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Eid-el-Fitr: NSCDC Deploys Officers In Lagos, Ondo, Niger, Plateau, Kwara
The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State, Mr Paul Ayeni, said the corps had deployed 2,000 personnel ahead of the Eid-el Fitr celebrations in the state.
In an interview with The Tide source yesterday in Lagos, Ayeni assured residents of safety of their lives, property and other infrastructure throughout the state.
The NSCDC boss promised that all the dark spots would be properly monitored to ensure that miscreants did not take advantage of the break to foment trouble.
Eid-el-Fitr, also called the “Festival of Breaking the Fast” is a religious observance by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of 30 days dawn-to-sunset fasting called Ramadan.
The Federal Government had declared Wednesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 13 as public holidays to enable the Muslim faithful to celebrate the festivities.
Ayeni warned hoodlums, who would plan to use the festive periods to perpetrate evils to desist as the Corps was ready to tackle their menace.
According to him, the Corps will make the state security tight and impregnable by miscreants trying to damage the country’s image.
Similarly, the NSCDC, Ondo State Command, says it has deployed 1,855 personnel to beef-up security during the Eid-el-fitr celebrations.
This was contained in a statement signed by the State Commandant, Mr Edenabu Eweka and made available to newsmen yesterday in Akure.
Eweka said that the personnel had been deployed to all identified flash points in the state to forestall incidents of crime during the celebration for which the Federal Government declared May 12 and May 13 as public
He also urged the personnel to respect the fundamental human rights of people and adhere to the rules of engagement while discharging their duties.
“The state command is in absolute compliance with the directive of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to enhance qualitative service delivery,” he said.
The commandant explained that the officers and men at the Local Government Level had been duly briefed on the need to be proactive in gathering credible intelligence and to ensure swift response to emergencies.
Eweka said that the critical national assets and infrastructure unit, counter terrorist unit, intelligence and investigation unit, agro rangers squad, antihuman trafficking, illegal migration and gender unit were all deployed to provide adequate security.
Also, the Corps has deployed 1,750 personnel to provide security during the coming Eid-el-fitr celebration in Niger.
The Commandant of the Corps in the state, Mr Haruna Zurmi, told The Tide source in an interview in Minna yesterday.
He said that the deployment was to ensure peaceful atmosphere during the festival.
Zurmi said that the command was working with other security agencies to ensure peace and harmony across the state during the festive period.
He urged residents to comply strictly with restriction order issued by the state government through the Bureau of Religious Affairs for the Eid prayers, to check the spread of COVID-19.
According to him, armed personnel would be deployed to play grounds, recreation centres, motor parks and public buildings across the state.
The Commandant called on residents to cooperate with security agencies deployed to ensure their safety, especially at play grounds.
Zurmi also urged residents to volunteer information that would aid the command in arresting and prosecuting criminals.
“We are battle ready to confront any form of security threat as long as members of the general public are ready to supply us with required intelligence information about dubious characters in their midst.
“I am giving assurance to all law-abiding residents of Niger that the security measures put in place would enable them observe the festivities in a peaceful atmosphere,” Zurmi said.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.