Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin, has concluded arrangements to offer scholarships to 1,000 students to pursue degree programmes in ICT-related fields through the Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF).

The beneficiaries would be the pioneer students of the seven study centres of the Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State, that would be established in Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts courtesy of the Deputy President of the Senate.

The Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ismail Mudashir, in a statement, said Senator Barau and the university’s management concluded arrangements to establish the study centres in the two senatorial districts at the weekend.

The university was represented during the meeting by Prof. Abubakar Sadik Suleiman, the Dean of the Faculty of Management Science, who is also a board member of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies;
and Dr. Jamilu Ajiya, the Acting Provost of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies.

Last year, Senator Barau facilitated the establishment of four study centres in Gwarzo, Danbatta, Dawakin Tofa, and Gabasawa local government areas in Kano North Senatorial District. Under this arrangement, more than 1,000 youth are pursuing various degree programs.

To expand university education across the 44 LGAs of Kano State, Senator Barau, who represents Kano North Senatorial District, is establishing seven study centres in Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts through his foundation.

The study centres will be located in the Madobi, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Rano, Gaya Dawakin Kudu and Minjibir local government areas.

Like in Kano North, when established, the university’s degree and diploma programmes will be offered at the seven centres in Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts.

To launch the centres, Senator Barau is offering scholarships to 1,000 students from Kano Central and South Senatorial Districts to pursue degree programmes in ICT-related fields.

” Education is the bedrock of the development of all nations. I will continue to work towards providing qualitative education to our people across the 44 LGAs,” Senator Barau, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, said.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A U.S.-based Nigerian-born lawyer, Mr Chidi Amamgbo, has advised the Federal Government to strip politicians and Very Important Persons of police attaches.

Amamgbo is an aspirant on the Labour Party platform for the vacant seat of Anambra South Senatorial District.

He gave the advice during an interactive session with newsmen in Awka on Sunday night.

“All prominent personalities, from governors to senators, House of Representatives members, and other notable public office holders need to be stripped of police protection.

“Knowing this, stakeholders will quickly show commitment to internal security by overhauling the system, if they no longer have access to police escorts,” he said.

Amamgbo said that the measure would ensure that the government come up with the right strategies to tackle insecurity and make the country safe again for citizens and strangers.

He decried a situation where security agents are assigned to protect politicians and a few wealthy individuals, leaving the larger society insecure.

“It’s either we rise together or fall together.

“It’s either we provide security for everybody, or we cannot have our own mini-army, while everybody else dies.

“The security situation in the country currently requires a law that will make it impossible for security agents to be assigned to wealthy people,” he said.

He advocated an upward review of security votes to governors, especially in states “where insecurity has become so pronounced that people now live in fear and hardly run their businesses or sleep in peace.

“Security votes allocated to governors should not be seen as pocket money.

“A committee made up of well-meaning citizens, who are professionals in their various fields, should be constituted to handle the funds, ensure proper utilisation, and enforce accountability,” Amamgbo said.

He also said that Anambra South was worse hit by current insecurity, such as kiddnapping, cultism and sit-at-home, among others ravaging the state.

Accordding to him, for several years, Anambra South, particularly Ihiala, Nnewi South, Orumba South have been under siege by non-state actors.

“They have turned our once-thriving communities into theatres of war and bloodshed.

Our people, who are predominantly traders, industrialists, farmers, and professionals, now live in perpetual anxiety, unable to go about their lawful businesses,” Amamgbo said.

He said that the unfortunate development had led to the destruction of businesses, economic downturn and displacement of families from their ancestral homes

He also said that the security challengs had resulted in the breakdown of law and order, with security agencies stretched beyond their limits.

Amamgbo, therefore, called on the State Government to step up efforts in the area to flush out criminals in Anambra South.

The State Government inaugurated Operations Peace Must Prevail and Agunechemba recently to tackle security breaches in the state.

Also observed is that there has been an appreciable decline in crime and criminality in the state, since the security outfits were inaugurated.

Amamgbo appealed to the Federal Government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.

He called on the international community to intervene and establish a truth and reconciliation committee that would address the agitations of the marginalised groups in order to end secessionists agitations in the country.

“But to the criminals, who are riding on the back of Kanu’s legitimate and passionate desire to uplift the Igbo, I have one message for you: we will not succumb to your terror”.

“If elected as senator, I will leverage my contacts as a United States lawyer to drive legislative and policy solutions that will reclaim our communities from the grip of criminals,” Amamgbo said.

He further promised to promote initiatives that would empower youths with skills and capital, in order to divert their attention from crime and criminality.

Amamgbo also promised to push for laws that would strengthen local policing structures, enabling community-based security frameworks, if elected.

“I will facilitate stronger synergy between law enforcement agencies and traditional institutions to ensure intelligence gathering and swift responses to security threats,” Amamgbo said.

The aspirant promised to lobby for increased funding for security infrastructure, including surveillance technology and body cameras, to track and neutralise criminal elements, when elected.

NAN reports that campaign for the election of a replacement for late Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah has intensified in Anambra South Senatorial District but no date has been fixed by INEC.

(NAN)

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

There was panic in the Shendai community, the Quaanpan Local Government Area of Plateau State, as kidnappers killed one person and abducted four others in an attack.

It was learnt that the incident occurred on Saturday, leaving residents in a state of shock and fear.

According to reports, the kidnappers stormed the residence of their victims, shooting and killing one person before abducting four others.

The Chairman of Quaan-Pan Local Government Area, Christopher Manship, confirmed the attack in a statement released on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Danaan Sylvanus.

The chairman expressed concern over the increasing rate of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the area, calling for the release of the abducted persons.

“The Executive Chairman of QuaanPan Local Government Council, Christopher Audu Manship, is condoling with the people of the Shendai community in Namu over the death of one person and is calling on security agencies to ensure the safe release of the abducted victims,” the statement read.

The council chairman reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens and pledged to collaborate with security agencies to facilitate the prompt and safe rescue of the abducted victims.

The statement also disclosed that the chairman has embarked on a fact-finding mission to the affected areas, accompanied by security operatives led by Lt. Col. Ogunrinde Soji and his team, to gain a deeper understanding of the incident and its aftermath.

He said that during the visit, the council boss, who was also with top local government officials, four councillors of Namu District, and the DPO of the Namu Police Division, assessed the security situation on the ground and evaluated the affected communities.

He also paid condolences to the families of the deceased and the families of the abducted victims, offering words of comfort and reassurance.

The statement added that Lt. Col. Soji reiterated the military’s pledge to investigate the incident thoroughly, rescue the abducted victims, and ensure the safety and security of the affected communities.