News
B’Haram Hits Gworza Again, Kill Residents …Chad Tells Shekau To Surrender
Boko Haram militants yesterday, attacked Gwoza, believed to be the group’s headquarters, killing residents who were unable to flee, a senator and witnesses said.
A female resident who fled Gwoza on Tuesday and requested anonymity said the insurgents rounded up elderly men who were studying the Koran outside the home of a local cleric.
The men were later executed in front of their wives, the witness told AFP from Yola, capital of neighbouring Adamawa state.
“The Boko Haram men brought out brand new guns from cartons, tested them and shot dead all the men who they forced to lie face down,” she said.
Some of these details were supported by area Senator Ali Ndume, who also confirmed the large build-up of insurgents in Gwoza.
“Boko Haram insurgents have in recent days been converging in Gwoza where they killed many male residents and chased women and children out of the town,” said Ndume.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau proclaimed Gwoza part of a caliphate and reclaiming the town that was captured last June would be a huge prize for Nigeria’s military.
Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger have since last month been waging an unprecedented joint offensive against the insurgents, claiming the recapture of several key towns and villages previously under Islamist control.
Ndume speculated that the Islamists were preparing to defend the symbolically important town before an expected military advance, possibly by Chadian troops who are operating in the area with Nigeria’s permission.
The motive for the rebel build-up in Gwoza could not be independently confirmed but witnesses said a large number of residents had also been killed in recent days.
The current population of Gwoza is hard to estimate as many people in the town on the Cameroon border fled amid the rebel takeover in June but many others including those too old or sick to run stayed behind.
There were also indications that Boko Haram tried to reassure people that it was safe to stay in the town and live under the so-called caliphate.
Experts say Chad’s well-trained army has offered a huge boost to Nigeria in recent weeks as both nations have boasted of major successes against the insurgents.
Chadian President Idriss Deby on Wednesday claimed he knew where Shekau was and called on him to surrender while vowing to “wipe out” the Islamists.
Nigeria is under intense pressure to show progress against Boko Haram ahead of March 28 elections, which had been slated for February but were postponed by six weeks to allow the military more time to pacify the northeast.
News
We’ll Make Fire Service Functional After 12 Yrs, Fubara Assures …Inspects Rehabilitation Works On Three Stations
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed regrets that, for over 12 years, the State-owned Fire Service Stations were left in limbo but assured that the ongoing rehabilitation will be concluded and the stations ready for public use in the first week of March, 2025.
Fubara gave the assurance when he embarked on an inspection tour of the three Fire Service Stations to access the extent of work done with the ongoing remodelling, expansion and reconstruction activities on the sites, yesterday.
The governor visited the fire service stations located beside the Isaac Boro Park/Mile One flyover, Borokiri in the old Port Harcourt Township and Rumuodomaya Community, all in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
He explained that with the ongoing work, the three major Fire Service Stations would be put into effective state to provide rapid and quick response to fire incidents in the State.
Fubara said, “For a very long time, we have had this situation that we have to depend on the multi-nationals; Shell, Agip and Chevron and even (Elf) TotalEnergies at that time, including to respond to fire incidents in the State.
“From what we have seen today, we can confirm that the contractor is working very hard to meet the deadline. We must, I repeat, we must commission this project first week in March.”
The governor said it is the responsibility of the government to have such facilities that provide vital social services available to the people to address fire incidence when they occur.
He assured that his administration would reverse the utter neglect such social services had suffered, and ensure that Rivers people, in no distant future, begin to benefit from the stations.
“As a matter of fact, I can boldly say that Rivers State has not had a functional Fire Service for the past 12 years. We are a government, and amongst our responsibilities, is to protect lives and property. Issues of fire incidents could be as a result of some mistakes in our homes.
“So, it is our duty to make sure that we are prepared to combat it whenever it occurs. We are trying to make sure that we do not depend again on the multi-nationals, but be ready and prepared to save lives and property of Rivers people,” he said.
Governor Fubara was accompanied by the former Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, and was conducted round the facilities by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Samuel Anya.
News
FG Shops For New Accountant General, Plans Exams, Interviews
The Federal Government has initiated the process of appointing a new Accountant General of the Federation and filling vacancies for permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.
A memo from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, dated January 24, 2025, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Career Management Office, Fatima Mahmoud, outlined the timeline for the process.
The memo was addressed to the Offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier, in December 2024, appointed Babatunde Ogunjimi as the acting Accountant General of the Federation.
The appointment, announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, followed the commencement of pre-retirement leave by the then-incumbent AGF, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein.
However, Madein returned to her duties after receiving a directive extending her tenure until March 7, 2025.
This development led to the reassignment of the acting AGF, Ogunjimi, who was redeployed to the Public Service Institute of Nigeria as Director of Accounts.
The directive authorising Madein’s continuation was reportedly issued by the Head of Service of the Federation.
According to the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the directive reinstated Madein to her role as AGF, enabling her to oversee treasury operations until her retirement.
Mokwa clarified that under civil service regulations, embarking on terminal leave is optional, raising questions among staff about the implications of Madein’s reinstatement on Ogunjimi’s prior appointment as acting AGF.
The new memo by the Head of Service noted that accreditation of eligible candidates for the position of OAGF will commence on January 28 and end on February 1, 2025.
“Stage 1: Written Examination for eligible Candidates from North-West Zone and Oyo State on Monday, February 10, 2025.
“Stage 2: Written Examination for eligible Candidates/Directors (Accounts) in the Pool of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on February 11, 2025.”
The memo further noted that further stages will hold on February 12 and 13, respectively and will be in the form of computer-based tests, while the final lap, which is the oral interview, will hold on February 14, 2025.
News
FRSC Records 9,570 Road Crashes, Arrests 21,580 Offenders In 2024
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it arrested no fewer than 21,580 traffic offenders between January and December 2024 across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed this while addressing the reporters on the 2024 special patrol operations in Abuja, yesterday.
Mohammed said that the Corps recorded a reduction in the number of offenders recorded in 2024 as against 29,220 within the same period in 2023.
“This signifies a 26 per cent increase in compliance to traffic rules and regulations.
“The total number of offences committed stood at 25,942 representing 23.5 per cent reduction in traffic law violation compared to the data of the same period in 2023,” he said.
Mohammed said that the analysis of the Corps’ annual performance indicated a drastic reduction in Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs).
This, he said, was as well as in the number of people injured compared to the annual record of 2023.
“From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, a total of 9,570 RTCs were recorded nationwide. This figure is against 10,617 RTCs recorded in 2023 which signify a tremendous reduction of 10 per cent.
“Furthermore, 31,154 people were injured in 2024 while 31,874 were injured in 2023 representing a two per cent decrease.
“However, the Corps recorded a seven per cent increase in fatalities as 5,421 people were killed in 2024 while 5,081 people were killed in 2023.
“Meanwhile, a total of 70,530 people got involved in RTCs in 2024 compared to 70,092 of 2023 signifying an increase of one per cent, ” he said.
The FRSC boss emphasised that out of the total fatalities that occurred in 2024, 411 deaths, representing 7.6 per cent of the total deaths, were not primarily caused by the crashes.
Mohammed said that the crashes were caused by a secondary factor which he described as the very monster the Corps was fighting; scooping of fuel from fallen tankers.
“This, therefore implies that without the casualties recorded from scooping fuel from crashed tankers, the Corps would have recorded 5,010 deaths in 2024.
“This will be as against 5,081 in 2023 signifying a 1.4 per cent reduction in the total number of people killed,” he said.
The FRSC Corps Marshal reiterated that the alarming rate of crashes and fatalities occurred as a result of loading of trailers with goods and persons.
This, he said, was in addition to fatigue, speed violations, overloading, dangerous driving as well as poor vehicle maintenance within the period under review.
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
Jonathan, Ogbuku, Diri Preach Unity, Peace … As Bayelsa Clan Installs Monarch
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
Bayelsa Seeks Residents’ Cooperation In New Transportation Policy
-
News1 day ago
FRSC Records 9,570 Road Crashes, Arrests 21,580 Offenders In 2024
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
Ag. Paramount Ruler Restates Stance On Recognition … As Factional Tussle Intensifies In Bayelsa Community
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
NEITI Eyes Energy Sufficiency Through PH, Warri Refineries
-
Business1 day ago
Diri Pushes For Africa’s Sub-nationals’ Partnership On Economy … As Bayelsa, Angolan Province Synergizes On Fisheries, Agric
-
Niger Delta1 day ago
Edo Governorship Election: Tribunal Relocates To Abuja
-
Politics1 day ago
We’ll Fight Corruption, Fix Economy, Security – Shettima