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Death Toll In Kogi Killings Rises To 29 …Suspected Herdsmen Kill 13 In Plateau
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, yesterday, met with Tawari community and promised to fish out the killers of their kinsmen as casualty figure rises to 29.
Bello, who held a peace meeting at the Government House, Lokoja, yesterday, with the paramount rulers and people of the Tawari communities, called for calm, saying government was working hard to restore permanent peace in the area.
According to him, the casualty figures had risen to 29 persons as more deaths were recorded in other communities within the district.
Bello, who acknowledged the peaceful disposition of the Tawari people, said the attack took place when there was no provocation, stressing that his administration will leave no stone unturned in unravelling those behind the dastard acts against the communities.
He noted that government on receipt of the distress call acted proactively by drafting security personnel to secure the communities and to provide palliative measures for the people.
The governor added that his government would not fold its arms and watch bandits and terrorists unleash mayhem on his people, insisting that he will adopt security measures that will be mobile and effective to deal with any security challenges across the state.
He explained that the same methods that worked in Dekina, Bassa and Omala local government areas, when they were attacked, will be replicated in Tawari to bring lasting a solution to insecurity in the area.
Bello promised to adopt community police to complement the activities of the conventional police whom he said were being overwhelmed with inadequate manpower and lack of knowledge of the local communities.
He urged the traditional rulers, youth groups and opinion moulders in communities across the state to join hands with the government to ensure the success of the new security architecture to rid the state of criminals and people with predatory tendencies.
The governor, however, directed the youth leader and the critical stakeholders of the communities to furnish his office within 24-48 hours of the level of damage done to individuals for monetary compensation.
Earlier, the youth leader of the Tawari communities, which comprises of four villages, Mr Gabriel Ndazago, said the initial figure of 24 deaths was recorded in Towari village while five other bodies were picked up from three other communities making it 29 deaths.
He appealed to the government to establish and strengthen the local vigilantes, which according to him, have the commitment and competence to deal with security infractions within their communities.
He lamented the frequent killings and kidnapping of Tawari people even in their homes and on their farms with consequences of payment of humongous ransom and in some cases killing of the victims for failing to meet their demands, adding that the January 2, 2020 attack was the climax of the gruesome murders of his people.
In his remark, the Aguma of Bassa and Paramount Ruler of Tawari, Alhaji Idris Alhassan Yusuf, commended the government for the prompt response to the crisis, and pledged the loyalty of his people to the government and its policies.
He appealed to the government to establish permanent security outpost in the area, reconstruct the damaged infrastructures, open up the roads to the villages, and provide adequate medicaments for the injured who are receiving treatments in various hospitals and clinics within the area.
However, the Plateau State Police Command, said gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, yesterday, killed 12 persons and injured one at Kulben village of Kombun District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Terna Tyopev, made this disclosure to newsmen in Jos.
According to Tyopev, the incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday.
“In the early hours of today (Thursday), we received a distress call that gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen attacked Kulben community of Kombun District of Mangu.
“As a result, 12 persons lost their lives and one severely injured.”
Typopev said the injured are receiving treatment at Mangu General Hospital at present.
He called on residents of the community to remain calm and be law-abiding, adding that the police and other security agencies would do everything possible to bring the perpetrators to book.
“No arrest is yet to be made, but we are doing everything possible to ensure that the criminals are arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
He called on the public to provide the police with useful information that would enable them to track down the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Fire Service has recorded eight deaths and saved 927 lives in 572 fire incidents in 2019, according to the State Fire Prevention Officer, Malam Nuhu Lawal.
Lawal told newsmen, yesterday in Sokoto that properties valued at N4.5billion were lost while the agency was able to save N4.7billion worth of valuables during the period under review.
The official blamed the fire incidents on electrical sparks and negligence, urging residents to be vigilant and embrace safety measures.
He said that the organisation had functional fire-fighting vehicles, water trucks back-ups and operational fire stations equipped with modern fire-fighting tools within Sokoto metropolis.
According to him, the Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led administration bought additional 10 new vehicles, refurbished the existing ones and constructed eight fire stations.
“The administration also drilled two boreholes and provided two water tankers as back-ups, to facilitate the agency’s activities,” he said.
He also lauded the state government for the prompt supply of chemicals used in putting out fires as well as the provision of rain boots and jackets.
The Fire Prevention Officer said that each of the 23 local government areas in the state had a fire-fighting vehicle, but lamented their poor use by the local authorities.
He also decried the poor maintenance of fire fighting gadgets in the local government areas, and regretted that fire fighting officers were not motivated to put in their best.
The Operation Officer, Sokoto State Fire Service, Mr Mustapha Abubakar, who also spoke with newsmen, cautioned members of the public against late reporting of fire incidents.
He also cautioned members of the public against blocking the movement of fire fighting engines during incidents.
Abubakar cautioned people against engaging the inferno before informing the agency, saying that the situation usually lead to the escalation of the fire before the arrival of the fire fighters.
He said that additional 50 fire men had been recruited to beef the agency’s strength, adding that new offices had also been established at Mana, Bado and Kalambaina towns.
He appealed to the state government to provide the organisation with an ambulance to ease services to victims and minimise the danger involved in waiting for hospitals to provide the facility
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor
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