Religious Harmony In Nigeria: Muslims Worship With Their Christian Counterparts In Kaduna

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10/04/2017

By Amos Tauna

A Team of Nigeria Association of Muslim Bush Hunters and other Islamic scholars joined their Christian counterparts of Southern Kaduna in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria to worship in a Sunday service as a way of fostering understanding and peaceful coexistence.

The team headed by Mallam Nuhu Jumare and other Islamic scholars from neighbouring states, said they were in the Church service to strengthen peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians in the area and the state as a whole.

The Southern part of Kaduna State has in recent years witnessed incessant killings between farmers and herdsmen resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of unimaginable properties worth millions of naira.

Mallam Jumare added that the visit was to support government efforts in trying to fight against all forms of insecurity challenges affecting peace and stability in the entire 19 northern states of Nigeria.

The Church members initially became panicked seeing new faces in the Church premises but later when the team leader explained their reasons of coming, why they selected the Church for the visit, the congregation started dancing and rejoicing with the visitors.

Mallam Jumare said, “I came here with some of the hunters union leaders from all the 23 local government of the Kaduna State and some Imams in order to strengthen understanding, peace building and the promotion of religious tolerance among the people.

”We believe that we will begin to understand and appreciate each others as a people that do without others. We are appealing that steps should be taken for better understanding and peaceful coexistence.”

Responding on half off the Church, Pastor Yohanna Buru, the General Overseer of Christ Evangelical Intecessary Fellowship Ministry, Kaduna, said, “This is yet another good Sunday for us that we are together with our Muslim brothers for the Sunday service, just like how it happen last Two weeks ago,when our Fulani Muslim brothers from the Southern part of Kaduna came to join us in worship.

Pastor Yohanna, said, “Your coming to the Church to understand how Christians worship and what Christianity is all about will help both the two religious practioners understand the importance of tolerating one another in a peaceful atmosphere.”

Pastor Buru urged the hunters and Islamic scholars to help in spreading the message of peace to all mankind, not just to Muslims and Christians but to humanity. ”Please tells farmers and fulani herdsmen to live in peace. Man need to live in peace with his fellow human being for a better and peaceful soviety.”

Syria War: UN Emergency Talks After US Missile Strikes — BBC

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07/04/2017

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The UN Security Council has heard sharp exchanges over the US bombardment of a Syrian air base suspected of using chemical weapons.

Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged restraint as Russia accused the US of encouraging “terrorists” in the region with its unilateral actions.

Russia has promised to strengthen its ally Syria’s anti-aircraft defences.

It is also closing down a hotline with the US designed to avoid collisions between their air forces over Syria.

US officials say the base was used to launch a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians on Tuesday.

In the first direct US military action against Syria’s government, at least six people are reported to have been killed.

Idlib’s opposition-run health authority says 89 people, including 33 children and 18 women, died in the suspected nerve gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Syria denies using nerve gas.

Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, told Friday’s session in New York the US military’s “illegitimate” missile strikes had encouraged “terrorists” in Syria.

“When you take your own path, this leads to horrible tragedies in the region,” he told America.

US ambassador Nikki Haley said America had acted to ensure President Assad would never use chemical weapons again.

She blamed Iran and Russia for standing by the Syrian government when it committed crimes. “Strengthening Assad will only lead to more murders,” she said.

The UK ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, said the US strikes were a “proportionate response to unspeakable acts”.

Cruise missiles fly low and have a relatively small radar cross-section so they are difficult to destroy with air defences. Russia may seek to improve Syria’s surface-to-air missile system in the wake of this US attack but it would be very much a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Syria used to have a highly effective national air defence system based on Soviet-era radars and missiles but it has been significantly weakened in the wake of the civil war and the loss of territory by the regime. Look at the ease with which the Israelis carry out strikes against Hezbollah arms convoys and weapons stores in Syria.

Russia has some of its most modern surface-to-air missile systems at its air base in Syria and radars with a huge reach but, for whatever reason, they too have not deterred Israeli strikes.

Their presence makes air strikes by manned US aircraft unlikely and for Washington the Tomahawk cruise missile will remain the weapon of choice

Two US Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean Sea fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in western Homs province at about 04:40 Syrian time (01:40 GMT).

They targeted aircraft, aircraft shelters, storage areas, ammunition supply bunkers and air defence systems at the Syrian government-controlled facility, according to the Pentagon.

It said the base was used to store chemical weapons and that “every precaution” had been taken to avoid casualties. The Russian military was informed beforehand, the Pentagon said.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, US President Donald Trump said in a statement that he had acted to prevent the use of chemical weapons.

Unnamed US intelligence sources have told media they believe Russian personnel were at Shayrat when Sarin was loaded on to a Syrian jet but they have not established whether the Russians knew it was happening.

Russia’s military said many cruise missiles had failed to hit their intended targets.

Retired civil servant Mateea Zefa, who lives about 800m (874yds) from the base, went with his children to look at the base afterwards and found it “totally destroyed”.

“We saw lots of bombs,” he told the BBC by phone. “Loads of them. It was a tough night. My house was damaged, almost all the windows broke and some walls cracked.”

Houses on one side of the base were also “totally destroyed”, he added.

A nurse at Shayrat’s hospital, Ammar al-Khidr, recalled being woken by “big explosions” at “around 03:30 or 03:45”.

Some children and other people were injured by shards of breaking glass but no civilians were killed, she said.

The dead and seriously injured were all soldiers, she said, adding that they had been brought to her hospital.

Syrian state media say as many as nine civilians were killed in the strike, four of them children. The BBC is unable to confirm this information.

The Syrian army said there had been significant damage to the base.

The US has led a coalition carrying out air strikes against jihadist groups in Syria since 2014 but this is the first time it has targeted government forces.

President Trump previously spoke out against US military involvement in Syria, instead calling for a greater focus on domestic interests.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signalled a sudden shift in policy on Thursday, saying that Bashar al-Assad should have no role in a future Syria.

The White House believes the attack was launched from the Shayrat airfield.

Russia said a Syrian air strike had hit a rebel depot containing chemical weapons.

However, experts are sceptical about Russia’s explanation.

Curled from bbc.com

World Heath Day: Nigeria: Kaduna Women Commissioner Donates Child Delivery Kits To Pregnant Women

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07/04/2017

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Kaduna State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hafsat Muhammad Baba has distributed free delivery kits to over 200 pregnant women in the state, as part of activities to mark the 2017 World Health Day.

The distribution took place Friday at the Womenhood Foundation Kaduna.

“I am donating this kits to you voluntarily to complement the effort of the Foundation,” Baba said.

The Commissioner urged religious and traditional rulers in the state to sensitize head of households on the need to allow their pregnant women to go to hospital for ante-natal visits and childbirth deliveries.

On the foundation, Hafsat said, “we are going to write a report and submit to the State Governor to show him the effort the foundation is doing, especially on health issues.

“We will explain to him that this school exist in the state, especially as it has graduated about one thousand midwives, who are now in various hospitals in the state.”

“I believed my Governor has listening ears, especially on health issues, and this will pave way for the state government to partner with you on health issues.”

“Also on our part as a ministry, we will see how we can assist you, especially on women health issues.”

She commended the Founder of the NGO, Maryam Abubakar, for her service to the community.

Earlier in a remark, the Matron of the Foundation, Maryam Abubakar, emphasised on the importance of ante-natal for pregnant women, saying, regular attendance assists pregnant women to know when they have problems.

She emphasised on the importance of breastfeeding, saying it assists on the health of the babies.

Also speaking, Chairperson of the Foundation, Haj Maryam Abubakar thanked the Commissioner for the donation.

“At the Foundation, we have been offering free ante-natal services and free drugs to pregnant women.”

Some of the beneficiaries, Falinat Yakubu, Zulaifat Salisu and Rhoda Yakubu expressed delight for the donation and called on other pregnant women to always go for ante-natal clinic so as to avoid facing problems during child delivery.

Dogara To Nigeria Governors: Publish Your Security Votes, LG Funds

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07/04/2017

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By Amos Tauna
The Speaker, Nigeria House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has challenged Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State, northwest of the country to extend his campaign for transparency in the budget of the National Assembly to other arms of government including how governors spend their security votes.

Speaking while closing a retreat for management of the National Assembly in Kaduna on Friday, Dogara, also challenged the governors, to, in the spirit of accountability and transparency publish how they utilise funds allocated to local governments.

The Speaker, while reacting to an earlier speech by Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmed El-rufai, who urged the legislature to make its budget public, disclosed that already, the bureaucracy has been directed to publish the National Assemnly budget beginning from 2017.

“I will like to challenge him (El-rufai) to champion this cause for transparency in the budgetary process from the National Assembly to other arms of government.

“The Judiciary first. We want to see clearly how Chief Executives of States… how they are paid. What do they spend monthly as security votes. And if they can publish what happens to local government funds under their jurisdictions. That will help our discussion going forward,” he explained.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by the management of the federal legislature, Dogara stressed that the National Assembly was the most misunderstood institution, adding that no parliament in the world can win popularity contest and Nigeria’s National Assembly is not an exception.

“When, for instance, public discussions on funding of the legislature are being made, the entire bureaucracy is often completely discountenanced, neither is any consideration given to the fact that this is a special bureaucracy saddled with a multitude of ‘masters’ who must be equally served in addition to service to the nation,” he explained.

Dogara, said the Nigeria Civil Service would begin to record progress when it breaks away from its usual tradition to new ways of carrying out its functions and administration.

He said for there to be productivity in the workforce, there must be innovation, which is borne out of motivation of staff through rewards such as promotions based on merit.

“As leaders, you must be prepared to motivate the workforce. Motivation is the key to innovation anywhere. For far too long, the bureaucracy in Nigeria has failed to innovate because it is locked in a tradition that defines boundaries that must not be crossed. A tradition that says we have always done it this way and apportions sanctions for those who dare doing it the other way even if the outcomes are better.

“These are chains that bind the bureaucracy in Nigeria from within. Although the most difficult chains to break are those within us, we must break them in order to free the bureaucracy and make it competitive and innovative.

“The key to achieving this is undoubtedly, training and retraining in an environment such as this.

“The necessity for every manager to fully understand the ecology of his organization is not negotiable. The legislature is a distinct organisation with several peculiarities, thereby making strategic management approach an imperative.

“The management of the National Assembly, whatever their managerial competencies, cannot provide efficient and effective services to the legislature except they fully understand and appreciate the organizational goals, objectives and the attendant challenges.

“I need not warn you of the bitter lesson of life, which is that it will never offer you more than who you are. But the good news is that you can become more. To become more, you must change your ideas and you will never change your ideas until you learn something new. New things learned are useless and cannot result in growth until you put them to use. That is why you cannot over spend on training. Tell me the size of your organization’s budget for training and retraining and I’ll predict with absolute certainty, the future of your organization,” the speaker noted.

The Speaker commended the visionary leadership approach of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, for the swift manner in which he was able to undertake a management needs assessment of the institution, which is the basis for the retreat.

Nigerian Men Condemn Violence Against Women

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06/04/2017

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By Winifred Bulus

Nigerian men have expressed dismay over domestic brutaliztion against women in the country.

They noted that rather than show compassion to survivors of domestic abuse, society stigmatized them and perceived them as weak, unfortunate and object of pity.

Fear of being judged by family has become a factor that prevent survivors from coming forth to speak about their predicament.

The idea that domestic abuse if not properly handled by a family, which does not need outside interference becomes archaic and inhumane.

Speaking with AFRICA PRIME NEWS, Daniel Stephen, a Nigerian said, “Domestic abuse is incriminating, reckless, and against the law. Persecution of abusers is needful. As much as some women are still the facilitators of why they are being beaten, nothing justifies hitting a woman.

“It is not a family matter that should be kept a secret or endured. Consequence of keeping up with domestic abuse goes beyond the physical; the emotional and psychological wellbeing of the victim can be affected greatly and can also have an alarming effect on the offspring.

“The society has little room for those who have journeyed through the darkens of domestic abuse or are still in the process. This is because there is not enough awareness and orientation circulated about it.

“The orientation of this topic, if well networked, will afford peasant rural dwellers the initiative of knowing the evil behind this and how to curb it, leading to complete demise.

He expressed the wrongful idea harboured by some women who feel being beaten was a way of chastisement by a spouse.

“Some women even enjoy beating as a way of making up when they default, ” He said.

Another Nigerian, Haruna Ibrahim, said, “Women can help protect or prevent some of the cases of abuse. That is not to say I justify domestic abuse. Truth is there are sceneries where silence can help prevent a violent reaction from a man.

“Again, women can be cautious of getting into heated arguments with men who have hit them or shown violence in the past. Similarly, getting into an argument with a stranger can put you in unpleasant condition of getting disrespected. Sensible men walk away in the midst of heated arguments with a woman: sadly, not all men are sensible.

“This will save them the tragedy of getting hit as the case may be. Some men are irresponsible and have no control in terms of being violent. Women should not give a chance to be abused by such men who are looking for the opportunity to get violent.”

To Haske Bobai, “A man can only hit a woman when she is trying to kill him or if she hits him first. Except in that situation, there is no point in a man being violent to his partner. Men react differently in situations, while some would hit back, others would just walk away.

“Stigmatization of survivors of domestic abuse is unfair especially in the cases of sexual abuse. Society should refrain from judging or looking down on them because they are only ‘victims’. You cannot blame someone who was helpless in a situation.”

Esther Gandu explained, “Some of the abuse can be avoided if women pay attention to early signs of violence in a man during courtship. Walking away from such relations will save you a lot of damage in the future.

“I believe a man who is above forty years of age is not likely to change his behaviour in the future. At that age, there is no going back on good and bad habits that have already been formed. If violence is intertwined in his personality, you have to deal with it for the rest of your life.”

Anne Francis, a Nigerian woman, spoke on learned hopefulness adopted by some women, exemplifying the women’s loss of control in the abuse and totally surrendering to the tragedy. She referred to it as false hope and wishful thinking that a man would change from the monstrous behaviour.

“Some women are too tolerating. Thinking their silence will attract sympathy from the abusive spouse. Some have lost their lives in the process of waiting,” She explained.

Gambia Carries Out First Parliament Election ln 22 Years

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06/04/2017

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By Winifred Bulus

Gambia is conducting first legislative election in 22 years after being free from dictatorial rule.

228 contestants from nine parties are contesting for 53 parliament seats.

More than 880,000 cictizens are legible to vote and a number of people have come out to exercise their voting rights.

Opposition parties who had merged to form the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party that produced the ocuntry’s new president, Adama Barrow have dispatched their members and each is contesting for the vacant seats in the parliament.

Amongst the contesting parties are also the United Democratic Party (UDP) which stood alone after the coalition of parties that won the presidential elections with the party’s candidate coming third in the presidential running.

Information has it that there are additional 5 seats to be appointed by the president after the election. This totals the number of seats to 58.

Cameroonian Honore is AMDF Journalist Of The Month (April)

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Africaprimenews

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06/04/2017

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By Iliya Kure

Kouam Joel Honore has emerged ‘AMDF Journalist for the Month of April 2017’. A programme of Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF), meant to recognise efforts of Journalists in Africa and to encourage them to excel in their field.

Honore is a freelance video journalist, based in Douala Cameroon. He is the Cameroonian Correspondent of Africa News TV. He also freelances for Associated Press (AP); Jukafrica; and Reuters Media Togo.

Honore is currently enrolled for his Masters Degree programme in French Language, having obtained a bilingual degree in English and French, from Douala University in Cameroon.

Speaking about his motivation, Honore said, “I have been passionate about images since young age. So in my year two at university, I started a training in journalism, and playing host at a private TV company, here in Douala for eight months. Thereafter, I went ahead and learnt how to use the camera, by that time they have started sending me out for TV report on social issues.

“I went to another TV station to continue my training. I later met a journalist from Agence France Presse (AFP), who taught me additional skills in video journalism. I later acquired my own camera and started following the journalist daily.

The 25 year old Journalist was Born in Baham in west of Cameroon.

Towards World Health Day, Womenhood Foundation Diagnoses Over Ex-War Veterans In Nigeria

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Africaprimenews

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06/04/2017

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By Amos Tauna

Ahead of International World Health commemoration, a Kaduna State based famous Womenhood foundation northeast Nigeria, diagnosed ex- servicemen on Thursday free of charge on various ailments.

The World Health Organisation(WHO), has set 7th April of each year as the day for world health commemoration.

The excise held at the Secretariat of the ex-servicemen situated at Mando in Igabi local government area of Kaduna state Northern Nigeria

The Director of the Foundation, Nuradeen Bello, said,”We come to a stage that the dignity of the ex-servicemen must be recognised, and that is why we bring these services to your door step.

“We will try to check your oral cavity because with age, you may be facing various diseases.”

Also in his lecture, Maharazu Abdullahi, urged them to regularly check their teeth, especially to avoid hilitoses.

Speaking, the founder and Chairperson of the Foundation, Haj Maryam Abubakar, said, “My late biological father Garba Ila was an ex- serviceman and I feel it is necessary to come to your aid, through our services.

“You are the reason why we are here because you have sacrificed for Nigeria survival, and without peace we would not have been here today. Therefore, we are here with our team of doctors and other health practioners to give free medical diagnoses and donate other gift items in appreciation to their various contribution to the nation.

“You are not supposed to be neglected considering the role you played in keeping Nigeria one. You are our heros, now that you are old, we decided to come and support you and encourage you and give you various health advices so as to keep you strong and healthy”

“There is urgent need for the federal government to come to you aid, especially by paying your pension as at when due.

“We will partner with you, we are also ready to offer scholarship to your children so that they will study at our School of Health Science free of charge.”

The Theme of this year world health day, ”Campaign against Depression”

Earlier, the state chairman of the ex-servicemen Welfare Association, Warrant Officer Yusif Usaman, said, “This is the first time that an NGO is coming to render free health care to us, I must confessed that this humanitarian service to us today is the first of its kind since the establishment of our association 2002.

“We really appreciate and we are very grateful for this gesture.”

Some of the free services rendered to the ex- servicemen were blood pressure, Malaria treatment and free treated Mosquito nets was
distributed to the ex-servicemen.

Most of the veterance expressed satisfaction and call on more NGOs,/CSO and wealthy individuals to assist them in the education of their children in view of the various contribution each one of them have done to make Nigeria great today

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