News
El-Rufai Applauds Osinbajo
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as a man of deep social conscience who cares about the plight of the poor.
El-Rufai communicated this when the vice president performed the inauguration of the Kasuwan Magani market and 100 kilowatt Solar PV Mini-Grid on Thursday at Kajuru, Kaduna State.
According to the governor, Osinbajo is a bridge builder and who relates cordially across different faith.
“We waited eight months after the completion of this market because we wanted you to commission this market; we insisted on you for several reasons.
“The first is that you are a man of deep social conscience; you care deeply about poor people and you care about giving them opportunities to prosper economically.
“This is one of the reasons why we felt that you are the one that will commission this market.
“ The second reason, sir, is that you are bridge builder; you are a pastor who is friends with Imams and emirs; you are a professor who can speak the language of ordinary people.
“You are a lawyer who pursues justice, not technicality; you care for people, you care for Nigerians and you care for unity in diversity; you care about stopping differences in religion and ethnicity, and you always promote peaceful coexistence.’’
The governor said that the community needed an apostle like Osinbajo to preach unity and peaceful coexistence.
According to him, no one is more qualified to inaugurate the market in the community than the vice president.
“So, we waited eight months to bring you here and we are happy you made the time to come here, and you can see the excitement of the people here for you visiting their community,’’ he said.
In his remark, Osinbajo said that there were two important themes that the Kasuwan Magani market project symbolised.
According to him, the first is the history of the market.
He said the market had been burnt down so many times in the heat of ethnic conflicts.
“ And there is no point looking for who was right and who was wrong; only to say that the destruction of a place of trade and commerce is bad for everyone.
“ Loss of jobs and the goods and services that the market provides; no matter what our grievances may be we must never burn down public facilities.
“It hurts the people we claim to be fighting for far more; so there are many important and difficult lessons about the importance of community building, partnership and tolerance amongst our people.
“These lessons must be learnt, but in learning these lessons, it is also very critical that the history of this market does not prevent us from moving forward.
“ It is important that this community in Kaduna State looks forward and creates a new narrative for this market, a narrative created of growth, togetherness, economic progress and development.’’
The vice president said that the second theme was the effective coordination and collaboration between the Federal Government and the Kaduna State Government.
He said that the Kaduna State Government’s commitment to rebuilding and modernising the Kasuwan Magani Market was commendable.
Osinbajo said he was so happy that the Ministry of Power through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) partnered with Kaduna State Government and Blue Camel to create a sustainable, clean source of power for the market.
“The 100 kilowatt Solar PV mini-grid built by Blue Camel, I understand is planned to go up to 500 kilowatts; we hope it can go above 1MW as the market and economic opportunities here grow.
“It is impressive what the Kaduna State Government has been able to achieve with the repositioning of the Kaduna Market Development and Management Company (KMDMC).
“The Galaxy Mall we just visited and this project at Kasuwan Magani are both products of the focus of the Kaduna State Government on enabling commerce and improving the economic prospects of its citizens.
He commended Malam Hafiz Bayero, the Managing Director of the KMDMC, for the great work on both projects
Osinbajo said that the funding mechanism for the Solar PV plant would not have been possible without the intervention of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“Despite the passage of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act in 2005, the activation of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) was only commenced in 2019, a staggering 14 years after the passing of the Act.
“The REF provides capital subsidies in a clear and transparent competitive process to qualified electrification projects and companies focusing on Mini-Grids, Solar Home Systems and Grid Extension.
“In the two REF cycles executed thus far, more than N6 billion worth of projects have been executed with 42,000 connections being created -impacting an estimated 200,000 Nigerians,’’ he said.
Osinbajo had earlier attended as the Special Guest of Honour, the Kaduna State Investment Summit.
News
Rivers DPOs Receive Awards For Outstanding Performance In Crime Prevention …As Students, Media Group Honour CSP Worgu, CSP Yusuf
The beneficiaries are the DPO of Afam Police Division, CSP Endurance Worgu and his counterpart at Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf.
CSP Worgu was honoured by a group of students under the aegis of Rivers State Graduate Students Associations for what they described as his commitment and outstanding performance in the discharge of his duties.
The students, led by Chidi John Enyie, Esq. said CSP Worgu was selected based on his track record and status as one of the longest-serving young DPOs of Rivers State origin.
According to the group, CSP Worgu has made significant contributions to the protection of lives and property in the area since assuming office following the #EndSARS period.
The students said they were particularly impressed by the improvement in community-police relations under his leadership, noting that professionalism had remained a key feature of his service.
Enyie represented by Comrade Briggs Soku, said the students community was pleased to identify with a Rivers indigene who had distinguished himself in the police force.
He said the students considered it necessary to encourage and celebrate CSP Worgu because of his achievements as a young Rivers man excelling in a profession that many people from the state were often reluctant to join.
Receiving the award at his office in Afam, CSP Worgu expressed gratitude to God and the students for finding him worthy of the honour.
The DPO said the recognition had boosted his morale and encouraged him to sustain his efforts towards maintaining peace and security in the area.
He said he least expected the honour, particularly because it came from the students, adding that the recognition would further motivate him to serve the people better.
CSP Worgu assured residents of Afam that the police would sustain the existing peace in the area.
He appealed to members of the public to support the police by providing credible and timely information, stressing that useful information from residents would make the job of security personnel easier.
Meanwhile, the Ikwerre/Etche Media Association has also honoured the DPO of Oyigbo Police Division, CSP Bello Yusuf, for his efforts in tackling criminal activities in the area.
The media group presented the award following the swift tracking and arrest of five suspected kidnappers who had allegedly terrorised residents of the Kom-Kom axis and other parts of Oyigbo.
The group commended CSP Bello for what it described as his determined efforts to restore confidence and security in the affected communities, particularly Kom-Kom and Obeama.
According to the group, the arrest of the suspects demonstrated the DPO’s commitment to tackling criminality and safeguarding residents.
The media association said residents had received the development with relief, noting that the police action had sent a strong message to criminal elements operating in the area.
Responding, CSP Yusuf appreciated the group for the recognition and reaffirmed that there would be no room for criminality in Oyigbo.
He also commended the media for its role in disseminating credible information to the public, saying the media had remained supportive of the police in the fight against crime.
CSP Yusuf warned criminal elements operating in Oyigbo to leave the area or be prepared to face the full weight of the law.
He assured residents that the police would continue to pursue criminals and work to dismantle their hideouts, regardless of where they might be operating.
News
College Of Bishops Endorses Tinubu, APC Candidates For 2027 Polls
International President of the forum, Archbishop Lucky Aroh, disclosed this during the ordination and consecration of three new Bishops, as well as an award ceremony held in Port Harcourt.
Aroh said the performance of the APC-led Federal Government had endeared the party to the organisation, prompting the forum to declare its support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates in Rivers State.
He said the forum would support all APC candidates in the state during the 2027 elections and urged Nigerians to vote for the party.
Aroh, who is also the General Overseer of Caring Peoples Church, Port Harcourt, charged the newly consecrated Bishops to see their new positions as a great responsibility and dedicate themselves to the advancement of the kingdom of God.
He cautioned them against conduct capable of bringing their offices into disrepute, stressing that their activities would be closely watched by members of the public.
“As Bishops, the eyes of the public are on your activities. You must therefore conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of your calling,” he said.
Also speaking, the International Coordinator of the forum, Bishop Saint Robinson, urged the newly consecrated Bishops to work diligently towards winning souls for the kingdom of God.
Robinson, who was the guest speaker at the event, stressed that the activities of Bishops must at all times be guided by godly principles.
He also called on members of the church to support and cooperate with the newly consecrated Bishops in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Secretary of the College, Apostle Elizabeth Ayadi Abaye, said the organisation was established to advance the kingdom of God and promote spiritual development.
According to her, the forum has organised several crusades, conferences, prayer meetings, ordinations, consecrations, enthronements, empowerment programmes and other spiritual development activities across the country as part of efforts to win souls for Christ.
Abaye said the organisation has members across the world and disclosed that more programmes had been scheduled to promote the spiritual development and wellbeing of humanity.
The three Bishops consecrated at the ceremony were Prince Alban Chike, Testimony Omenihu Shedrach and Prince Ifemena.
Among those honoured at the event were the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Abali Community, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Manuchimso Prince Lemmy Wopara, and Clifford Oko Jaja, Coordinator of the 5,000 House-to-House for President Tinubu.
By: John Bibor
News
Police Arrest Fake Soldier, Others For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, recently during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, where he said the arrests formed part of the operational achievements recorded by the Command between June and August 2026.
Adepoju said Atausi was arrested on August 10 by police operatives along Ada George, Port Harcourt, while dressed in military uniform and driving a Toyota Hilux painted in Army colours.
The Commissioner said investigation revealed that Atausi was not a member of the Armed Forces, adding that he was suspected to be a serial car snatcher, with three suspected stolen vehicles recovered from him.
He said the recovered vehicles included three Toyota Hilux vehicles without registration numbers and a Toyota Corona Premio with registration number BNY 380 ES, noting that the chassis and engine numbers of the vehicles had allegedly been tampered with.
Adepoju added that an axe and military accoutrements were also recovered from Atausi, as investigation continued into the circumstances surrounding the vehicles and other items recovered from him.
On the June 29 attack on police officers at Aluu Division, the Commissioner said three members of the gang allegedly responsible for the incident had been arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, VCRU-AKU.
The suspects, identified as Maduabuchi Emeka, 34, alleged gang leader; Doctor Chinedu Owhor, 42, and Kamachi Joe, 28, alleged armourer, reportedly led operatives to their hideout at Omagwa where two AK-47 rifles stolen during the attack were recovered.
Adepoju recalled that two police officers were killed during the Aluu attack, while others were wounded and one officer had his leg amputated, stressing that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fourth suspect.
On kidnapping, the Commissioner said five members of a suspected kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Oyigbo Local Government Area, adding that they allegedly confessed to operations in Kom-Kom, Railway, Obeama and Afam communities.
He said two other suspects from the same network, Anele Ogbogu, 35, alleged to be the gang’s armourer, and Kenneth Eke, 38, were arrested on July 27, with one AK-47 rifle and one SMG rifle recovered.
The Commissioner further disclosed the arrest of suspects in connection with alleged firearm offences, armed robbery, cultism and one-chance robbery, with firearms, ammunition and other exhibits recovered during the operations.
Adepoju assured residents that the Command would sustain intelligence-led, proactive and community-oriented policing in collaboration with other security agencies, while urging members of the public to continue providing credible information that would assist the police in combating crime across Rivers State.
By; King Onunwor
-
News2 days agoRSG Targets Nine Million Residents in Mosquito Net Distribution Campaign
-
Oil & Energy2 days agoAiyedatiwa Signs New Electricity Bill
-
Maritime2 days agoMarine Minister Commends President Tinubu On NPERA Bill Assent
-
Oil & Energy2 days agoNLNG Commissions Research And Innovation Centre In RSU
-
News2 days agoKenPoly Holds Eight Convocations, August 29
-
News2 days agoRSG Begins Another Phase of Projects Commissioning Today
-
News2 days agoRMAFC Completes Revenue Sharing Review, Proposes New Pay
-
Maritime2 days agoNAGAFF Petitions IGP Over Alleged Maritime Police Harassment
