News
BREAKING: Grace Ike Sworn-in As First Female Chairman Of NUJ FCT Council+PHOTOS
…vow to revolutionise council
…as healthcare, welfare, capacity building, accountability, face-lift of council building tops priority
By Gloria Ikibah
Comrade Grace Ike of Advocate Broadcasting Network (ADBN) and immediate past chairperson of the House of Representatives Press Corps has been elected first female Chairman of NUJ FCT Council.
Comrade Ike who is also the immediate past Vice Chairman of NUJ FCT Correspondents’ Chapel polled a total of 445 affirmative votes to emerge as Chairman of the council.
The first elected female and sworn-in as 17th Chairman of the NUJ FCT, after 43 years, in her inaugural speech on Wednesday, at the FCT NUJ Council in Abuja, assured journalists of working with them and her team to revolutionize the affairs of the Council.
She expressed gratitude and appreciation to her teaming supporters who dedicated their time, money and life to actualize her ambition, which she was able to scale all hurdles.
Comrade Ike acknowledged and hailed the recently elected National Executive of NUJ at the just concluded 8th Triennial National Delegates Conference, in Owerri, Imo State, where Alhassan Yahya Abdulah was elected NUJ National President, Alhaji Alhassan Yahaya Abdulahi along with his Deputy, and the entire Central Working Committee , which she described as well-deserved victory, saying their emergence “signifies a fresh chapter for our union at the national level”, and pledged support of the FCT Council and to work collaboratively to strengthen and uphold the ideals of the noble profession.
She said: “As I assume this noble office, I am guided by the timeless words of John C. Maxwell: “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” With this wisdom, we will navigate a path toward unity, progress, and excellence for our union.
“A Vision for Progress; Welfare: The welfare of our members remains a cornerstone of this administration. From affordable health insurance schemes to empowerment initiatives, every member will feel the positive impact of our leadership.
“Training and Capacity Building: Continuous learning is vital for professional growth. To this end, we will facilitate opportunities for both local and international training programs. As a flagship initiative, we will sponsor 20 members for the 2024/2025 Postgraduate Program at the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ) with a 50% subsidy—just the beginning of our capacity-building plans.
“Infrastructure and Sporting Activities: Transforming our press center into a world-class facility will be a priority. Additionally, we will promote wellness and camaraderie through regular sporting activities, fostering a healthy body and a sound mind.
“Committees for Success: We will establish dedicated committees with clear mandates and measurable deliverables to drive our collective aspirations.
“Media Enhancement Bill: In collaboration with the NUJ National Secretariat, we will actively advocate for the passage of the Media Enhancement Bill to safeguard and elevate journalism as a profession.
“Inclusivity and Transparency: Inclusivity and transparency will form the bedrock of this administration. Every voice will be heard, and our financial records will remain open, ensuring accountability and trust.
“Empowerment and Recognition: We will introduce a Creative Writing Workshop Endowment in early 2025 to nurture creativity and innovation among our members, further empowering them to excel.
“Annual General Meetings and Financial Prudence: We will institutionalize Annual General Meetings (AGMs) as a platform for reflection, evaluation, and redirection, ensuring fiscal discipline and operational efficiency.
“Journalists’ Village and Professional Integrity: Realizing the dream of a journalists’ village will be a hallmark of this administration. Simultaneously, we will uphold the integrity of our union by addressing the challenge of quackery, preserving the honor of our profession.”
However,HowevNumber 1 Journalist in Abuja, called for action and appealed to members of the Council to work together and come up with useful ideas that would move the Council forward.
“A Call for Unity: As I take on this responsibility, I call on every member of the NUJ FCT Council to join hands with us. This administration is not about me; it belongs to all of us.
“Let us unite as one body with one vision. As the African proverb aptly states: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
“Today, I pledge my total commitment to you and to the ideals of this union. Together, we will build a legacy of professionalism, progress, and pride—a union that will stand as a beacon for generations to come.”
“he road ahead may be challenging, but with unity, determination, and faith, it will be rewarding.
“Thank you for this opportunity to serve. Let us forge ahead together into this new era of transformation.”
Some senior officials of the Kwara State Local Government Service Commission have been kidnapped by gunmen along the Omu-Aran/Ilorin Road.
The victims were abducted on Friday evening.
Those kidnapped are: the Head of the Legal Department of Oke-Ero Local Government, Elizabeth Arinde, and the Head of Personnel Management of the council, whose name could not be immediately confirmed.
It was gathered on Saturday night that the two senior administrators were among seven individuals kidnapped at Corner Eleyin along the Omu-Aran/Ilorin Expressway while returning to Ilorin, the state capital, for the weekend on Friday, April 25, 2025.
The incident occurred at about 5:45pm where five gunmen ambushed the two private vehicles before leading the passengers into the bush.
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the incident.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, on Saturday.
The statement added “The Kwara State Police Command confirms a kidnap incident reported at about 5:45 p.m. on Friday, 25th April 2025, at Eleyin village via Isanlu-Isin. It was reported that about five armed men blocked the highway, stopping two private vehicles, forcefully taking all occupants to an unknown location.
“Following the report, the command, in collaboration with the military and vigilantes, launched a swift operation, leading to the successful rescue of two victims, Ganiyu Ajayi and Kolawole Adeyemi.
“Efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining five victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
“The command has intensified security measures across the area, including aggressive bush combing, strategic patrols, and intelligence-driven operations to prevent further occurrences”
The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs (Army), Major General Gold Chibuisi, has condemned the harassment and assault of civilians unlawfully wearing military uniforms, stressing that while such acts are illegal, the Nigerian Army does not support violence against offenders.
Speaking during a media chat with Defence correspondents on Saturday night in Abuja, Maj. Gen. Chibuisi said that although it is against Nigerian law for non-military personnel to wear military uniforms, soldiers must act professionally and lawfully when handling such cases.
“I’m surprised that in most briefs we give in our programmes, we always talk about this uniform issue because it keeps recurring. It’s against the law of the land. If you are not in the armed forces, please don’t use our uniform, whether you love it or not.
“But that’s one part of it. Let people stop it. The other part is what we do, what our troops do when they see somebody dressed in a military uniform. You’re supposed to just get the person to remove it, arrest, and hand it over to the police, basically for persecution. All these other things that come with it are not right. And we are doing sensitisation on them.”
He said many soldiers had been sanctioned for assaulting Nigerians who wore military camouflage.
” Those that we find and there is evidence that they did that, we always sanction them sternly. And we’ll continue to do that, ” Chibuisi said.
He appealed to citizens to avoid wearing military uniforms illegally, noting that respecting the uniform is an important part of strengthening national security and building trust between the military and the public.
Chibuisi noted that criminals increasingly exploit military uniforms to commit crimes, making it harder for civilians and security agencies to identify genuine soldiers.
“Currently, there are a lot of criminals using military garb to perpetrate crime. If people keep dressing like that, how do you differentiate between a criminal and a genuine soldier?”
He urged families and communities to help with sensitization at the home level.
“If somebody you know is not in the military comes out in the morning, and he wants to jog or drive somewhere wearing our uniform, you should tell him not to, “he said.
Chibuisi also reminded the public that the Army belongs to the people and should be seen as part of their families, not as distant or fearsome figures.
“There is no army that doesn’t want itself to be seen as working for the people. We are the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian people own us.”
As part of efforts to foster better understanding, the Army, he said, is strengthening its sensitisation campaigns both internally among troops and externally to the wider public.
“We are fine-tuning the conduct of our personnel.
“And I believe as we keep interacting, the relationship will continue to improve, ” he said.
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