News
We’ll Secure Release Of Chibok Girls – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said his administration was ready to do everything within its reach to secure the release of the remaining girls kidnapped from their school in Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014.
While saying the Federal Government had reached out to their captors through intermediaries, the President said his administration was willing to bend backwards to ensure their safe return.
Buhari made the promise in a message to mark the third anniversary of the abduction carried out by members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
The message, which he personally signed, was made available to journalists by the Presidency’s media office, yesterday.
He said his administration had had reason to celebrate the return of 24 of them and thousands of other Nigerians who were forcibly abducted by the terrorists.
He said being a parent himself, he was grateful to God that some of the girls were found alive and have been reunited with their families.
The President said, “Government is doing all within its powers to reintegrate the freed girls to normal life. Furthermore, government is in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons, unharmed.
“My special appreciation goes to the parents and families that have endured three years of agony and waiting for the return of their children. I feel what you feel. Your children are my children.
“On this solemn occasion, my appeal is that we must not lose hope on the return of our remaining schoolgirls.
“Our intelligence and security forces, who have aptly demonstrated their competence, are very much equal to the task and absolutely committed to the efforts to find and return the schoolgirls and others abducted by Boko Haram.
“I also thank Lake Chad Basin countries, friendly nations and international partners, who at various points in the last three years have offered their support for Nigeria.
“Like I have repeatedly said, the Federal Government is willing to bend over backwards to secure the release of the remaining Chibok girls. We have reached out to their captors, through local and international intermediaries, and we are ever ready to do everything within our means to ensure the safe release of all the girls.
“I wish to reassure the parents of the Chibok girls, all well-meaning Nigerians, organisations and the international community, that as a government, we are unrelenting on the issue of the safe return of our children.
“I trust God that soon; our collective efforts will be rewarded with the safe return of our schoolgirls to their families, friends and their communities.”
Buhari described the 2014 abduction of the girls as one of the worst crimes committed against Nigeria’s citizens.
He recalled that at the inception of his administration on May 29, 2015, the militant group occupied no fewer than 14 local government areas in the North East of the country, and posed a serious threat to other parts by unleashing fear and mayhem through the use of surprise attacks and suicide bombing.
He added that the menace of the group posed a great challenge to the resolve of his administration to implement the change agenda.
Buhari said that was why he pledged to reverse the situation, which constituted a threat to the sovereignty of the country.
He said his government was determined, from the beginning, to secure the release of the Chibok girls and others forcefully abducted from their homes and communities, and retake the occupied territories.
This determination, he said, made his administration to give the necessary political and logistical backing which energised members of the armed forces and other security agencies to overrun the headquarters of Boko Haram in the Sambisa Forest and scatter the terrorists from their strong base.
Having secured some level of success, the President promised that no group will hold the country to ransom under his watch.
He urged all residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements around them to security agencies.
“Today, the group has been degraded and is no longer in a position to mount any serious, coordinated attack, other than sporadic suicide attacks on soft targets.
“Even at that, their reach is very much confined to a small segment of the North East where they had previously held sway unchecked.
“Nigeria, and indeed, the entire world, must however, recognise that terrorism has no borders and remains a growing concern, which calls for collective efforts to curtail.
“I, therefore, call on all Nigerians and residents in the country, to remain extra vigilant and report any suspicious element or group to the security agencies. We cannot afford to let down our guards. Under my watch, no group will hold the country to ransom,” the President promised.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it was working hard to reopen Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, where Boko Haram abducted 276 schools in April, 2014.
The Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative, Mr. Tijjani Tumsah, said yesterday, that the government was scheduling the re-opening of the college for normal academic activities in the 2017/2018 session.
Some 276 female students of GGSS, Chibok, located in Borno South Senatorial District, were abducted by members of Boko Haram on April 14, 2014, and 50 of them escaped from their abductors.
Among the remaining 219, the government negotiated the release of 21 by the sect in 2016, while three others escaped on their own.
Tumsah said all necessary security measures were being taken to avert a recurrence of the April 2014 incident.
Tumsah said the committee would implement relevant programmes that would boost education, which had suffered a setback through Boko Haram activities in the North-East.
He said the committee was contemplating suitable programmes that would help in de-radicalising the youth in keeping with the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s Plan of Action.
He said some the activities would include providing youth opportunities to acquire vocational skills as well as the adoption of steps that would address the causes of the insurgency and charting the way forward.
However, members of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) group, yesterday, embarked on a protest over the remaining schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram three years ago and are yet to be released.
The protesters were seen marching on the streets of Lagos towards Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s office in the Ikeja area of Lagos.
It was gathered that police officers barricaded the roads, preventing the protesters from getting close to the governor’s office.
It would be recalled that on April 14, 2014, Boko Haram insurgents invaded Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State, and abducted over 200 girls.
A prominent royal father in Rivers State and Paramount Ruler of Obeakpu- Ndoki Kingdom, in Oyigbo Local Government Area, Eze Fidelis Okwudiri Ajaelu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the 36 State Governors and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to urgently convene a ‘national dialogue for herders, farmers reconciliation’, describing peace between the two communities as the “gateway to Nigeria’s sustainable unity and rural prosperity”.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Port-Harcourt on the need to broker peace and reconciliation between the herders and farmers in Nigeria, Eze Ajaelu emphasised that, “the nation cannot thrive where our farmers live in fear and our herders move in bitterness”.
He called for a government- led, but community- driven reconciliation process anchored on truth, justice, and forgiveness.
According to him, recurring herders- farmers clashes have crippled agricultural productivity, displaced thousands, and worsened food inflation, with ripple effects on national stability.
“Reconciliation is not weakness”, Eze Ajaelu said. “ It is wisdom, because no amount of military might can replace the power of mutual trust”.
He further traced the crisis to a mix of environmental, demographic, and economic pressures, noting that, “Climate change has dried up grazing lands in the North, forcing nomads Southwards, where land competition triggers hostility.
Eze Ajaelu, a supposed member of the Oyigbo Council of Traditional Rulers’, however, maintained that poor governance, ethnic profiling, and lack of effective policy implementation have worsened tensions.
On the way forward, the ‘Onye- Nwe- Ali VII of Obeakpu- Ndoki Kingdom, admonished the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria to establish local peace committees in hot spot areas, integrate ranching and irrigation farming to ease resource pressure. Empower traditional rulers as mediators and custodians of rural justice, as well as, demanding for federal coordination through a ‘National Peace and Reconciliation Commission’.
He stressed that successive governments have relied too heavily on force to suppress rural conflicts, but no matter how many security deployments that are made, peace cannot be commanded, it must be cultivated.
“If the Tinubu-led administration truly wants a legacy of unity, it must lead Nigeria toward a national healing process that prioritizses reconciliation, and reparations. This would mean truth-telling sessions, fair compensation, and locally designed peace accords. “Let us remember: “When farmers and herders reconcile, the soil will smile again”.
Eze Ajaelu urged President Bola Tinubu, the 36 State Governors, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration(FCTA), to immediately direct the creation of a ‘National Reconciliation and Co-existence Framework in partnership with the National Council of Traditional Rulers’, state peace agencies, and civil society groups, and the media’.
He added that, “ Governors, particularly, in the North Central and South must also commit to inclusive peace summits to heal wounds, restore trust, and ensure justice, saying, “The time to act is now. Nigeria’s rural peace remains the foundation of its food security, which is the foundation of true sovereignty”.
Eze Ajaelu urged the federal and state governments, to work closely with traditional institutions, noting that, “ no one understands rural grievances better than those who live among the people”.
He reaffirmed his domain’s commitment to continue promoting peace, dialogue,and inter- communal trust in his Kingdom and beyond.
By: Bethel Toby
The Federal Government has approved three transformative policies aimed at boosting productivity and enhancing service delivery across the civil service. These are the Rewards and Recognition Policy, the Incentive and Consequence Management Policy, and the Civil Service Mentoring Policy.
The approval was granted during the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
The move marks a new era of performance-driven governance, strategic talent development, and enhanced accountability, with the policies designed to work in synergy to motivate staff, foster a culture of excellence, and significantly improve service delivery to Nigerians.
According to a statement signed by MrsEnoOlotu, Director of Information and Public Relations, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, MrsDidi Esther Walson-Jack, affirmed that the policies are central to staff welfare and the enhanced value proposition of civil servants and also align with the 2021 Public Service Rules (060101–060111).
She commended the President for his commitment to transforming the civil service and fostering a workplace culture that is efficient, productive, incorruptible, and citizen-friendly. The Head of Service noted that the approval demonstrates the government’s firm resolve to value public servants, reward excellence, and systematically groom the next generation of leaders.
The Rewards and Recognition Policy establishes a comprehensive framework designed to attract, nurture, develop, and retain top talent within the service. It seeks to promote excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement, thereby strengthening overall institutional performance.
The Incentive and Consequence Management Policy introduces a clear, transparent, and equitable system where exceptional performance is rewarded and under-performance is addressed through structured corrective measures. It aims to entrench fairness and accountability at all levels while providing developmental support to staff requiring improvement.
The Civil Service Mentoring Policy, described as a strategic investment in the future of the service, is intended to bridge experience gaps and ensure the systematic transfer of institutional knowledge.
“It will equip the next generation with the requisite skills, values, and ethical grounding for strategic leadership, while preserving invaluable institutional memory against the tide of retirements, thereby ensuring continuity and sustained excellence,” the statement added.
MrsWalson-Jack reiterated that the President’s approval for the implementation of these policies is not merely an administrative milestone, but the foundation upon which a modern, agile, and empowered civil service will be built. She assured civil servants that their dedication will be recognised, excellence rewarded, and personal growth supported.
The Rivers State Government has charged journalists to serve as a bridge between the government and the people by reporting effectively on government’s policies, projects, programmes and achievements, thereby keeping the public informed on its activities.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. BeniboAnabraba, gave the charge during a courtesy visit by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, led by the Chairman, Mr. Paul Bazia-Nsaneh, in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Anabraba emphasized that as the fourth estate of the realm, journalists owe the public a duty to provide a platform for constructive criticism of government and serve as watchdog of society.
He indicated that public opinion via the mass media is significant to help the government appreciate public perception, and also to create awareness on government initiatives, programmes and policies as they affect the citizenry.
“As a Government, we also appreciate the fact that you are our partner in conveying government policies and activities to the people, for their consumption, appreciation and review. We implore you to continue to publicise matters of importance in governance and encourage civic participation particularly on issues such as civil rights, voters’ registration, actions against gender-based violence, etc.
“You also have an obligation to promote morality and balanced criticism of government,” he stated
The chairman of the Rivers Council of NUJ, Mr. Paul Bazia-Nsaneh thanked the State Government for receiving them and intimated him of their desire to work with the government.
He explained that the union is poised to positively portray the State through an agenda of development communications, adding that the union has also outlined strategic projects to this effect.
“As a union, we need to change the narrative and to talk about development communications. If we don’t put out the opportunities that are available in River State, then we can not have people who will be interested in investing in the opportunities that are available to us. So we decided to put out some key areas that we need to focus on development communication trajectory,” he added.
-
News10 hours ago
OMULGA Chair’s Dev Strides Excites Group
-
Niger Delta44 minutes agoBayelsa Recommits To Building World-Class Med Varsity …As VC Marks Anniversary
-
Oil & Energy44 minutes agoAEDC Confirms Workforce Shake-up …..Says It’ll Ensure Better Service Delivery
-
News10 hours agoNDLEA Arrests Saudi-Bound Wanted Drug Kingpin, Storms Lagos Colos Lab
-
Business44 minutes agoPHCCIMA Leadership Hails Rivers Commerce Commissioner for Boosting Business Ties …..Urges Deeper Collaboration to Ignite Economic Growth
-
Nation23 minutes agoHYPREP Probes Overhead Tank Collapse …Plans To Supply Water In 65 Ogoni Communities
-
News10 hours agoPolice Arrest Sex Trafficking Syndicate, Rescue 15 Young Girls InOndo
-
Business44 minutes agoNCDMB Council, Mgt Seek Improvements In Corporate Governance, Performance