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  • El-Zakzaky On His Way Back To Nigeria

    (FLOWERBUD NEWS) Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), is on his way back to the country three days after embarking on a medical trip to India.

    A source close to the cleric disclosed this to TheCable, saying the federal government frustrated his efforts to get treatment in India.

    More to follow. CULLED VANGUARD.

  • THE TRUE STORY ON EL-ZAKZAKY IN INDIA

    (FLOWERBUD NEWS) It would be recalled that the Court on 5th August, 2019 granted the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibraheem EL-Zakzaky leave to travel to India for medical treatment. Consequently, the Government and its concerned agencies agreed to obey the Order and immediately planned to achieve the success of the Medical trip.

    The government went further to arrange a private air craft for the said movement and convenience of the parties but El-Zakzaky turned this offer down and instead preferred to travel on a commercial flight for which he chose the Emirates.

    It may further be recalled that in line with the Court Order, El-Zakzaky was supposed to embark on the trip with State officials. His choice to be accompanied by his aides and personal Doctors was not opposed by the government.

    On 12th August, 2019, he and other members of the entourage set off on the journey to India via Dubai. It is to be noted that El-Zakzaky particularly chose Mendata Hospital, India. However, on reaching Dubai, El-Zakzaky began to display ulterior motives against laid down procedures.

    First, he requested that his passport be handed over to him but the State officials would not budge to his pressure. The situation became worse in India. El-Zakzaky had increased his demands. At this stage, he refused to subject himself to preliminary medical checks including laboratory tests.

    He demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds. He requested to be allowed to check into a 5-Star Hotel instead of being admitted in the hospital. But the Indian authorities turned down his 5-Star hotel stay request on the ground that he came into the country for medicals and not as a tourist (more so that his Visa was issued on medical grounds and not on tourism). He demanded that Police protection be withdrawn from him by the Indian authorities.

    Against medical ethics and standard practice, he requested to nominate Doctors of his choice to join the ones tasked by Mendata Hospital to perform medical treatment on him and his wife. This, of course, created a stalemate for which the Hospital insisted that he would not dictate to or direct it on the choice of medical personnel to carry the required medical treatment on them.

    Frustrated by his antics, the Indian authorities have expressed willingness to return him to Nigeria with immediate effect. This is on the account that they will not allow him use their country to internationalize his group’s activities.

    Against this background, the Nigerian government wishes to commend the stand of India and as well apologize to her for the unruly behaviour of El-Zakzaky. Similarly, the attention of the public and indeed the international community is hereby drawn to these unfortunate developments.

    The government also wishes to use this opportunity to affirm its readiness to undertake the prosecution of El-Zakzaky through due process if and when he is returned to the country. Therefore, his foul cry that he is being held in circumstances worse than he was in Nigeria should be disregarded.

  • Why fertiliser price remains high – NAN survey

    In spite of the intervention of some state governments to bring down the price of fertiliser, the cost of the critical farm input remains high, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    Stakeholders across some South West states and Kwara told NAN that a combination of factors including high demand in the face of low supply, the ‘shylock’ activities of middlemen and government neglect have kept the price of fertiliser up.

    In Oyo State, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) attributed the hike in the prices of fertiliser to high demand for the product, stressing that the current supply was below what farmers require.

    The Secretary of the association, Mr David Ogundele, told NAN that there was no price regime control on fertiliser and other farm inputs in the state.

    According to him, some of the fertilisers used in the country are imported and occasionally arrive late to the country thereby, making farmers to wait for long before arrival.

     

    He said that some of the importers were business men would like to make high profit on the capital they invested.

    “The state government’s effort concerning this issue is not felt by the farmers because it is a matter of pay for one and take one free and this is not enough for the farmers,  especially large scale farmers.

    “The N5,500  as the price given if you are buying through the government  but it is between N7,000 and N7,500 if you are buying outside,” he said.

    A senior officer in the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, who pleaded not to be named, however, said distribution of subsidised fertilisers to genuine farmers was ongoing at designated centres.

    He said a bag of fertiliser costs N5, 500, adding that no genuine farmer in the state was being denied access to the product.

    The source also said the ministry was not aware of any hike ”and if there is any, government will deal decisively with anyone trying to sabotage government efforts toward revitalisation of the agricultural sector.”

    In Ondo State, Mr Akin Olotu, the Special Adviser to Gov.  Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Agriculture and Agri-Business said that the state government was doing its best to make fertiliser available to farmers in the state at subsidised rate.

    Olotu said that fertiliser could be accessed by farmers through the Agricultural Input Agency (AISA) and through individuals.

    He said that fertiliser was being offered by the government agency at N5, 600 for the 60kg bag.

    The governor’s aide noted that any agency selling above the government subsidised price or manipulating the process would be punished severely.

    He, however, said such incident had never happened in the state because of proper monitoring and supervision.

    Olotu said distribution of fertiliser was being done in collaboration with registered farmers’ associations in the state.

    According to him, fertilisers are often distributed directly to farmers across the state through their associations.

    He said that members of the state House of Assembly even bought fertilisers for farmers in their respective constituencies in the last distribution exercise.

    Olotu,  however,  said that the state government would encourage farmers in the state to opt for organic fertilisers, adding that it was the new global trend.

    “We are now encouraging our farmers to go organic because that is global trend now. People are more aware of their health and effect of inorganic fertilisers on the soil.

    “The state government is planning to turn waste such as poultry dung to fertiliser and this will create a value of chain.

    “So, we are being holistic in our approach but in the interim,  we still make inorganic fertiliser available at a cheaper rate to our farmers before work is perfected on the organic fertiliser,” Olotu said.

    In Osun, Mr Moses Oladipupo, the Deputy Chairman of AFAN said fertilisers had remained difficult to access by farmers in the state, adding that the ones being sold in the market were not subsidised or sold at Federal Government rates.

    Oladipupo said though the subsidised price for Federal Government supplied fertiliser was N5,000 it had remained unavailable in the state for farmers to buy.

    He also said the state government had not made fertiliser available, let alone subsidise it.

    The AFAN official said the fertilisers farmers were buying in the market were sold by private vendors at between N8,000 and N10,000, depending on the brand.

    He said no fertiliser supply was coming directly from the Federal Government or state government to farmers in the state.

    Dr Bukola Aluko, the Coordinating Director, Osun Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security admitted that the state government was not subsidising the price of fertiliser for farmers in the state.

    Aluko said government was only partnering with a private companies to ensure the availability of product in the state.

    According to him, the state cannot subsidise fertiliser for farmers for now because of its financial situation.

    He, however, said government was partnering with the Farmers Input Supplies and Services Company (FISSC), to make agro materials, chemicals and fertiliser available to farmers across the state.

    Aluko, who noted that   the fertiliser supplied by the company to farmers were sold in the market at regular or below regular prices, said the state government did not subsidise or regulate the market prices.

    He added that fertiliser was not scarce in the state as it was being made readily available by FISSC to farmers in the open market.

    In Ekiti, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Community Empowerment, Mr Folorunsho Olabode, said fertiliser was being subsidised by government.

    He, however, expressed surprise that the price would still be high in the open market.

    The commissioner disclosed that the state government had recently taken delivery of 6,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

    “Each bag of the fertiliser is currently being sold to farmers at N5, 500,’’ he said.

    The commissioner said government was not aware of those selling at irregular prices and promised that the present administration would not watch farmers being exploited.

    He enjoined famers to patronise government agro outlets to buy the input at controlled price.

    A NAN correspondent, who visited the Fountain Agricultural Marketing Agency owned by the state government, reports that a bag of fertiliser marked “KPK 1010” is being sold for N5,600.

    NAN investigation across some open agric outlets in Ado Ekiti, however revealed that this was not so with privately owned outlets where an average bag of fertiliser was being sold for between N6, 000 and N6, 500.

    Some of the vendors attributed the high prices to transportation and other logistics costs.

    In Kwara, Mr Idris Abubakar Dan-Azumi, the Principal Agricultural Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the state government had not started subsidising fertiliser.

    “As a result of that, a bag of fertiliser is being sold for N6, 000.

    “There is no scarcity of fertiliser in the state in terms of availability, except that the government is not subsidising for now,’’ he said.

    Dan-Azumi claimed that only 11 out of the 22 fertiliser blending companies in the country were functioning with the factory price at N5, 500 per bag.

    “When this Federal Government administration came on board only two factories were working.

    “So the Federal Government partnered with a Moroccan company to produce NPK and sell at the rate of N5, 500 to dealers, who in turn sell at N6, 000 to farmers,” he said.

    He, however, noted that the new administration in the state had captured money for fertiliser procurement in the 2019 supplementary budget.

    Prof. Olubunmi Omotesho of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, however, decried the situation where small scale farmers had to source for chemical fertilisers from the open markets at very exorbitant prices.

    Omotesho said that the small scale farmers were technically efficient but were rarely, if ever, consulted on how to acquire their needs, especially fertilisers.

    “Small scale farmers do not always have access to the much needed agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, and when they do, they pay exorbitant prices for them.

    “This is because the small scale farmer does not have adequate access to agricultural extension services,” he said.

    The expert said more than 60 per cent of rural farming households were not only income poor but multi-dimensionally poor.

    He said while government policies might be laudable, they must ensure that small scale farmers have the required access to the much needed agricultural resources such as fertilisers, markets, lands, finances, infrastructures and technologies.

    The don explained that this would increase their productivity on a sustainable basis such that they would be less vulnerable.

    A cross- section of farmers in Kwara , however, blamed lack of government supervision for the hike in price of fertiliser.

    A farmer, Mr Idowu Babatunde, alleged that many government officials divert the product to their own personal warehouses and sell for high profit.

    On his part, Mr Damilola Odediji,  farmer  called on the government to ensure special agents were empowered to monitor movement of fertilisers in the country.

    “It is time government acts fast and curb the diversionary tactics being employed by corrupt government representatives,” he said.

    The scenario was not different in Ogun with the state chapter of AFAN attributing the rising cost of fertiliser to inadequate production of the product and the activities of middlemen.

    The Secretary of AFAN in Ogun, Mr Abiodun Ogunjimi said the rising cost was a reflection of the law of demand and supply.

    He noted that increased production of fertiliser would make the product more available and force the price down.

    Abiodun noted that though fertiliser was available at a subsidised rate of N5, 500, a farmer could only get a maximum of two bags at such rate because of rationing resulting from inadequate supply.

    “There must be sufficient production to enable farmers have access to fertiliser otherwise the situation will  jeopeardise the benefit of the subsidy on fertiliser.

    “As it is, we farmers are getting our fertiliser mainly from the open market at an average rate of between N7,500 and N8,000 depending on the make.

    “This is absolutely too high for farmers but we are helpless.

    “The middlemen who buy it in bulk from the government at subsidised rate of N5,500 are making too much gain and making things difficult.

    ” The government must devise a way where we can get it directly at subsidised rate in bulk to force the price down,” he said. (NAN)

  • Guinea seeks stronger economic ties with Kano govt.

    (FLOWERBUD NEWS)The President of the Republic of Guinea, Prof. Alpha Conde, has solicited closer and stronger economic ties between Kano and Guinea.

    Conde made the call in Kano during a special business session with Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and the Kano business community at the Government House, Kano, on Wednesday.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Abba Anwar.

    The president assured the business community that they would always be ready to welcome Kano businessmen for investment opportunities in his country.

    “Being brothers coming from Africa, you would surely have no problem at all in harnessing the abundant investment opportunities in our dear country,” the statement said.

    According to the statement, Conde who said that his country has effective ease of doing business environment, assured that since his assumption as President of the Republic in 2010, he has been doing his best to see that all odds against transparent, smoother and healthier economy were eliminated.

    Earlier, Ganduje assured the Guinean president that Kano State Government was ready and determined to work closely with the Republic of Guinea to leverage each other’s strength to mutual benefits.

    The statement quoted Ganduje as saying that the door of his government are always opened to the great country of Guinea.

    “We welcome your new innovations and suggestions on how we can partner with Guinea in all facets of development especially investment opportunities in both countries.

    “I am indeed particularly delighted by Your Excellency’s passion and expressed commitment to hold discussions between your delegation and members of our business community in Kano on various investment opportunities in the Republic of Guinea among other related issues.

    “The strength and relevance of Kano business community in economic development, both within and outside Nigeria, today constitutes an important and unique force in Nigeria and the World in general.

    “In the past couple of decades, it has grown into an energetic and confident community that has accorded Nigeria a good stand-in many parts of the World.

    “It is our pride to state that today, the richest black man in the World is a native of Kano in the person of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,” the statement read in part.

    The Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, while appreciating the move for such economic ties between Kano and Guinea, encouraged the economic integration.

    The first class traditional ruler noted that such collaboration could help in preventing Africans from migrating to other parts of the world, particularly Europe and other developed states in search of greener pasture.

    “We must, as people try and see that this and similar initiatives see the light of the day. Emphasis should be more on Africa to Africa investment, than Africa to other places. Through this, we can make a significant impact on fighting poverty,” the statement quoted Sanusi saying.

    Those who attended the forum were representative of Dangote Group of Companies, Mr Mansur Ahmed; Alhaji Tajuddeen Dantata represented Dantata Group of Companies, and Alhaji Nafi’u Isyaka Rabi’u represented BUA Group of Companies.

    Also in attendance were the Chairman Azman Air, Alhaji Abdulmanafi Sarina; the Executive Chairman of Ultimate Gas, Alhaji Auwalu Ilu; Executive Vice Chairman of Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta; and the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris.

    Ministers designate from Kano state, retired Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi and Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, among other dignitaries, witnessed the event.

  • Video: Masquerade set ablaze in Ogun comes out unhurt

     

    The Ogun Masquerade

    An Ogun Masquerade, Danafojura pulled a fire stunt at an event attended by residents of the state at Ojude Oba Festival on Aug. 13.

    A viral video making rounds online captured moment the Masquerade whose name means “Burn alive and walk way” got set on fire.

    He however walked through the fire without getting hurt.

    Watch the video below:

    https://youtu.be/mJ-HzF_VCcs

  • Liverpool win Super Cup after penalty shootout

    (FLOWERBUD NEWS) Champions League winners Liverpool won the Super Cup 5-4 on penalties against Chelsea after the game ended 2-2 following extra-time on Wednesday.

    With the first nine penalties all converted, Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham saw his effort blocked by the legs of Liverpool keeper Adrian to hand victory to Juergen Klopp’s side.

    Chelsea went ahead in the 36th minute when N’Golo Kante drove from midfield and found Christian Pulisic, who turned inside and delivered the perfect through ball for Olivier Giroud to confidently slot home.

    American Pulisic then beat Adrian with a fine shot after a swift run down the flank but the effort was ruled out for offside.

    Liverpool manager Klopp introduced Brazilian Roberto Firmino at the break and he had an instant impact.

    He poked the ball past the advancing Kepa Arrizabalaga and Sadio Mane tapped into the unguarded goal to make it 1-1 in the 49th minute.

    Arrizabalaga then produced a superb double save in the 75th minute to deny Mohamed Salah’s deflected low drive.

    And the Spanish keeper did superbly to get back up and push Virgil van Dijk’s follow up against the bar.

    With the teams level after 90 minutes the game went into extra-time, past midnight local time, and Liverpool struck after just five minutes with Mane driving home after an excellent exchange with Firmino.

    But six minutes later, Chelsea were back on level terms with a Jorginho penalty after Abraham was brought down in the box by Liverpool keeper Adrian, setting up the shootout. (Reuters/NAN)

  • Resuscitate Warri Port now to boost economy – Okowa tasks FG

    (FLOWERBUD NEWS)Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, on Wednesday in Asaba, stressed the need for the Federal Government to resuscitate Warri Port.

    Okowa, who gave the charge when the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli I, visited him at the Government House, said Warri Port remained a key factor in the economic development of the state and the country at large.

    He said that with the congestion in Lagos ports, reviving the port would ease traffic and boost the country’s economic activities at the ports.

    “There is no doubt that the Warri Port is a key economical factor for our state and the nation; the earlier we get it working, the better for us.

    “It is in the best interest of this nation to expand, create and develop port facilities because Lagos ports are already congested and more ports mean higher boost to our economy,” he said.

    Okowa assured the monarch of his administration’s commitment to meeting the yearnings of the people through projects that would impact positively on them.

    “I want to thank you for the partnership that exists between your kingdom and the state government.

    “This partnership has helped the traditional council to grow and work together with the state government and it has made our state a very peaceful state.

    “I have made it very clear that political appointees must go back home to pay their loyalties to their traditional rulers and work with them.

    “Because they cannot work from Asaba and not liaise with traditional rulers and the kingdoms.

    “This is very important to our commitment to execute projects in consultation with the monarchs and constituents.

    “We are also committed to the construction of Ogheye floating market. We have gotten the Ministry of Works and Housing to do a complete assessment and budget breakdown, so that work can commence as quickly as possible on the market.

    “Trans-Warri road is a project that is very dear to me and we will do the best we can to achieve it.

    “The contractors have been to site, but there is not much that can be done during the rainy season.

    “So, we will utilise the dry season and ensure that work commences,” Okowa said.

    Earlier, the monarch had congratulated the governor on his election victory and thanked him for appointing Itsekiri sons and daughters into his administration.

    The Olu assured the governor that he would ensure that peace reigned in Itsekiri kingdom for accelerated development.

    Delta State Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa with Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli I as he tasks FG on resuscitation of Warri Port

     

  • FG To Tackle Kidnapping, Robbery With NISPSAS In Collaboration With NEMA, NAMA etc – Perm SEC

     

    By Folorunsho Lawal

    (FLOWEBUD NEWS) Federal government is to effectively tackle kidnapping, rural area bank robbery etc with NISPSAS in collaboration with NEMA , NAMA and other relevant agencies, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Barr Georgina Ehuriah has said.

    Ehuriah who gave the hint while speaking on the importance of the Nigeria Internal Security and Public Safety Alert System (NISPSAS), urged  all agencies involved in public security and safety to key into NISPSAS system to curb crime and boost national response to emergencies including flooding.

    Ehuriah who was answering questions from newsmen on Wednesday in Ilorin said that NISPSAS,  is now fully functional and required the collaborations of all emergency response and Management stakeholders for maximum impact.

    She noted that effective collaboration on NISPSAS by relevant agencies would drastically enhance national response to emergencies like flooding,  banditry and other heinous crimes and thereby help to safe more lives.

    The Permanent Secretary stated that the alert mobile application, available for free download by members of the public enables anyone in any form of  distress to alert emergency and security agencies for prompt response by the nearest ones.

    “Anyone in distress is to click on the designated icon for the various emergencies for the nearest response agency to respond, ‘’ she explained, reiterating that the use of NISPSAS Mobile App “will  ensure quick response to flood disaster and robbery on Nigerians roads,’’

    She added that collaboration on NISPSAS APP by all relevant agencies would enhance effective joint Coordination of response to emergencies, adding that the system is also “aimed at monitoring agencies level of preparedness, as well as the degree of responsiveness to emergency distress from the public’’.

    Commenting on the Permanent Secretary’s call for relevant Agencies to collaborate on NISPSAS, Senior Coordinator, Mr. Benson Olatunji recalled that two recent emergencies which resulted in loss of lives could have been avoided, if required collaboration had been implemented on the NISPSAS APP.

    “Firstly is the drowning of a very senior Government officer in FCT after holding to scrub for over an hour without rescue. This would have been averted if NEMA had incorporated NISPSAS Monitoring Facility which would have enabled the public to use NISPSAS to send both distress and visual site image for prompt response.

    “In similar emergency, Clergies and Passengers were kidnapped and many robbed of their possessions in a recent multiple vehicle robbery incident.

    He noted that “these emergencies can be reduced if there is availability of Unman Area Vehicle (UAV) a.k.a Drone, which would have received distress from any of the intending victims and automatically deploy to the location and lock-on to the criminals,

    The NISPSAS  Senior Coordinator said that ‘’the crime would have been voided by the police or the Nigerian Airforce Helicopter, as they would have been able to use NISPSAS drone in locating the criminals.

    Olatunji said ‘’another scenario of such emergency is bank bullion van hijack by armed robbers, same drone deployment and NISPSAS alert system can prevent bank bullion van hijack

    “Rural areas in Nigeria are currently faced with difficulties in accessing banks in their locality due to closure of many banks as a result of constant attacks and robbery by criminals. To these effect, integration of NISPSAS to drone technology will help in reducing incidences of robbery on banks and restoring rural public access to banking facility.

    Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Barr Georgina Ehuriah

    Olatunji also stressed that the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),which is responsible for the regulation and deployment of drone is a critical partner in the success of eradicating kidnapping and controlling of banditry with drone when fully integrated to NISPSAS facility.

    He added that  “without going through further rigorous policy formulations and regulations, the present mandate of both National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as well as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provides for seamless integration of NISPSAS to drone and flood response as well as Bank armed robbery prevention”.

    Our correspondent confirmed at NISPSAS technical centre that various platform for integration is been worked on in line with the Permanent Secretary’s directives of all inclusive and combine stakeholders implementation of NISPSAS.

    Olatunji also urged all relevant agencies “to as a matter of National urgency, approach the Directorate of Joint Services in the Ministry of Interior for NISPSAS Integration to enhance general service delivery.

    Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Barr Georgina Ehuriah
  • FG To Tackle Kidnapping, Robbery With NISPSAS In Collaboration With NEMA, NAMA etc

    By Folorunsho Lawal 

    Federal government is to effectively tackle kidnapping, rural area bank robbery etc with NISPSAS in collaboration with NEMA , NAMA and other relevant agencies, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Barr Georgina Ehuriah has said.

    Ehuriah who gave the hint while speaking on the importance of the Nigeria Internal Security and Public Safety Alert System (NISPSAS), urged  all agencies involved in public security and safety to key into NISPSAS system to curb crime and boost national response to emergencies including flooding.

    Ehuriah who was answering questions from newsmen on Wednesday in Ilorin said that NISPSAS,  is now fully functional and required the collaborations of all emergency response and Management stakeholders for maximum impact.

    She noted that effective collaboration on NISPSAS by relevant agencies would drastically enhance national response to emergencies like flooding,  banditry and other heinous crimes and thereby help to safe more lives.

    The Permanent Secretary stated that the alert mobile application, available for free download by members of the public enables anyone in any form of  distress to alert emergency and security agencies for prompt response by the nearest ones.

    “Anyone in distress is to click on the designated icon for the various emergencies for the nearest response agency to respond, ‘’ she explained, reiterating that the use of NISPSAS Mobile App “will  ensure quick response to flood disaster and robbery on Nigerians roads,’’

    She added that collaboration on NISPSAS APP by all relevant agencies would enhance effective joint Coordination of response to emergencies, adding that the system is also “aimed at monitoring agencies level of preparedness, as well as the degree of responsiveness to emergency distress from the public’’.

    Commenting on the Permanent Secretary’s call for relevant Agencies to collaborate on NISPSAS, Senior Coordinator, Mr. Benson Olatunji recalled that two recent emergencies which resulted in loss of lives could have been avoided, if required collaboration had been implemented on the NISPSAS APP.

    “Firstly is the drowning of a very senior Government officer in FCT after holding to scrub for over an hour without rescue. This would have been averted if NEMA had incorporated NISPSAS Monitoring Facility which would have enabled the public to use NISPSAS to send both distress and visual site image for prompt response.

    “In similar emergency, Clergies and Passengers were kidnapped and many robbed of their possessions in a recent multiple vehicle robbery incident.

    He noted that “these emergencies can be reduced if there is availability of Unman Area Vehicle (UAV) a.k.a Drone, which would have received distress from any of the intending victims and automatically deploy to the location and lock-on to the criminals,

    The NISPSAS  Senior Coordinator said that ‘’the crime would have been voided by the police or the Nigerian Airforce Helicopter, as they would have been able to use NISPSAS drone in locating the criminals.

    Olatunji said ‘’another scenario of such emergency is bank bullion van hijack by armed robbers, same drone deployment and NISPSAS alert system can prevent bank bullion van hijack

    “Rural areas in Nigeria are currently faced with difficulties in accessing banks in their locality due to closure of many banks as a result of constant attacks and robbery by criminals. To these effect, integration of NISPSAS to drone technology will help in reducing incidences of robbery on banks and restoring rural public access to banking facility.

    Olatunji also stressed that the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA),which is responsible for the regulation and deployment of drone is a critical partner in the success of eradicating kidnapping and controlling of banditry with drone when fully integrated to NISPSAS facility.

    He added that  “without going through further rigorous policy formulations and regulations, the present mandate of both National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as well as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provides for seamless integration of NISPSAS to drone and flood response as well as Bank armed robbery prevention”.

    Our correspondent confirmed at NISPSAS technical centre that various platform for integration is been worked on in line with the Permanent Secretary’s directives of all inclusive and combine stakeholders implementation of NISPSAS.

    Olatunji also urged all relevant agencies “to as a matter of National urgency, approach the Directorate of Joint Services in the Ministry of Interior for NISPSAS Integration to enhance general service delivery.