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  • CG National Parks reiterates appeal to public for recapture of stray animals

     By Francis Belux

    Nigeria National Parks Service has appealed to the public to assist the service in facilitating the recapture of wild animals that strayed from parks due to flood incidents across the country.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General of the Parks Service, made the appeal in Abuja via a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Yakubu Zull, on monday.

    Goni, who sympathised with the flood victims and affected states, however, urged the general public not to kill any stray wild animal displaced by floods from wildlife parks, saying that they should instead call on experts for quick intervention.

    He thanked Gov. Abubakar Bagudu and the people of Kebbi for inviting the officials of the service when they sighted four stray elephants and a calf in Danten swamp in Bagudu Local Government Area of the state.

    He urged other citizens to emulate the governor in efforts to protect wildlife regardless of the location of the wild animals because of their value to a balanced and sustainable ecosystem.

    “In Nigeria at present, the destruction of natural habitats continues unabated, resulting in the depletion of the country’s wildlife resources.

    “Several species of wildlife have been lost, while some are threatened with extinction due to factors such as climate change, human population and pollution,’’ he added.

    The conservator-general said that there were over 100 forest and game reserves across the country but noted that the current state of the reserves was quite unsatisfactory.

    “This is the reason why the few remaining wild animals maraud with no habitat to protect them.

    “The cases of a colony of chimpanzees killed in Enugu, elephants killed in Ondo and Kwara (Jebba), the marauding elephants in Ijebu Ode and the recent case of an elephant killed in Kebbi are fresh in mind,’’ he said.

    Goni pushed for the review of the state laws that stipulated highly insignificant punishments for the killing of endangered animal species like elephants, for example.

    “The fine is a tap on the wrist for such grievous offences, so the government should review the archaic wildlife laws in order to come up with effective protection and management policies for wildlife resources.

    “The revised laws would avert the indiscriminate and wanton killing of these species,’’ he added.

  • Buhari raises alarm over `misuse’ of Social Media

    Buhari raises alarm over `misuse’ of Social Media

    President Muhammadu Buhari has alerted Nigerians on the challenges and danger associated with the misuse of what he described as “today’s world of social media.’’

    The president, who raised the alarm in his national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 58th Independence Anniversary in Abuja on Monday, frowned at the way and manner the social media was being misused to provoke passions and stir tensions.

    He said it was an   abuse of the  new technologies.

    According to President Buhari, all well-meaning citizens must learn how to use modern technologies for the general good of the nation.

    “Now we have in our hands technology that is a powerful tool that we can and should use for knowledge and understanding.

    “As with other countries, we must also learn how to manage those tendencies that, instead, look to abuse new technologies to provoke passions and stir tensions.

    “Never before have we faced such a challenge. We must all rise to the responsibility of shutting out those disruptive and corrosive forces that hide in today’s  world of social media. We need critical minds and independent thinking, to question and question until we are satisfied we have the facts.

    “Otherwise, all the progress we have made as a democracy since 1999 is at stake.’’

    On the forthcoming general elections, President Buhari reiterated the determination of his administration to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

    According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be `exactly independent’ and properly staffed and resourced.

    “I have committed myself many times to ensure  that elections are fully participatory, free and fair and that the Independent National Electoral Commission will be exactly  INDEPENDENT and properly staffed and resourced.

    “The ballot box is how we make our choice for the governments that rule in our name,’’ he said.

    On Nigerian youths, the president noted that they had been at the vanguard of the struggle for independence, saying that they fought in the war to keep the country united.

    He added that the youths were the ones that kept alive the struggle for democracy and human rights in the country at times when these were at risk, especially following the June 12 1993 election and the historic 2015 election process.

    “Even today, our youths play a central role   in Nigeria’s continuing progress and developments in all fields of our national endeavour –technology, agriculture, mining, engineering and especially the creative arts.

    “Together we are building a more diverse, inclusive and self-reliant economy,’’ he further maintained.

    The president revealed that in the past three years,  his administration had introduced many policies and programmes targeted at youth development and youth empowerment.

    “We support the ‘not too young to run’ legislation aimed at giving the youths greater say in our national politics and governance.

    “The school feeding program in primary schools is aimed at encouraging enrolment and attendance.

    “We are building on what we have already introduced to support schools and universities to which funds have recently been released for upgrade of facilities, training programs for our entrepreneurs, and rehabilitation schemes for victims of terrorism and human trafficking.’’(NAN)

  • No more shady oil deals, brazen theft of billions – Buhari

    No more shady oil deals, brazen theft of billions – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is making progress in the fight against corruption as shady oil deals and the brazen theft of billions of Naira are no more.

    The president stated this in his address to the nation as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 58th Independence Anniversary in Abuja on Monday.

    Buhari also said that the Federal Government had recorded progress in its efforts toward recovery of stolen public funds and assets despite vicious and stiff resistance.

    “We are making progress in the fight against corruption and recovery of stolen public funds and assets despite vicious and stiff resistance.

    “The shameful past practice, of the brazen theft of billions of Naira is no more.

    “Shady oil deals and public contracts that were never delivered have become things of the past.

    “Consequently, and this is very evident across the country, we have done more with less in infrastructural developments.

    “Roads, railways, major bridges, schools, energy and power, air and sea ports, welfare of serving and retired personnel both civilian and military including payment of legacy debt such as pension arrears, have been attended to.’’

    On the state of the economy, Buhari said, “there is now an enabling environment for local and foreign investment in Nigeria.

    “We are building a rules-based system – a level playing field that is free from fixers and intermediaries.

    “This is the cornerstone to help genuine investors and honest consumers, and the platform that will allow for the real reforms that we intend to deliver over the coming years.’’

    He noted with delight that the government was gradually strengthening the economy with a stable Naira and falling inflation rate.

    According to him, his administration is building an economy that is moving away from over reliance on oil.

    Consequently, he said, the nation had witnessed massive return to farms and seen bumper harvest, despite recurrent floods across the country.

    “These positive developments are the result of our collective pursuit of a common vision through hard work and dedication, after the missed opportunities and disappointments that followed the return to democracy in 1999,’’ he added.

  • No plan to hike universities tuition fees – Ministry

    The Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday debunked the news trending on social media that the Federal Government had approved the hike in tuition fees of Nigerian universities to N350,000.

    Mr Sonny Echono, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry made the clarification at a symposium in Abuja.

    Echono, who said the Federal Government was not planning to increase the tuition fees, urged Nigerians to remain calm on the issue.

    The symposium has its theme: “The Right to Education means the Right to a Qualified Teacher’’.

    “The Federal Government did not and has no intention of introducing new tuition fees in our public universities not to mention the figure to N350, 000.

    “What is true is that the present administration is committed to guarantee quality of education.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the ministry of education along with the ministry of finance to jointly organise a workshop that will inform on a very sustainable and workable recommendation of funding education in Nigeria.

    “And to this end, we have been engaging various stakeholders including ASUU who can come up with a very useful contribution that will bring all these recommendations achievable.

    Echono added that the ministry was working toward re-establishing the education bank to address the role of education funding as the government cannot do it alone.

    He said the role of the education bank would be to give loan at a low interest rate, saying this would not be limited to students alone but also parents.

    On the right to education, Echono said every child has the fundamental right to quality education, adding that the ministry had developed strategies to ensure pupils and students with special needs were carried along.

    Echono said that the National Teachers Institute (NTI) had also concluded plans to train and develop the capacity of primary and secondary school teachers in the 36 states and FCT.

    He said that the right to education was sine qua non to national development, saying the Ministerial Strategic Plan (2016 to 2019) had been designed to guarantee expanded access to all levels of education.

    Echono said that the plan was geared toward providing adequately the necessary infrastructure and facilities to ensure that the right to the basic level and standards were maintained.

    He, therefore, called on teachers to upgrade themselves as effective from January 2020, any teacher who did not present the prerequisite qualifications would be pushed out of the system.

    Echono urged the teachers to take advantage of the professional examinations made available in 35 states and online resource materials to guide them as a teacher.

    He, however, called on states governments owing teachers’ salaries to take a step in ensuring that teachers were paid as when due and as well motivate teachers adequately for optimal performance.

    Earlier, Mrs Justina Ibe, the Director, Education Support Service of the ministry, said the Federal Government had not relented in its efforts to ensure that the teaching profession was provided with qualified personnel.

    Ibe said that this informed the Ministerial Strategic Plan which were now being implemented gradually with positive results.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the symposium was part of activities to commemorate the World Teachers Day to hold on Oct. 5, to celebrate the contributions of teachers to nation building. (NAN)

  • Former Taraba acting governor wins APC governorship primary

    Former Taraba Acting Governor, Mr Sani Danladi, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) party primaries, defeating nine other aspirants who contested with him.

    The Chairman of the APC governorship primary election for Tarabe, Sen. Emmanuel Ocheja, while declaring the results at the Fast Track Hotel in Jalingo in the early hours of Wednesday, said Danladi scored 60,629 votes out of the total of 107,387 votes cast across the 16 local government areas of the state.

    He said that former minister Joel Ikenya scored 11,772 votes, while former Acting Gov. Garba Umar, scored 5,504 votes.

    Others were Prof. Sani Yahya, 7,299 votes; the TUC President Bobboi Kaigama, 5,530; Aliyu Umar 4,638; while Ezekiel Afukunyo scored 2,811 votes.

    The chairman said Chief David Kente scored 5, 549 votes, while Ibrahim Tumba and Kabiru Dodo received 1,828 and 1, 783 votes.

    Eight out of the 10 contestants had on Tuesday protested over the conduct of the party primaries.

    They said at a press conference which took place in Jalingo that two of their colleagues, Sani Danladi and Joel Ikenya, had hijacked the process, which they claimed was to favour the duo.

    Both of them have since denied the allegations. (NAN)

  • Airforce trains 16 on crime investigative skills, inaugurates forensic laboratory

    by Mateen Badru

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Lagos on Monday  said it had trained 16 of its personnel in core crime investigative skills as it inaugurated a forensic laboratory  in the state.

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, disclosed this at the inauguration of the remodelled Forensic Crime Laboratory and the new 057 Provost Investigation Group Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Abubakar said that the NAF had embarked on the conduct of various specialist training for its personnel who would be required to man the group for effective operation.

    Abubakar said after a gap analysis of the structure of the NAF, it had become obvious that the new expanded NAF Force Structure required a law enforcement arm.

    He said that the arm should have the capacity to effectively employ scientific approaches in all the facets of its critical competencies.

    He said that it was in the fulfillment of this requirement that the inauguration of the new Provost Investigation Group Headquarters building and the Nigerian Air Force Forensic Crime Laboratory came to being.

    “Already, in conjunction with our foreign partners from the United Kingdom, we have trained 16 Provost personnel in the Core Investigative Skills and Interview course.

    “Another set of 16 personnel will in four days’ time be concluding the Crime Scene Investigation Course here in 057 Provost Investigation Group.

    “In another development, the investigative capacity of the Provost will be enhanced through the training of 10 Provost Officers in the Advanced Detective Course at the Police Staff College, Jos.

    “This will be within the last quarter of the year,” he said.

    Abubakar, however, stressed that the training of provost personnel in forensic investigation was last conducted 30 years’ ago.

    “Akin to the development of investigative and forensic skills, the NAF is also at an advanced stage of expanding and enhancing its utilisation of Military Working Dogs to boost the physical security of NAF in critical mission and essential areas.

     

    “This growth is equally projected to create the capacity for the Air Provost to be integrated into the conduct of Combat Search and Rescue operations in the Service.

    “In the same vein, 140 Air Provost personnel will commence the Force Protection in Complex Air Ground Environment training, in conjunction with the British Military Advisory Training Team.

    “Furthermore, the rejuvenation of the Air Provost’s Explosive Ordnance Detection capability is projected to commence by the end of this year,” he said.

    Abubakar said that the NAF’s recent push to make inroads in the development of the capacity and capability of the Air Provost was premised on the need to have a proactive police force that would nip threats in the bud.

    “This will also provide the enabling environment for NAF personnel to freely discharge their duties in furtherance of the Service’s constitutional responsibilities,” he said.

     

    Abubakar, who acknowledged the unflinching support of President Muhammadu Buhari, said that the laudable efforts by the NAF in building capacity could not have been possible without his determined support.

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, was the special guest of honour at the event.

    He said that he was delighted to inaugurate the newly constructed Headquarters building of 057 Provost Investigation Group and the remodelled forensic laboratory.

    “Forensic science is an integral part of the criminal justice system.

    “It is vital in aiding the investigation of a crime and detection of criminals, as well as proving the innocence of people suspected of crimes that they did not commit.

    “Without the objective evidence obtained through scientific analysis, many crime cases would have gone unsolved and the perpetrators go unpunished.

    “It is thus, a veritable tool for not only detection and prosecution, but also deterrence,” he said.

    The IGP said that evidence was the cornerstone in modern police investigation, adding that witnesses could fall, be misunderstood, be influenced or contaminated.

    “A well preserved and analysed evidence does not.

    “This effort by the Chief of the Air Staff in providing a befitting and functional environment and making inroads in the application of forensics in policing is laudable.

    “It is a testimony of the Nigerian Air Force leadership’s commitment to push the boundaries, and improve on the methodologies and technological platforms to detect and analyse evidence of crime in the Service,” he said.

     

    Earlier, the Commander, Air Provost Investigation Group, Group Capt. Garba Hello, in his welcome address, said that the facilities would assist the NAF provost personnel to carry out their duties, especially in the area of criminal investigations.

    “These will significantly assist Air Provost Investigators in obtaining credible evidence for successful prosecution of cases in a court of law while at the same time adding to the country’s crime fighting resources,” he said. (NAN)

  • Polaris Bank: Customers advise mgt on service delivery

    Some customers of Polaris Bank, formerly Skye Bank, in Sango-Ota, Ogun, have advised the management of the bank to improve on its service delivery to restore depositors’ confidence.

    They gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Sango-Ota, Ogun.

    NAN reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday announced the takeover of Skye Bank.

    The apex bank also withdrew the operating licence of the bank.

    Mr Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor, said in consultation with the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the CBN decided to establish a bridge bank, Polaris Bank, to assume the assets and liabilities of Skye Bank.

    A visit by NAN correspondent to the Sango-Ota branch of the bank revealed that the ‘logo’ of the bank has not been changed to Polaris Bank.

    NAN reports that four staff of the bank were seen on the counter attending to customers in the banking hall.

    Mr Dare Ojo, a customer with the bank, said that the only difference with the bank was the change of name.

    “The information given by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made customers believe that there will be no problem in their deposits,” he said.

    Ojo said that he would continue to bank with the bank provided its services were satisfactory.
    He, however, urged the management of the bank to improve on its services to customers because the services rendered by the defunct Skye Bank were poor.

    Another customer, Mr Peter Oni, said that there was no problem with customers withdrawing their deposits, but the queue at the bank was just too long.

    “So far, the customers are getting their deposits without any stress except the long queue,” Oni said.

    He also advised the management of Polaris Bank to improve on its services.
    Mr Fasasi Yusuf, another customer, commended CBN for not allowing people to lose their deposits in the troubled bank.

    Yusuf said there was the need for the CBN to set up monitoring committee that would strictly supervise the Polaris Bank so as not to run into the same problems the defunct Skye Bank had.

    “The regulator needs to watch the management of Polaris Bank closely and ensure that they follow the financial guidelines to the letter in order to restore confidence to the bank,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Cervical cancer: Gynaecologist urges young girls to take vaccination early in life

    Dr. Maxwell Odiegwu, a gynaecologist, on Monday advised young girls to embrace vaccination against cervical cancer early in life.

    Odiegwu gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said: “It is better for young girls to go for vaccines early in life to proffer immunity against cancer.

    “These vaccines will go a long way in preventing cervical cancer in the body.

    “Cervical cancer is real and it kills.’’

    Odiegwu also urged young girls and women of reproductive age to go for regular cervical cancer screening.

    He called on them to embrace the use of condoms as cervical cancer could be contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse.

    According to him, 300,000 women around the globe died from cervical cancer in 2015 alone.

    He added that with the use of vaccines and early detection of the disease, the death rate from cervical cancer could be significantly reduced.

    He urged the government to create more awareness to prevent infection.

    “The government can also assist by providing cancer treatment apparatuses,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Battle against electoral fraud, Communications Ministry partners INEC

    The Federal Ministry of Communications says will partner the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explore the role of ICT in reducing indices of electoral malpractices in the country.

    The Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu said in Abuja on Monday that the collaboration would provide the needed platform for stakeholders to brainstorm on harnessing ICT in advancing the country’s electoral process.

    The minister in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that the upcoming Electronic Campaigns Marketing Summit 2018 with the theme: “The Role of ICT in Electoral Process Management and Marketing Communications’’, would facilitate the use of ICT as a key tool in checking indices of electoral malpractices in Nigeria.

    According to Shittu, the summit also aims at increasing public confidence in the country’s electoral process, using appropriate and cost effective technology.

    “It will examine the role of communication between citizens and political actors as well as the inter dependence of internet and other mass media in ensuring credible, free and fair elections in 2019 and beyond.

    “There is no gainsaying that technology has drastically reduced incidences of electoral malpractices such as ballot stuffing, result sheet mutilation, over voting, alteration of result sheets and hijacking of ballot boxes in the history of Nigeria elections.

    “However, there is still need to get more sophisticated with technologies in order to meet up with international standard,’’ he added.

    The minister further emphasised the importance of exploring the characteristics of online campaigns for 2019 general elections, taking into consideration the use of social media platforms to get candidates’ messages out to potential voters.

    The summit is scheduled for Oct. 2 and 3 in Abuja. (NAN)