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Police Arrest 97 Shi’ites As IMN Denies Killing Cops
The Nigeria Police Force and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have disagreed on their accounts of the bloody Sunday clash in Abuja, leading to the deaths of policemen and Shi’ites.
The police, in a statement by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said they arrested 97 Shi’ites over the Sunday violence wherein two policemen were killed and three others critically injured.
But the leader of the Shi’ite group, Prof. Isah-Hassan Mshelgaru, distanced his members from the death and destruction of police vehicles.
He added that the police were attempting to blame the deaths of their officers on the Shi’ite group to give them a bad name.
The Force spokesperson, Adejobi, in a statement on Monday noted that “the police condemn Shi’ite attack in Abuja, order operatives to hunt for sponsors, killers of policemen.”
He also disclosed that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered operatives to track down and arrest the sponsors and those responsible for the killing of the police personnel.
The police had last Sunday said Shi’ite members attacked its personnel during their procession, leading to the death of two police officers, while three were unconscious in the hospital.
But in a counter statement, the IMN also claimed that the police killed and injured several of their members during their procession in the Wuse area of the FCT.
The IG, in the statement, vowed that the police would hunt the killers, stating: “Those who murdered these policemen have murdered peace”.
He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has condemned, vehemently, an unprovoked attack by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria, commonly known as the Shi’ite group, on police personnel in Abuja on August 25, 2024.
“In line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, the progressive efforts of police operatives have led to the arrest of 97 suspects and the recovery of several weapons used in the attack.
“The IGP has also reaffirmed the unalloyed zeal of the Force to arrest other involved persons and bring the killers to justice, emphasising his commitment to maintaining law and order and resisting all sorts of anarchy and unrest in any part of the country.
“The unprovoked killings of police officers in the line of duty are highly outrageous and unacceptable as those who murdered these policemen have murdered peace.”
Adejobi vowed that the police would uncover the extent of the attack to prevent a reoccurrence of the incident.
He said the IG condoled with the grieving families of the slain policemen and wished the injured officers a speedy recovery.
Adejobi said, “As investigations unfold, the Nigeria Police Force is determined to uncover the full extent of this attack and prevent future occurrences of such violence against police officers.
“The IGP offers heartfelt sympathies to the grieving families of the fallen police officers, mourning their loss alongside them and also wishes a speedy recovery to those currently undergoing treatment, hoping for their swift return to full health.”
He, however, said the police required the support of the citizens to maintain law and order.
But in a counter statement, the IMN leader, Mshelgaru, accused the police of attacking the Shi’ites in Abuja during their procession.
Mshelgaru noted that the procession was a global event celebrated not only in Nigeria, adding that in other states like Kano and Sokoto, and others, the event was peaceful.
“There was no clash with anyone, not even the security operatives in those states. We are not aware of the death of any police officers. If there was any, we are not responsible. We didn’t burn down any property.
“They are doing this to give us a bad name. If they want to arrest innocent people they can go ahead. This is not the first time they will be doing that. “
Mshelgaru also demanded the release of Shi’ite members in police custody, insisting that the group knew nothing about the death of the police officers.
He said, “We can’t say specifically the number of people arrested by the police. We are still counting. We will release our figures when we are done. We know for a fact that four of our members who were unconscious were arrested, we don’t know their fate. We are, however, demanding the release of our members in police custody; we are not responsible for the purported death of their officers.”
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.
News
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.