The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Northeast

  • ‘Buhari has curtailed insurgents in the Northeast’

    President Muhammadu Buhari has within his one year of assumption of office, curtailed the activities of insurgents in the Northeast.

    This was the opinion of the Bauchi State Governor Abdullahi Abubakar.

    The Governor, who spoke in Kaduna at the weekend at a programme “PMB at One: Our Verdict” organised by a non-governmental organization, CITAR NGO, said before the coming of the Buhari administration, the people were confused due to insecurity and so many societal ills.

    Represented by a Liaison Officer in Kaduna, Hajiya Jummai Garba, Governor Abubakar noted that Nigeria’s belief in Buhari and in the change mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had motivated him to stir the revolution that will bring succour to the masses.

    “The believe in President Muhammadu Buhari and the change mantra of the APC has no doubt motivated him (Buhari) to stir the revolution that will bring about the necessary change and succour to the masses. Before the inception of this administration, the people were confused due to insecurity, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and so many societal ills.

    “But with the support and cooperation given to the military by the President within this first year of his administration, the government has been able to curtail the activities of insurgents in the Northeast. People can now sleep with their two eyes closed,” Abubakar said.

    Executive Secretary of CITAR NGO Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu blamed the escalation in insurgency on former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying he was governing the country almost the same way insurgents were governing their ‘caliphates’ through mindless staling and destruction of everything they see.

    Yakubu lauded President Buhari for his anti- corruption fight and urged him to demonstrate total openness and accountability by putting the recovered stolen monies into a special trust fund account.

     

  • Workers in Northwest, Northeast shun strike

    Workers in Northwest, Northeast shun strike

    Public and private sector workers in the Northwest and Northeast yesterday defied the nationwide strike action ordered by the Ayuba Waba faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel price increase.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that federal and state workers in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Kebbi and others reported to their duty posts.

    Socio-economic activities went on, with schools, banks, markets, hospitals and other businesses fully opened.

    In Sokoto, some civil servants said they would not join the strike because it would only aggravate the hardship in the country.

    In Kaduna, civil servants and all businesses including motor parks were fully opened, with residents going about their normal business.

    At the Kaduna State University, normal academic activities went on with students taking lectures.

    Workers of the institution   turned out for work, and according to the university’s Public Relations Officer, Adama Jafar, there was no directive from any union to proceed on strike.

    At the Olusegun Obasanjo State Secretariat, some of the workers interviewed said  they were not convinced with the NLC’s argument for the strike.

    One of the workers, Hajiya Lami Bello, said the NLC should respect the decision of the National Industrial Court, which ordered the union not to proceed with the strike.

    At the Barau Dikko General Hospital, health workers including doctors, nurses, laboratory staff were seen attending to out-patients and those on admission.

    A check at the Kaduna Central market indicated that traders have turned out for full business.

    Reports from Kebbi indicated that civil servants also defied the NLC’s call for total strike.

    Government offices, markets, banks and business centres opened for normal business, while civil servants reported to their places of work as early as 8:00am.

    The Chairman of the state NLC, Murtal Usman, told NAN in a telephone interview that he was on his way to Birnin Kebbi from Abuja, and insisted that the strike would hold.

    The State Secretary of Birnin Kebbi Federal Medical Centre of National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Usman Mohammed, said they had not received any signal to embark on the strike.

    “We are waiting for the signal from the national secretariat of our association and until we receive the signal we will not embark on the strike”, he added.

    In Kano, the nationwide strike action called by the organised labour also met a setback, as workers in the state ignored the directive.

    Workers resumed at the Audu Bako Secretariat and  the Federal Government Secretariat at about 8:30 am.

    Commercial banks, markets and motor parks had all opened for business in the state.

    Traders at the two major markets in Sabon Gari and Kantin Kwari opened their shops for business as directed by the National President of the Harmonised Traders Union of Nigeria, Alhaji Bature Abdulaziz.

    Abdulaziz had on Monday called on traders across the country to ignore the planned strike by the labour unions.

    At the First Bank of Nigeria, Kano main branch, workers were also seen going about their normal schedules.

    Primary and secondary schools as well as other higher institutions also opened.

    However, in Bayero University Kano, some lecturers had joined the strike while others were working.

    In Katsina, NAN reports that the workers at the State and Federal Secretariats have reported to their duty posts.

    Jibrin Garkuwo, a middle level worker said that they decided not to join the strike because Katsina was the home state of President Buhari.

    He said they are ready to support the president to achieve his economic policies that will move the country forward.

    The Chairman of NLC in the state, Alhaji Lawal Sandawa, said the union would assess the situation before commenting on the strike.

    Normal activities are continuing in Yobe, Adamawa, and Jigawa states, as residents ignored the call by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on strike over the increase in pump price of fuel.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) however reports that there was partial compliance in Gombe State.

    NAN correspondents who monitored the situation in those states report that key institutions like banks, schools, state and federal secretariats, hospitals, markets and all major commercial, centres were open for normal activities.

    Normal activities also went on in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with banks, schools, hospitals, state and federal secretariats open for business.

    An official of the NLC in the state who did not want his name mentioned, told NAN that they would meet later in the day to decide on their next line of action.

    NAN correspondents in Yola also report that normal activities are going on in Yola and other major towns of Adamawa as schools, banks, markets, as well as the State and Federal secretariats remained open.

    Many people who spoke on the failure of the strike said they were not convinced that the action was the best alternative in the present circumstance.

    Mallam Adamu Danwanzam, the chairman of Yola Perishable Food Items Sellers Association, said his members were not in support of the strike action.

    Also speaking, the state chairman of Private School Proprietors in Adamawa, Hajiya Dijatu Balla, said her members had no business with the strike action.

    Malam Husaini Isa, chairman of Commercial Tricycle Association in Adamawa , also distanced his members from the strike, pointing out that for many months ,his members had been buying fuel for N200 per litre, as such the new prize of N145 per litre was a relief.

    When contacted on the development, the state NLC chairman, Comrade Dauda Maina, said he could not comment as he was still in Abuja.

    The situation was the same in Dutse as people went about their normal businesses.

    At the state and federal secretariats, civil servants  attended to their official duties.

    There was, however, a partial compliance in Gombe as the NLC Monitoring Committee went round to ensure compliance.

    Most places of work, schools, banks and the state radio and television stations were closed.

    Malam Haruna Kamara, chairman of NLC in the state, told NAN that a committee was inaugurated and vested with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with the NLC directive.

  • Rebuild Northeast, farmers urged

    Rebuild Northeast, farmers urged

    •AgroNigeria berths in Zaria

    Farmers and agro-allied practitioners have been urged to channel  their energies towards  reviving the dwindling fortunes of agriculture in the North.

    A Professor of Agricultural Extension, Emmanuel Ikani, made  the call in Zaria while talking to  farmers and research experts at the opening of the Northwest branch of AgroNigeria in Kaduna State.

    As the special guest, Ikani lamented the impact of the insurgency across the region, noting that  it has taken a toll on the output of crops.

    He said: ”We have watched helplessly as farms turn battlefields, farmers chased away and produce destroyed. This is due to the terror acts then prevalent in the north. Thankfully, the military has recorded commendable progress in terms of addressing this scourge. As stakeholders, we cannot fold our hands and wait until everything is done for us by the government. We need to rise and strive to start all over again. The government is ready to support farmers with loans and incentives to go into production of crops and rearing of animals. Researchers here present, I urge you to please join hands with farmers in introducing new and profit oriented ideas that would help the sector grow.”

    He continued: “The farmers here represent the national farm community and so whatever we collectively come up in research with a feedback from the farmers will help the sector grow. The presence of AgroNigeria in Zaria is to bridge the information gap while bringing interpretation of policies to the tables of the farmers. Let us join our hands together with AgroNigeria as a veritable media platform to preach the agriculture story,” the university don further enjoined.

    A crop protection expert, Prof Isa Onu of  the Institute of Agriculture Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria urged AgroNigeria not to relent in the pursuit of the growth of the sector while applauding the editorial depth of the magazine and quality of production.

    “I have held magazines and flipped through many of them. I can proudly tell you that there are no magazines now on the stands with the quality of AgroNigeria both in print and content,’’ Ikani said.

    The  Chief Executive Officer and Editor-In-Chief, AgroNigeria, Mr. Richard-Mark Mbaram, reiterated the dream of the company in ensuring that the agricultural sector gets the desired media mileage necessary for its continued recovery and viability. “We are committed to ensuring that no effort by anyone in achieving the agricultural dream goes unnoticed,”he said.

  • Buhari: three Northeast states lost N3 trillion to insurgency

    Buhari: three Northeast states lost N3 trillion to insurgency

    President Muhammadu Buhari has said three Northeast states lost N3 trillion to the Boko Haram insurgency.

    This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

    The President yesterday ordered the release of 10,000 tonnes of grains from the national strategic reserves for national distribution.

    Buhari directed the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh to ensure that all able-bodied men and women in IDP camps be assisted to return to farming.

    The directives were in reaction to calls for government measures to ease hardship associated with food inflation.

    The Presidency, however, asserted that the devastation of the economy was caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and lack of planning by past administrations and one that should not be blamed on the change agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    The Presidency also rejected insinuations that poverty and lack were products of the change mantra.

    The statement reads: “This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism.  The President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens and he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone.

    “Contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), the President’s energy and focus are on changing the life of Nigerians, with a view to making  it better than he met it.

    “Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight. Change can be inconvenient. Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still on.

    “This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the Northeast, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us, yet another boost for our economy.”

    The Presidency maintained that it is only when Nigerians appreciate where they are coming from that they will grasp the essence of what the  journey entails.

    Recalling the previous administration’s claim that the Federal Government losses amounted to about $18 billion, the Presidency said it would have been a miracle for Nigeria’s economy not to have felt the effects of that.

    “And, in addition to the thousands of lives lost to the insurgency, thousands have also lost their livelihood. The Northeast is a mostly agrarian society, which means Nigeria has lost billions of naira in agricultural produce. Many communities, which have had their yearly planting and harvesting cycle disrupted by Boko Haram attacks or occupation are yet to return to their farms. In many of these communities, there has not been planting and consequent harvest for between two to five years.”

  • $800m ‘not enough for Northeast’

    $800m ‘not enough for Northeast’

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has described the $800 million World Bank aid for rebuilding the Northeast, as “inadequate”.

    He spoke yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri, the state capital, when he hosted the United Nations  (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Ms Fatma Samoura.

    Ms. Samoura, who is also a UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, said the UN had scaled up its presence in Borno and other North Eastern states ravaged by the insurgency.

    “Yesterday, we had a long discussion with the World Bank team that came from Washington to attend the workshop.

    “The workshop is for validating the year findings of the recovery and peace-building assessment.

    “They have promised to leverage 800 million dollars for the North East to response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management and debris processing for the North East of Nigeria,’’ she said.

    Shettima commended the UN for standing by the government and people of Borno in identifying the root causes and also finding lasting solutions to the insurgency.

    But he described the $800 million pledge by the World Bank as grossly inadequate in view of the enormous challenges left behind by the insurgency.

    “It is in the interest of humanity to rally round Nigeria over Boko Haram. The developed world gave Turkey $2b to resettle refugees from Syria.

    “There are about two million IDPs from Borno and 20 Local Government Areas were overran by Boko Haram and there is food crisis now in the state,” he said.

    He however commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support to Borno and victims of insurgency.

    The UN representative regretted that the UN was having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of the humanitarian crises in other parts of the world.

    “As we all know, the Syrian crisis that is affecting Europe is also taking a heavy toll in terms of funding from our traditional donors.

    “We are trying our best to ensure that our advocacy and our communication strategy are up to the level where we will be receiving more attention from the donor community.

    “The humanitarian response plan, as we speak, is just 10 per cent funded, meaning we have only received 24 million dollars.

    “This is out of 248 million dollars budgeted for the North East of Nigeria for 2016,” she said.

    Samoura, however, pledged that the UN would continue to complement the World Bank and the EU support to address the root causes of poverty and exclusion in the North East.

    “The UN will be on your side in order to address the humanitarian situation.

    “The UN will also support the Borno Government in its work on recovery and rehabilitation for the safe return of the IDPs back to their areas of origin,” she said.

    Samoura said her visit to Maiduguri was to demonstrate the sympathy of the UN to the appalling situation of the 1.8 million people who have been displaced by insurgency.

    She commended the strong leadership and commitment of the governor to finding sustainable solutions to safe and voluntary return of the IDPs to their places of origin.

  • Buhari vows to secure Niger Delta, rebuild Northeast

    Buhari vows to secure Niger Delta, rebuild Northeast

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said the Federal Government would mobilise the military and task forces to stop the sabotage of oil facilities and kidnapping in the coastal areas of the country.

    He spoke at a meeting with a delegation from the United States Institute of Peace at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also said his administration will give the highest priority to the resettlement of displaced persons and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the Northeast.

    He assured the delegation that his administration’s war against corruption would be fought within the ambit of the law and that mechanisms were in place to ensure respect for human rights in the fight against terrorism.

    “We attach great importance to human rights. If there are breaches, they will be investigated and dealt with,” he said.

    Buhari welcomed the growing international support, especially from the United States  and Europe, on Nigeria’s efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The President hailed Nigerians for supporting the programmes of his government, the security of the country, the war against corruption and revival of the economy, which, he said, will continue to be vigorously pursued.

    Ms. Nancy Lindborg, who led the delegation, applauded the progress made by the Buhari  administration in ensuring greater security in Nigeria.

    She promised the continued assistance of the Institute for the reconstruction and development work in the country.

     

  • Army to rebuild schools in Northeast

    Army to rebuild schools in Northeast

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, Brig.- Gen. Muhammed Isa Aliyu, has said the Army will rebuild schools destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.

    He said the measure is part of Federal Government’s efforts to resettle the communities destroyed by the terrorists.

    The GOC, who addressed reporters in his office yesterday, said: “Army will soon begin a rehabilitation and reconstruction programme because we are confident that the battle against Boko Haram has been won by the federal troops.”

    He said: “The Army has overcome counter-terrorism  because today Boko Haram has no existence in the country.

    “The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, is committed to the rehabilitation of victims. Displaced people have started returning to their homes.

    “As far as the COAS is concerned, the war against terrorism will not only stop at the defeat of Boko Haram, it will not be completed until  displaced people are returned to their homes.”

    Brig.-Gen. Aliyu

    urged reporters to join in the fight against insurgency by informing the public of the success attained, especially the use of new equipment, which made their men to win the war against terrorism.

     

  • How rulers, security agents can tackle insecurity in Northeast, by Ogunsakin

    How rulers, security agents can tackle insecurity in Northeast, by Ogunsakin

    The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (IGP) in charge of Zone 12, Tunde Ogunsakin, has said improved collaboration between security agencies and traditional institutions can help in tackling security challenges in the Northeast.

    Ogunsakin spoke during a visit to the palace of the Emir of Fika, Muhammadu Ibin Abali Muhammadu Idrissa. The visit was part of his familiarisation tour of the Zone 12 Command of the Nigeria Police, comprising Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states.

    The AIG, who recently resumed in Zone 12, said there was a strong need to foster closer ties between the joint security agencies and the traditional institution in the Northeast.

    The AIG said the collaboration would engender a more people-oriented security effort.

    He hailed the emir for the guidance and support he demonstrated.

    Ogunsakin also expressed the readiness of men and officers of the police in the zone to tackle terrorism, communal clashes and other vices.

    The emir  thanked Ogunsakin for the visit and hailed him for writing him when he resumed.

    Idrissa, who is the chancellor of University of Ilorin, also expressed his readiness to partner security agencies to stamp out insurgency.

     

  • Troops ‘battle weather in Northeast’

    Troops ‘battle weather in Northeast’

    Troops battling Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast are contending with weather and logistics challenges, it was learnt yesterday.

    But, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence Aliyu Ismaila assured Nigerians yesterday that the presidential deadline to end the insurgency by December would be met.

    They spoke after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari along with Service chiefs on the troops’ challenges.

    The CDS said they had to brief the President on the security situation after a 60-day review.

    He said: “It is a normal consultation to intimate him of the issues on ground.  We briefed him on the security situation after a 60-day review and we had to brief him on the challenges we have and ensure that the mandate we have is properly delivered.

    “Of course, the challenges we are looking at are the issues of probably the weather as it were and some other logistics that we feel we should have so that the mandate can be quickly delivered.

    On the president’s response, he said: “He is very excited, very happy. As for our request, he gave the mandate”.

    Asked if extension of the December deadline is being considered, he said: “We have not said that. The mandate is that we should clear Boko Haram from the occupied territories and ensure that we reclaim all the lost grounds. That is exactly what we are doing”.

    On whether the December mandate is feasible, he said: “It is a military operation and military operations have time-lines and we are working on them assiduously.

    He said the United Sates (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) were involved in capacity building as part of their support to the government.

    “When we get there, we will let you know. They have been involved in some capacity building and of course when we get the tangible ones, we will let you know about them,” he said

    Ismaila said the Service chiefs would meet again with the President in the next few days.

    He said: “We are here to brief the president on what the armed forces have been doing in the Northeast and the Southsouth. That is exactly what we discussed with Mr President.

    “The directive is that we should continue what we have been doing and in the next few days, there will be another meeting.

    “But by and large the president is excited and confident that the leadership of the armed forces that he puts in place will do us proud.”

    Army chief Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai also yesterday reiterated that terrorism would soon be a thing of the past, pointing out the army is a force to be reckoned with.

    He spoke while receiving  the Netherlands Defence Attaché to Nigeria, Col. Eric Adriaan de Landmeter and delegations from Total Plc and Arik Air in his office.

    Gen. Buratai stressed that the Army is making  steady progress in the fight against terror, oil theft and other forms of criminality.

    A statement by Army spokesman Col. Sani  Usman said Gen. Buratai told his visitors that  Multinational Joint Task Force operations were going on fine. Troops from contributing countries are expected to operate within their territories, he added.

    Noting that both Nigeria and the Netherlands have been participating in Peace Support Operations for long, he praised Netherland’s demonstration of concern for Nigeria’s security challenges.

    Col. Landmeter  hailed  the Nigerian Army for its effort in the fight against insurgency.

    Receiving the Managing Director of  Total, Nigeria Plc, Mr Nicolas Terraz, Gen. Buratai said the challenges facing the country, including oil theft, piracy and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta as well as Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast would soon be a thing of the past.

    Mr. Terraz said oil theft and pipeline vandalism were major challenges for his company.

    During another visit by the Managing Director of Arik, Mr Chris Ndulue, Gen. Buratai promised  Army’s partnership with the company.

     

  • UNESCO, others to facilitate mass literacy in Northeast

    UNESCO, others to facilitate mass literacy in Northeast

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), National Council for Adult Education (NCAE), in partnership with the National Mass Education Commission (NMEC), is to facilitate mass literacy and education in the Northeast.

    UNESCO’s Regional Director Mr. Benoit Sossou, spoke at the weekend when he presented 50 laptops and other learning materials to Community Model learning Centre in Bauchi.

    Represented by Dr. Safiya Iliyasu, Sossou said: “Nigeria is in the process of curriculum reform to make literacy curriculum more responsive to the challenging needs of the 21st century knowledge economy.”

    NCAE’s Chairperson Prof Fatima Umar noted that the learning materials would improve mass literacy delivery in the region.

    She urged women to key into the programme to benefit from the vocational training and literacy education introduced at the centre.