News
Again Herdsmen Kill 31 In Kogi, Benue …As Tivs Warn Against Reprisal Attack In Nasarawa
The violence unleashed on Kpanche community in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State in the early hours of Sunday has spread to two other communities with death toll jumping from10 to 16.
The traditional ruler of Mozum community in the area, Alhaji Khalid Bukar told newsmen in Lokoja that the violence has spread, by yesterday afternoon, to Ozugbe and Biroko, two villages under his domain.
He said that a number of houses in both villages were completely razed by unknown hoodlums while five persons were shot dead.
The ruler said that one person, he simply identified as Musa, was also missing. He said that those killed included the Madaki of Biroko, Alhaji Mohammed Umar and four of his subjects. Bukar said that so many houses including that of the late Madaki were also razed by the invaders.
The traditional ruler said that he immediately informed security agents of the development but said that the damage was already done before their arrival. Also the police, in an update on the incident, said that six of the bandits that invaded Kpanche earlier in the day were killed and not five as earlier announced.
The state police command’s spokesman, ASP William Aya said in a statement that 15 houses were also burnt down in Kpanche. He said upon receiving distress calls from residents, mobile policemen and soldiers were promptly dispatched to restore peace and order.
“On sighting the security personnel, they opened fire at them, but were vehemently resisted by the fire power of the security personnel where six of the attackers were killed,” he said.
However, the release was silent on the attacks and killings at Ozugbe and Biroko communities. Aya said the Commissioner of police, Mr Ali Janga has ordered a thorough investigation into the unfortunate incidents. “ He vowed to prosecute anyone linked to the attacks no matter highly placed so as to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Janga urged the affected residents of the affected community to remain calm as the security agencies are determined to ensure adequate security of lives and property in the state.
Also, about 15 people have been killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in fresh atta troubled Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
The suspected herdsmen, who were said to have appeared in military uniform, invaded six communities in Saghev council ward of the council between Friday and the early hours of Saturday, leading to the death of about 15 people.
The Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr TerverAkase, however, said that 10 corpses had so far been recovered.
The natives, who spoke with our correspondent, said the invaders attacked the six communities were include; Tse Abi, TseGinde, TsePeviv, TseIkyo, Agenke and Gbenke.
“These people, who came in tens, wore military uniform which earlier gave us the confidence to move around, only for them to start shooting at people and at the same time, burning houses. This made people to scamper for safety.”
“We noticed their arrival on Friday evening and the attack continued till the early hours of this morning [Saturday].
“Twelve corpses had been recovered as at this (Saturday) afternoon,” one of the natives said.
“As I am talking to you, [around 2.04pm], gunshots still rend the air, while several houses have been burnt down.”
While confirming the attack on the communities, the chief press secretary to the governor, Akase, in a statement said, “I can confirm that Fulani herdsmen last night (Friday) and earlier today (Saturday) invaded Saghev Ward of Guma Local Government Area, Benue State and killed many innocent persons.
The attacked communities are Tse-Abi, Tse-Ginde, Tse-Peviv, Tse-Ikyo, Agenke and Gbenke.
“Ten corpses have so far been recovered with many others injured. The armed herdsmen also burnt numerous houses, shops and other property in the area.
“This mindless attack was unprovoked, and we urge security agencies to arrest the herdsmen behind the killings for prosecution,” said Akase.
But the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Moses Yamu said he was yet to receive such report and asked to be given time to find out the situation of things from the council’s DPO.
In a related development, Ron/Kulereulere Community of Bokkos Local Government area of Plateau State has raised the alarm over the activities of herdsmen in the area, saying they have so far destroyed 1,017 houses and vast farmland, and forced the locals to abandon at least 12 kilometres of landspace.
The spokesman of the community, Makut Macham, who stated this while addressing newsmen in Jos, said with the advent of the rainy season, the people of the local government were afraid of accessing their farms for fear of being attacked by the herdsmen.
Macham urged government to deploy more security personnel to the area to enable his people go back to their farms and called for the establishment of state police, which, he said, would enhance the existing security architecture in the area.
To address the frequent clashes between the framers and Fulani herdsmen, the group called for the adaption of livestock alimentation practice as a panacea to the clashes causing insecurity in the country.
According to him, livestock alimentation practice involves a system of keeping animals within a confined space and providing them with adequate nutritional care without having to expose them to open grazing in the countryside for pasture.
Meanwhile, the Tiv socio-cultural association in Nasarawa State, “Mdzough U Tiv,” yesterday advised Tiv people to refrain from any form of reprisal attack, following the recent killing of their kinsmen by suspected herdsmen in the state.
The Interim President of the association, Mr. Thomas Gar, who gave the charge in a statement made available to newsmen in Lafia, said that two wrongs could not make a right, hence the need to “leave vengeance to God”.
“Even though the casualties from the pogrom is sadly high, I urge the Tiv people not to resort to any reprisal attacks since we believe the government and the security forces have the capacity to bring the perpetrators to book,” Gar said.
He commended Governor Umaru Al-Makura and security agencies in the state for the efforts made to restore normalcy in the affected communities.
He, however, urged the government to ensure the quick return of persons displaced by the crisis.
“I commend Gov. Al-Makura for swiftly responding to our distress situation by providing more relief materials to the IDPs in the various camps.
“May I also appeal for more of such efforts so that our people can go back to their respective places of abodes, especially now that the raining season has set in,” he added.
More than 78 people were killed in recent attacks on Undera, Kenje, Ketyo, Apurugh, Akumun and Anyam communities as well as well as Imon, Wuriji, Shirka, Ukpo villages’
The communities are found in in four Local Government Areas of Obi, Keana, Awe and Doma.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.