Nation

Desertification: Bauchi Rotary Club Plants 100 Trees

Published

3 years ago

August 12, 2022

In its effort to fight increasing cases of desertification and promote a friendly environment, the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central has planted 100 species of trees at the new Dungal Housing Estate, a suburb of the Bauchi metropolis on the Bauchi-Jos highway.
Speaking to journalists at the venue of the exercise, Assistant Governor, Rotary International, District 9125, Rotarian Gabriel Omachi, said that the Club was keen on environmental protection considering the adverse effects of climate change.
Omachi stated that the exercise was part of the contributions of the Rotary Club as a humanitarian organization with the well-being of the people as a major activity.
He said: “We are particularly glad that these trees are being planted in this estate, apart from protecting the encouragement, it is also medicinal. You can see that we have achieved double points”
Omachi noted that the trees when they are grown would give the residents of these areas pure and natural oxygen needed for healthy living and other benefits.”
The Assistant Governor then explained that the Rotary International District 9125 covers 23 states which are the 19 Northern states, four states in the South West excluding Lagos and Ogun as well as the FCT.
Speaking earlier, the President of the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central, NonsoNwobi, said that environmental protection was one of the cardinal agenda of the Club being a humanitarian service organization.
He said: “Today, we have planted 100 trees. Tree planting is one of the humanitarian services that Rotary offers to save the environment.”
Nwobi explained that “one of the purposes of these trees is to beautify the new estate, provide shade and serve as the windbreaker.”

He added that there is no cause for fear over the survival of the trees noting that they said have outgrown nurturing, hence won’t require continued watering more so it is rainy season.

He also assured that NPK fertilizer and other chemicals for protection from pets have been applied to the trees while baskets for protection from stray animals would be provided.

The President urged other well-meaning citizens to join the Club in giving back to society and humanity, adding that the Club has other lined up humanitarian services for the year.

These, he said, included cleaning of drainages, building soak-away and other environmental services assuring that a more positive impact of Rotary Club would be felt by residents of the state.
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Nation

Firefighters battle New Year Day inferno in Abuja, several states

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Federal Fire Service FFS entered the New Year on full operational alert, tackling multiple fire outbreaks across the country from midnight into the early hours of January 1, 2026, in what officials described as one of the busiest festive-season deployments in recent years.

The intensified nationwide response followed a December 2025 directive issued by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who had ordered that no firefighter should proceed on leave throughout the holidays.

According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services of the FFS, DCF Paul Abraham, the no-leave policy proved critical as the Service moved swiftly to contain fires in several states.

The Federal Capital Territory FCT recorded its first fire incident of the year barely twenty-three minutes after midnight when flames erupted at Cake Hot Restaurant located within River Plate Park, Wuse, Abuja.

Abraham said fire crews from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to stop the blaze before it could spread through the popular recreational centre.

While a section of the garden area was destroyed, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.

Officials said property worth an estimated ?1.5 billion was saved, although losses were placed at about ?500 million.

“Preliminary findings suggested that the fire was triggered by objects thrown during New Year celebrations, reinforcing long-standing warnings over the dangers posed by fireworks during the harmattan season”, the Service said.

The Controller General had repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid fireworks, candles and open flames indoors, warning that the dry winds characteristic of the season allow fires to spread rapidly.

He also warned the public about electrical faults and power surges and advised that electrical appliances be switched off and unplugged when not in use or when occupants leave their homes, stressing that overloading sockets and extension boxes remains a significant cause of domestic fires.

Nation

Enugu North LG chairman presents ?10.8bn 2026 Budget, prioritises roads …Security, Healthcare, Human Capital Development

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has presented a Ten Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (?10.8bn) 2026 budget to the legislative council of the local government.

The budget, tagged “Budget of Continued Growth and Consolidation,” was presented on Wednesday during a plenary session attended by councillors, department heads, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Onoh explained that the 2026 budget is designed to consolidate achievements recorded in 2025 while scaling up development across the council’s 13 wards. Priority areas include road infrastructure, grassroots security, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, and digital governance.

He also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, highlighting significant revenue growth and successful completion of key projects. Notably, the council’s internally generated revenue more than doubled, attributed to the introduction of digital revenue collection platforms and other innovative measures.

Among the 2025 achievements, Dr. Onoh mentioned the reconstruction of major roads at European Quarters, Hilltop, Coal Camp, and Ukwa Street, Ihewuishi, as well as the upgrade of the local security architecture through the reorganisation of the neighbourhood watch into “The City Watch.”

On the 2026 budget, the chairman stated that projected revenue would come from statutory allocations, VAT, internally generated revenue, and counterpart funding through public-private partnerships.

He noted that capital expenditure would take the larger share of the budget, with over half allocated to the economic sector. Planned projects include:

Completion of transport terminals at Aria Market

Construction and reconstruction of urban roads

Establishment of two sports centres

Healthcare interventions

Youth skills development programmes.

Dr. Onoh emphasised that the projects, policies, and programmes outlined in the budget are aimed at complementing the initiatives of Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah, who is setting standards for local government councils to follow.

Responding, the Leader of the Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Chizoba Nnamani, said the budget would be carefully scrutinised in the interest of residents before its passage.

Nation

Christians Convert To Islam or die As ISWAP burns down Christian village

Published

1 day ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Christians in Adamawa have been asked to Convert to Islam or die as commanded by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

.The ISWAP forcedly burnt down Christian village in Adamawa Nigeria as reported on January 1, 2026.

The Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, has continued to wreak havoc on Christian communities in the Northeast, Nigeria.

This comes as ISWAP burned down a Christian village in Adamawa State.

A security expert, Brant Philip, disclosed this on Thursday in a viral video released by the terrorists.

“ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and they have an opportunity to “spare their blood” by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Brant Philip wrote on X.

The move is perceived as retaliation for recent joint airstrikes by the Nigerian and United States military against a terrorist enclave in Sokoto, Nigeria.

Recall that five days ago, United States President Donald Trump announced that the US military launched airstrikes against terrorists in Sokoto State.