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.”
The police have confirmed the abduction of Blessing Adagba, the coordinator of Ngbo Central Development Centre in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
The incident occurred on Thursday, sending shock waves through the community.
The Police spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, while confirming the incident, said that the Anti-Kidnapping Squad is working hard to secure the victim’s release.
Channels Television gathered that the abduction took place around midnight in the Okposhi Eheku community in Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
“Around 12 a.m., a group of men disguised as soldiers invaded the residence of Hon. Blessing Adagba. They demanded she open the door, but she refused, questioning why soldiers would come at such an (odd) hour.”
“The kidnappers brandished firearms, overpowered the coordinator and abducted her to an unknown location”.
Residents and security operatives in Ohaukwu are reportedly making efforts to ensure the safe return of the victim.
Community leaders have expressed concern over the rise in abductions in the area. They are calling for increased security measures to protect residents.
Residents of Otukpo in Benue south district have staged a protest against the incessant cases of kidnappings and killings by suspected herdsmen.
The Tuesday demonstration saw protesters, mostly youths, occupy the Otukpo-Enugu federal highway, calling on the government to address the growing insecurity in the state.
There has been a surge in cases of killings and kidnappings allegedly carried out by suspected herdsmen in several LGAs in Benue state.
When contacted, Catherine Anene, the police spokesperson in the state, told TheCable that the protest was brought under control by security operatives.
“The protest is under control at the moment; we would let you know as soon as there is further information,” Anene said.
On March 10, 13 people, including women and children, were reportedly killed in an attack by suspected herdsmen on Katsina Ala LGA of the state.
The gunmen were said to have attacked several communities, including Utange council, Kpav, Dikpo, and the Imande Gberihwa area of the state.
The Takum Renaissance Forum(TRF)has condemned a press release issue by STYCOP headed by Rikwensi Muri associating’s increasing surge in insecurity and unrest in Southern Taraba to former Takum local government chairman Shiban Tikari.
In a statement issue by the group secretary Emmanuel Joro, it says for the avoidance of doubt, they wouldn’t have dabbled into the issue, but for the sake of records, they’ve chosen to react.
In Muri’s press release which states that “We must also remember the actions of Hon. Shiban Tikari, former chairman of Takum Local Government Council, who similarly exploited the “Tiv Militias,” “Kuteb Militias,” and “Fulani Militias” narrative to destabilize the region”.
The Group responded by saying “It is on records that Hon. Shiban stabilized the atmosphere of Takum and environs during his tenure. His administration was not marred by state-sponsored kidnappings, murders and sacking of more than 100 communities by mercenary bandits brought against the Kuteb communities as claimed by Rikwensi Muri, in his usual false accusations. Muri and his co-travellers are the same ones who were bent on throwing Takum and Ussa communities into the pool of crisis. Everybody knew it. Fulani herdsmen were said to have paid millions to their kuteb Chiefs before being given permission to bring their cows to graze in ussa LGA. Muri is quiet about it.”
The group further stated that the former Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku agreed to compensate the herders on the lost of their cows to stop attacking Kuteb communities, but instead after the money had come to their possession for compensation to be paid to the Fulani, it was diverted. They instead opted for the money to be used for arms procurement to fight the Fulani herdsmen.
“Why are the likes of Muri and their cohorts, who wanted war with Fulani and called for it, still turning around to blame Gov DDI led administration alongside the then chairmen of Takum and Wukari for their woes”?
“It’s good to note that we are above media trials and other sensational lies to curry public sympathy. Muri has been attacking the image of the Governor of Taraba state, Dr Agbu Kefas and other notable personalities in the state like our fathers, Gen TY Danjuma and the Aku Uka, The Chief of Takum and other notable personalities, but we are not beginning to take this as an exception. Muri’s height of media rascality is a charade taken far”.
“Of all these, none of us or even the authority have chosen to arrest him for defamation. Why? Because of his lunatic approaches and the cheap relevance he is looking for, we can’t give him. The public is always aware of his sponsors and where he is driving. But we repeat, with exception, if he decides to take this further because at hand, we are beginning to gather his incisive and inflammatory posts for litigation against him in court” the statement reads.
The group further highlights that Muri press Release is to incite the gullible public against Hon. Shiban over lies and fabrication of falsehood and also maliciously attacking the present chairman of Wukari local government, Hon Agbu Samaila “having known that the attackers of those innocent KYK members of CRCN in Jootar were Tiv militia, those he has been calling for coalition with”.
The group defend that Hon. Shiban Tikari has never been on the run, but in his hometown in Takum. And the media trial being stage-managed by Muri to demean his image has long fallen.
“We are therefore calling on the general public to be wary with the activities of the so-called STYCOP being handled by Muri. It is not a peace building organization as being peddled but an organization aimed at stirring chaos in the southern part of Taraba state. It is a potential terrorist breeding camp”.