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Insurgency: NAF Reactivates Aircraft In PH …Boko Haram Launches Fresh Attack On Yobe

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has begun an in-house reactivation of its Mi-35P and EC-135 combat helicopters in Port Harcourt.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made the announcement in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
The reactivation NAF said, was in furtherance of its commitment to ensure availability of more serviceable platforms for the prosecution of the ongoing war against insurgency and other forms of criminality in the country.
He said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, during an operational visit to 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG), Port Harcourt, inspected the ongoing in-house reactivation works on the Mi-35P and EC-135 helicopters.
“Upon completion in the first quarter of 2019, the reactivated aircraft will be available for deployment to enhance NAF operational efficiency in the discharge of its constitutional roles.’’
Daramola explained that the operational visit to 115 SOG was one of series of visits by Abubakar to NAF units across the country. He further said the visit was to assess NAF’s operational readiness in tackling emerging security challenges as well as progress of work on the reactivation of various platforms. He said the air chief during the inspection was conducted round the completed Base Defence Coordination Centre (BDCC), by the Commander 115 SOG, Air Commodore Elijah Ebiowe. Daramola said the CAS also inaugurated a new block of 18 single-bedroom Corporals and Below Quarters.
He said the BDCC, was equipped with communications and surveillance equipment to boost the operational capacity of the Unit in the area of intelligence gathering and real time coordination of the Base Defence Plan.
He said the BDCC would also help in timely response to security exigencies within the Unit’s Area of Responsibility (AOR).
He quoted the CAS as saying that the current NAF administration places high premium on the welfare needs of personnel, as evidenced by the various projects embarked upon across NAF units to meet accommodation and other welfare needs.
Abubakar thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, for providing the enabling environment for the Service to function effectively and efficiently. The CAS was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans (COPP) NAF Headquarters, AVM Muhammodu Muhammed.
Earlier, AVM Oladayo Amao, The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Tactical Air Command (TAC), thanked the CAS for providing the human and material resources to accomplish numerous projects in NAF Base Port Harcourt. According to him, the CAS’ footprints were clearly visible throughout the entire TAC with the completion of several other projects, in addition to ongoing ones.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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