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Military Dissociates Self From Call To Overthrow Govt …16th Birthday: Hundreds March For Leah In UK, US …Lawyers Raise Alarm Over Threat To National Security
The Defence Headquarters yesterday dissociated the Armed Forces of Nigeria from the circulation of document, calling for the overthrow of the democratically elected government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement issued by Navy Capt. Muhammed Wabi, Deputy Director of Defence Information, the DHQ accused a group, “Nigerian Continuity and Progress’’ as being behind the document.
Wabi alleged that the document called for the setting up of an “interim government’’ in place of the elected government
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to dissociate itself from the rascality and intentions as espoused in a document being circulated by a faceless group named Nigerian Continuity and Progress calling for support of a revolution to oust the current democratically elected government and in its place establish an illegitimate interim government.
“The AFN outrightly condemns the undemocratic and demonic actions of the author of the document.
“Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to discountenance the content of the documents being circulated by NCP and equally condemned in totality, the call to derail our hard-earned democracy,’’ the statement said.
It said that the armed forces was “very mindful of its constitutional responsibilities’’ and would not be misled into any act that would undermine democracy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“The AFN remains unflinchingly loyal to the Constitution, as well as President Muhammadu Buhari and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The statement said all relevant law enforcement agencies had been advised to unravel those behind the seditious document for appropriate actions.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people will today storm Nigeria’s Mission House in the United Kingdom and United States of America for prayer vigils as part of a global concern for the 16th birthday anniversary of Leah Sharibu, one of 110 girls abducted from their school in Dapchi by Boko Haram.
After spending 449 days in captivity, the girl would be marking her 16th birthday today.
There would be activities in Abuja, Jos, Lagos, Yola and Port Harcourt in addition to other events by Panam Music World, John Praise Foundation for Human Development and Prof. Mercy Ade-Davies International Foundation.
A statement by the UK group said: “Please join us to pray and protest from 1-1:30pm, the address is: 9 Northumberland Ave, Westminster, London WC2N 5BX. You can still speak up for Leah now.”
There would also be an event at the US Senate building on Capitol Hill today in Washington. In a related development, pupils of primary schools in Jos had a peaceful march and the same time, prayed for her safe return.
The pupils drawn from different schools called on the Federal Government to secure schools so that innocent children are not made to suffer for things they know nothing about.
Speaking at the mini rally, the President of Leah Foundation, Dr. Gloria Samdi-Puldu appealed to the Federal Government to honour its promises of freeing Leah from captivity.
In a related development, the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON) has expressed dismay over the continuous downward slide of the state of security in the country.
The body noted that the security challenges were evident in various cases of killing of innocent and hapless citizens and non-citizens whose security and protection is the primary function of government.
A communique jointly issued at the end of the President-In-Council meeting of CLASFON at Aba, Abia State and signed by the National President, Arome Okwori and National Secretary, Olatunji Omole, yesterday, said, “CLASFON is saddened at the continuous downward slide of the state of security in our nation as evidenced in various cases of killing of innocent and hapless citizens and non-citizens whose security and protection is the primary function of government.
“Incidences also abound in the daily kidnap and abduction of citizens and non-citizens in most states of the federation.
“CLASFON calls on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to take seriously the responsibility of the protection of the lives and properties of all residents of Nigeria as provided by the Constitution and other relevant laws.”
Analysing the recent general election in the country, it noted, “CLASFON observes with dismay the widespread irregularities and total disregard for the rules of engagement as contained in extant laws by major stakeholders that characterised the general elections conducted recently by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC).”
CLASFON urged the Federal Government to heed the call for electoral reforms with a view to giving Nigeria an electoral system that would dignify Nigeria in the comity of truly democratic nations.
“CLASFON further calls on members of the recently constituted Election Petition Tribunals at all levels who are perceived to have personal interest by reason of their personal affiliations to recuse themselves in the interest of justice, good conscience and fair play.
“CLASFON observes with grave concern the persistent failure of the government to work assiduously to facilitate the release of Leah Sharibu and other abducted school girls.
“CLASFON calls upon the Federal Government of Nigeria to leave no stone unturned to secure the release of Leah Sharibu and other girls in the custody and captivity of the Book Haram insurgents.
“CLASFON observes with dismay the flagrant disregard of the Constitution in the arrest and continued detention without charge of the traditional and community leaders of the Adara Chiefdom in Kajuru Local Area of Kaduna State.
“CLASFON calls on the governor of Kaduna State to respect the rule of law as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution in compliance with his oaths of allegiance and of office,” participants at the meeting observed.
Participants observed with dismay the neglect of the welfare of the staff of Kogi State Judiciary by the non-payment of their salaries resulting in the deterioration and near collapse of the justice system in Kogi State.
“CLASFON also observes the unconstitutional means deployed in driving Government Policy by the Kogi State governor. We view steps taken in this direction as a flagrant usurpation of the powers conferred on constitutional organ and tantamount to dictatorial despotism.
“The said action of the governor led to the strike that has shut down the courts for several months thereby denying common citizens’ access to justice. We, therefore, demand that the governor of Kogi State should follow constitutional means in driving governance since Nigeria is a constitutional democracy,” the communique explained.
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.
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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.