The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai has launched a public address system, “Peace FM”, in Maiduguri, Borno State, the operational headquarters of the counter insurgency operations also called “Operation Lafiya Dole”.
The Project is aimed at de-indoctrinating and dissuading the Boko Haram insurgents from continued terrorism.
Buratai, who was in Maiduguri to commission the project along with over a dozen office and housing projects at the Maimalari Cantonment, disclosed that the new public address system is in line with the Nigerian Army information policy on fighting insurgency and terrorism in the Northeast region.
He said that the military had previously been using leaflets and other means in dissemination of information as well as discouraging individuals; especially the terrorists from carrying out atrocities, but all that has changed with the new system.
“We have gotten the Peace FM; which is operating very well and I think we are going mobile. This is a very good initiative by the Theatre Commander and his officers. This will help to further ensure that the right information is passed to the public.”
He asked the Theatre Commander and other operators of the public address system to go to all public places such as the motor parks, Markets, etc; to educate the people on what the military is doing to bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end.
Buratai expressed optimism that the project could help in dissuading the insurgents from terrorism.
“We will be able to dissuade them in this manner. Some of them may even come with the intention of attacking the people. But when we appeal to them in those places they may decide to drop whatever they are carrying,” Buratai Said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the authorities in Saudi Arabia over the bomb attacks that occurred in the holy city of Medina on Monday.
President Buhari said that the development was a desecration of all that was sacred and holy, as it took place near the Prophet’s Mosque, and on one of the holy days of Ramadan.
“The merchants of evil have once again shown that there is nothing religious in their mindless acts, by striking near the Prophet’s Mosque. It validates the claim that terrorism really has nothing to do with Islam. Purveyors of terror are simply agents of the devil,” President Buhari said.
He stressed that the fact that the Madina bombing came the same day as a suicide bomber struck near the US Consulate in Jeddah, also in Saudi Arabia, shows that it was an orchestrated plan to foul up the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
President Buhari said terrorism no longer respects international boundaries, and urged nations to remain vigilant, “so that we can collectively beat the forces of darkness on the prowl round the globe.”
Around the world and around the clock, let us be alert,” he said, “And we would remain free and safe. With our collective resolve, we shall beat terrorism,” the President concluded.
Three suicide bombers attacked three different cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The attack that took place near the Prophet’s Mosque – Islam’s second holiest site – in Medina killed four guards, while only the bombers died in Jeddah and Qatif.
Saudi Arabia’s highest religious body has denounced the attacks, describing them as a violation of “everything that is sacred”.
No group has yet said it was behind the attacks, but suspicion has fallen on the so-called Islamic State terrorist group.
Political and Religious leaders across Nigeria are felicitating with the Muslim ummah as they get set to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
During the 30-day Ramadan period which is the holiest month in the Islamic calender, muslim faithful engaged in fasting and other forms of religious observations in order to be closer to God.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his messages urged the Muslim Ummah in the country to sustain the values and virtues which the Holy month of Ramadan taught them in the last one month.
Saraki also urged all Nigerians to remain steadfast and prayerful in the face of daunting socio-economic challenges, while also calling on thee Boko Haram insurgents and other agents of destabilisation across the country to retrace their steps and give peace a chance in the spirit of the Eid-el-Fitri.
Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President also released a felicitation message calling on Nigerian Muslims to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitri to pray for divine intervention in the face of the various forms of difficulties confronting the nation.
Ekweremadu called for unity and concerted efforts among Nigerians, irrespective of their various religious, tribal and political inclinations.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, also called on Muslims to use the period of Eid- el- Fitri to pray for Nigeria to overcome its present challenges.
The Speaker also called for prayers for the success of the country’s leadership under President Muhammadu Buhari for God to continue to guide, give him the wisdom to steer the affairs of the state and actualise the change agenda.
Dogara further affirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to upholding the tenets of democracy and championing the cause of the electorates at all times.
In the same vein, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Sa’ad Abubakar III, also urged the Muslim community to pray fervently against all forces against the economic well-being of Nigerians.
Abubakar, speaking through the Secretary-General, Jama’atu Nasrl Islam, Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, advised Muslims to live a good life as every man shall account for their actions and inaction during and after the Ramadan.
The Sultan on Monday night declared that Wednesday, June 6, will be the day for the Eid-el-Fitri celebration due to non-sighting of the moon on Monday.
Niger State governor, Abubakar Bello in his own Eid-el-Fitri message said the situation in the country now calls for more sacrifice on the part of the leaders and the led, stressing that there is a reward for every sacrificial effort.
He called on all Nigerians, especially citizens of Niger State to be optimistic as the on-going economic meltdown would soon become history.
“This year’s Eid el-Fitr has come at a very critical time in the history of our beloved State and indeed Nigeria and for us to effectively weather the storm now, we as a people, must be ready to make some sacrifices for a reward of better tomorrow,” Governor Bello said.
The Federal Government has extended the Eid-el-Fitri holidays to Wednesday and Thursday.
Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau made this known through a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, saying the decision was as a result of the non-sighting of the moon which signifies the end of the Ramadan fast and the beginning of the Eid-el-Fitri celebrations.
The Federal Government had declared Tuesday, 5th and Wednesday, 6th July, 2016 as public holiday through a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bassey Akpanyung, urging Nigerians to use the period to reflect and pray for harmony, unity and peaceful co-existence in the country.
The Kano State Police Command has called on worshipers attending Eid-el-Fitri prayers on Wednesday to avoid taking unnecessary objects other than their praying mats to the eid ground.
This is to avert unnecessary break down of law and order, as well as to checkmate whoever wanted to use the occasion to foment trouble and ensure a Sallah free crisis.
The command also advised people attending recreational centers and places of gatherings during the Sallah celebrations to be extra vigilant by taking good cognizance of people and objects around them, with a view to report any suspicious move to security agencies.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Magaji Majia , on behalf of the state commissioner , CP Muhammed Dikko on Tuesday.
His words “As this year’s Ramadan Fasting comes to an end and celebrations for Eid-el Fitir comes forth, the Kano State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that security arrangement has been made to ensure a free and successful celebrations, and hereby call on good people of the State to heed to the following advice”.
The statement added that parents and guardians should accompany their children with adults to guide them throughout the festivities. This is to checkmate the rampant cases of missing children.
Motorist should strictly obey traffic rules and regulations and avoid reckless and dangerous driving, over speeding and racing so as to minimize cases of accident throughout the festive period and beyond. While under aged children and unlicensed persons are not allowed to operate motor vehicles.
The command said: “The good people of the State are enjoined to bear with the Police and other sister security agencies during the conduct of stop and search around some selected areas. The aim is to perfect a hitch free Sallah celebrations and beyond.
“The general public is advised to continue cooperating with all security agencies in the State especially the Federal Road Safety Corps, Civil Defense Corps, KAROTA, Hisbah, Vigilante group and other civil volunteers who are out to maintain law and order.
“The public is also urged to use the occasion to pray for our Country and the new IGP and his Management Team for Allah’s guidance as he steer the affairs of the Nigeria Police. We should also pray for continuous peace, tranquility and economic development of Kano State and our dear Nation.”
The command also urged the Public to continue to report any suspicious character or object to the nearest Police Station/Security outfit for necessary action or to call our emergency lines as follows; 08032419754, 08123821575.
In about 10 days, residents of Shagari Estate, Yola in Adamawa State, were forced to abandon their houses twice in the middle of the night and seek shelter in churches and a primary school because their estate and houses were flooded with water.
The first incident occurred on June 20, 2015 around midnight. While people still counted their losses, the second one happened 10 days later at the same time. Like they did the first time, parents woke their children up and picked whatever they could as they scampered in the heavy rain to a Baptist Church in the estate which was not too impacted by the deluge. Others headed to a primary school in the area.
Streets were flooded, houses filled and properties damaged, including foodstuff and important documents. Livestock and poultries were also affected. The total value of properties damaged is over N25 million, residents estimated.
“That of today is worse than the last one. Virtually every house in the estate is affected. Our properties have been damaged, including vital documents. We have never had it this bad. We were far better off before work was done in the estate,” Linus Kwache, a resident and lecturer with the Federal University of Technology, Yola, said.
Salvaged personal effects
The work Kwache referred to was a contract awarded for the construction of flood and erosion control structures in the community. The N224 million contract was awarded in 2011 to Ecosystems Consults Limited by the Ecological Fund Office, EFO, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment.
An investigation by the icirnigeira.org revealed how funds under the EFO were squandered and diverted, leaving thousands of Nigerians exposed to serious consequences, including loss of livelihood and death.
Established in 1981, the EFO was created to solve serious ecological problems such as soil erosion, flooding, drought, desertification, oil spillage, general environmental pollution, storms, tornadoes, bush fires, crop pests, landslides, earthquakes, as well as prevent suffering and possible deaths from these natural disasters.
EFO is domiciled in the Presidency and money is released only with the approval of the President. Also, a contractor does not get paid, despite the issuance of Interim Payment Certificate, unless EFO gives the go – ahead after sending its staff to monitor and inspect the project, that work has been done.
However, all these are mere theories, as investigations showed that the ecological fund is more of a slush fund than succour to distressed communities.
In the case of Shagari Estate, Ecosystems Consults only moved to site in 2013 and by the end of 2014, its work was curiously certified 100 percent complete by EFO and money was fully paid. However, just as the saying goes that he who wears the shoe knows where it pinches; the residents knew the contractor did a bad job.
“We told the contractor that there was need for the drainages to be made in such a way to make flow of water easy but he refused,” a resident, Anthony Sawa, said.
They knew that judging by the quality of work done they would be in trouble whenever it rained heavily. Thus, they tried to convince the contractor, sometimes applying pressure, to reason with them and do a good job but he refused, boasting that they had no power to make him do the work their own way.
Thus, they decided to seek the intervention of the supervising ministry and in 2014 they wrote to the ministry of environment.
“The work is characterised by poor, shoddy and substandard quality; low depth of drainage; poor foundation and inadequate mixture of concrete; lack of consistency and continuation of drainage leading to blockage and over flooding; water retention from undispersed heaps of soil,” the letter, dated October 24, 2014, read in part.
Nothing was heard from the ministry and in 2015, they wrote another letter signed by 143 landlords calling on the ministry to come to their aid, as they feared they were in grave danger. Someone was sent from the ministry to the estate and promises were made that the contractor would be asked to return and correct the anomalies.
Shockingly, the residents claimed the contractor boldly told them nothing would come out of the promises because once he gave the ministry official money, that would be the end of the matter.
Truly, nothing was done but due to late commencement of rain in 2015, the only problem the estate faced was over flooded drainages and streets. It was still bad because the drainages were not built in such a way to make for easy flow of water, leaving stagnant water as breeding ground for mosquitoes. Also, there is stench to contend with.
Curiously, the ministry of Environment has so far left the residents of the estate to their fate.
Our reporter was informed that a letter was sent to the minister around March this year calling on her to prevail on the contractor to rectify the work but no response was received.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Obed Atuora, an Assistant Director, declined making a statement because, according to him, he needed to get the facts correct before making any statement.
He, however, collected information about the contract, including the contractor and the complaints of the residents and said he would make the relevant enquiries and contact the reporter. He also expressed surprise when told that we submitted a letter to the minister in May this year but got no response, adding that the minister is very passionate about the environment.
Investigations at the CAC revealed that Ecosystems and its shareholders’ address is Plot 17, Garki Village, Opposite Garki Primary School, Abuja, but when the reporter visited there, he could neither locate Plot 17 nor find anyone who knew a company by that name.
Our reporter was able to get the phone number of the person who executed the contract. Using the call application, Truecaller, the name Alhaji Giwa Giwa showed up. When called by name on phone, Giwa responded in the affirmative. He also affirmed that his company, Ecosystems Consults Nigeria Limited, executed the flood and erosion control project in Shagari Estate but when told that residents complained that the work done was substandard and that flood was affecting them, he said he could he could not hear the reporter, as he was driving. He said he would park to call the reporter back and hung up.
He did not call back and when the reporter called his mobile, he did not pick the call. The reporter called with another number and when he answered and discovered it was the reporter, he became angry and yelled at the reporter.
“My friend, what is your problem?” he barked. The reporter told him about the complaints of the residents and he cut in, “My friend, tell them to stop dumping dirt in the drainages and the water would flow.
The reporter told him he was at the estate and that the drainages were free of refuse.
“My friend, listen to me. Tell the people what I told you. They should be still and the water will pass,” he said before hanging up.
The people are worried that the worse may still lie ahead, as we approach August when rainfall increases. Parents are also wary of leaving their children at home.
“Are we asking for too much, that the contractor should come back and undo what he has done?” a distraught woman asked our reporter amid tears. “Please come and see what we are going through. We never asked for this. We were better off before the government came with its fake help.”
Kwacha said they are not asking the government for money. All they want is for the work to be rectified.
“Our prayer is that the government sends a professional engineer to rectify the problem. We are more interested in the problem solved than any financial assistance,” he noted.
The Police Service Commission has approved the appointment of seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, DIGs, to constitute a new management team for the Nigeria Police Force.
Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Force Public Relations, made this known in a statement released late Monday evening, saying “The Commission on Monday, approved the appointment of seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to man the seven Management Departments of the Force.”
The new DIGs include Shuaibu Gambo, Department of Finance and Administration; Joshak Habila, Department of Operations; Maigari Dikko, Department of Logistics and Supply; H. M. Dagala, Department of Force Criminal Investigations Department, FCID; Emmanuel Inyang, Department of Training and Development; Ntom Chukwu, Department of Research and Planning; Folusho Adebanjo, Department of ICT.
The commission also approved the appointment of Abdul Bube, an Assistant Inspector General of police, AIG, as the Force Secretary.
The statement added that the appointments have been conveyed to the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris for implementation.
Mike Okiro, chairman of the police service commission said the officers’ promotion letters will follow in due course.
Embattled national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu-Sheriff, says he has appealed the Federal High Court judgment which recognized the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee as the legitimate organ of the party.
Justice Abdullahi Liman of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, ruled on Monday that the PDP national convention held on May 21, 2016 in the Rivers State capital, was legal and did not go contrary to any law.
Modu-Sheriff told journalists that he remains the chairman of the party until the Court of Appeal sets aside an earlier ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja which was in his favour.
He stated that the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt is of equal ranking with that in Abuja and therefore cannot make him vacate office until a higher court rules otherwise.
Meanwhile, chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, Ahmed Makarfi, in a statement after the court ruling in Port Harcourt, appealed to the Sherrif to sheathe his sword and join others in rebuilding the party.
Men of the Nigerian Army, on Monday morning foiled what would have been a huge catastrophe at an Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp in Monguno, Borno state.
According to Sani Usman, the acting director Army Public Relations, three female Boko Haram suicide bombers who attempted to attack innocent Internally Displaced Persons,attacked the IDPs who were fetching water at a borehole located at the outskirt of Monguno town along Marte road.
But they were detected by vigilant troops and were gunned down, but the explosive they were strapped with exploded and injured 2 civilians nearby.
The injured persons are currently receiving medical attention at the 8 Task Force Division’s medical facility.
The third suicide bomber,who followed a different route and detonated her device some distance before troops deployment along the same road at about 7.10am.
Troops have cordoned off the area and imposed restriction of movement into Monguno while they patrol the general area in order to make it safe.
In a related development, troops of 118 Task Force Battalion, 8 Task Force Division sprang a surprised ambush on some Boko Haram terrorists along Gerere Junction, Kukawa Local Government Area, on the northern part of Borno State.
The Boko Haram terrorists were suspected to be fleeing from the advancing troops of 119 Task Force Battalion presently mopping the general area of Kangarwa in Kukawa Local Government Area.
4 Boko Haram terrorists carrying logistics items were killed in the encounter and troops recovered 48 Jerry cans containing 1,440 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, Automatic Gasoline Oil, AGO, 8 Motorcycles out of which 2 were destroyed, 21 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 2 AK-47 rifles, an unprimed Improvised Explosive Device and a 36 Henagar Hand Grenade, as well as assorted drugs.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,NNPC, as provided for under Section 1(2) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Act of 1997, as amended.
The president also removed Ibe Kachikwu as group managing director of the corporation.
This was contained in a statement by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina on Monday.
Kachikwu will however remain as minister of state for petroleum and will serve as chairman of the new NNPC board.
The new NNPC GMD is Maikanti Kacalla Baru, according to the presidency.
The new board is composed of the following:
Chairman-Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum;
Group Managing Director- Dr Maikanti Kacalla Baru;
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance; and
The following six persons:
Mallam Abba Kyari
Dr Thomas M.A John
Dr Pius O. Akinyelure
Dr Tajuddeen Umar
Mallam Mohammed Lawal, and
Mallam Yusuf Lawal.
President Buhari urges the new board to ensure the successful delivery of the mandate of the NNPC, ” and serve the nation by upholding the public trust placed on them in managing this critical national asset.”
