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Without paying ransom govt has freed thousands – Ribadu
The National Security Adviser to the president, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has said the Federal Government has freed many kidnapped victims in the country without paying any ransom.
He also said since the coming of this administration, the country has not had any organised terrorist attacks, adding most of the roads hitherto unsafe for commuters are today secure for travellers at any time of the day.
Ribadu, said this while delivering a paper titled, “Navigating the Maze: Addressing Multi-Dimensional Insecurity Challenges in Northern Nigeria” at the combined convocation lecture of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto on Thursday.
He said, “Since assuming office, we have successfully freed over a thousand individuals, many of whom were villagers held captive for as long as two to three years.
“We have successfully secured the release of abducted students from the Federal University of Gusau and school children in Kuriga, among others.
“These results were achieved without paying any ransom. Our approach utilizes evidence as the foundation of our non-kinetic strategies.”
He also expressed concern over the high level of poverty rate in Northern Nigeria, especially the Northwestern states.
He said as of 2019, the region had the highest poverty rate in the country, surpassing the national average of 40.1 per cent and that about 87.73 per cent of the population lives in poverty.
He further disclosed that unemployment rates in the Northern region can exceed twenty per cent, presenting a stark contrast to the more industrially diverse and economically vibrant southern regions.
He said, “The illegal arms market in Northern Nigeria has seen a marked increase in demand and supply.
“Criminals and traffickers have developed sophisticated networks to transport illegal arms across Nigeria, deploying innovative methods to circumvent security checks.”
He however assured that the Tinubu-led administration in combating the menace of both insecurities and poverty has developed a holistic framework that seeks to comprehensively address various aspects of insecurity.
He said, “This agenda includes provisions for bolstering security initiatives, promoting socio-economic development, and fostering inter-communal dialogue to address grievances and foster reconciliation.
“Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, the government aims to tackle the underlying causes of insecurity by addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, social marginalisation and ethnic tensions.”
He further said by implementing targeted intervention and reforms, the government seeks to create an environment conducive to peace and stability in Northern Nigeria.
Ribadu further said President Bola Tinubu was deliberate in appointing northerners to top security positions, aiming to involve those with proximity to the issues in crafting solutions.
He said, “This role is not a tea party, it is a demanding job that requires dexterity, hard work, and consensus building across security and political structures.
“The figures we encountered in terms of both attacks and casualties in May 2023 were heart-wrenching. As recently as 2022, Nigeria witnessed four major terrorist attacks: the attack on the Abuja – Kaduna train, an attack on the Guards Battalion in Abuja, the Kuje Prison attack and another at a Church in Owo, Ondo States.
“Many roads in these parts of the country were unsafe due to daylight operations by criminal elements by criminal elements.”
He further said the government has strengthened the administration of criminal justice by reopening trials of Boko Haram terrorism suspects detained in Kanji and other locations across the country, with prosecutions now underway in eight different courts.
He said, “On the kinetic front, the Nigerian military is conducting numerous operations targeting insurgent groups like Boko Haram and Bandits operating in Northern Nigeria.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.
In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.
He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.
‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.
Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.
He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.
The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.
According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.
“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.
“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.
“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.
“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.
“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A resident of Ifetedo in Osun State, simply identified as Idowu, had reportedly died in an incident of collapse building that occurred in the town.
The collapsed structure was said to be a dilapidated building that suddenly caved in and killed the woman.
A resident of Ifetedo, simply identified as Ogunyemi, while speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, said operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, responding to a distress call, were at the scene of the incident.
Some NSCDC operatives rushed to the scene after they were informed of the incident. They were joined by some other people in the community.
Idowu was the only person in the building when the incident happened. She was brought out dead from the rubble.
“The incident caused panic in Omiloode Area, where the building is located. The building that collapsed is a dilapidated structure,” Ogunyemi said.
Osun NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Kehind Adeleke, when contacted confirmed the incident, adding that the scene was immediately cordoned off by security men.
“An abandoned dilapidated building located along Omiloode Street, Ifetedo collapsed and killed one Mrs Idowu, who was said to be around the structure when the incident happened.
“The tragic incident occurred at about 17:30 hours on Tuesday.
“Officers and men of NSCDC Ife South Division, upon getting information rushed to the scene of the incident for rescue operation. But unfortunately, the woman had passed on. She was brought out of the rubble dead. The site was immediately cordoned off,” Adeleke said.
LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution
Hours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo
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