News
Again, Herdsmen Kill Nine In Plateau …Ondo Evacuates Students From UNIJOS …As Femi-Kayode Condemns Attacks
Suspected herdsmen have killed 19 persons and injured four others during an attack on Ariri community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Among the victims of the attack which took place at 11:30pm, Wednesday, were women and children.
The latest attack came amidst condemnation of the alleged militarisation and menace of fake soldiers in Jos metropolis.
On Tuesday night, 13 persons were feared killed by suspected herdsmen during a midnight attack on Riyom LGA.
An eyewitness from Ariri village, Miango District, Yohana Yakubu, in an interview with newsmen, yesterday in Jos, said the assailants displaced many families, after shooting indiscriminately.
He said, “In all, 18 people were killed; the killers wore black clothes, they were shouting Allah Akbar. They were speaking Hausa and Fulani languages and after the attack, they fled. People were massacred and we are now helpless.”
The spokesperson for Miango Youths Development Association, Lawrence Zongo, also shed light on the attacks in a message to newsmen in Jos.
He said, “Again, Fulani gunmen have killed 19 people in Ariri village of Miango District in Bassa LGA of Plateau State. Four persons sustained serious injuries including the youth leader of Ariri who is now receiving treatment in Enos Hospital, Miango.
“The Fulani people have declared war on the Plateau. They are achieving their plans through genocide attacks and killing of citizens. We are always in security meetings which have not achieved results. No investigation to arrest the criminals. Now, Ariri village has been displaced. This is too bad; this is an evil genocide going on in a democratic dispensation.
“We are pleading, calling on Amnesty International, the global community and Red Cross to please come to our aid. We need your help and assistance.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Matthias Tyopev, said he would get the details, speak with the commissioner of police, “and get back.”
But as of the time of this report, he had yet to get back to our correspondent.
Reacting, former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, condemned the fresh attack on the Plateau that has resulted in the killing of about 19 persons.
Fani Kayode, in a post, called out President Muhammadu Buhari over the incessant killings during his administration.
According to him, Buhari’s administration has been filled with sad incidences such as mass murder and slaughter of Nigerians.
He wrote: “Fulani herdsmen butchered another 19 innocent and defenceless people in a village in Plateau state last night.
“Under Buhari all we have seen is tragedy after tragedy, calamity after calamity, mass murder after mass murder and slaughter after slaughter. In Jesus Name flush him out!”
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai has revealed those sponsoring armed ethnic militia groups in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.
Buratai said the armed ethnic militia groups in Plateau State were supported and sponsored by the elite or elders of the state.
Buratai disclosed this during the burial of three soldiers who were killed during the violence that rocked the state’s troubled Barkin Ladi Local Government Area at the Maxwell Khobe Military Cemetery at 3 Division Headquarters, Rukuba, Jos.
Buratai, who was represented by the Operation Safe Haven Commander, Maj-Gen Augustine Agundu, said, “It is evident that there exist armed ethnic militia groups sponsored or supported by some elites and elders who deploy the misguided youths into committing the worst heinous crimes.
“There is certainly no constitutional provision that allows civilians to bear firearms but their possession has become a well sort-out vocation here on the Plateau.”
Expressing regrets over the death of CPL Effiong Mbuotidem, he said: “Human dignity has lost its value on the Plateau.
“The troops of OPSH like all service personnel are officially detailed to Plateau State to perform the duties upon which they swore an oath to serve the nation.”
Similarly, the Nigerian Army has pledged to guarantee the safety of farmers in Borno State, to enhance the production of paddy rice and other food crops.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Texas Chukwu, in a statement issued, yesterday, in Maiduguri, quoted the Acting General Commanding Officer (GOC), 7 Division, Maiduguri, Brig-Gen Bulama Biu, as making the pledge when members of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) paid him a courtesy visit in Maiduguri.
The statement quoted Biu as saying that the army would provide security to farmers to enable them cultivate their farmlands and ensure their safety to encourage agricultural activities.
Biu noted that rice farmers were critical partners in ensuring food security for sustainable social and economic development in the country.
He tasked farmers to be law-abiding and ensure that they followed due-process in the discharge of their business.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the association, Alhaji Bulama Mohammad, lauded the military over the successes recorded in the counter-insurgency campaign in the northeast.
Mohammad sought the support of the military to ease movement of the produce to the market.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 100 indigenes of Ondo State studying at the University of Jos in Plateau State including two visually impaired have been evacuated from their troubled tertiary institution by the state government.
UNIJOS main gate Students of the institution who are indigenes had sent a distress call to the state governor Rotimi Akeredolu following the unrest in Jos metropolis.
The called followed the killing of some students in the institution hostel. Deputy governor of the state Agboola Ajayi while receiving the students expressed appreciation to God for sparing their lives, thereby averting what could have been a major calamity for the state.
Ajayi, who described the Akeredolu-led government as a responsive one, thanked the students’ leader for alerting the government on the development early enough which led to the timely rescue mission.
He assured them that the government would continue to prioritize the safety of the citizens, irrespective of their religious and political creeds.
President of the National Association of Ondo State (NAOSS), UNIJOS Chapter, Comrade Olakunle Ojumu, said the students would ever remain grateful to the state government for evacuating them from the troulbed environment.
Olakunle said “I made a distress call to the state government following the sudden outbreak of the ongoing killing in Jos and the government acted promptly by sending five buses, which contained 16 students each and other logistics to rescue the trapped students.”
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
