot of emotional and traumatic relief to these families that had anticipated the return of their daughters,’’ he said.

    According to him, the release will also give Nigeria commendable respect in the international circle, once more.

    Ezeemo, also a leading industrialist, commended the government of Switzerland for its special interest in ensuring a fruitful negotiation with the insurgents.

    “I urge other countries and friends of Nigeria to follow the example of government Switzerland in helping Nigeria, practically, in solving its national challenges.”

     

  • Released Chibok girls arrive Abuja, to meet Buhari at 4pm

    Released Chibok girls arrive Abuja, to meet Buhari at 4pm

    The 82 rescued Chibok schoolgirls have arrived Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who confirmed this development on his twitter handle, said the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari received the girls at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

    The girls, who regained their freedom on Saturday from Boko Haram captivity, would be meeting President Buhari at about 4.00p.m today.

    The 82 girls were released to international negotiators who have been working in collaboration with the Federal government for their safe return since they were kidnapped in April 2014.

    Malam Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman on Saturday in a statement issued in Abuja also confirmed that the girls were release by their captors in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the Federal Government. (NAN)

  • Borno elders commend release of 82 Chibok girls, want others freed

    Borno elders commend release of 82 Chibok girls, want others freed

    The Borno Elders Forum, on Sunday described reports of the release of 82 Chibok school girls from the Boko Haram insurgents as a good omen.

    Dr Mali Gubio, the Secretary of the forum told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that credit must go to President Muhammad Buhari.

    “We are extremely happy to hear the news on the release of the girls; we are grateful to God for showing us this day.

    “We believe that Buhari deserve great commendation on this.

    “The President has done so much and he is doing well in piloting the affairs of the nation.

    “We pray to Almighty Allah to grant him good health, so that he can continue the good work he is doing.

    “For the girls we are very happy, we hope they are not traumatised in anyway.

    “We believe that it is time the abductors release all the people in their custody; I think they have no reason to keep holding them for no just cause.

    “These are helpless vulnerable people who are supposed to be in their villages and hamlets waiting for the rainy season to return to farm.

    “It has taken so long, I think that they should have a change of heart to make sure that they end the insurgency.

    “There is no reason for us to continue to destroy ourselves, what they are doing is an act of self destruction, destroying themselves and the society at large,” Gubio, a former Head of Service said.

    He said that the insurgents had succeeded in showing their grievances to the world and “it is now time for the insurgency to end even without the military force.

    “The insurgents have expressed their grouses or whatever problem they have with the society,” he said. (NAN)

  • Amnesty programme’s budget increased by N35bn

    Amnesty programme’s budget increased by N35bn

    To sustain the new understanding between the Federal Government and the oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta, the Federal Government has released additional N35B to step-up the Amnesty Programme in the region.
    This was disclosed in a press statement by Special Assistant Media to the Vice President, Laolu Akande.
    Although N20B allocation had been approved for the Amnesty Programme in the 2016 budget, President Muhammadu Buhari has now raised the funds, and as appropriated, to N55B with a recent release of additional N30B. There is also a planned release of another N5B later.
    Currently, the Amnesty Office has now paid up all ex-militants backlog of their stipends up to the end of 2016.
    The release of the additional funds is coming after presidential level interactive engagements in the Niger Delta, where the Buhari administration has enunciated a New Vision for the oil-producing areas based on the presentation made by the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, to the President when he received leaders and stakeholders from the region last November.
    Subsequently, the President asked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to embark on a tour of the region that saw him visiting several oil-producing States in the country.
    Besides the monthly payment of about N65, 000 to N66,000 to the ex-militants, the funds would also go to the provision of reintegration activities under the Amnesty Programme including payment of tuition fees for beneficiaries from Niger Delta who are in post-secondary institutions at home and abroad, payment of in-training & hazard allowances and vocational training costs.
    There are also empowerment schemes and self-help, self-employment support funds, including provision of needed equipments by the Amnesty Office. Equally, the funds would also support the training of pilots, aviation engineers, technicians, and motor vehicles mechanics from the oil-producing communities.
    The Buhari administration reassured the Niger Delta communities of its unalloyed commitment to a faithful implementation of its promises made during the FG interactive engagement visits by the Vice President to different oil-producing communities
    Other promises made during the visits are currently at different stages of effective implementation, including the effective opening of the Maritime University, integration of illegal refiners under the concept of new Modular Refineries, resumption of all abandoned construction projects in the region, the Ogoni Clean-up, and several others.
    For instance the Maritime University is now on course to be opened before the end of the year as the presidency has already set the process in motion as announced on Friday. Other announcements are to follow as each of the commitments of the FG to the Niger Delta oil-producing communities reach advanced and implementation stages.
    Already there is an inter-ministerial group consisting of all relevant ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs of the FG, with the involvement of relevant State governments led by the Vice President that meets regularly to drive the different initiatives and ensure effective and ongoing implementation.

  • Dogara, constituents offer prayers for Buhari

    Dogara, constituents offer prayers for Buhari

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara and his constituents, on Saturday offered both Christian and Muslim prayers for the full recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The special prayers were led by Rev. Kefas Galadima, Chairman, Christian Association, (CAN), Dass branch and Sheikh Hamza Dass, at the launching road project in Bogoro/Dass, Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency.

    The speaker urged the people to remember the leadership of the country in their daily prayers.

    “Please, as you have been told and you know, he has health challenges.

    “Pray for the leadership of this country, pray for Vice President, pray for the governors and council chairmen, even when they are not doing well, that God will give them wisdom to improve.

    “Pray for them so that they will see themselves to be working for the people,” he said.

    The speaker also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for restoring peace and stability in the North East and the nation in general.

    He added that the National Assembly would continue to support the president’s efforts in sustaining lasting peace in the country. (NAN)

  • Daily Times to celebrate heroes, heroines

    The country’s foremost newspaper, The Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN), on Friday said it would begin its 91st anniversary with honouring some eminent Nigerians and an exhibition on May 16.

    DTN, regarded to as the nation’s heritage newspaper, will honour three Presidents, including Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Nana Kufo-Ado of Ghana and former President Goodluck Jonathan also of Nigeria.

    The Publisher DTN, Mr Fidelis Anosike and Chairman, Anniversary Organising Committee, Aremo Olusegun Osoba said in a joint statement that the event and the AA top level National and Historic Exhibition on Nigeria would hold at the Abuja International Conference Centre.

    President Muhammadu Buhari will be awarded with Nnamdi Azikiwe Leadership Award; President Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana with Babatunde Jose Leadership Award and ex-President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan with Ernest Ikoli Leadership Award.

    The Nigerian Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, will be confined with the Politician of the Decade Award and Abia Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu with the Good Governance Award alongside seven Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) and Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe).

    Others are Bindo Jubril (Adamawa); Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Willie Obiano (Anambra); Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), who are also billed to receive the Good Governance award at the event.

    Gov. Dankwabo of Gombe will also be honoured with the Governor of the Decade Award.

    In the private sector, business icon, Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holding and UBA, will be crowned with Man of the Decade Award.

    Other awardees are Mrs Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank Plc, who will be conferred with Woman of the Decade Award, while Pastor Paul Adefarasin, will bag Life Impact Award.

    The publisher, Pinnacle Communications Ltd., Nduka Obaigbena, and other Nigerian Media icons such as John Momoh, Linda Ikeji, and Chris Ubosi completed the list.

    The theme of the exhibition, “Nigeria through the Times’’ will be hosted at the foyer of the Abuja International Conference Centre on May 16, 2017 from 3 p.m. till 6 p.m.

    “The exhibition will also be hosted in Lagos at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island Lagos, from June 1 to June 6.

    “The exhibition is aimed at bringing back to our memories, the vision and struggles of our founding fathers who laboured vigorously for the Nigerian Independence.

    “The exhibition is exclusively documented by The Daily Times and retained in its very rich archives.

    “The historic event shall showcase the history of Nigeria viz-a-viz the colonisation era.

    “The rise of Nigerian nationalism, pictorial exhibitions of historic constitutional conferences, emergence of political parties, the Nigerian independence pictures,’’ the statement said.

    It added that “The Daily Times first issue of June 1, 1926, the Daily Times independence edition, October1, 1960, landmark editorials of the Daily Times will be displayed.

    “Also, Photographs of the editors of The Daily Times publications and memorable front pages from Daily and Sunday Times are features of the exhibition.

    “The Times Heroes Awards 2017, which comes as icing on the anniversary cake, will hold at the Abuja International Conference Centre Conference Hall from 6.30 p.m. on May 16, 2017.

    “The Awards are instituted to honour deserving heroes who have distinguished themselves in various endeavours and whose activities have positively impacted lives,’’ a legacy the Times Nigeria has canvassed over the years,’’ it said.

    DTN said that the anniversary planning committee noted that the 2017 anniversary was consolidated because the last awards by the Daily Times was in 1996 when the organisation marked its 70 years anniversary.

    “Henceforth, the Times Heroes Awards will now be an annual award.

    “Notable icons of the Daily Times are Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Ernest Ikoli and Alhaji Babatunde Jose.

    Others are late Chief Innocent Oparadike; Araba Tola Adeniyi, Tunji Oseni, Onukaba Adeniyi-Ojo and others.

    “The event, expected to attract people from all walks of life aims at the promotion of humanitarian cause, such as the issues of the Internally Displaced Nigerians (IDPs),’’ the anniversary committee added.

     

     

  • FG rejects Nigeria’s rating on press freedom

    FG rejects Nigeria’s rating on press freedom

    The Federal Government has described as “inaccurate’’ the recent survey by Reporters Without Borders, which alleged that Nigeria’s press freedom rating has been on sustained decline since 2015.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja to mark the World Press Freedom Day 2017.

    According to the minister, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration is committed to the freedom of the press.

    He said in spite of the inaccurate and fake news saturating the media space, the Federal Government had not put a single journalist behind bars as a result of his or her professional conduct.

    Mohammed said though there were reports that some states had been hard on some journalists and bloggers for alleged misconduct, it had not been the policy of this government to join issues with the media.

    The minister reiterated Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to upholding the tenets of democracy, which include free press and freedom of speech.

    He said the recent incident involving the Punch Correspondent covering the dState House, Olalekan Adetayo” is an aberration”.

    Mohammed noted that the speed with which the order barring the correspondent from the State House was reversed lent credence to the fact that the government was not out to muzzle the press.

    He recalled that the accreditation of the current Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Ubale Musa, which was withdrawn by the previous administration, was immediately restored upon the assumption of office by the Buhari Administration.

    He said actions were to give the media unhindered access to the seat of power.

    The minister pledged the readiness of the present administration to always create a conducive environment for the media to thrive and to continue to discharge its constitutional mandate without hindrance. (NAN)

  • Nigerian embassy in Washington operational – Acting Ambassador

    The Nigerian Embassy in Washington  is open and fully operational,  acting ambassador, Hakeem Balogun, has said.

    Balogun told the correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the U.S. that the report  making the rounds that the embassy was shut down was false.

    “The embassy works as normal; as we’re talking now, I’m still at the office working. So it is not correct for anybody to say that the embassy is shut down; there was nothing like that.

    “But there was a sit-in by some local staff who said they would not work  over some arrears but it wasn’t as if the embassy was shut down.

    “Even some of those who were supposed to embark on sit-in were still working and did not join their colleagues.

    “They have been paid up till March 2017 but there were some arrears of October to December 2016 that were yet to be paid.

    “It was just an agitation to draw attention to the three months arrears owed them but not only them, some ministry staff were also affected.

    “But what they have done was to cry out about the arrears for everybody to hear and everybody has now heard,” Balogun said.

    The Nigerian envoy explained that the Federal Government was making  efforts to clear the arrears and ensure that   salaries and allowances were  up-to-date.

    According to him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is aware of the issue and other challenges facing the embassy and is gradually addressing them.

    “The ministry is making every effort to ensure the arrears are paid and you will recall that the virement was sent to the National Assembly for approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Now the virement has been approved. As soon as the money is released, all  arrears will be paid,” Balogun said.

  • My husband’s health not as bad as speculated, says Buhari’s wife

    My husband’s health not as bad as speculated, says Buhari’s wife

    Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari has said the health of his husband is not as bad as being speculated.

    She stated this on Tuesday in a tweet through her verified Twitter handle @aishambuhari.

    “I wish to inform everyone that his health is not as bad as it’s being perceived,Meanwhile he continues to carry out his responsibilities,” she stated.

    She  thanked Nigerians for their concern, love and prayers over her  husband’s health status.

    “During this period. As it may come to your notice, he is meeting with Minister of Justice and GMD of NNPC this evening.

    “Long Live Nigerians, Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mrs Buhari added

  • ACF to Nigerians: Stop speculations on Buhari’s health

    ACF to Nigerians: Stop speculations on Buhari’s health

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has asked Nigerians to stop speculating and drawing conclusions on the state of President Muhammadu Buhari’s health.

    The Northern socio-cultural pressure group said a situation where Nigerians speculate and draw conclusions on the President’s state of health will do Nigeria nor anyone no good.

    The forum in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu however said  what Nigerians need to do at the period is to pray for their leader’s sound health to enable him serve the nation better with more vigor.

    ACF frowned at individuals whom it said were carelessly making unnecessary remarks pertaining to the health of the President.

    According to the statement, “Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has observed with concern that some individuals are carelessly making unnecessary remarks pertaining to the health of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “What Nigerians need to do now is to pray for his good health and not to speculate or draw conclusions which will do no one any good.

    “ACF advises Nigerians to please pray for the improvement of Mr. President’s health so that he can serve the Nation with more vigor.

    “On the speculated disorder and lack of cohesion between the National Assembly and the Presidency, ACF advises the National Assembly to think of Nigeria above all other considerations,” it said.