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Kidnapping: Buhari Orders Security Chiefs To Increase Surveillance, Patrol On Key Roads

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security agencies to intensify surveillance and patrol activities along the Abuja-Kaduna Road and other key roads across the country.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this to State House Correspondents, yesterday, after the National Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Aregbesola also disclosed that the regime is impressed by the recently concluded governorship elections in Anambra State which saw the emergence of the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as governor-elect.
According to him, “The police and other security agencies had been mobilised to intensify surveillance, patrol and pursuit of criminals. And it’s not only about Abuja-Kaduna.
“Yes, Abuja-Kaduna belt was discussed specifically, but we appreciate the fact that we are in the season of festivity. So, all agencies are committed to providing security for Nigeria and the maintenance of law and order.
“They have been ordered to improve their activities, intensify surveillance and minimise, if not eliminate, any threat to law and order anywhere in Nigeria.”
The minister said the police were the lead agency on internal security.
Therefore, maintenance of law and order will start with the police and then extend to all the other security agencies.
Speaking further, Aregbesola said that specific orders have been given to all security agencies.
He said Nigerians should expect to see an improved response to all those challenging the sovereignty of Nigeria in whatever form.
“The council today took a firm decision on what to be done and I can assure Nigerians that with the charge from the President and the commander in chief of the Armed Forces today, there will be an improved response to all forms of criminality in any part of Nigeria,
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies, intelligence organisations, must not rest on their oars, as we are making progress in our effort to eliminate insurgency, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and all the other criminalities because Nigerians deserve to live in peace,” he affirmed.
Giving details about the issues discussed at the meeting, the minister said that Buhari, while commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for ensuring a safe governorship election in Anambra, charged them not to rest on their oars as the country is still being ravaged by criminal and terrorist activities.
“The president received briefs from service chiefs and from the security agencies and intelligence organisations on the state of security nationwide.
“While appreciating the successes and gains made by all the security agencies from the armed forces of Nigeria to the police and other intelligence organisations, as well as other security agencies, he believes that more must still and should still be done.
“But he commended all of them for the progress we are recording on all fronts. The president was particularly happy with the fact that a free and fair election was made possible by the INEC and our security agencies.
“The president was particularly happy about the free and fair governorship election in Anambra. And he was quite happy that the combination of INEC and the security agencies, from the military to the police and all the other agencies made that possible with the support of the people of Anambra and the government of Anambra. And we all saw the outcome,” he said.
He said with the successes recorded, there is no doubt as to the regime’s commitment to promoting democracy and ensuring that 2023 is not threatened.
Speaking further, the minister said that the council was briefed about the election of a Nigerian, AIG Garba Umaru, who emerged out of four other candidates, as the vice president of Interpol for Africa.
He said “this means that a Nigerian today represents the 54 African nations at the Interpol level.
“The election took place today, a couple of hours ago. And he emerged as the vice president of Interpol in Africa. That too was discussed, appreciated and applauded.”
Before the commencement of the meeting, the President decorated his Aide-De-Camp, Lt Col Yusuf Dodo, with his new rank of Colonel.
In attendance were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.) and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.
Also at the meeting were the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, and wife of the ADC, Dr Hindatu Bashir.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.