Media practitioners have been encouraged to see themselves as great nation builders and not just reporters, as the power of the pen can be used as a tool for nation transformation, therefore journalists should uphold themselves as role models in promoting peace and upholding the truth.
This was made known when the Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Muslim Pilgrims Board, Barrister Auwalu Abdullahi, played host to Executives of Plateau Bloggers and online Media Association in his office earlier today.
Barrister Auwalu said that the Pilgrims board has in past years, upheld its uprightness by ensuring that monetary refunds for services not rendered are made to pilgrims who have traveled to the holy land. He mentioned that in 2018/2019 the sum of 16million was paid in a refund to about 1198 persons with each getting up to N11,600 for feeding, transportation and accommodation for days not covered during the pilgrimage.
He further expressed delight on the visit of the media practitioners and commended their efforts in promoting positive activities, encouraging them to adhere to ethics of good journalism, stating that “the media has the power to make or mar any country because the power of the pen is greater than the power of the Guns, As such any well-meaning Journalist can transform the country from good to best just by writing nation-building articles and giving voice to the right course”
The honcho remarkable producer, BED Music Boss Elmore at the early hours of Tuesday, 16 February, 2021 makes an official announcement on his Facebook timeline stating his intentions to feature Jos grassroots entertainers at the grand finale of the Pitch Perfect Naija talent hunt, as it will enhance the growth of entertainment in Jos as advised by one of Nigeria’s incredible rapper Ycee.
See screen shoots:
Pitch Perfect Naija is a Musical Reality Show, an initiative of BED Music Africa that aims at giving musical talents a platform to showcase their arts and creativity in music and stand a chance of winning a reward worth Million Naira.
This music reality show also seeks to educate the contestants on the mannerisms of the world of music and how they can use it to affect their immediate society and the world at large.
The Show primarily targets persons (both males and females) between the ages of 18 – 30 years old, who were selected by Judges during the audition. The successfully selected 12 housemates were camped in the Pearl City House for 2 weeks.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, February 16, announced the nomination of AbdulRasheed Bawa as the substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This nomination of Bawa was contained in Buhari’s letter of nomination to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation.
“President Buhari has asked the Senate to confirm Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa as substantive chairman of EFCC,” Presidency tweeted.
According to the Presidency, Bawa is a 40-year-old trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of advance fee fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.
He has undergone several specialized trainings in different parts of the world and was one of the pioneer EFCC Cadet Officers in 2005.
Bawa holds a B.Sc degree in Economics, and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy.
When confirmed by the Senate, Bawa will replace suspended EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu who is undergoing trial on alleged diversion of recovered government’s assets.
Meanwhile, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), has reiterated its commitment to ensuring peaceful coexistence between its members and their host communities.
The southeast Zonal Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, disclosed this on Monday, February 15, in an interview in Enugu.
Siddiki said that members of the association had a good relationship with the people of the area; in spite of some isolated cases of misunderstanding.
He said that their interest in the area was purely economic; also adding that no herder is interested in contesting for the ownership of land with members of their host communities.
On the issue of insecurity, Siddiki commended state governments in the South East for securing the area against banditry.
The Miyetti Allah chairman said that there was no denying the fact that governments at all levels; had put much effort into finding solutions to the challenge in parts of the country.
He, however, said that much still needed to be done to ensure that law-abiding citizens; including herders also, were free to carry out their businesses without encumbrances.
According to him, the time for Nigerians to unite and seek avenues to douse the raging tension and insecurity in parts of the country is now.
He said that as cattle breeders, “We only ask for a secure environment to do our business.
“We are ready to support the authorities to go after criminals; and rid the forests and cities of such bad elements; in order to make life better for everyone,” he said.
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has frowned at recurring killings in some villages of Bassa Local Government Council, asking security agencies to do everything possible to put a stop to the situation.
Governor Lalong while reacting to the recent killing of 4 persons following attacks on some villages in Kwall District of the Local Government, said the development was worrisome and intolerable.
The Governor who had directed the Peace Building Agency to visit the area and get to the root of the killings, said the situation must be brought under control immediately to prevent further degeneration.
He said “I want all those involved in these crimes to be arrested and made to face the full weight of the law. While this is going on, the machinery for dialogue, reconciliation and confidence building should be vigorously pursued by the Peace Building Agency with the support of the newly constituted Inter-faith Council. We will not tolerate any act that takes us back to the dark days of violence and destruction.”
While commiserating with the families of those killed, the Governor said all citizens must be security conscious and avoid any conduct that will jeopardize peaceful coexistence of the area and the State.
Unknown Gunmen on Sunday night through Monday morning invaded two villages in Kwall District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing four youths, and houses burnt including food barns.
Speaking with The Nation, on Monday morning the National President of the Irigwe Development Association, IDA, Robbert Ashi, who confirmed the incident said the three youths were ambushed by suspected herdsmen and killed between Jebbu Bassa and Rikwechongu village on Sunday evening, while another person was killed at Zirshe Village In the early hours of Monday and houses burnt including food barns.
He said:
“Yesterday evening I was informed of attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen who ambushed and killed three of our youth returning back from Jebbu Bassa to Rikwechongu village close to the School of Accountancy while at the early hours of this morning (Monday) the Fulani herdsmen also attacked Zirshe village and killed one person, burnt several houses including food barns where the villagers had kept their recently harvested produce.
This action is condemnable coming at the time our people are preaching peace in the land,”.
He described the attacks as unfortunate and called on the security agencies to arrest the attackers whom he said are suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The bodies of two lovers identified as Ufuoma Atidja and Matilda Aghotor were found in their apartment along NDDC road in Amukpe, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that the remains were discovered on Saturday morning, February 13, after neighbours peeped through the window. The man was allegedly found on the floor; and the woman on the bed.
A source who pleaded anonymity told The Nation that the lovers attended a party the previous night.
“The lovers came home late after the party and slept off yesterday; only to wake up this morning and we found them dead.” the source said.
According to the source, Ufuoma and Matilda had just returned to the country last year from an undisclosed overseas’ country; and had reportedly moved into the vicinity last December.
“He occasionally uses his vehicle to shuttle between Sapele and Warri route; and he was a lively fellow who was always visible and when neighbours woke up that morning and noticed his vehicle was there; and there was no sign of the wife and him, we became worried; his window was opened but when we noticed his door was locked inside, we became curious; that was when we looked through the windows and saw the dead bodies.” the source added.
However, another source said that their deaths may have been as a result of inhaling generator fumes.
“Their generator was put on yesterday when they came back; and we are suspecting it must have been the cause of their death.”
Spokesperson of the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya has confirmed the incident.
“When the police visited the venue, they prevented us from going in, so the case was not officially reported” she said.
The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, on Sunday, February 14, vowed to resist any eviction from the South-West.
According to the Miyetti Allah, their rights as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution to live wherever they desire.
Furthermore, the body pledged to avenge the alleged attacks on and loss of herdsmen and their cattle, saying it would never tolerate any act of injustice on herders.
This disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Mr Alhassan Saleh, in an interview in reaction to the eviction notices issued to criminal herdsmen by some South-West groups and personalities.
Saleh said it was wrong to drive herders out of any part of Nigeria and that even if there were criminals among them, it was the function of the government’s security forces to identify and arrest them.
He said the eviction of Miyetti Allah herdsmen from the southern region of the country was a dangerous precedent and that the best way to solve the herders-farmers crisis was for state governments to provide ranches and grazing routes for the herders and their animals.
4wardwego had reported that the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, in January asked all Fulani herdsmen to vacate the forest reserves in the state. He later issued a seven-day ultimatum to the effect.
The governor gave the order at a meeting with leaders of the Hausa/Fulani and Ebira communities in the state, saying the activities of the herdsmen had long been causing a threat to security in the state.
However, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore National Secretary, Saleh, said no group could evict the herders, vowing to resist any eviction from the South-West.
He said, “Nobody has the right (to evict herdsmen). If you say you are going to evict us, we will resist eviction. We have been surviving in harsh environments; if we do not resist, we will be wiped out of the planet. If you kill a herder, don’t go and sleep, we will revisit you, and it’s not because we hate your tribe. People attack herders, and in one way or the other, herders have found a way to retaliate.”
Saleh also asked governors to provide land for ranching for the herders as a solution to the continuous crisis, adding that the eviction of herders would only lead to wider consequences.
The Plateau State Government on Thursday embarked on a tour round the state to supervise and see the level of completion of the ongoing legacy project, on Friday 12th February, Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Dan Manjangled the team round the Plateau Central Senatorial District to see the level of completion of the Governors legacy project.
Hon. Dan Manjang, stated that“The Lalong Legacy project comprising of Hospitals, Model Schools, and Potato Value Chain across the 17 local government areas, set in place to conceptualize to improve on the standard of living of Plateau people from the rural communities.
“N59 billion was initially earmarked for the 22 Projects but when COVID-19 came, the scope was reviewed to N29 billion and the money has been sourced and now available for the completion of the projects.
Some of the legacy project from the central zone are:
Government College Pankshin now upgraded to model school, the school now have two standard hostels, senior staff quarters, junior staff quarters, laboratory, library, sport facilities, hall, kitchen, cafeteria, GCP current has over 1000 students but when completed it is expected to accommodate 3,000 students
Government College Pankshin, which according to the school principal, James Gambo Dimlong, who noted that “GCP is a Premiere institution on the Plateau and the government has really changed the face of the institution to an international standard, he applauded the Governor
He also said the Governor promise to change the school into a technical institution as it was the initial plan of the founding fathers of the institution
The Hon Commissioner for Health, Ndam Lar who was also a student of the school commended the Governor for taking FGC into consideration to be among the beneficiary of the Legacy”
The General hospital Mangu which has 200 bed capacity, still ongoing with the same structures and facilities with all other ongoing general hospital, the Mangu General Hospital is located at Konbun, Mangu LGA
Potato value chain support project Tissue culture laboratory resources Gindi, Mangu LGA which has the facility to produce 600 seedlings in a month
Model primary school Kanke which was built from scratch, a virgin land, with structures such as classes, admin, hall, sport facilities and has attain 40% completion
General hospital Kwal, Kanke LGA which formerly was a cottage hospital built during former Governor Joshua C. Dariye now upgraded to a general hospital with 60bed capital and addition facilities and structures, the project has attain 95% completion according to Fabian N. Danladi, the project contractor. They met the project at 25% completion now it has attain 95% completion.
Pankshin Water Plant which According to the technical officer, Eng. Julius Akawu of Plateau State Water Board, the Pankshin water plant has been out of operation for over 10years, the Government in conjunction with World Bank reactivate and reticulatethe Pankshin water system, the water plant is powered by a 400KVA Generator, with the reactivation residents of Pankshin get water three times in a week
GSS Dengi now upgraded to model school Dengi which has attain 70% completion with facilities such as 7 classes by 4, male and female hostel, multipurpose hall, kitchen, lab, generator house, staff quarters toilet
Pankshin, Monday market potato value chain support project by African Development Bank in collaboration with Plateau State Government, the project was completed around November, 2020 and has been handed over to the local government, the potato value chain has the capacity to store 3 tons of potato
Hon. Dan Manjang, Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, assured the citizens of the Governors willingness to complete all the legacy project as it will pave way for more opportunities, reduced hardship, encouraged school enrollment and provide access to health Care delivery.
Renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi on Friday, February 12, launched a scathing criticism on the Nigerian military authorities.
According to Gumi, the military authorities do not want the fight against insurgency to end because they make billions of naira from the huge funds allocated for the prosecution of the war.
1st News had reported that the Kaduna State-based cleric made this disclosure during a guest appearance on Arise Television News programme.
This came in the wake of recent visits to some bandits’ enclave in Zamfara while urging the Nigerian government to grant them amnesty.
“The military is not encouraging matters at all because they are the beneficiaries of this insecurity,”Gumi said.
Continuing, he added: “Nobody can justify criminality. Criminality is criminality; there is no word that can justify it. But just look at it, IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra), they never had the Nigerian Airforce bombing them, Niger Delta militants never had the Nigerian Air Force bombing them.
“The bandits are complaining mostly against the military killing innocent people. They resorted to buying arms. How did they get the arms? They resorted to kidnapping people which is an end result of these military actions.
“Look, they are ready to drop these arms and return to the fold of the Nigerians just for simple things; schools, hospitals, water.
“And there is an allegation: the military doesn’t want this conflict to end because of the billions of naira they claim for fighting insurgency. So the military is not cooperating.
“I praise the police and the Inspector-General of Police. I give him credit for assisting us to go and meet these people, but the military is not forthcoming, they are not cooperating, I don’t know why.”
4wardwego News had reported that the playwright expressed a similar concern while speaking on the herdsmen menace and other national issues last week.
He also challenged President Buhari to address Nigerians on the crisis and declare publicly that he does not support the criminal activities of some herdsmen in various parts of the country.
Nigeria is set to take delivery of 16 million doses of the Covax vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic.This was disclosed by the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday.Mr. Peter Hawkins, UNICEF country representative to Nigeria, made this known in Akure. He was speaking during a courtesy visit to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State.Hawkins explained that more doses of the vaccine would arrive over the next few months; which he stated would ensure that the vaccine covered 20 per cent of the population of the country.“In the meantime, we are exploring how else to bring vaccines in with a view to allowing Nigeria to go to 40 per cent by the end of the year. This should be possible things being equal.“We are only halfway through. The pandemic will continue for another one or two years.“A lot has been done in ensuring that Nigeria secures the right level of vaccine and plans for the equitable distribution of vaccine are being taken through,” he said.
On his part, Akeredolu thanked UNICEF for the support given to the state over the years.However, the governor, who lamented the delay in the purchase of vaccine for the Nigerian populace; described the situation as unfortunate.He also appealed for assistance for a permanent solution to end open defecation in the state.Meanwhile, 1st News reports that the findings from a large-scale international trial are being hailed as a game changer in the UK for improving the health of people with obesity and could even play a major part in helping reduce the impact of diseases such as COVID-19.Specifically, the drug, semaglutide, works by hijacking the body’s own appetite regulating system in the brain; leading to reduced hunger and calorie intake, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal for Medicine’.
One third (35 per cent) of people who took the new drug for treating obesity lost more than one-fifth of their total body weight; according to the major global study involving University College London (UCL) researchers and almost 2,000 trial participants in 16 countries.
