Security
I’ll Champion Genuine Reconciliation In Southern Kaduna – Uba Sani
Kaduna State Governor, Sen Uba Sani has said that his administration is committed to right the wrongs and champion genuine reconciliation with the people of Southern Kaduna.
The Governor stated this on Thursday in a message to the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association Pastor’s Congress, held at the Throneroom Trust Ministry Kafanchan.
Speaking through the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Religious Affairs, Christian Matters who is also the Chairman, Kaduna Baptist Convention, Rev. Dr. Ishaya Adamu Jangado, Governor Uba Sani explained that his administration has realized some of the mistakes of past administrations and is willing to address them for the progress and development of the state.
He appealed to the Christian community in the area to support and rally round the current administration at all levels in other to achieve the needed development, even as he pledged to continue to operate an inclusive government in the state that will be fair and just to all.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association, Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Nuhu Kure said the end of year meeting was convened in other to debrief members by way of presenting a mid-term report, reappraise the just concluded general elections, draw up strategies for future engagements, as well as pray for the future of the land.
He announced plans by the Association to organize seminars in different zones of Southern Kaduna, which will improve and further increase the knowledge of Clergies in the area and also raise a special treasury that will be used to assist disadvantaged pastors in Southern Kaduna irrespective of denominations.
While thanking the Governor for seeing the need to bridge the gap created by the previous administration in the state, the SKCLA Chairman pledged the Association’s commitment to continue to support any positive decision that will be to the progress and development of the people.of Southern Kaduna.
He used the congress to also clear the air on some misconceptions and rumors that he received monies meant for members from politicians during the build up to the 2023 general elections.
The meeting commiserated with the family of late Reverend General Yakubu Yerima Kure, retired, over his demise.
In a tribute, Apostle Kure eulogized the deceased, describing him as not just a fine soldier, but an evangelist of Christ who went for missions side by side with him and still remained committed even in his last days.
He prayed God to accept his soul and grant the immediate family, the Government and people of Kaduna State, as well as the Nigerian Army and the Nation as a whole the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
During the congress, the Pastors who were drawn from ten Local Government Areas in the Zone, passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the Association and commended them for the zeal and sacrifices they have been making to take the Association to greater heights and improve the image of the church in Southern Kaduna.
Tackle Life Threatening Disasters, Akpabio Tells Ecological Office
By Sunday Isuwa, Abuja
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has advised the Federal Government to channel the ecological funds to tackle environmental issues that are life threatening.
Akpabio gave the advice yesterday when the Permanent Secretary of the Ecological Project Office, Mallam Shehu Ibrahim, led officials of his agency on an interactive session with the Senate leadership.
Akpabio was reacting to the submission of the permanent secretary who said the monthly N3bn allocation to his agency was grossly inadequate to tackle the requests it gets on a daily basis.
Ibrahim had told the Senate leadership that the agency was currently in possession of over 5,000 requests from disaster ravaged communities across the country for urgent attention.
Akpabio in his response urged the agency to prioritize its interventions.
He cited the case of ocean surge that is currently ravaging five states in southern Nigeria and the massive desert encroachment of the Lake Chad basin.
Akpabio promised that the Senate would carry out necessary legislative actions to assist the ecological office to perform well.
He said, “The method of intervening and selection of projects must be such that they will put urgency outside the normal data they are working with.
“The Ecological Office should attend to the most urgent situations that are likely to affect the lives of the people before it goes to the ones that may not affect lives. Those that are life-threatening should be selected first.”
Akpabio also encouraged the office to learn to preempt some of the natural disasters.
He specifically called on the agency to embark on advocacy that would encourage Nigerians to plant at least one tree per year.
He said the current desert encroachment in the northern part of the country showed that the agency was not conscious of the magnitude of the devastation.
He said, “Every child should be encouraged to plant at least one tree in a year. In the areas that are worst hit by the desert encroachment, people should be encouraged to plant one tree per month.
“Considering Nigeria’s population, doing that would help us to reclaim a lot of land to tackle the looming disaster.
“The same climate change that affected the Lake Chad basin, which used to have 125 square kilometers of water about 10 years ago, is now less per cent of its original size.
“The result of this is migration with the people hitherto earning their living from Lake Chad now having to migrate towards the South.
“The lake has shrunk to a point where we are not sure whether we have up to 15 square kilometers of water and it is currently affecting about five countries.”
The Senate President said the situation was a major problem that is currently aggravating the security challenges in Nigeria.
He said, “Herdsmen who were used to taking their cattle to the Lake Chad basin for grazing and water now had to travel towards the South.
“In the course of that, they pass through farmlands and the farmers would resist the destruction of their crops.
“The development forced the herders to become armed in order to protect their cows from being attacked.
“So, your suggestion that you may require international support and sponsorship and maybe aid from international organisations resonates with my feelings and that is why very recently, I was elected into the executive committee of the inter-parliamentary union.
“I have found that within that organization itself, there are budget intervening countries through parliament in ecological matters and climate change is about 30 billion dollars.
“I will let them know that Nigeria is a place they should intervene. Whenever the Dam in Cameroon is opened, it happens on an annual basis, the amount of water that comes normally wipes out a lot of islands including most of the uplands in Bayelsa, those houses will wash away.
“It didn’t go all the way to Ondo down to Akwa Ibom , most of the villages do not exist during that period of the raining season and when those dams are being on through renovation of yearly maintenance.
“Most people have to leave their villages for six months then the other six months they look for a place to hide.
“In Bayelsa, you will be surprised that without war, we have internally displaced persons as a result of climate change. Whatever we can do we will do to assist you to do more.”
Orji Kalu, the senator representing Abia north, says the federal government should urgently address the growing insecurity in many parts of the country.
In a video posted from China on his social media page on Monday, Kalu warned that terrorists may overrun the south-east region and Borno if no action is taken.
The senator said the worsening security situation requires decisive intervention devoid of politics.
Kalu, who chairs the senate committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), urged the federal government to commit more resources to security agencies to confront the threat.
He warned that insecurity in Nigeria is no longer a matter of political argument but a dire national crisis.
The senator was reacting to a recent warning by Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, who said insurgents have regained control of parts of the state.
Kalu said the situation in Borno mirrors the growing threat in the south-east and called for immediate intervention to prevent a total collapse.
“I want to believe Professor Zulum that the security situation is deteriorating every day, so we need to step up, especially in the south-east,” the lawmaker said.
“Our south-east governors are doing their best to fight insurgency. I would like the federal government to step up security in the south-east because it’s a gateway for people transporting goods from the ports and refineries.”
Kalu also faulted the ongoing disagreement between Zulum and Mohammed Idris, minister of information, over the state of security, insisting the president must be told the truth.
“For me, Professor Zulum and the minister don’t need to argue. These are fundamental issues. If we don’t tell President Tinubu the truth, the place will be ungovernable,” he said.
“So, it is better we tell him the truth on the condition of the insecurity situation in Nigeria.”
He commended the efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies, noting that they have shown commitment in the face of limited resources.
“Our Nigerian Army has been doing their best, and I congratulate them — especially the chief of army staff, the inspector-general of police, and other security chiefs — for all the efforts they have been putting in,” he said.
Kalu urged the federal government to channel more funds, equipment, and attention to Borno and the south-east.
“We cannot play politics with insecurity; we should take the art of governance very seriously,” he said.
The senator advised the minister of information to consult security chiefs before issuing public statements on security matters.
“No governor or president wants his people to die, so I urge the minister of information to step down some of the statements he is making about insecurity and should also consult the chief of army staff and the inspector-general of police,” he said.
“The national security adviser has also been on top of his game, but people should stop making statements without consulting the security agencies.”
Kalu expressed confidence in the security leadership, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS), and called on Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu in tackling insecurity and rebuilding the economy.
“The DSS will continue to provide information. I believe Tosin is very capable — he is a young lad who is capable,” he said.
“We can rid all these criminals away and build our economy to be strong. Let us stop politics and concentrate on the economy of Nigeria.
“President Tinubu has done his best; let’s support him to build our economy together.”
Zulum recently expressed concerns over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings across the state.
He spoke on April 8 at a security meeting attended by military commanders, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders.
On Sunday, Mohammed Monguno, senator representing Borno north, said any government that fails to guarantee the safety of its citizens does not deserve to remain in power.
Speaking in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno, after a security meeting, Monguno, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said security is the fundamental purpose of government.
The explosion followed an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Boko Haram terrorists on the dilapidated and deserted road which passes through the Sambisa forest.
According to several sources, the explosion happened while cars on a scheduled military-escorted convoy were transporting passengers from Damboa to Maiduguri on Saturday leaving several others with varying degrees of injuries.
The Maiduguri-Damboa Road links Maiduguri to several local government areas in Southern Borno and has been a hotspot for Boko Haram terrorists for over a decade.
The road was closed to vehicles and commuters until the administration of Babagana Zulum opened the road for passengers to travel to Damboa, Chibok and other LGAs in southern Borno with the help of a military convoy serving as security cover for the commuters.
The convoy traverses the road two times a week after scanning for IED by the military and this has been going on for over two years now.
The injured persons whose numbers are yet to be specified have been conveyed to a hospital in Maiduguri for prompt medical attention.
A student of the Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) has been abducted by unidentified gunmen following an off-campus hostel attack.
Channels reports that the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at Istijaba Villa in Unguwar Jeji area of the state.
Witness accounts said five armed men entered the hostel to demand money from students who were taking a walk outside.
But the students refused to give in to their demands, which led to an assault from the attackers.
A resident, who was said to have attempted intervention, was shot dead while a final-year student of economics, simply identified as Madubiya, was whisked away by the assailants.
Responding to the incident, Muhammad Zaiyan-Umar, the vice-chancellor of FUBK, visited the scene in the company of the officers from the Kalgo police division and Department of State Services (DSS).
Addressing the students, Zaiyan-Umar said the university is committed to ensuring their safety and security.
It is understood that the VC has communicated the incident to Nasir Idris, the governor of Kebbi state, through the secretary to the state government and the director of security services at the cabinet office.
As of this reporting, the Kebbi state police command has yet to respond to enquiries about the incident.
In 2021, rumours soared of a planned attack by bandits after a heavy security presence was observed on campus.
At the time, the management of FUBK dismissed the claims.