Newly appointed Force Commander, Operation Sharan Daji, the joint military operation set up to fight banditry in Zamfara state, Major Gen. Stevenson Olabanji has solicited the support and partnership with the media for the success of the operation.
Gen. Olabanji who is also the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the newly established 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Northwest of the country, made the call during an interactive session with journalists in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital.
He said the main task of the operation is the restoration of peace by fighting the bandits and other criminals to standstill in Zamfara state and that the media is a vital tool which could lead to the restoration of sustainable peace in the state.
“We will sustain this gesture by having the interactive sessions with the media from time to time, to keep the media abreast with our activities,’’ he said.
The Force Commander said the era of always using the Army for subjugation is over as the Army is now public relationship oriented.
“In line with the directive from the President for a more robust Nigerian Army with good public relations to build confidence in the people, this partnership with the media will go a long way in making operations more easier and efficient”, he assured.
The Acting Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zamfara State Council, Malam Abubakar Ahmed, said interactions with media practitioners by stakeholders make their duties easier.
“This is a welcome development and this partnership will make us to be getting information for a balance reportage”, he said.
The Operation was formerly under One Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna before it was recently transferred to the newly established 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Sokoto.
The Nigerian Air Force has said that its Air Task Force fighting bandits in Zamfara State under Operation DIRAN MIKIYA has killed scores of bandits
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, explained that In continuation of operations to flush armed bandits out of the Northwestern part of the country, the Task Force between 25 and 27 August 2018, successfully neutralised several armed bandits at Bayan Ruwa and Rugu forests in the Eastern part of Zamfara State.
Daramola explained that the attack on Bayan Ruwa was executed following an encounter with a notorious group of armed bandits by own ground forces while conducting clearance operations on 25 August 2018.
“The troops called for close air support and the Air Task Force dispatched a ground attack aircraft as well as an attack helicopter to the location. The aircraft supported the ground forces of Sector 3 to inflict maximum damage on the criminal elements”, he said.
The NAF Spokesman added that armed reconnaissance missions conducted on 26 and 27 August 2018, revealed the presence of some armed bandits at a settlement East of Hayin Alhaji, as well as some warehouses like structures deep inside Rugu forest that were being used as hideouts by the bandits.
“Several armed bandits and considerable number of rustled cattle were seen around one of the makeshift warehouses.
“The warehouses and the criminals operating there were attacked by the combat helicopters leading to the destruction of the makeshift buildings and neutralization of several armed bandits”, he said.
Daramola assured that the ATF will continue to dominate the area through armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to completely decimate the armed bandits in order to ensure a return to normalcy in Zamfara and other States in the North West.
Nigeria’s Vice- President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says geographical restructuring is not the problem of his country as is being advanced by some citizens.
He said prudent management of national resources and providing for the people properly were better ideas for Nigeria’s development challenges.
Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, communicated Osinbanjo’s view in a statement in Abuja on Monday.
The vice-president was fielding questions from a cross-section of Nigerians at a town hall meeting in Minnesota, U.S., on Sunday.
Osinbajo spoke on a wide range of issues covering the economy, anti-corruption, health, agriculture among others.
According to the vice-president, the problem with Nigeria is not a matter of restructuring.
He said that Nigerians must not allow themselves to be drawn into the argument that Nigeria’s problems stemmed from some geographical restructuring.
“It is about managing resources properly and providing for the people properly, that is what it is all about.
“I served for eight years as Attorney General in Lagos State and one of the chief issues that we fought for in Lagos state was what you call fiscal federalism.
“We felt that there was a need for the states to be stronger, for states to more or less determine their fortunes.
“For example, we went to court to contest the idea that every state should control, to a certain extent, its own resources; we were in court at that time up to the Supreme Court and the court ruled that oil-producing states should continue to get 13 per cent derivation.
“While we were at the Supreme Court only the oil-producing states and Lagos were interested in resource control, everybody else was not interested in resource control for obvious reasons.
“”Now, that is the way the argument has always gone, those who have the resources want to take all of it, while those who do not have want to share from others.”
He said that Nigeria must create the environment that allowed for people to realise themselves economically because that truly was what the challenge was with Nigeria.
Osinbajo said that unless Nigerians were able to deal with the fundamental questions around corruption, their economic circumstance would keep going one step forward, two steps backwards.
“All that we have been able to deal with is grand corruption. When we started the TSA, the whole point was to aggregate all of the funds of government that were in private banks.
“So, we put all of the money in the central bank so that we could at least see the movement of money and by doing so, we were able to save 50 per cent of the corruption that was going on then.”
Relying on OPEC statistics on oil revenues accruable to Nigeria under successive administrations between 1990 and 2014, the vice-president said not much was done in infrastructure development in spite of the huge oil revenues earned.
He said that under the Babangida/ Abacha administrations (1990 – 1998) Nigeria realised 199.8 billion dollars.
Under the Obasanjo / Yar’Adua governments (1999 – 2009), the country got 401.1 billion dollars; and during the Jonathan administration (2010 – 2014), Nigeria got 381.9 billion dollars from oil, Osinbajo said.
“The question that we must all ask is that what exactly happened to resources? The question that I asked is that where is the infrastructure?
“One of the critical things that we must bear in mind and see is that this government despite earning 94 billion dollars, up until 2017, we are spending more on infrastructure and capital than any previous government, so we are spending N1.5 trillion on capital, that is the highest we have spent since 1990.”
In the area of agriculture, Osinbajo said that the target was to attain self-sufficiency in the production of rice, tomato, among others.
According to him, the government is doing a lot of work in agriculture as it has increased local production such that Nigeria is no longer spending five million dollars daily on rice import.
“Today, we are doing 11 million metric tonnes of paddy rice and are now importing only 2 per cent of what we used to import,” he said.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US, Mr Sylvanus Nsofor, led other Nigerians to the meeting.
Outgoing Ambassador of Denmark to Nigeria, Torben Gettermann (photo credit: The Sun)
Outgoing Ambassador of Denmark to Nigeria, Torben Gettermann (photo credit: The Sun)
The outgoing Ambassador of Denmark to Nigeria, Mr Torben Gettermann, has stressed the need for Nigerians to hold politicians, companies and individuals accountable to win anti-corruption crusade in the country.
Gettermann, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said such was what helped his country to become one of the least corrupt countries in the world.
“Denmark is one of the least corrupt countries in the world because we hold our politicians and our companies to account.
“We need to do that for our politicians, individuals, companies to not only subscribe to the ideal of being transparent and non-corrupt but also to actually live it out.
“We have a code of conduct for Danish companies. As public servants, we have to sign a declaration and we have to go through courses so that we know what corruption means,“ he said.
He, however, said that Denmark could assist Nigeria in addressing the challenge in some ways.
“What we can do is to highlight the situations and make sure that people talk about it, that action is taken to an extent possible.
“Also go into cooperation with Nigeria on education in terms of understanding how much money corruption actually takes out of the system, money that the people in general could benefit from.
“We have had Danish companies active in some of the task forces that have been set up here in Nigeria,” he said
While noting that corruption in Nigerian ports was tremendous, he commended the efforts of the Federal Government to reduce it, stressing however that there was still much more to be done in the sector.
He commended the present administration in the country for laying a good foundation in fighting corruption.
“The current government in Nigeria has made a mark with the President Muhammadu Buhari being the anti-corruption champion in the AU.
Senator Shehu Sani signing the condolence register of Late Mrs Rosemary Olu Ajayi during the visit
Senator Shehu Sani signing the condolence register of Late Mrs Rosemary Olu Ajayi during the visit
By Joseph Edegbo
Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, North West Nigeria, Shehu Sani on Monday visited the residence of a Kaduna based veteran photo journalist, Chief Olu Ajayi of the Vanguard Newspaper and commiserated with him over the death of his wife, Roseline.
Late Roseline died on Saturday at a Kaduna hospital after a brief illness.
According to the Senator who was accompanied by two of his aides, Suleiman Ahmed and Chima Abdulsamad Amadi, the news of the death of Mrs. Ajayi came to him as a rude shock.
“I am here on behalf of my family, the people of Kaduna Central senatorial district to condole you and your family over the death of your wife. The news came as a rude shock.
“Her death is a loss to all who know you. Loss of a wife is a very big tragedy. Our consolation is that she lived an accomplished life as a mother, friend and companion, dying serving her God. She stood by you during all the trying period. This is a phase you are passing through now.
“As men of faith, life is temporal. We are here to serve our God and humanity and we leave this world not when we wish but as destined by God. All we should do while alive is to leave a good name to be remembered for when we are no more. I’m pained by this loss because wives are pillars of the home.
“She will continue to be with you forever in spirit. God will continue to support and strengthen your spirit. Pray God to console the family. She is now immortal and as mortal beings, let’s continue to pray for her soul. From the dust we were created and to dust we shall return.
“You should always take to heart all she did or said while alive shortly before her demise which indicates her preparation to leave this earth, May her soul continue to rest in peace and grant you and the family the fortitude to bear the loss” he prayed.
Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has continued to express worry over the numerous challenges facing primary health care in Nigeria such as poor legal and regulatory framework, as well as economic and social culture.
Others are, dearth of infrastructure, inadequate Personnel, inadequate equipment, poor funding and lack of political Commitment from government.
It was against this background, the CSO organised a media workshop in Kaduna on basic healthcare funding in Nigeria with a view to exploring ways of ensuring qualitative health care delivery at the grassroots
The workshop was entitled ‘Unlocking potential from primary health care through investigative journalism; and financing for primary health care: harnessing domestic funding opportunities, enabling policies and legislation’.
Speaking at the workshop, the Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, said the only way government could make head way towards solving these problems, was to pay serious attention to the implementation of health policies and redeeming the pledges at all levels.
The programme manager, Health, Human Development and Social Inclusion, Chioma Kanu, while speaking on unlocking potential from primary health care through investigative journalism, challenged journalists to rise to the task of investigation, to know the attendance of patients, accessibility and affordability of service delivery obtained at the primary health care centres.
She was of the belief that journalists should be able to identify wrong doings in governance and other human endeavour towards handling the operations of primary health care centres in the country.
The aim of the investigation, according to her, was to unearth issues that impede effective service delivery with a view to ensuring that the right thing is done.
According to her, there was the need to investigate both the government and private sector with a view to raising public awareness and the consciousness of the people on issues around them and insist that the right thing was done.
The programme manager maintained that the aim was for journalists to bring everything to the knowledge of people and ensure that a better primary health care services was rendered to the people across the country.
Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Saleh of the Mandela Washington Fellow Civic Leadership who spoke on ‘Financing for primary health care: harnessing domestic funding opportunities, enabling policies and legislation, observed that poor funding of primary health care management has been the obstacle to qualitative health care service delivery in the country.
Being the first place of contact by individuals, family or group of people, he noted, primary health care service supposed to be affordable, accessible, available and of quality to the common man.
The service, he added, supposed to protect every citizen and ensuring that people do not pay out of their pockets, lamenting that because of its poor funding, only few could afford to attend hospitals for treatment.
Sule lamented that there were segregation in the health sector due to inadequate service delivery. “The only remedy is to have good, affordable, qualitative and available health care services, as well as other services associated to it.
Dr. Saleh opined that the budget allocated to the health sector was far below the international standard. “Nigeria has not been able to meet the Abuja declaration made towards enhancing health service delivery in the country.
Until the right thing was done, he said, Nigerians would continue to suffer for lack of affordable, accessible and available health service delivery in the country.
Yes, you are not supposed to die prematurely. That death threat over your life can be averted. True! Nothing has the right to terminate your life just like that. This is the way I spoke to a man who had death sentence passed on him by one of these dreaded secret societies; a cult where they do so many unprintable things, which include using blood to wash their heads. He read one of our articles on this column and quickly contacted us. They had given him the date to die and truly, he was almost gone when we met. Yes, almost dead!
But after everything, that covenant he made with Satan was broken by Jesus. He is still alive and healthy today. In fact, on the day they gave him, I was physically present in his new home to celebrate his birthday. Our God is the most powerful! But this is not to encourage you to go look for wealth, power, fame, etc, from the devil. You will surely pay if you do. The devil has no free gift. He is wicked. Anybody that associates with him will always end up in pain, sorrow and regrets. True! Please, always wait for God’s timing and blessings; for He’s does not add any sorrow.
Has the enemy in any way passed any death sentence on you? Have they given you a date to die? God can reverse that today. Have they sent evil arrows, spells against you? They shall no more have effect on you and your family in Jesus’ name! All the plans being made against you will SURELY fail in the mighty name of Jesus!
Look at our LORD Jesus. All the plans made by the enemy to terminate His life never prospered. When He was born, Herod did everything to kill Him but God foiled all his plans and in anger and frustration, he slaughtered thousands of Jewish male babies around Bethlehem. But Jesus escape
When He grew up and started His ministry, the Jews didn’t like His teachings, boldness especially that He is the messiah, the Son of God, etc. So, they made several attempts to kill Him, but He always effectively escaped from them. I hope you understand what we are talking about here. They will raise stones to smash Him to death and suddenly, miraculously, God would remove Him from their midst.You can read my analyses on this particular divine manoeuvring in my book: Power of Midnight Prayer. It is very illuminating! God does exactly the same today.
Powerful! Every plan, every attempt or process to terminate your life will be miraculously foiled by heaven in the mighty name of Jesus! This is exactly what the Psalmist means when he says that even when our enemies trapped us, rejoicing that our end has come, we mysteriously, miraculously, divinely, surprisingly escaped like a bird would from the trap of a Fowler! Oh My God!
If they were unable to kill Jesus, their evil plan against you shall also not succeed! Now, Jesus, at the appointed time, willingly, in obedience to His covenant with His father, temporally, and just for three days, submitted His life. Even at the point of His arrest, immediately He identified Himself, all the soldiers fell down. Nobody could touch Him until He willingly submitted Himself. And the bible clearly said that as He is, so we are. From today, nobody, nothing shall be able to destroy you in Jesus’ name! I command that death sentence, that plot, curse over you to turn to a testimony now!
The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) on Sunday commenced the distribution of relief materials to flood victims in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria.
The distribution followed the tour of areas submerged by torrential rain fall by the Director General of the Agency,. Mustapha Maihaja in company of his team to see things for himself.
Areas affected, were Ungwar Romi, Karatudu, Gonin Gora and Kigo Road New Extension where the NEMA Boss gave the directive for the immediate distribution of the materials to ameliorate the sufferings of the Victims.
Represented by Air commodore Akugbe Iyamu, Director Search and Rescue in the Agency, he said, “we’ve been monitoring the rise in water level around Kaduna and as at yesterday (Saturday) we were not too comfortable with the situation, that is why the DG has to despatch this high level team to come and do an assessment and also commence this aspect of relief to those affected.
“You went round and saw the pathetic situation and that is what necessitates what we are doing now, the distribution of relief materials.
“You saw the damage done and the situation those people are in. So we are giving out what we feel is important to the people at this moment, blankets, corn, rice, mattresses , cement, detergents, immediate needs that will make them comfortable now.”
On the amount of the items, he said “We are not looking at the value of anything now, we are only interested in giving succor to those in need. What I can tell you is that the DG is sparing no amount, he just wants to make sure that these people are giving a sense of belonging and a level of decency before we consider any other thing”.
Speaking shortly after receiving the items from NEMA for onward distribution, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA) Ben Kure who went round with the NEMA team promised that government would soon take measures against those buildings and along the Kaduna river and water ways.
Kure said, “We appreciate the quick response from the DG NEMA and we have received the gesture unbehalf of the Governor of Kaduna state,
“Going forward adequate measures will be put in place to make sure this does not happen again, and also to reduce the damage to the barest minimum. We are also appealing to the people especially those living by the water ways to begin to think of what next to avoid this kind of situation.
“It doesn’t work well to be running away and coming back, a permanent decision should be taken, because no amount of money that can be spent to secure life. It is important that people listen to this appeal. Certain measures are also going to be enforced as regards siting homes near the river or on water ways, because we are a government that cares about the people.” He said.
