News

Lagbaja: IG directs police officers to wear black bands

Published

6 hours ago

November 7, 2024

By Francesca Hangeior

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to wear black bands for a seven-day mourning period in honour of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.

The police boss gave the directive in a statement issued on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi.

Adejobi said the directive is to honour Lagbaja, who showed gallantry, dedication, and passion in the fight against insurgency in the country during his lifetime.

The statement reads, “Following the demise of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to wear black band throughout the 7 day mourning period.

“This directive is to pay tribute and honour the late General who has shown gallantry, dedication, and passion for fighting violent crimes and insurgency in Nigeria. He was a great leader who deserves to be honoured by all means.

“May the soul of the late COAS rest in peace.”

The late army chief, appointed by President Bola Tinubu on June 19, 2023, died on Tuesday at the age of 56 night after a prolonged illness.

Following his death, the president, on Wednesday, directed that Nigeria’s national flags be flown at half mast for seven days across the country to mourn the passing of the late army chief.

The President’s directive was conveyed through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled “Announcement of the Passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja.

News

NEMA Assess Flood Hit Communities In Anambra, Bayelsa States

Published

24 mins ago

November 7, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

As part of its efforts in flood preparedness, response, and recovery, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has carried out assessments of the impacts of flood in Anambra and Bayelsa States.

The assessments were carried out in collaboration with State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Nigerian Red Cross Society, and International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In Anambra, NEMA focused on eight Local Government Areas (LGAs)—Ogbaru, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayemelum, Awka North, Ihiala, Idemili South, and Ekwusigo.

The assessments aimed to evaluate the extent of the damage, including the number of affected households, fatalities, missing persons, and the destruction of homes and farmland. Chief Paul Odenigbo, the Executive Secretary of Anambra SEMA, expressed appreciation for NEMA’s response.

In Bayelsa, the assessment covered 54 communities across seven LGAs: Sagbama, Kulokuma/Opokuma, Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, Ekeremor, Yenagoa, and Brass.

Some of the communities visited include Asamabiri, Kaiama, Amasoma, Toron Ndoro, and Igbogene, among others. The Bayelsa SEMA was represented by a Director Dr. Dio Wenapere, who led the state’s team in working alongside NEMA.

The Director-General NEMA, Zubaida Umar, emphasized the importance of harmonizing data with SEMAs and partners to accurately assess the scale of the disaster, ensuring a more coordinated and effective response.

She reassured that NEMA remains committed to efficient disaster management and will continue to collaborate with stakeholders to provide necessary support where needed.

News

Reps Call For Comprehensive Data On IDPs In Nigeria

Published

32 mins ago

November 7, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu has called for a comprehensive report on the statistics of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria as well as those in the neighbouring countries who were displaced by natural disasters.

The Deputy Speaker stated this during a courtesy call by the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and IDPs, Ahmed Tijani Ahmed on Wednesday in Abuja.

Attributing some of the displacements to the impact of natural disasters such as flooding and erosion mainly occasioned by climate change, Kalu said, the parliament was interested in the data on the total national NEEDS analysis on IDPs.

According to him, some Nigerians forced to migrate across the borders by the effect of the natural occurrences on their villages and communities are eager to be resettled, but that adequate legislative interventions are necessary to achieve the objective.

The Deputy Speaker also noted the huge effects of erosion in Abia, Anambra, Enugu and other States in the South East, and said that the menace of ecological challenges needed urgent attention of the federal government.

He emphasised that the House recently suspended plenary sessions to embark on massive oversight engagements to ascertain the performance of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government on budget implementation, and noted that it falls within the jurisdiction of the parliament to review the budgetary allocations of the agencies for the good of the people.

He said: “Your mandate includes refugees and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). You can’t be internally displaced only through war or crisis. You can be internally displaced through climate induced displacement and that’s what we are experiencing now.

“The climate is at war with us. So, the issue of mitigation, adaptation is something that as government, we must take seriously but in doing that, agencies like you who manage the consequences of these climate impacts need to be aware that it’s beyond the visibility we are seeing that’s given to it currently.

“We heard of what happened in Maiduguri. I mentioned it even before the African Union (AU). Beyond Maiduguri, a lot more is happening around the country.

“Those people are chased out of their homes and when they are chased out who handles them? It’s your Commission. Then how prepared are you? I checked your budget last year, I was wondering if that budget, in view of what we are seeing now, the impact of this climate change, if a budget of N1.6 billion or thereabout will be able to handle that across the country.

“And I have not heard your agency bring it to the fore both in the parliament and also to Nigerians maybe through a documentary to show us the volume of the NEEDS analysis, showcasing the plight of Nigerians.

“There are so many people suffering due to climate change. The parliament needs to hear from you on the total national NEEDS analysis on internally displaced persons. And the impact of climate induced displacement. We need to get a document on that.

“We are charging your Commission to give us the total report on the plight of Nigerians currently all across the country. So, let the Commission have an intervention fund dedicated to do the proper NEEDS analysis so that as we do the budget, we look into it. This is part of oversight function. So, get us a report on that.

“Having said that, it is still our responsibility and that of your agency to know that Nigerians who were displaced and found themselves across the boarders especially our nearby countries and became refugees in those countries, they fall into your core mandate. Now, these people who are in those countries. Our last finding is that they want to come back home, because they fall under your mandate, you need to bring them home.

“These are some of the conversations that the parliament is interested in with your office and I hope by the time we meet again, you will able to feed us more details we can work with.

“We are giving you two weeks to bring the report because we want it to guide us as we make our budget. Also a copy of that will be sent to the Budget Office of the federation so they will understand the enormous nature of your mandate.”

In his remarks, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and IDPs, Ahmed Tijani Ahmed expressed gratitude to the Deputy Speaker, pledging to make the report available to the parliament within the given two weeks deadline even as he appealed for more funding of the Commission.

“We thank you for giving us this audience today and I have listened carefully. We will ensure that these individuals who are our own are returned. We will put the reports together, both the refugees and displaced persons, to show the parliament and for you to also see the plight of the commission in area of funding. I’m sure Mr. President and the National Assembly will look into the plight of the commission and see that these issues are resolved”, Ahmed said.

News

President Tinubu Endorses New Appointment

Published

42 mins ago

November 7, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Dr. Salisu Muazu Babura has been appointed as the new Chief Medical Director of Rasheed Shekoni Federal University Dutse Teaching Hospital by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to reports, the appointment, effective from October 31, 2024, was announced by the Federal Ministry of Health.

Until his appointment, Dr. Muazu served as the Permanent Secretary at the State Ministry of History and is currently enrolled in the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Jos.

The Minister of Health extended best wishes to Dr. Muazu for a fruitful tenure.

In a separate development, President Tinubu on Monday nominated Saseyi Feyijimi Ibiyemi as Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State.

If approved by the Senate, Ibiyemi, a lawyer, will succeed the late ‘Niyi Ijalaye, who passed away in August.

Meanwhile, Tinubu nominated Abdulrazak Yusuf Tukur as National Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), representing the North West.