MEDICAL doctors in Nigerian government hospitals, under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands.
The association in a letter addressed to the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, signed by its President, Dr Emeka Innocent Orji, said processes for the strike would commence if the issues are not addressed before its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting slated for January 24th to 28th.
Parts of the letter read: “Sir, our January 2023 National Executive Council meeting has been scheduled for January 24th to 28th, 2023, and we can confirm very clearly feelers that if these issues are not sorted out before that meeting, our members will likely give us a mandate to immediately kick-start processes that will lead to a nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.”
The association had earlier issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago over irregularities in the new circular on an upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016, and non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of its members.
Other issues include the delay in the upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure(CONMESS), salary arrears of its members in state tertiary health institutions running into several months, including Abia, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti and Gombe States, and non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) in most states across the Federation.
However, NARD appreciated the government for its efforts in resolving some of the issues raised and asked that attention be given to other pending issues.
The association said the major ones amongst them are; “Omitted 2020 MRTF payment, irregularities in the new MRTF circular inconsistent with the Medical Residency Training Act, existing collective bargaining agreements and current economic realities and review of CONMESS salary structure.”
“Sir, we know how critical this period is and the chaos that will ensue if the government does not take steps to prevent this from happening, and so we humbly implore you to use your good office to resolve these issues before our January NEC meeting. Sir, we trust in your fatherly disposition and believe that you will come to our aid and save this nation from this imminent industrial disharmony,” the letter added.
The letter was also forwarded to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of Federation, Minister of Labour and Finance respectively, as well as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum( NGF), among others.
Nominees can be reporters, editors, technologists, media managers, or citizen journalists who are from and work in Africa, Asia, Central/Eastern Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, or the Middle East.
The competition recognises outstanding visual stories documenting systemic changes leading to sustainable solutions to global issues.
All entries must have between six and 30 photographs related to a specific theme. The submission may also have a multimedia component to supplement the still images.
The entry fee is US$30. Scholarships are available for photographers from countries without access to credit cards or where there the entry fee would be prohibitive.
Professional and amateur photographers around the world can compete for a US$2,500 award.
First-place winners will be featured in ZEKE magazine and in a traveling exhibition.
The deadline for the submission of entries is January 21, 2023. Interested applicants can apply here.
THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has ranked the National Lottery Trust Fund and the Federal Ministry of Environment as the top performing agencies in its latest Ethics and Transparency Index Report released on Monday, January 10.
The National Lottery Trust Fund (86.05), Federal Ministry of Environment (85.78), National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency, Kaduna (85.46), National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (82.6) and the State House, Abuja (82.00) are the top five ranked agencies in the report.
The report is line with the ICPC mandate and the ranking is carried out by deploying the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) in Federal Government’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to assess their compliance with extant ethical, integrity, statutory, policy and regulatory standards and practices.
The assessment is part of the Commission’s preventive mandate as provided in Section 6(b)-(d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Meanwhile, the anti-graft body ranked the Ministries of Finance, Power and Education as the lowest agencies in the latest report.
The index showed that 260 MDAs responded and were rated according to the degree of compliance with the scoring criteria.
Fifty-two agencies scored zero in the ranking; prominent among those in this category include the Federal Ministry of Education, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, National Judicial Institute, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, National Bureau of Statistics and the National Pension Commission.
The Ministry of Power scored below the integrity and ethics passmark of 50 as the ministry got a total score of 46.15. It is closely followed by the Ministry of Finance with a score of 42.45.
Also, the Ministries of Information, Niger Delta Affairs, and Health got a total score of 42.10.
Other ministries with low ranking are the Federal Ministries of Water Resources (35.50), Labour and Employment (32.48) and Ministry of Justice (18.95).
It was also noted that about 15 MDAs scored below 30.
According to the ICPC, the Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) is central to the functions of the Commission as provided for in Section 6 (b-d) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
The scorecard evaluates MDA’s compliance with ethics, integrity, statutes, policies and regulations based on three key performance indicators (KPIs): Management Culture and Structure (MCS), Financial Management Systems (FMS) and Administrative Systems (AS).
The Commission deployed the scorecard in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
NIGERIA and five other African countries are set to participate in 14th session of the conference of ministers meeting of Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
The FWC is an intergovernmental organisation dealing with regional cooperation in fisheries among its members States.
According to a statement released by the committee, the session themed “Supporting effective fisheries management for a sustainable blue economy” would be held between 11th and 13th of January in Accra, Ghana, in-person and virtually.
Relevant ministers of the six FCWC Member States – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo – are expected to attend the meeting.
“The Ministerial Conference on 13 January 2023 will be preceded by a two-day Advisory and Coordinating Committee (ACC) session gathering regional and international partners and national directors in charge of fisheries and aquaculture development in the region, on 11 & 12 January 2023,” the statement said.
“The session’s participants will deliberate on the theme, review the past year’s results, and agree on a workplan and budget for the 2023/2024 period to be submitted to the Ministers to adopt.
“The FCWC is actively working toward contributing to ocean economy development and the achievement of UN SDGs by countries of this region. Therefore, the organisation as a regional advisory body is prioritizing effective fisheries management, the improved implementation of fisheries policy and management plans (including determining the feasibility of a regional closed season) to rebuild the fisheries stock, sustain the economy and enhance the food security of the region.”
The meeting will provide an opportunity for the six member states to commit to harmonize policy and common actions to be taken to address depleting fisheries stocks and develop aquaculture in the region under the ECOWAS integrated fisheries and aquaculture development policy.
A promise to establish Atiba FM Radio project by the late Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, remains unfulfilled as its entire site is covered with wild grass and the station is non-operational.
The project was later adopted by the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde, who first reportedly approved the release of N22 million to pay off Ajimobi’s unnamed contractor, and, later another N100 million to Mufutau Iyiola Raheem-led contracting firm, Rahvet International Limited, to execute and complete the project.
YUSUF ADUA visited the radio station’s proposed site, where he witnessed firsthand that it is yet a mirage despite millions of monies released for its execution and completion.
Atiba FM, dead on arrival
THE WILDS best describes the location of the proposed Atiba FM site as this reporter stood gazing at nothingness on October 24 and November 3, 2022, respectively. There was no clear inlet or outlet to what could be the structure to house the media outlet.
Under a scorching sun, the reporter circled the whole stretch of the thick bush trying to find Atiba FM building, but there was neither workers nor any other living being to ask for directions. With no radio station in sight and its building fallow, passersby hinted that work had long stopped on the project, if there ever was any.
Site bush suddenly gets cleared
This reporter still did another round in an attempt to see someone to speak with at the site, but other sets of bystanders, who said they are residents of the area, yelled: “You better don’t bother yourself, you wont see anything else more than what you are seeing.”
With two successions of state governments, Ajimobi’s undisclosed sum, and Makindes 2021 refund with millions of naira aside from the N100 million that was announced and released to the contractor reported by media ; yet, the latter has not commenced, let alone complete project. Only worn-out blocks of slabs are seen shabbily amid the thick shrubs surrounding the allocated spot.
Three weeks later, the reporter returned to the site only to see some men clearing the bush; but none of them was willing to speak with him. One, however, disclosed on the condition of anonymity that a notable radio broadcaster in Ibadan, Oriyojmi Hamzat, was previously seen on the site and purportedly gave a guard named Taofeek Jimoh, N50,000 for him and some other residents to clear the bush that had engulfed the site.
He was told that they had been cautioned not to disclose the tracking of the radio project should anyone come asking for it.
Still following up, the reporter made three separate visits to the site after the clearing, and on each occasion, he was greeted by deluge of litters dumped by passersby at the cleared-up site in place of a radio station structure.
The only visible structure, seen by the reporter, is the security booth close to the entrance and one other block possibly used for minor administrative works.
My Action was purely humanitarian to avert dangers to human life – Oriyomi
To know why he paid for the clearing of the bush at the proposed Atiba FM site, this reporter made several weeks’ attempts to see Oriyomi Hamzat in his office.
Asked why he took that decision and instructed the men not to disclose the tracking of the radio project, Oriyomi said he simply responded to a distress call on his radio programme Awa Arawa – a Yoruba magazine programme on Agidigbo FM in Oyo State.
He said, “Honestly, I know nothing about the project and wouldn’t have given such instructions as claimed. One day on my programme, I received a distress call that the site has become a public defecation and security threats menace. So I visited the place and paid the mowers to clear the bush because it was impossible to enter the place. I had no background information other than being told it was an abandoned project. So, I responded with pure humanitarian intention to avert dangers to the lives of the residents.”
Oriyomi was also asked if he made any follow-up attempts with the government thereafter. He said, “I did not make any findings because, as I said, till date, I don’t know anything about the project. I was briefed as an on-air media personality that the bush was becoming a threat, and I acted in good faith. That’s all.”
A community quest for a media outlet
The desire to have a community heritage shined bright in a chieftain’s heart on a late Friday afternoon in October when this reporter visited Ayo Ladigbolu an Archbishop.
He said in 2021, “officials of current Oyo State government agents came to our town days to present the 2022 budget. They informed us that N100 million has been reserved for the continuance of Atiba FM, initially mooted by the previous government. I didn’t know whether to believe them or not, but I kept an open mind.”
He said the concept of community radio in Oyo town dated back to 2009 through their sociocultural group called Oyo Metro Development Association (OMDA).
Years back, the Oyo town development roadmap included having a viable communication medium that would embody the ancient city’s heritage. To build on that on March 17, 2010, the sociocultural group sent a letter of intent to the communication council in Abuja to request the modalities and facilities required to obtain a radio license.
“The federal government sent us a brochure comprising what we needed to do. With myself as chairman and other prominent Oyo indigenes as executive members, we promptly commenced work towards actualising the station.”
“So, we quickly contracted the Atiba FM project to Solas Global Services, having garnered N2,441,000 in donations from excited Oyo indigenes and the local government chairmen in early 2011. But we couldn’t push its establishment to the finish line because the 310 feet antenna we erected fell twice, destroying homes nearby. Later, our attempts to rejig again after that didn’t fly,” Ladigbolu said.
A retired civil servant and former staff of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Yekeen Oyeleke, said the present site of the station was once a product of three structures that were demolished to give space for Atiba FM, which has never come to fruition.
“This was the location for the state Ministry of Information, office of the Local Education Officers and a community hall donated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to honour an indigene who was their worker for having served diligently while in service.”
“It is, therefore, incomprehensible that the purpose of demolishing three community treasures is yet to be achieved over a decade later despite government consistent promises”, Oyeleke said.
Governments promise and fail game
Due to OMDAs inability to execute the radio station project given the disasters encountered, its members approached the state government to take it over. That was how its executives on April 14, 2011, met with the late state Governor Alao Akala and showed him what had been done on the project , Ladigbolu recounted.
He said that was also how Ajimobi inherited the project when he assumed office in May 2011. “And just like Akala, Ajimobi also did not allot any money for the project. And though he told us that he sympathised with the community and assured us that work would promptly commence on the project, but he only kept promising and failing the Oyo people till his tenure was over.”
“Unfortunately, nothing was done on the project or its site aside from the fact that two months later, on July 10, 2011, a delegation of engineers was sent from the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), to inspect and evaluate the place.”
“That was where it ended until 2015 while vying for a second term; he renewed the promise that the radio station would commence operation within three to four months. He sounded so persuasive our optimism was aroused again, and without wasting time, Ajimobi awarded the contract initiating the station’s structure,” Ladigbolu said.
He added that “So, in brief, that’s how governments supposedly spent millions have yielded nothing visible to attest that Atiba FM could be realised anytime soon. And this is what has made us residents of the four local government areas it is intended to serve to be asking questions on oodles of monies the two successive governments had expended?”
Another resident, Akeem Ademola, an artisan, said the situation is as it is because successive governments have used the proposed station to delude Oyo residents with promises that it would hit the airwaves soonest. Yet, it is all to no avail.
On the search for official facts…
To obtain government’s perspectives on the controversies surrounding Atiba FM, the reporter reached out to the former Chief Press Secretary (CPS), to the late Governor Ajimobi, Bolaji Tunji, who said he did not know much about the project. He, however, said he learnt that it was discontinued because the governor was dissatisfied with the services of the contractor.
Back on August 11, 2021, Governor Seyi Makinde was reported to have approved the release of N100 million, for the new contract of Atiba FM station awarded to Rahvet International Limited headed by Muftau Raheem.
Further quest for facts brought the reporter in contact with a previous guard of the site, Muyideen Adesiyan, who explained that it was the contractor who initially employed him to look after the site. However, since 2017, the contractor stopped responding to his calls and refused to send his monthly remuneration.
Suddenly, he told me not to call him again because the government had refused to pay him for his services, and so the project would no longer go on. That was when I deleted the contractor’s contact.
A top government official told this reporter in confidence that the late Ajimobi, on the verge of launching Atiba FM had asked the contractor to execute the project with his own funds, and that he would be reimbursed by the state government at the end of the project.
Asking the late Ajimobi CPS, Tunji to clarify this, he said: “It was true that the administration used that strategy to ensure that all awarded contracts were satisfactorily completed. And the major reason the incumbent government did not disclose the contractors contact details was because it was private information, not because there was anything to hide.”
But when asked, both the CPS, Bolaji Tunji, and the former security guard, Muyideen Adesiyan do not have the contractor’s contact information.
Following the millions expended on the project
To follow the millions expended on this project by asking for government officials’ clarifications, the reporter spoke with the top Ministry of Public Works officials, who said that Atiba FMs construction is being supervised by the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) and directed him to go there.
However, days later, the reporter met BCOSs executive chairman, Dotun Oyelade, and asked him to explain why monies spent on the project by the late Ajimobi is not on any record in the state; he said: As soon as I assumed office as BCOS chairman, I searched thoroughly for records and documents regarding the activities of this body, but I am surprised me that records binding on this body in its past eight years are missing. I personally contacted the office of the Secretary to the State Government if documents and records would be kept there, but no records were found.”
He, however, added that his agency had not received any money from the state government adding that they have actually been expecting funds since 2021.
Asked who paid the former contractor off – the government or BCOS, he said “I don’t have any answer to what I know nothing about. I have never been in any meeting at any time government met with the former contractor, so, I dont know if he was paid off or not; I am certainly not involved”.
However, when this reporter asked the contractor, Muftau Raheem, to explain what has been delaying the completion of Atiba FM since it was handed to him, he declined to comment.
“My brother, I cannot speak with you on this matter. My employer, the state government, is the only authority allowed to speak on this matter. All I can say is work is ongoing”, he said.
But he said he knew that the state government paid off the former contractor after valuing what he did on the site at N22 million, before handling the project to him to finish up; adding that there were other issues connected to the project as handled by the previous government he is not competent to speak about
Asked how much he had received and what procurement process was applied in his getting the job, Raheem declined to respond to the questions. He only said the project would be delivered soon.
When the reporter told him the current governments reported position; he discontinued from speaking further and wouldn’t pick his calls again.
However, the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on June 14, 2022, said the government had added money for Rahvet to finish off the project and would commission Atiba FM before the end of his tenure in 2023.
Despite the reporter’s back and forth, efforts to obtain a documented records for this project, especially on how much the current contractor had received, how much the state government paid off the former contractor, as well as who did they payment, still remain everyone spoken with kept mute on that.
NIGERIANS move into the new year with many expectations ranging from improvement in the nation’s economy, security, education, and health, among others.
They have gone through the past years with a blend of dashed hopes and democratic gains from the government.
The health sector has its fair share of the ills and growth the nation has experienced since it returned to democracy on May 29, 1999.
While the past years, especially under President Muhammadu Buhari, have witnessed improved budgets and infrastructural growth in the health sector, the rate of brain drain arising primarily from poor welfare and insecurity has widened.
The ICIR reports that the country has strengthened its disease surveillance system through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), which provides regular disease updates for citizens. It remains more committed to immunisation and other maternal and childcare issues through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
While it has made significant strides in curbing drug counterfeiting and production and use of unapproved cosmetics in many cities in the nation, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) fails to replicate the feat in sprawling villages and settlements across the country. The lapse puts many lives at the mercy of unscrupulous elements whose greed for wealth knows no bound.
The report, among others, exposed how NAFDAC failed to safeguard the health of Nigerians, which is the major reason it exists.
Similarly, after 62 years of independence, the Federal Government provided a pathway for universal health coverage for Nigerians through the National Health Insurance Authority Bill signed into law by President Buhari in May 2022.
Issues to watch in for in the health sector in 2023
Budget performance
The country has got its biggest budget ever – over a trillion Naira.
President Buhari signed the 2023 Appropriation Act containing N1,075 trillion for the sector on January 3.
In the new budget, personnel cost takes N564.4 billion, overhead gulps N16.3 billion, N404 billion goes to capital projects, and the government allocates N47.6 billion to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Others are multilateral aids and grants – N2.5 billion – and retained independent revenue N62.6 billion.
How the government will implement the 2023 budget during an election year remains a concern to Nigerians.
How health budgets have fared under Buhari
In 2016, the Federal Government had a budget of 6.06 trillion, out of which it earmarked N550 billion for the health sector. The amount represented 4.1 per cent of the budget.
Some of the equipment purchased with the COVID-19 Intervention Fund at the ICU unit of JUTH
In 2017, the total budget was 7.4 trillion. The health sector got 304.1 billion, representing 4.0 per cent. Capital allocation for the year was N51.3 billion, while recurrent expenditure gulped 252.8 billion.
The year 2018 saw a further decline in the percentage of the health budget to the national budget. The total federal budget was 9.1 trillion that year, from which the sector received 356.4 billion. Recurrent expenditure was 269.9 billion, while the capital budget was 86.4 billion.
In 2020, the government reduced budget allocation to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund by more than 40 per cent, from N44.4 billion to N25.5 billion.
The government’s 2021 budget was 13.6 trillion. It earmarked N514 billion for the sector.
Recurrent and capital took N380 billion and N134 billion, respectively.
Similarly, in 2022, of the N17.1 trillion budget signed by President Buhari, the sector took N724 billion, representing 4.2 per cent of the budget.
However, the yearly budget for health by the Nigerian government does not include state and local government funds for health.
They do not include funds from international development agencies such as the World Health Organization, United Nations Children Fund, United Nations Population Fund, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Marie Stopes, Pathfinder International, and World Bank, among others.
The ICIR reports that the Nigerian government has consistently failed to honour the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which requires all heads of government in Africa to commit 15 per cent of their annual budget to their health sector.
Maternal and child health
The World Health Organization (WHO) data shows that the neo-natal maternity rate per live 1,000 births is 35.45. The infant mortality rate (probability of dying between birth and age one per 1,000 live births is 72.24. Under-five mortality rate (probability of dying by age five per 1,000 live births) is 113.8.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS) shows that the maternal mortality ratio is 512 deaths per 100,000 live births.
This newspaper notes that because of advancements in technology and further scientific breakthroughs in health, the nation should do more to save the lives of women and children in 2023.
Workers strike
Unlike the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities that crippled public universities in 2022, the health sector enjoyed relatively hitch-free services.
None of the national bodies of health workers’ unions, including doctors’ unions, declared a strike. But a few, such as the Cross River State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, embarked on strike over the abduction of their colleagues.
Nigerians will receive uninterrupted services if workers at the facilities shun industrial action and the government meets their needs this year.
Previously, the strike by different groups of professionals in the sector stalled services in public hospitals.
A major concern in the sector in 2022 was the alarming rate of emigration of health professionals from the country.
Multiple reports showed how doctors, medical laboratory scientists, nurses, midwives and other experts left the country in droves for jobs abroad.
Many of them blamed the migration on plummeting economy, unprecedented insecurity and poor welfare.
The ICIR reported how the nation lost nearly nine thousand doctors to the UK and others in two years.
Other outlets have similar reports, some of which are here, here and here.
Female health workers attending to patients in a Nigerian hospital. Source: Citifmonline
Reports done by the ICIR in 2022 in select hospitals across five geo-political zones on the impacts of the COVID-19 Intervention Fund on the facilities further attest to the high rate of doctors’ migration from the nation.
Part 1, Section 11 of the National Health Act (2014)established the BHCPF.
The BHCPF is catalytic funding to improve access to primary health care. It serves to fund the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS), increase the fiscal space for health, strengthen the national health system, particularly at the primary health care (PHC) level by making provision for routine daily operation cost of PHCs, and ensure access to health care for all, particularly the poor, thus contributing to overall national productivity.
Some of the investigations by The ICIR on the effectiveness or otherwise of the BHCPF in 2022 are available here.
There is a need for increased funding for the programme, while states yet to key into the scheme should embrace it in 2023.
Disease burden: More sensitisation and intervention needed
Nigeria currently leads the rest of the world in malaria burden and death, contributing about a quarter of global morbidities and fatalities from the disease.
Neglected Tropical Diseases need more government attention to free the nation from them. Nigeria has the most NTDs globally.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, have continued to increase.
The National Cancer Society claimed in 2022 that only ten cancer machines (radiotherapy machines) worked in the country.
In 2023, the government should intensify the campaign against behavioural patterns or lifestyles that promote the conditions. It should also acquire more equipment in the hospitals to combat the diseases.
In 2023, the government will do more to tackle cholera, Lassa Fever and M-Pox, which have remained a yearly puzzle for the nation.
Family planning
The government should invest more in family planning commodities and fund sex education across age groups.
There should be more campaigns on the gains family derives from having the number of children they can train.
More emphasis should be placed on the consequences of maintaining a large and poor family.
The country’s population is currently about 220 million, with the majority living in abject poverty and lacking jobs.
Tackling malnutrition, water and sanitation
The year 2023 should witness improved attention to malnutrition. Children with acute malnutrition need care.
At least 17 million children are malnourished in the country. Nigerians hope to see what the tiers of government will do to save the affected children.
Besides, the government needs to increase awareness of the need for good sanitation in the new year.
More safe water should also be available to people in the country to make the population live healthier and enjoy a happy life.
In August, The ICIRreported how Kogi and Niger led other states and the Federal Capital Territory in open defecation.
THE Lagos State Police Command has vowed to deal decisively with any person or group of persons found disturbing the peace of the state.
The State Police Commissioner, Abiodun Alabi, issued the warning in a statement released by the Command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, on Monday, January 9.
Alabi said that the warning became imperative following the attack on police officers, who dispersed an unlawful gathering by Yoruba Nation activists in the early hours of Monday in the Ojota area of the state.
The protest left one person dead while two police officers sustained injuries. The protesters also vandalised several vehicles.
Alabi said that the Command was not averse to people’s right to freedom of assembly, association and expression.
However, he noted that the Command would equally live up to its mandate of ensuring that no person or group of persons was allowed to infringe on the fundamental human rights of others.
The police boss called on stakeholders, including “parents, guardians, opinion, religious, community, political, and traditional leaders, to warn their children, wards, constituents, and followers to desist from all forms of unlawful actions”.
Alabi warned that the Command would not tolerate the slightest form of attack on its personnel or the residents of Lagos State.
He enjoined all peace-loving Lagosians to go about their lawful duties without fear of harassment or intimidation.
The police commissioner assured the people that adequate security assets had been strategically deployed to ensure their safety and security.
PRESIDENT of the Igueben Area Customary Court in Edo State Precious Aigbonoga was abducted by gunmen on her way to the courthouse on Monday, January 9.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Chapter, Festus Usiobaifo, who noted that the abductee is married to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the state House of Assembly election, Afebu Aigbonoga.
“The Chairman of the Lion Bar, Chief Nosa Francis Edo-Osagie, is deeply sad by this news and condemns, in strong terms, the worrisome insensitivity of these bandits in kidnapping Mrs Precious Aigbonoga, an easygoing, gentle and hard working judicial officer.
“Meanwhile the Dream Team is in close touch with the Commissioner of Police, C.P. Mohammed Adamu Dankwara. By the grace of God Almighty, His Honour shall be rescued unhurt, and the bandits brought to book, ” the NBA Benin chapter publicity secretary said in the statement.
Gunmen also abducted a former Edo State House of Assembly member Festus Edughele on Monday in Ubiaja.
Confirming the incident, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly Festus Ebea said Edughele was abducted while on his way to the Benin airport.
“He had intended to take the train for Ubiaja but he could not do so since the train services had been suspended.
“The family is aware of his kidnap, the police division in that area has been informed and we hope action will be taken to rescue him,” he said.
The abductions occurred barely two days after over 32 intending travellers were abducted at a train station in Igueben, Edo State.
The abductors invaded the train station welding guns and shooting sporadically into the air, leaving many travellers injured before fleeing with their captives.
THE Ondo State government has disclosed that it will spend N3.2 billion on security this year.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan, made the disclosure while presenting the 2023 budget analysis to journalists in Akure, on Monday, January 9.
He said N2 billion was earmarked to provide security hardware for the Ondo State Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun.
“Provision of security hardware for Amotekun, N2 billion; procurement of security vehicles, N500 million; provision of security equipment/infrastructure, N700 million,” he noted.
He added that N5 million will use to purchase 10 motorcycles for court bailiffs and security personnel, as well as other staff.
The commissioner said the budget was prepared from the inputs garnered from Town Hall meetings with various stakeholders across the state including farmers, market women, youths, professional bodies, persons with disabilities and the organised private sector.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu had, on December 5, 2022, presented a total budget proposal of N272.73 billion to the state House of Assembly, but the lawmakers passed N275. 98 billion, which he signed into law in December.
