Farmers in Borno State have appealed to the Nigerian government to take proactive security measures that would put an end to the continuous attacks on farmers.
The farmers, who said the attacks have made life unbearable for them, said the crime must not be left unaddressed.
This was made known in a statement issued to journalists while reacting to the death of 43 rice farmers who were killed by suspected members of the boko haram on Saturday while harvesting their crops at Garin-Kwashebe rice field, about 20 kilometres north of Maiduguri.
The statement signed by the Managing Director Wal-Wanne Group, Dr. Abiso Kabir, said the sad incident would not only cause instability in the zone, but would also lead to poverty and make the people to be over dependence on aid, if proactive measures are not taken to bring an end to the killings.
Dr. Abiso who explained that Koila Agro Allied Nigeria Limited is the most affected company who lost its farmers to the attack, also called on the Nigerian Government to recruit more persons into the civilian joint task force in order to put an end to insecurity.
According to him, “About 43 have been buried but we are not sure these are the exact numbers that are dead because some people are still missing.
“We are tired of the situation, just when we thought we have gotten our farmlands back to support agricultural development and fight hunger in the country, we keep waking up to sad events.
“We can’t continue to go out to our farmlands and risk being killed by the insurgents”, he said.
He however said the government should also establish series of measures to enhance public confidence in the security and intelligence agencies.
“We may be facing a severe food security crisis due to the destructive activities of bandits who are not only destroying farms but also killing farmers,” he sadded.
An Agency of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration, Abuja Property Development Company (APDC) has revealed it’s plan to build standard hospitals in the nation’s capital (Abuja) to reduce the number of Nigerians travelling outside the country for medical tourism.
The Managing director of the company, Lawal Aliyu Magaji, disclosed this during an interaction with Journalists..
Magaji said if those hospitals could be provided, it would definitely stem the current tide of medical tourism.
He stated that the company was also collaborating with the Health and Human Services Secretariat, HHSS to develop four district hospitals to be located at Wuye, Lokongoma, Galadima and Lugbe districts, to cater for the health need of FCT residents.
He attributed the high cost of buildings in the nation’s capital to the rising cost of building materials, especially the cost of finishing materials, which have to be imported, coupled with the widening exchange rate between the naira and the dollar at the international market.
The managing director however disclosed that the APDC was already working with some groups to proffer solutions to the high cost of buildings, by providing locally made building materials, or getting some foreign building materials companies to establish and produce the materials locally.
He said this would go a long way in supporting the government’s effort at bringing down the cost of the houses.
According to him, “We also have the intention of doing social housing, so that the costs of these houses are brought down. We are also doing research to build houses for no income.
It is something we have to put our thinking caps to provide, because they are also Nigerians. We are working to ensure that we take care of all Nigerians, irrespective of their status in order to provide houses for them.”
Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo says government will not relent but will do all it takes, including putting new ideas on the table, in order to secure the country.
The Vice President is on a one-day official visit to Nasarawa State and was accosted by reporters on his arrival in Lafia after he was received by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
He said: “As the President said, these group of people have acted insanely in such a dastardly manner, killing innocent people, people who had gone to their farms to work.
“I spoke to the Governor, Governor Babagana Zulum and the former Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima to express my condolence, but more importantly, to try and think through ways of dealing with this kind of random attacks.
“It’s important to understand also that we will probably need to keep reviewing the conventional means of dealing with some of these issues, these security challenges, especially the randomness.
“Which is why the President has said that he is taking a serious look at how to deal with the issues, especially the randomness: some insane person goes into a place and shoots people, that is not the sort of thing that you are prepared for conventionally.”
Community Policing Osinbajo said government would do a lot more local intelligence and some of the community policing efforts that are being planned to enable security agencies gather information faster, especially at the local level.
“It is a major tragedy; it’s a very unfortunate thing and our hearts are with the family of those who were killed in such a terrible manner.
“We are very confident and the Federal Government will continue to do what it needs to do especially in terms of trying to ensure security in the Northeast and all over Nigeria.
“You’ve heard the President and what he has to say, especially some of the new ideas around security and the security architecture which we are trying to put in place. We will get there,” the vice president added.
The World Health Organisation says the rights of women, girls and gender equality must be the focus to stop new HIV infections.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti disclosed this in her message to mark the 2020 World AIDS Day, globally celebrated on Dec.1 to raise awareness of the pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
According to Moeti, children living with HIV are not being adequately identified for treatment. Girls and women aged 15 – 24 years accounted for 37% of all new HIV infections; stigma and discrimination especially against key populations continue to create barriers to service access.
“Despite these challenges, significant progress is happening in African countries. 2020 is a milestone year towards ending AIDS epidemics and 81% of people living with HIV know their status.
Among them 70% of adults and 53% of children are receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
“Eighty five per cent of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV are on ART, which protects their health and prevents HIV transmission to their newborn infants.
“There are 38 million people living with HIV and 67% of them are living in the WHO African Region,” Moeti said.
Reports have it that in 2019, more than 1 million people in the region were newly infected with HIV, accounting for 60 per cent of the global total and sadly, 440,000 people in the region died from HIV related causes.
She urged communities, especially people living with HIV to be proactive in their self-care and in understanding how to prevent the spread of the infections.
She commended governments, partners and communities who have contributed to the progress on HIV in the Region and came up with innovative ways to keep services going during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They are also contributing to the national COVID-19 response by creating and disseminating health messages, busting myths, and raising awareness.
“In Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal, women living with HIV are serving as community pharmacists, visiting hard to reach semi-urban and rural areas to facilitate the home delivery of HIV treatment and medicines for other diseases.
To sustain and accelerate the gains made, Moeti urged governments and partners to come together, with the same level of urgency and leadership demonstrated in response to COVID-19, to increase domestic funding and strengthen health systems.
“The pandemic was making it even more challenging for countries to provide these services, particularly in areas affected by conflict, disasters, outbreaks, and rapid population growth,” she said.
“There must be global solidarity and shared responsibility among all stakeholders to ensure integrated, people-centered, quality care, and an uninterrupted supply of essential commodities for HIV services.
“This World AIDS Day let us all demand global solidarity and shared responsibility to maintain HIV services during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as we strive to achieve the 2030 targets,” Moeti added.
The Commissioner for Health in Abia State, Dr Joe Osuji says 17 members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC currently at the orientation camp at Umunna, Bende council area, have tested positive for COVID-19.
Osuji, who stated this in an interview with journalists, explained that the corps members underwent compulsory testing on arrival at the orientation camp.
He said that seven of those who tested positive have been treated and discharged, two on self-isolation while five are at the state isolation centre, Umuahia.
The commissioner complained that people are no longer observing the COVID-19 protocol in wearing face masks, while those who wear masks do wear it halfway.
He warned that the pandemic was not yet over as the virus was still ravaging many countries across the world.
The Commissioner commend the government for easing the difficulty in transporting samples of the COVID-19 test.
Osuji also noted that within the period of time the state set up a test centre, about 10,864 samples were collected and 947 tested positive.
He said that Abia has the highest sample testing centres in the South East and South-south zones.
The Commissioner further stated that 925 persons have been treated and discharged, 11 patients on self-isolation under close monitoring while 7 are currently at the treatment centres.
“In the month of July till date, testing is still ongoing in the entire 17 LGAs,”
“If somebody tests positive, we immediately begin contact tracing from family to where he or she works, that is how we have been able to contain the virus. As I speak we have almost flattened the curve, all these were made possible through the governor’s efforts,” Osuji stated.
President Muhammadu Buhari says the utilisation of Nigeria’s large gas deposits would enhance development in the country.
The President made the remark at the virtual inauguration of the National Gas Expansion Programme in Abuja.
He said the inauguration of the programme marks a milestone in the current administration’s quest to provide an alternative energy source for Nigerians.
He said: “The National Auto-Gas roll Out Initiative is a deliverable of the Natural Gas expansion Programme of government. Today’s event signals the realisation of government’s commitment to ensure the domestic utilization of the nation’s vast gas resources, which currently stands at over 2two trillion cubic feet.
“Through the development of robust gas infrastructure, expansion of gas-based industries, massive adoption of gas as auto and cooking fuel, with the overall objective of employing same as catalyst for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.
“It is an important milestone in the widening of domestic gas supply ana tge provision of cleaner, safer and better energy option for Nigerians.”
President Buhari appreciated Nigerians and Organised Labour for restraint, understanding and patience as the country tackles myriad of economic challenges, assuring that the Government is working hard to ameliorate the situation.
“Let me now express my deep appreciation to Nigerians for their patience, and Organized Labour for its maturity and patriotism as we collectively navigate these global economic and other challenges,’’ he said.
Gas as Alternative Fuel The President urged Nigerians to embrace the use of gas as an alternative to fuel.
“It is no longer news that the vast Natural Gas resources, which Nigeria is endowed with has hitherto been used sub-optimally as a result of a dearth of gas processing facilities and infrastructural connectivity for effective and optimal domestic utilization.
“As I mentioned above, with a proven reserve of about 203 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) and additional upside of 600 TCF ranking Nigeria as the 9th in the world currently, the need for domestic gas expansion and utilization is apparent,’’ he explained.
President Buhari said the deregulation of the downstream sector had exposed many to price volatilities in the global market, urging attention to more affordable alternative for energy, especially with Nigeria’s heavy reserve.
“Therefore, the roll-out of the National Gas Expansion Programme, Auto-gas initiative is coming at the right time, especially in light of global crude oil market fluctuations coupled with the full deregulation of the local PMS market.
“These developments have made it imperative to focus on gas as an alternative fuel to move Nigeria from the conventional dependence on white products for autos and prime-movers of industrial applications, to cleaner, more available, accessible and affordable energy source.
“The outcome will not only cushion the effect of the downstream deregulation that this government has to painfully implement, but also create new markets and enormous job opportunities for our people.
“I therefore encourage everyone to embrace gas in form of LPG, CNG and LNG as an alternative fuel for autos and other prime-movers,’’ he said.
The President then directed the Minister of State-Petroleum, Timipre Sylva to commence the process of handing over gas powered mass transit buses to the labour leaders, to help cushion the effects of harsh economy on the masses.
“The Minister of State Petroleum Resources is hereby directed to commence the process of hand over of mass transit buses to Organized Labour as part of our government’s pledge to continue providing support that will ease the transportation challenges Nigerians are facing at this time,’’ the President said.
Skills Development The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva said the Ministry was focusing on development of skills, technology and manpower as well as growth in the utilisation of LPG, CNG and LNG.
He added that the National Gas Expansion programme which was initiated this year to boost the utilisation of gas in the short and medium term “is expected to create two million jobs per annum, promote skills acquisition and enhance technology transfer in addition to growing the nation’s GDP.”
The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kolo Kyari informed the gathering that from 2016 to 2019, Nigerian Government had spent over three trillion Naira subsidizing the pump price of petroleum products particularly PMS, insisting that the subsidy regime did not benefit the masses that the President is passionate about.
He added that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made it impossible to continue with the onerous subsidy regime.
The National Forum of Ex-Councilors has called on president Muhammad Buhari to retained the stewardship of inspector General of Police.
Alhaji Auwal Kasim said in a statement and made available to Voice of Nigeria on Monday in Kaduna.
Kasim said “we are calling on the president and commander in chief of Nigerian armed forces to retain the stewardship of IG Mohammed Abubakar Adamu as the inspector general of Nigerian police force”
According to him, it would enable him to accomplish the good works he has introduced in police force.
He said the solidarity Support for IG Mohammed Adamu By national forum of ex-councilors of Nigeria is an umbrella of Nigerian who are professionally inclined in their life pursuits.
“One golden fact is that we are co mmitted to promotion of values and principles of humility, hard work,transparency and peaceful co-existence in Nigeria,” he said.
“The forum also noted with conscious of the present social, political, economic and security challenges ahead of us as a growing nation, which lead to persistent calls that the president should remove the security service chiefs.
” It is our candid opinion that if those calls stand vindicated in some wings of service chiefs, It is lopsided in the case of Nigerian police force headed by the hardworking IG Mohammad Abubakar Adamu.
According to the forum, Its clear on record that IG Mohammad Adamu has move Nigerian police force to the next level on service delivery.
They said that his tenure brought discipline into the operational modules of the force, Training and retaining of its personnels was given the deserve attention.
“He makes sure that the moral of its pesonnels is given face lift through good welfare packages…… transportation and housing programs for the comfort of its personnels” he said.
Niger State government has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC to reconsider it’s stance over embarking of planned strike action due to fifty percent deduction of the State’s Civil Servants Salaries by the government.
The State Chapter of the NLC had planned to embark on a strike action on 2nd Of November, 2020,due to a deadlock on agreement with Officials of the State government on the salaries deduction.
The Niger State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris, Who made the appeal while briefing the media in Minna the state Capital, explained that the planned deferment of Civil Servants salaries for the months of November and December by the state government followed the dwindling resources due to short fall in Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue occasioned by CoronaVirus pandemic.
He reminded labour leaders that the problem was not only peculiar to Niger state alone but a general phenomenon that has affected thirty six states of Nigeria and Abuja.
“The Niger state government received four point two billion naira from Federation Account for this month as against the over five billion naira in which salaries and related matters alone gullfed about two point nine billion naira, while about five hundred million naira has been earmarked for pension along with Contributory Pension Scheme of two hundred and ten million naira,” Sani Idris explained.
The Niger state Commissioner of Information and Strategy further said most ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state have forfeited their overhead cost to enable government meet it’s other obligations.
“Niger state government will not lower it’s momentum in discharging it’s responsibilities to the best of it’s ability, as it can’t compromise on issue of security that would guarantee peace and economic prosperity,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris who said that most of Niger state government projects are on bond, also urged labour leaders in the state to come to term with the government to see things in their clearer perspective.
The Nigeria police has reiterated its resolve to prevent the outbreak of crisis between communities in Cross River State.
The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, Abdulkadir Jimoh said this after his men apprehended an arms dealer and promoter of communal war in Etung local government area.
Jimoh remarked that the command had intensified its patrol of villages, particularly around communities flagged as hotspots for crisis within the state.
He said, “since we deployed our officers and men to the communities especially those noted for communal war, we have been getting positive results.
“for instance, due to the vigilance of the Etung Division patrol team while on a routine stop and search, we arrested a 52 years old man alleged to be dealing in arms and ammunitions as well as a promoter of wars across communities,” Jimoh stated.
According to the Police Commissioner, “the patrol team intercepted the man with 299 live cartridges concealed in a black bag. We are currently carrying out investigations and would charge him to court as soon as we conclude”.
It would be recalled that recently, the Cross River State command of the Nigeria Police Force deployed over 288 special constables to work within their communities as part of efforts to boost policing and put an end to communal wars.
The United Nations refugee agency appealed on Tuesday to Ethiopian authorities for access to 96,000 Eritrean refugees in the northern Tigray region, where it said food is believed to have run out during the month-long conflict.
The spokesman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Babar Baloch, told a Geneva news briefing
“Our extreme worry is that we hear about attacks, the fighting near the camps, we hear about abductions and forced removals, so this is very important for us to have that access to go and see what has happened over there,” he said.
