The Nation Newspaper

Tag: security

  • Fayemi: my deputy was critical to Ekiti’s security

    Fayemi: my deputy was critical to Ekiti’s security

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday said his late Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, played an active role in ensuring security.

    He said she had a good relationship with security agencies.

    Fayemi spoke at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, when the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police, Zone 8, Mr. Chris Dega, and representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), led by its Director-General, Mr. Asishana Okauru, visited him.

    The governor said he was very lucky to have had a deputy like the late Mrs. Olayinka, who was “very passionate about the transformation of the state”.

    He said though the late Mrs. Olayinka was not a professional politician, she came into politics with a commitment that was unparalleled.

    Fayemi said her loyalty was doubtless, adding that she gave no room for distraction.

    He said though his late deputy’s life was short, it was eventful and full of service to the people.

    Fayemi said the government would provide patrol vehicles and communication gadgets for the Ekiti Police Command to tighten security.

    He lamented the shortage of policemen in the state and urged the police leadership to post more men to Ekiti.

    The governor said: “The big issue I have always raised is the way and manner officers and men transferred to Ekiti manage to get themselves out of the state, leading to a shortage of the men.

    “If you look at your record, you will notice that Ekiti is fewer men and officers than it should have.”

    He said though the police are doing well in the state, the shortage has created some gaps which need to be filled.

    Fayemi said security agencies so need to pay adequate attention to Ekiti State, since it is the gateway from the North to the Southwest.

    Others who visited the governor are the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Prof. Isaac Asuzu; the institution’s Registrar, Mr. Daniel Adeyem and the Council of Traditional Rulers in Oye Local Government, led by the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ademolaju.

     

  • Jonathan, Zuma meet on security, economy

    Jonathan, Zuma meet on security, economy

    As the two top leaders in the continent, Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday met with his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma to brainstorm of the many challenges facing the continent.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa , President Zuma said that he was in Nigeria to consult on many issues concerning the African continent as a whole and the two countries on one hand.

     He said that the discussions between him and President Jonathan have been very fruitful towards repositioning the continent for good.
    Zuma said:“We are here to consult on matters related to the two countries and the African continent. As you know, very soon His Excellency the President will be visiting South Africa on a state visit and therefore, a lot of other issues that will necessarily be dealt with. We thought we needed to consult particularly the situation in the continent.”
    “We have had a very fruitful consultation and we believe that between Nigeria and South Africa, it is important to align and harmonize our thinking on matters that need the countries in the continent to take specific decisions.”
    “Some of the issues raised were issues of security of the continent as you know that there has been some difficulties in a number of the countries. We touched upon those issues and certainly take the issues further when we meet in South Africa.”“But you are also aware that Africa will also be celebrating 50 years of the OAU and African Union establishment in the continent. And the issue really is we need to say what is it that we can look at and look forward beyond that time. We have had a very fruitful discussion.” He added

  • Security retreat for schools holds in Ghana

    Nigerian security experts will join the Inspector General of Police in Ghana, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, to speak at a security retreat holding at the Ramada Coco Beach, Hotel, Accra, between the 14th and 18th of this month.

    The International Executive Management Retreat on Security Awareness and Emergency Preparedness for educational institutions in Africa is being organised by the Exam Ethics Marshall International to help prepare manage challenges of insecurity.

    Others who will join Alhassan who will delivers the Keynote Address, include: Prof I.S. Williams, Faculty member of the National Institute for Strategic Studies; Prof A. Ekoko, former Vice-Chancellor, Delta State University and a former faculty at the Nigeria Defence College, and Prof E.O. Aliemeka, Faculty member of Nigeria’s National Institute For Strategic Studies.

    Others are: Dr. U.K Brown of Liberia; P.K Krampar of Ghana.

    A statement signed by the founding chairman of the group, Mr Ike Onyechere noted that the Retreat will focus on: “critical security lessons from attacks on staff, students and facilities of educational institutions across the world; security and emergency preparedness against kidnapping; hostage taking, terrorist activities and bomb threats; critical factors for improved security of staff and students; governance, leadership and policy issues in security of educational institutions in Africa; security survey and diagnostic audit procedures to identify risk factors in educational institutions; etc”.

    The retreat being, coordinated by MJ One Security Consultants and POTOMAC Consulting International in conjunction with Exam Ethics Marshals International, is expected to be attended by Heads of education ministries and agencies; Governing Councils of tertiary institutions; education committees of legislative houses; Vice-Chancellors; Provosts; Rectors; Chief Security Officers and other principal officers of educational institutions from across Africa.

    Educational institutions in Nigeria including IBB University, Minna and the Imo State University, Owerri have already registered to attend the retreat.

     

  • Governors’ handling of security vote

    If there ever be a time the security of West Africa is threatened to its foundation, it is this period when activities of kidnappers and extremist sect are not being checked adequately by governments in the region.

    Nigeria is not left. In the northern and southern parts of the country, criminals operate freely, making the regions ungovernable to constituted authorities. This, to many Nigerians, has been a headache largely borne by the Federal Government.

    However, the question that rarely comes to mind is what states do with the security vote being released to the troubled states by the Federal Government is meant to prevent criminals from carrying out their nefarious activities. Each state takes its own share of the funds.

    But what are they using the money for when crimes still persist? Are the funds being siphoned and diverted to private accounts or are they being used for the security of our leaders’ personal houses? These questions need to be answered by those concerned.

    A few months ago, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso said security vote had become a conduit through which many governors steal money from their states.

    In the Southsouth and the Southeast, armed robbery and kidnapping are the order of the day. Vaults of banks and other financial institutions in the areas have been bombed by armed bandits camouflaging as militants. Other atrocities being committed by these armed groups is pipeline vandalism, especially in the oil-producing communities.

    According to reports, Edo State politicians now live in fear as most of them now move around in convoy of armed police men for fear of being kidnapped. Where is the security vote being given to the state? There is no doubt that governors in the South-south and the Southeast need to do more in terms of security.

    In the northern states, Boko Haram activity is taking its toll on most of the state, especially Yobe and Borno. These two state have been the epicenter of unbridle terrorism being perpetrated by men, who believed western education is sinful. They used locally-made Improvise Explosive Device (IED) to kill innocent people in their numbers.

    In Niger State, the government has put measures in place to forestall breakdown of law and order. The Hausa/Fulani governors should come together in assisting one another in the area of security. The Northeast states where Boko Haram activities have ravaged should be helped out by Northern Governors’ Forum by ensuring that their security votes are voted to maintain peace and stability in the region.

    In the Southwest, armed robbery is the order of the day. There is no doubt that from Ondo to Ekiti, Ogun to Lagos and Oyo, dynamite-welding bandits terrorise banks and residents. While security operatives seem helpless, there is a ray of hope from Oyo State where government has frustrated the activities of the men of the underworld with the creation of joint security patrol codenamed “Operation Burst”.

    I should be stated that the Federal Government has a very important role to play in maintaining peace in the country to attract foreign investors, let it do all takes to ensure that all states of the federation account for the security vote released to them by also complementing its efforts.

    Also, the citizens have their own role to play to ensure that public office holders are accountable for misappropriation of public funds. We must ensure that anyone caught should face the wrath of the law of the federal republic.

  • ‘How climate change threatens food security’

    Policies on food security do not focus enough on ensuring how poor people can access and afford food, especially in urban areas, said a report published by the International Institute for Environment and Development.

    It warned that climate change would only make the policy gap worse, because its impacts will affect not only harvests, but also the systems that people use to transport, store, buy and sell food.

    “Food security is back on the agenda, thanks to rising prices and the threat that climate change poses to agricultural production,” said the report’s author, Dr Cecilia Tacoli.

    He said the policies that focus on rural food production alone will not tackle the rising food insecurity in urban areas, but must include policies that improve poor people’s ability to access and afford food, especially in urban areas.”

    The report noted that since most people in urban areas must buy their food from the rural farmers for them to survive any climate-induced disruption to food production, transport and storage – either in the urban area itself or in distant farmland – can affect food supplies and prices in urban areas.

    The recent flooding in the country affected many rural poor and their farmlands, though some state governments have provided some monetary assistance to some of the affected people, yet nothing has been done for the urban poor, who by extension may be more affected in terms of not having enough fund to buy food stuffs which prices are on the rise.

    The study regretted that most government policises that aim to increase food security focus solely on boosting production from farms and fisheries in rural areas without incorpoarting thelogistics of preservation and transportation.

    “The journey that food takes from a rural producer to an urban consumer involves many steps,” Tacoli, said, adding that the food must travel through formal and informal systems, as it is stored, distributed and sold. Each one of these steps is a point of potential vulnerability to climate change. For consumers, this will mean sharp and sudden increases in food prices,” he said.

    The report also highlighted the link between income poverty and food insecurity in urban areas, saying for most low-income urban citizens, food represents a sizeable portion of the money they spend. Even small increases in price would therefore have big impacts of food security, with citizens reducing the amount and quality of the food they buy.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Security beefed-up in Kano for Easter

    Security has been beefed up in Kano by operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Police to guarantee a hitch-free Easter celebration on Sunday in  Kano.

    Despite the ongoing house to house search by security men for suspected terrorists, as well as illegal weapons, the 3rd Brigade Headquarters of the Nigerian Army in Kano has also deployed additional troops to beef up security arrangements in the state.

    The Police Command headquarters  in Bompai has deployed 4,000 police officers to beef-up security arrangements in the metropolis for today’s Easter celebrations

    Our reporter observed the presence  of many  armoured personnel carriers from the 3 Brigade patrolling the streets, during his visit to some parts of the metropolis, while the Police have also deployed officers to beef up security in strategic locations.

    Also, our Correspondent noticed increased presence of security personnel in most churches in Sabon Gari,  mostly inhabited by non-indigenous community, who were  gripped with fear over the bomb blast recently rocked the New Road motor park which claimed so many lives.

    At the close of the day, our investigations revealed that most of the churches have also made alternative security arrangements to ensure violent-free celebrations, following the engagement of private security outfit to beef up security.

    The Kano State Police boss, Musa Daura , when asked of security arrangements, disclosed that his Command has deployed 4,000 police officers as part of the Easter security build-up, adding that the normal stop and search security arrangement and surveillance activities are also part of efforts to ensure a smooth Easter celebration.

    “The Command is leaving nothing to chance to ensure we have violent-free Easter celebration, you are aware we have raiding flash points during which a number arrests of suspects were made and a number of weapons of mass destruction intercepted, this is all part of the efforts to usher in a hitch-free Easter.”

    Captain Ikedichi  Iweha, who is the spokesman of the JTF in Kano, disclosed that the military has placed its soldiers on red alert: “We are working very hard and as I speak with you now, military men deployed to the streets of Kano have been doubled, while the house to house search is still in progress.

     

     

     

  • Southwest governors urged to tighten security

    Southwest governors urged to tighten security

    Southwest governors have been urged to keep terrorists out of Yorubaland. This was contained in a statement issued at the end of the first Annual Yoruba International Convention held in Dubai, the United Arabs Emirate (UAE).

    The convention was organised by the Yoruba Global Coalition in the United Kingdom (UK) and hosted by the Yoruba Forum in the UAE.

    It was presided over by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111.

    A copy of the statement was given to reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the Alaafin’s media aide, Mr. Fehintola Azeez.

    The governors were urged to ensure that Yorubaland remains safe for both residents and investors.

    The statement reads: “The six governors in Yorubaland are requested to facilitate the immediate takeoff of the projects proposed by the foreign investors, so as to encourage other foreign investors, who may want to invest in Yorubaland.

    “Some foreign investors earlier indicated their desire to start an airline. We urge Southwest governors to collectively approach the Federal Government for an aviation licence for the proposed Oduduwa Airline.

    “We call for an economic cooperation between Yorubaland and the UAE, particularly Dubai, so as to take advantage of the robust informal trade between Nigeria and the region.

    “We also call for the opening of Oduduwa Trade Missions in advanced countries. Such outlets would forge an economic cooperation between such countries and Yorubaland. The missions should be jointly promoted by the six Yoruba states and supervised by the Central Association of Yorubas in such countries.

    “Yoruba associations worldwide should set up special economic development bodies in their respective countries of domicile to facilitate development and advise the governors regularly.”

    Oba Adeyemi hailed the organisers of the programme and maintained that the Southwest remains one of the safest zones in the country.

    He said: “This is one of the reasons we have rapid growth.”

    The convention featured presentation of development programmes by Yoruba intellectuals in the Diaspora and foreigners willing to invest in Yorubaland.

     

  • Plateau park strengthens security

    Plateau park strengthens security

    Security was yesterday beefed up at the Plateau Ridders, the Plateau State government-owned motor park.

    Every passenger had his or her baggage thoroughly checked before being allowed in. The gate was also manned by armed policemen and anti-bomb police.

    Indigenes of the state asked the Special Task Force (STF) to ensure the suicide bombing in Kano State does not occur in the state.

    The Chairman, Northern Youths for the Advancement of Peace, Harmony and Development, Mr Melvin Ejeh, said: “The STF should not sleep because the attack in Kano is a proof that the era of bombing is not over in the country. We are already working on how to change the mindset of youth of the north to use their lives for positive venture rather than allow themselves to be used for selfish end.”

    A Reverend Father, Mathew Azi, called on churches, mosques and recreation spots to beef up security.

     

  • We Will Engage FG on security, others – PFN

    We Will Engage FG on security, others – PFN

    The new leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Friday said it would engage the Federal Government and other religious and interest groups to find lasting solutions to Nigeria’s security, political and socio-economic challenges.

    The recently elected President of PFN, Rev. Felix Omobude, stated this during an interactive session journalists in Benin City, Edo State.

    Omobude said he would meet with the leadership of independent churches in the country to work out a plan for peace in the association.

    “The PFN will engage every stakeholder particularly the government with the aim of bringing peace to the nation.

    “We must learn to live together, be you Christian or Muslim. If God wanted us to live in our separate enclaves, he would have done so. We want peace and we will work with peace loving people. We will also pursue justice. The PFN believes in Nigeria, we will engage everybody because religious war is an ill-wind that will do nobody any good. We pursue peace as our faith tells us but no one should take it as a weakness.

    “I need to assure everyone that the PFN will strive to ensure peace. When necessary we will consult the government. Where it is necessary to speak we will speak and we will also encourage the government where it is necessary. When it is necessary to take our destiny into our hands, we will also do that, “he said.

    He, however, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that justice is done to whoever has been aggrieved in any part of the country, warning that peace cannot thrive in atmosphere of injustice.

     

  • PDP governors get five-man security panel

    PDP governors get five-man security panel

    •Spend security votes on information, Anenih urges
    •Forum seeks review of NGF’s constitution

    The Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), Governor Godswill Akpabio, has said no PDP governor plans to join the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    Akpabio told reporters after the forum’s meeting, which ended in early yesterday, that PDP governors would rather work to strengthen the party.

    The governor said his colleagues were determined to work for the party to win more states in 2015.

    He said: “We want to reassure Nigerians who have reposed their confidence in us from 1999 to run the affairs of this nation that we are equal to the task and that we will not let them down.’’

    Akpabio said the forum had set up a five-man security committee to evaluate the country‘s security situation.

    He added that the committee, to be called the PDP Governors’ Forum Security Advisory Committee, is to be headed by Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako.

    According to him, the committee will suggest ways in which the forum can collaborate with the Federal Government and the public to curb crime.

    Akpabio said the forum review the constitution the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) to ensure stability.

    But he assured that the PDPGF would work with the NGF, saying the PDPGF was not created to destroy the NGF.

    He said the two bodies would collaborate to ensure that governors speak with one voice for the benefit of all Nigerians and to deepen democracy.

    Akpabio congratulated Chief Tony Anenih, who attended the meeting, for emerging PDP Board of Trustees’ (BoT) chairman.

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan presented the interim report of the five-man PDP Southwest reconciliation committee on the crises in the zone to the forum.

    The committee, which was constituted at the forum‘s first meeting, is headed by Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, with governors of Benue, Ebonyi and Adamawa as members.

    The BoT secretary, Chief Ken Nnamani and Chief Jim Nwobodo, a former governor of old Anambra and other PDP chieftains attended the meeting.

    The meeting was the forum’s second since its inauguration in February.

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi was absent at the meeting, which was attended by eight PDP governors and eight deputies. He was also not represented by his deputy.

    Anenih urged governors to use their security votes to gather information that would help curb security challenges.

    Anenih said the Federal Government alone could not guarantee security in the country.

    He said: “The market women, governors, members of the National Assembly and councillors must all be involved. Most of those who destroy houses and kill people live with us and police cannot perform miracles without information,” he said.

    “Getting information now is very expensive; so, I appeal to the governors that this is the time to use your security votes to seek information. Nobody will blame you for that.’’

    The BoT chairman urged members of the party to reconcile their differences.

    He said: “If anybody says that PDP is not on ground, he must be telling lies. The problem PDP has is the inability to reconcile. I want to appeal to all of you here present and through you to others that are not here that Nigerians want a change.”

    Anenih went on: “Our people are eagerly waiting to make sure that we take them to the promised land and it is you that will make that happen, there is no other person.

    “It is my special appeal that we must develop the spirit of give and take; we must remain loyal to the establishment and the party at all levels.’’