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Cleric Wants Reconstruction Of Churches In N’ East
The President, Church of Brethren in Nigeria, Rev. Joel Billi has appealed to the federal and state governments to fast-track the reconstruction of places of worship and other structures destroyed by insurgents in North-East.
Billi made the appeal yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Kwarhi, headquarters of the church in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
He observed that most places of worship comprising churches and mosques affected were not attended to even as people in those areas have returned.
“Many returnees whose houses were affected are also waiting for the government’s intervention; you can see even the ongoing road reconstruction work in Adamawa is going in a millipede speed,” Billi said.
The president, who lauded Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno for rehabilitating some places of worship, urged his other colleagues in the north-east to emulate him.
“Shettima renovated some places of worship including 13 of our churches in Askira/Uba, Chibok and Hawul Local Government Areas,” Billi said.
He, however, lauded the federal government for its latest successes in the fight against Boko Haram including the rescue of hostages comprising university lecturers and police women.
The cleric called for more of such effort to release all hostages from the terrorists.
“We still have volatile areas with Boko haram in Northern Adamawa and Southern Borno that need more military attention,” he said.
The cleric, who presided over the just concluded annual convention of the church, where 112 Pastors were ordained, tasked the new pastors to preach the gospel of peace and love.
He also urged the pastors to always engage in broadening their knowledge to cope with the current challenges of evangelism.
“All contemporary pastors need to be up and doing. We are in a sophisticated world that requires the fear of God and diligent study of the Bible at all times.
“It is our solemn responsibility to update our libraries with modern and relevant books and not to depend on obsolete ones.
“Let us resist the temptations of allowing the pews to grow above the pulpits. If we keep repeating the same sermon time without number, eventually some members will move out to look for a greener pasture,” he said.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.