Security
Naval Chief tasks personnel on discipline, dedication
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, has tasked the newly decorated Naval Warrant Officers (NWO), to maintain high level of discipline and dedication to the service of the Nigerian Navy and the nation at large.
Ogalla, represented by Navy’s Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Adm. Joseph Akpan, stated this while decorating 19 Senior Non-Commissioned Officers with their new ranks on Monday in Abuja.
He said the elevation of the officers to the NWO was in recognition of their discipline, commitment and dedication to duty.
“Promotion; first of all, they said, comes from God and so, you should see it as an act of God that He has counted you worthy amongst your colleagues whom you started with.
“You know that many of them might have fallen along the way, and even those who are still in service, not all of them were counted worthy to be elevated to this particular enviable rank.
“It is because of your hard work, commitment, dedication to duty, and more importantly, unblemished record.
“You have played key roles before, and now you have been called upon to play even more important roles, because when you are deployed, some of you will find yourself there at the Niger Delta,” he said.
The naval chief charged the promoted officers to justify the confidence reposed in them by ensuring high level of discipline, adding that more would be required from them going forward.
He said that their new ranks would task them with high leadership roles that they would be required to play.
“So, you need to lead by example, lead with courage and even more dedication.
“Now you will be wearing the white uniform and other naval accoutrement like white shoe.
“It is something that demands cleanness and discipline for you to be neat and to appear the way you should appear.
“It will be your responsibility to bring the men together, the ratings together, talk to them, speak the language which they understand and always make sure that you have your acts together.”
Ogalla congratulated the officers and commended their spouses for being their pillars of support at the home front that enabled them to discharge their duties effectively.
Speaking on behalf of the newly decorated NWO, Philip Shishi, commended the gesture, adding that the new ranks had bestowed on them the prestigious title of the ‘Admirals of the Lower Deck’.
He said they were aware that higher ranks come with higher responsibilities.
While assuring their readiness to uphold the sanctity of their new ranks, loyalty and dedication towards actualising the vision of the naval chief, Shishi thanked their families for their patience, understanding and encouragement. (NAN)
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”.
President Bola Tinubu has given marching orders to security agencies to fish out those behind the killing of some travellers in Edo State.
The victims, who were said to be travelling from Port Harcourt to the northern part of Nigeria, were allegedly killed by a mob in Uromi, Edo State, on Thursday.
While reacting to the incident, President Bola Tinubu described it as dastardly.
“The President, who expressed shock at the dastardly act on Thursday, directed Police and other security agencies to conduct swift and thorough investigations and punish the suspected culprits,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement on Friday.
The President noted that jungle justice has no place in Nigeria, and all Nigerians have the freedom to move freely in any part of the country.
Tinubu condoled with the families of the affected people and assured them “that criminals would not be allowed to shed the blood of innocent Nigerians in vain”.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has visited the community, condemning the killing of the travellers.
The governor described the incident as barbaric, according to a statement from his spokesman Fred Itua, and ordered a full-scale investigation into the killing.
“The Governor directed the State Police Command and other security agencies to conduct thorough and speedy investigations into the matter and bring those found culpable to book. He also charged the community to work with the security agencies to fish out the culprits,” Itua said in a statement on Friday
“Governor Okpebholo also commended community leaders, especially the leadership of Arewa community in the area, for deescalating tensions and handling the situation with restrain.”
The governor promised justice for the victims and maintained that there is “no excuse for the vigilante members to take the law into their hands without recourse to statutory law enforcement agencies”.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Sirajo Jaja, the Accountant General of Bauchi State for alleged N70 billion fraud.
He was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 alongside Aliyu Abubakar of Jasfad Resources Enterprise, an unlicensed bureau de change (BDC) operator and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator.
They were arrested in connection with investigations of money laundering, diversion of public funds and missapropriation to the tune of N70 billion.
The Commission is investigating the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, regarding the matter.
The EFCC said investigations showed that cash withdrawal of N59billion had been made through various bank accounts opened and operated by the Accountant General on behalf of the state government.
The money was allegedly moved to Abubakar and Sambo, who in turn made cash payments to party agents and associates of the governor.
The BDC operator, Abubakar, earlier jumped bail and has now been rearrested.