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Nigerian Navy Wins Armed Forces Combat Competition

Mosunmola Ore
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The Nigerian Navy has emerged the winner of the maiden Paintball competition organized by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Abuja in collaboration with Forest Hunters.

READ ALSO: 2023 International Competitions: FIFA releases list of match officials

In a statement, the Director Information Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan said that the competition which was organized as part of the activities to commemorate this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day (AFRD) took place at Three Bridges Park, Idu at the FCT.

According to him, the AFRD is an event celebrated annually on 15 January to remember the fallen heroes who died in active service and to honour military veterans added that it is also to celebrate serving personnel who work indefatigably to secure the country and safeguard our sovereignty while ensuring peace and internal security.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General LEO Irabor  was the Special Guest of Honour at the competition and while addressing the audience, he disclosed that the Paintball competition is novel in the Armed Forces.

However, DHQ considered it worthwhile because of what it represents for the Armed Forces and the youths of Nigeria. “It is envisaged that events like this will deepen military-civilian interaction in our country”.

He added that, “paintballing as a sport date back to 1960 in the USA. It involves a simulation of a live-combat scenario using dummy ammunition with paint bullets, among other things.

The competition gave spectators inkling into what happens on the battlefield where troops engage the adversaries and, in some cases, pay the supreme price across the hotspots of the country. The event is envisioned to promote  inter-agency cooperation among the security agencies in line with my vision for the Armed Forces of Nigeria”.

On his part, the Lead Representative of the Forest Hunters Adventures Limited Abuja, Mr Bayo Omoboriowo, explained that the competition was to depict the sacrifice the military makes to have a united and peaceful Nigeria.

He further explained that the game was categorized into Novelty Knockout 1 and 2 as well as Novelty Final.

The participating teams comprised the DHQ, Nigerian Army, NN and Nigerian Air Force. On completion of the novelty final, the NN emerged winner of the competition and the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo CFR was on ground to present the trophy to the team and medals to the participants.

The CNS also commended the winning team for emerging the best.

The event was well attended by senior military officers of DHQ and the Services’ Headquarters as well as personnel and their families including well-wishers of the Armed Forces.

 

FMBN inaugurates 100 housing units in Adamawa state

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja
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The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has inaugurated one hundred housing units for civil servants in Adamawa state, northern Nigeria.
 The project is fully funded by the FMBN to reduce the challenges faced by Nigerians in owning a house .
Under this phase, the bank is delivering to off-takers, 40 units of 3 bedroom semi-detached bungalows at N8.3 million and 36 units of 2 bedroom semi-detached bungalows at N6.8 million.
It is also delivering 24 units of 1 bedroom semi-detached bungalows at 3.1 million.
The Bank provides mortgage financing for purchase of the houses to the buyers at the rate of six percent interest, with repayment period of over 25 years.
The estate is fully serviced with basic infrastructure including internal road network, drainages, electricity and water to all the houses to create conducive and liveable environment.
FMBN appreciated the support of the Adamawa state government for providing the land for the project.
In his remarks, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri also appreciated the FMBN for meeting its responsibility and urged them to sustain the tempo, adding that Government would continue to support such projects in the state.
He added that the state government would also do everything possible to provide access roads across the housing facility.
Mr Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, appreciated FMBN and commended the developer for the delivery of the project and urged others to follow suit.
He pleaded with the state government to provide access roads and also provide land for the second phase of the project in the state.

 

Malam Ahmed Muhammadu, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries thanked the FMBN for the project which is a priority of every civil servant to own a house.
He urged them to sustain the tempo for others to benefit from their contribution.

Nigerian Air Force neutralizes Terrorists in Niger State

Peace Piak Kanu
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The Nigerian Air Force, NAF has neutralized two wanted Boko Haram Commanders together with 40 of their members at an abandoned warehouse in Kurebe, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State

The NAF Spokesperson, Air Commodore Wap Maigida, confirmed the successful airstrikes, noting that their Air Component would continue to sustain the offensive operations against the Boko Haram elements.

According to a defence intelligence operative, the terrorists; Abu Ubaida and Yusuf Abba met their ‘gruesome end’ when airstrikes conducted by NAF aircraft attached to Operation Whirl Punch, raided their enclave, recently.

“It would be recalled that on 22 December 2022, a NAF aircraft struck a terrorists’ gathering at Kurebe in Shiroro LGA.

“Several Terrorists were killed, but it was unclear if any of the Terrorists’ Kingpins was killed eliminated in the air attacks.

“Consequently, after the said airstrike, preliminary investigations via exploitation of several sources revealed that there was underground in the warehouse where the terrorists run to hide whenever a NAF aircraft flies over the area.

“It was also revealed that the terrorists hibernate within the location and bikes seen at different occasions carrying fertilizers to the warehouse.

“These fertilizers are used by the terrorists to produce Improvised Explosive Device(s) (IEDs).

“Accordingly, NAF fighter jets were dispatched to ensure total destruction of the warehouse and annihilation of the terrorists,” said the intelligence operative.

He said that all NAF Operational Commanders, in keeping to the directive of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, are making sure that terrorists and collaborators are denied any breathing space.

 

 

PRNigeria/PIAK

 

 

 

Aviation Handling Coy seeks duty waiver for Airport ground operators

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja
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Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc has called on the Nigerian government to provide waivers for aviation handling companies in order to enhance their productivity.

The Managing Director, SAHCO, Mr Basil Agboarumi called on the Nigerian Government to grant duty waiver on operational equipment for ground handling companies operating in the nation’s airports.
Mr Agboarumi made the call when the leadership of the Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos, paid him a courtesy visit.
He noted that the waiver would go a long way to ameliorate the harsh economic conditions companies in the aviation industry are facing.
Mr Agboarumi said what the company pays to clear its equipment at the port is humongous, adding that the equipment are only used when an aircraft comes in.
“The authorities should encourage us the same way they are doing for airline operators, we are in the same industry and without us, the airlines cannot go into the sky.
“Government gives waiver to the airlines on spare parts and other things, we want them to give the same thing to us for our equipment. With waivers on clearing spare parts, it will do a lot for us”.
Mr Agboarumi lamented that handling companies provide their infrastructure to run their services effectively.
“We have generators that supply our electricity and we have cold room for pharmaceutical products. We have to be on power for 24 hours,”he said.
SAHCO, formerly known as Skypower Aviation Handling Company Limited, before its privatisation and handover to the SIFAX Group on December 23, 2009, was carved out of the defunct Nigeria Airways as part of the Nigerian government’s Ministry of Aviation reforms in 1996.

 

World Economic Forum Chief Economists Predict Global Recession In 2023

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja
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A majority of the World Economic Forum’s Community of Chief Economists expect a global recession in 2023, a survey report published on the website of the WEF and released on the first day of WEF meeting in Davis has shown.

 

They also see geopolitical tensions continuing to shape the global economy, and anticipate further monetary tightening in the United States and Europe.

 

The Chief Economists Outlook, indicated that almost two-thirds of chief economists believe a global recession is likely in 2023; of which 18% consider it extremely likely – more than twice as many as in the previous survey conducted in September 2022.

 

“A third of respondents consider a global recession to be unlikely this year.”

 

According to the report, there is a strong consensus that the prospects for growth in 2023 are bleak, especially in Europe and the US.

 

“All of the chief economists surveyed expect weak or very weak growth in 2023 in Europe, while 91% expect weak or very weak growth in the US. This marks a deterioration in recent months (at the time of the last survey, the corresponding figures were 86% for Europe and 64% for the US).

In China, expectations of growth are polarized, with respondents almost evenly split between those who expect weak or strong growth. Recent moves to unwind the country’s highly restrictive zero-COVID policy are expected to deliver a boost to growth, but it remains to be seen how disruptive the policy shift will be, particularly in terms of its health impacts,” it stated.

 

Inflation

On inflation, the statement said the chief economists see significant variation across regions, with the proportion expecting high inflation in 2023, ranging from just 5% for China to 57% for Europe.

 

“Following a year of sharp and coordinated central bank tightening, the chief economists said they expect the monetary policy stance to remain constant in most of the world this year. However, a majority expect further tightening in Europe and the US (59% and 55%, respectively). They noted that 2023 is likely to involve a difficult balancing act for policy-makers between tightening too much or too little.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEF/Hauwa Abu

 

WEF: Oil Firms Under Pressure To Curb Emissions

Hauwa Abubakar Anaja
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Big oil firms have come under pressure at the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) from activists who accused them of hijacking the climate debate.

 

 

Major energy firms including BP BP.L, Chevron CVX.N and Saudi Aramco 2222.SE are among the 1,500 business leaders gathering for the annual meeting in the Swiss resort of Davos, where global threats including climate change are on the agenda.

 

The annual meeting of global business and political leaders opened in Davos on Monday.

 

The oil and gas industry has said that it needs to be part of the energy transition as fossil fuels will continue to play a major role in the world’s energy mix as countries shift to low carbon economies.

 

On Monday, a social media campaign added to the pressure on oil and gas companies, by promoting a “cease and desist” notice sponsored by climate activists Thunberg, Vanessa Nakate and Luisa Neubauer, through the non-profit website Avaaz.

 

The campaign, which had been signed by more than 660,000 people, had almost 200,000 shares on Monday morning.

 

Sumant Sinha, who heads one of India’s largest renewable energy firms, said it would be good to include big oil companies in the transition debate as they have a vital role to play.

 

Rising interest rates have made it harder for renewable energy developments to attract financing, giving traditional players with deep pockets a competitive advantage.

 

As delegates began to arrive in Davos, Debt for Climate activists protested at a private airport in eastern Switzerland, which they said would be used by some WEF attendees, and issued a statement calling for foreign debts of poorer countries to be cancelled in order to accelerate the global energy transition.

 

 

 

 

 

Reuters/Hauwa Abu

Missile strikes on Ukrainian city of Dnipro kills 40

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The death toll from a Russian missile strike in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro rose to 40 on Monday, with dozens more missing, making it the deadliest civilian incident of Moscow’s three-month campaign of hurling missiles at cities far from the front.

Kyiv says the mass civilian deaths, which it describes as terrorism, demonstrate why it needs more weapons to defeat Russian forces 11 months after they invaded. Russia denies intentionally targeting civilians.

Germany’s Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned on Monday. At the same time, her government came under mounting pressure to let allies send Ukraine heavy tanks at the start of what is expected to be a pivotal week for Western plans to arm Kyiv.

READ ALSO: Germany’s Defence Minister resigns 

Ukrainian officials acknowledged little hope of finding anyone else alive in the rubble of Saturday’s attack in Dnipro. Still, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the rescue in the central Ukrainian city would go on as long as there was even the slightest chance to save lives.

“Dozens of people were rescued from the rubble, including six children. We are fighting for every person!” Zelenskiy said in an overnight televised address.

Moscow, which has been conducting large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities mainly targetting power generation infrastructure since October, said it was not to blame for the destruction in Dnipro, which it said was caused by Ukrainian air defences. Kyiv says a Russian ship-to-ship missile hit the apartment building that Ukraine cannot shoot down.

At least 40 people were killed in the attack, with 30 still unaccounted for, city official Gennadiy Korban said. He said 75 people were wounded, including 14 children. Tens of thousands have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and about a quarter of the population has fled their homes.

Ukrainian forces recaptured swathes of territory during the second half of 2022. But the front lines have primarily been frozen in place for the past two months, despite intense fighting in which both sides have taken heavy losses. Kyiv says a key to breaking the stalemate would be Western tanks and armoured vehicles, giving its forces the capability to break through Russian lines.

Western countries have so far stopped short of sending heavy tanks; a taboo is finally broken at the weekend by Britain pledging a first squadron of Challengers. But the far more widely used German-made Leopards are widely seen as the most likely workhorses of a future Ukrainian armoured force, though that would require permits which Berlin has yet to grant.

 

Reuters/S.O

Germany’s Defence Minister resigns

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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On Monday, German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht resigned from Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany’s government, the culmination of growing doubt about her ability to revive Germany’s armed forces against the backdrop of the Ukraine war.

Her decision dealt a blow to Scholz when Germany was under pressure to approve an increase in international military support for Kyiv. During a recent military drill, Germany’s defence capabilities were questioned after several Puma infantry tanks were put out of service.

The pressure to find a successor is mounting also because U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is expected in Berlin on Thursday and will attend a conference on Friday at the U.S. military base in Ramstein, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, to discuss further support for Ukraine, including whether to send German-built battle tanks.

Lambrecht asked Scholz to dismiss her, as formally required, and he has approved, a government spokesperson said. “The chancellor respects Ms Lambrecht’s decision and thanks her for the good work that she did during this difficult and challenging time as defence minister,” the spokesperson said.

The Social Democratic (SPD) chancellor will propose a successor quickly, the person added, refusing comment on names. Citing government sources, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper said a successor would be announced on Tuesday.

Among the candidates mooted by German media is Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Eva Hoegl, junior defence minister Siemtje Moeller, SPD party chief Lars Klingbeil, and Labour Minister Hubertus Heil.

Scholz has promised to staff his cabinet with equal numbers of men and women. If a man should succeed Lambrecht, this could result in further reshuffling.

Critics blamed Lambrecht for failing to get the German armed forces, known as the Bundeswehr, back in shape quickly, despite a 100-billion-euro ($108.11 billion) special fund being agreed upon for that purpose after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Economy Minister Robert Habeck praised Lambrecht for her ambition to reform the Bundeswehr and said her decision would not have been taken lightly. “It shows the kind of pressure she is under, but also how she is trying to keep the office from being damaged,” Habeck said at an energy conference in Berlin.

Media and opposition figures most recently criticised Lambrecht for posting a New Year’s message on social media. She thanked servicemen and women but struggled to be heard against background noise from firecrackers and seemingly mixed up the war in Ukraine with pleasant personal encounters.

“What kind of a year was 2022? It confronted us with many incredible challenges. There is a war raging in the middle of Europe. Associated with this were for me many special impressions, many encounters with interesting, great people,” Lambrecht said in the video.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of Germany’s parliamentary defence committee and a member of Scholz’s junior coalition partner, the Free Democrats, called for her successor to be installed quickly. “I now expect the Social Democrats to name a successor as soon as possible who is assertive towards the ministry, does not abuse the defence ministry for other political ambitions and, above all, brings with them an understanding and heart for the soldiers,” she said in remarks carried by the Funke media group.

 

DW/S.O

 

Edo Gov’t to Prioritise Agricultural Development in 2023

Kamila Bello
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The Edo State Government has disclosed plans to make the agriculture, health services and technology sectors a priority in 2023. It will build the capacity of youths in the state to find quality jobs in these sectors.

The Governor of the state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, noted that the state government’s job creation drive will be boosted with the state’s cassava-to-ethanol initiative, Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP) and other agricultural programmes.

“Quite a number of jobs are currently being created from several opportunities in the State’s agricultural sector, such as the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP), our cassava to ethanol initiatives, forestry plantations and also in poultry production. These and many more areas will contribute significantly to our Gross Domestic Product.

“This year we will continue our emphasis in building the capacity of our young population to find quality jobs in areas like agriculture, health services and technology. Hence the Edo State College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi will take in its first set of students before September this year, while the Edo State School of Health Technology will be rebuilt to meet global standards just like we did with our school of Nursing Sciences,” he said.

 

Lucy Offoboche

 

2023: Kogi East Senatorial district backs Tinubu, Shettima

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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Nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kogi East Senatorial District have thrown their weight behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima.

The LGAs on Sunday organised a mega rally in support of the candidature of the duo and showed support to the APC.

The mega rally was organised by Mr Suleiman Isyaka, the National Coordinator of an umbrella APC support group, ‘Tinubu/Shettima Ordained Movement’.

A mammoth crowd of APC supporters attended the event and recommitted themselves to ensuring the victory of Tinubu and Shettima during the Feb. 25 presidential poll.

The event which held in Ejule in Ofu LGA also attracted APC supporters from Ankpa. Olamaboro,Idah, Ofu, Ibaji, Dekina, Omala, Bassa and Igalamela/Odolu LGAs.

Isyaka said that the event tallied with the APC’s foundation which involved the actualisation of the Tinubu/Shettima ambition to win the 2023 presidential election.

“The purpose of everyone being here today as part of the activities lined up to secure a landslide victory for Tinubu and Shettima in the presidential poll.

“As at Dec. 30, 2022 when I was confirmed as the chairman of one of the strong support groups of the Tinubu/Shettima presidential candidacy, i came to my village in Ejule-Alle ward and swung into action.

“On that day, we had a lot of people who came for the occasion and they were very ready to support the APC at all levels.

“That proved to me that when i am out with the APC existing structure in my locality, I can replicate it to the other LGAs in the Eastern Senatorial District of Kogi.

“Also, our mission is to sensitise and to generate votes for our presidential candidate come Feb. 25,” he said.

Isyaka also urged all the members and the people of the nine LGAs to collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), so that they can exercise their rights at the polls for the presidential candidate of the APC.

Mr Yahaya Shagari, the APC Chairman in Ofu LGA commended Isyaka for organising the laudable event by uniting all the party loyalists in Kogi East Senatorial District.

He added that the act displayed by Isyaka showed that APC was in the right direction in bringing all the nine LGAs in Igala land together to support the Tinubu/Shettima Ordained Movement.

“What is on the ground shows that we are waiting eagerly for the general election to cast our votes for our presidential candidate and his running mate,” Shagari said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Amalgamated APC Support Group (AASG), Dr Nasiru Mohammed lauded the organiser of the event for putting together the laudable initiative.

Mohammed, who was represented by Mr Musa Otigba, the Director, Campaign and Mobilisation for AASG said: “A vote for Tinubu/Shettima is a vote for a renewed hope for you and future generation.

“It is remarkable to note that the Tinubu/Shettima Ordained Movement is already a registered member of the AASG and that is why we are here to give you moral support.

“We are also here to encourage you to continue to do more for the victory of our party at all levels come 2023 general elections,” he said.

 

 

 

NAN/N.O

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