News
Ododo disburses N370m community revolving loan to farmers in Kogi
Gov. Ahmed Ododo of Kogi on Wednesday disbursed N370 million Community Revolving Fund (CRF), to farmers to boost food production in the North-Central State
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the CRF loan disbursement is in partnership with the World Bank under the ACReSAL project.
A total of 208 farmers spread across 10 clusters in two catchment areas benefited from the CRF loan in the Pilot Phase I.
Each cluster got 25,000 USD (N37m), out of the 250,000 USD (N370m) shared.
The 208 beneficiaries, 70 per cent of whom are women, got N1.77m each.
Ododo, who inaugurated the disbursement at the Government House, Lokoja, said the scheme was a proactive initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of climate change.
It is also to support community agricultural efforts, he added.
The governor disclosed that the second phase of the CRF loan disbursement would come up in August.
He appreciated all stakeholders involved in the project and emphasised his administration’s commitment to agricultural development.
According to him, within his five months in office, his administration had implemented various initiatives to enhance agricultural productivity.
The initiatives, he said, included the provision of agricultural machineries for mechanisation, agricultural inputs, training and capacity building for farmers, among others.
The governor urged the CRF beneficiaries to utilise the loan judiciously, stressing that it was designed to support their agricultural endeavours and improve their livelihoods.
Ododo expressed confidence that the loan would boost agricultural practices in the catchment areas, leading to increased food production and security.
“It is expected that the funds would be utilised for activities under climate smart agriculture and related agricultural value chain, just as you have been trained.
“I implore you to pay back the loans as at when due, to enable others benefit from the fund because it is a revolving loan.
“I assure you all that our administration will continue to collaborate with global partners to provide resources and support that could cushion the attendant effect of climate change and tackle poverty.
“We are not oblivious of the fact that our farmers need security in order to farm effectively. To this end, we have mapped out our security plan to protect our farmers and their farmlands.
“Our administration has developed a template for farmlands security by employing local hunters and vigilante men and women to provide adequate security at all times.
“We have also activated our security rapid response capacity to distress calls from farmers and others
“Adequate security gadgets and patrol vehicles have been provided across the 21 Local Government Areas(LGAs) of the state.
“We have strengthened the capacity of LGAs to ensure community policing. We won’t complain and run to Abuja, we are providing solutions here in Kogi.
“Local Government Chairmen, community leaders, security agencies are all our critical partners in ensuring the success of this all important, poverty-defeating scheme.
“There are pointers to the fact that our efforts in the area of community policing is already yielding fruits,” Ododo said.
Earlier, the Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly, Mr Umar Yusuf, had emphasised the importance of partnership for progress as highlighted in the 17 thematic areas of the SDGs.
The speaker commended the governor for his leadership and commitment to the development of the state.
Also, State Project Coordinator of ACReSAL, Ladi Jatto, commended the governor for his commitment to the success of the project in the state.
Jatto stressed that the governor had made it easy for the people of Kogi to take advantage of the project.
In their remarks, Messrs Asiwaju Idris and Olusegun Joseph, finance and environment commissioners respectively, thanked the governor for paying due attention to the plight of the rural poor.
The Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Owoniyi, and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani-Anaje, commended the governor for his efforts at supporting the agricultural sector.
They urged the beneficiaries to ensure timely repayment of the loan to ensure the sustainability of the project. (NAN
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.
Violent clashes between pastoralist groups and settled farming communities have long been a challenge in South Sudan.
However, the recent outbreak of violence in the northern Ruweng Administrative Area has further heightened concerns over the nation’s fragile peace. At least 30 people lost their lives after an armed youth group launched a brutal attack on a northern South Sudanese town, according to local officials.
The incident, linked to an escalating cattle raid, saw the town briefly fall under the control of the attackers before security forces regained control.
The violence began when a group of armed youth stole lambs earlier in the week. Security forces quickly intervened, forcing the raiders to retreat. However, instead of dispersing, the group reorganised and launched a more aggressive attack on Abiemnom the following day.
Local Minister of Information, Simon Chol Mialith, confirmed that despite resistance from local youth and security personnel, the town was overrun by the Mayom armed youth. The attack led to significant casualties and destruction before security forces were able to reclaim the town.
On Wednesday, the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) successfully pushed the attackers out, restoring a semblance of calm. However, the scale of the destruction was already severe, with over 40 individuals injured in addition to the fatalities.
Although reports suggest that some of the deceased were members of the armed groups, official confirmation remains pending.
The attack comes at a time of growing instability in South Sudan, with tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar intensifying. This political rivalry threatens to unravel the delicate 2018 peace agreement that ended the nation’s five-year civil war.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with continuous unrest. Despite its vast oil resources, the country remains impoverished, with conflicts like these exacerbating economic and social difficulties.