The Chairman, SGF, Lt. Col. Samuel G. Fwangje rtd. (Fss., mss., psc. disclosed that his foundation has been fully registered with CAC as a legal entity.

The nonprofit organization which has been impacting lives for a long time now, initiated the process of registration sometimes last year, 2019.

Recall that about this time last year, the organisation paid a visit to the Plateau state widowhood training centre, Mangu.

At that event, the women were elated and joyful upon receiving the rice donated to hundred widows by Lt. Col. Fwangje rtd.

The faces of the women glowed with joy upon receiving rice donated to hundred widows by Lt. Col. Fwangje rtd.

The widows who were rounding off their programme at the time, expressed their joy and gratitude by singing songs.

The principal of the school, while appreciating Col. Fwangje’s kind gesture, said only two individuals have so far sponsored students in the school since inception- viz: Gen. John Temlong and Samuel G. Fwangje.

The motivation behind starting the nonprofit organization was the sole aim of humanitarian services such as this- supporting the less privileged. That was one of the many visits and humanitarian gestures the retired military veteran extended to the organization among other numerous humanitarian gestures over the last decade.

Editor-in-chief

 Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC),  Rev  Yakubu Pam has  said the Commission has put in place stringent measures to reduce  corruption and abscondment during the 2020 pilgrimage.

He said the Commission is working tirelessly  to redeem the bad image of Nigeria at the international community.

Rev. Pam who is the  Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Northern Nigeria,stated this on Thursday in Jos while declaring open the 2020 General Staff retreat in preparation for the 2020 Christian pilgrimage with a theme: “The total transformation” held in Jos the Plateau state capital  .

He said the treat would discussed extensively the six point agenda of the Commission which has among other issues the fight against corruption and how to redeem the image of Nigeria at the international level.

In his words” The 2020 pilgrimage will start this year and end in June, 202.  We want to make sure that we have the best screening so that we will be able to fish out those that are planning to abscond.

“We need enough time to move from one state to another for the screening so that we will not fall into the past history where there are abscondment and other issues.”

Rev. Pam said that there is no ban on pilgrimage due to COVID-19 pandemic, saying “once the host country is ready and Nigeria Government is ready, we will commence the exercise.

“This is just to go an pray, we are waiting on the host country, Israel because of the COVID-19 pandemic but we are getting positive signals that things are getting better over there.

“We are putting our heads over here at home to ensure that the issue of COVID-19 is handled properly, issues of abscondment will be handle properly more so that I am a new person and I must make sure that I deliver on my mandate.”

He appealed to Nigerians to continue to stay peaceful with one another and promote National unity .

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has postponed its membership registration and revalidation exercise across the country.

Senator John Udoedehe, who is the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee of the party, announced this on Thursday at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The exercise, which was earlier scheduled to commence on Saturday, has been postponed till the second week of January 2021.

Senator Udoedehe explained that the party took the decision was taken due to the yuletide season and to ensure full participation of all members in various parts of the country.

He added that the decision followed the endorsement of key stakeholders of the party, including President Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC caretaker national secretary made the announcement two days after the party held an emergency National Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.

At the meeting which held on Tuesday, the party’s NEC adopted some resolutions which included the extension of the tenure of the Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party by another six months.

With the extension of the tenure of the committee led by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, the members will continue with their duty until June 30, 2021.

The party had also resolved to dissolve its structures at the polling unit, ward, local government, zonal, and state levels, although members of the dissolved executives were asked to serve as the caretaker committee members.

It granted a waiver to all new members of the party and others planning to join its fold from various political platforms to allow them contest for elections without having to wait for two years, as was done previously.

COMMENDATION FROM APC YOUTHS ONLINE FORUM TO DIST.SENATOR HEZEKIAH DIMKA AS HE IS SET FOR AN EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.

It is with joy that we at APC YOUTHS ONLINE FORUM received the news of the empowerment program of the Senator representing Plateau Central Distinguished senator Hezekiah Dimka billed to take place on the 18th of December 2020.

The forum is desirous of seeing all the elected and appointed personalities from our dear party are dishing out laudable achievements which will advance the popularity and acceptability of the party.

We are saying kudos to the Senator and praying to God to give him more grace to do more.

We are using this medium to solicit from the Senator, that our members of APC YOUTHS ONLINE be considered to benefit from the five LGAs that made up the zone.

It will go a long way in encouraging our members whom are spending alot of energy in promoting and protecting the party.

The youths of our dear party…which are the future of the party are in dire need of a reward system that will strengthen their resolve towards making APC a desirable and thriving platform.

Saminu Maigoro
State Chairman
APC Youths Online Forum

Editor-in-chief


The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would on Saturday graced the graduation ceremony of the Senior Executive Course 42 as no fewer than 78 participants are expected to round up their eleven months intensive research on strategic and policy implementation for the country.

The Director General of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies,NIPSS, Prof. Abu Galadima, disclosed this at a press conference held on Wednesday in Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area.

Professor Galadima said activities for the graduands of the Senior Executive Course 42 is expected to kick off from December 10th to 12th, 2020.

Galadima explained that “every year, the government provides an area of focus that the institute will devote most of it’s time to conduct actionable research on.

“For senior executive course 42,the study theme as provided by President Mohammadu Buhari consist of “Population Growth and Human Capital Development in Nigeria; Challenges and Opportunities.”

The DG maintained that President Buhari has earlier on charged the participants of the course, to research carefully and profer policy options that would enable government fashion out appropriate responses to the challenges of rapid population growth and slow pace of human capital development.

He further explained that President Muhammadu Buhari has also charged the participants to articulate evidence based and appropriate responses to the numerous challenges associated with gaps between population growth and Human Capital development in Nigeria.

“The Course 42 graduands were at the presidency to submit their report alongside the various recommendations made in addressing the challenges. It is our utmost desire that those reports will be looked into very well by the federal government,” he stated.

Dignitaries expected includes Prof. Zulum Governor of Borno, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, eminent traditional rulers, head of military and Para military agencies, captains of industry, distinguished diplomats and high ranking government officials would be in attendance.

Plateau’first female senator ,Prof Ladi Nora Dadut,today,in company of her Husband, John Dadut,D/g campaign,sen Victor lar,state party secretary,organising secretary Bulus Arut declared her assets in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
Prof Dadut subsequently submitted her asset declaration forms as well as her certificate of return to the clerk of the Senate, Mohammed El ladan in his office.
The senator- elect thereafter visited her senior colleague Sen Nde Hezekiah Dimka who later led her to the Senate President.
While expressing delight at the emergence of a female senator from plateau state,he paid glowing tributes to the late Sen Ignatius longjan’ of blessed memory.
With this ,the coast is clear for the swearing in of Prof Dadut,;which the Senate President has fixed for next week Tuesday,13th dec,2020.

PRESS STATEMENT

GOVERNOR LALONG CANVASSES SUPPORT FOR SMALL HOLDER FARMERS

Plateau State Governor Simon Bako Lalong has advocated for more funding and incentives for small holder-farmers who are the mainstay of Nigeria’s agricultural sustainability programme.

Governor Lalong said this while addressing the NEPAD Summit and technical roundtable discussion on strengthening small-holder farmer capabilities in the COVID-19 era at the Sheraton Hotel Abuja.

Lalong said these farmers need every support to build their capacity to embrace modern farming practices, harvest, store and add value to their produce as well as access better marketing channels for better earnings.

He commended NEPAD for the intiative which he said was in tandem with the priority of his administration which is anchored on using areas of comparative advantage for sustainable economic rebirth.

The Governor said “We welcome NEPAD’s initiative in Plateau State and ask you to take advantage of the Agriculture Microfinance Bank which is the first of its kind in Nigeria. We hope you can easliy connect and assist our farmers through this avenue and many others which we have been using to equip them with the relevant knowledge and skills”.

He also said the agricultural institutions in Plateau State, available land, manpower and its peculiar weather for production of exortic crops makes it a natural destination for programmes such as this.

Lalong assured that Plateau women will be carried along in the programme as most of them are hardworking and have also been trained by various agencies to take advantage of opportunities in agriculture.

The event was attended by Governors of Kebbi, Kwara, Niger as well as Deputy Governors of Adamawa and Nasarawa States.

Dr. Makut Simon Macham
Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State.
9th December 2020.

Plateau South Senator-elect Prof. Nora Dadu’ut visited Governor Simon Lalong on Wednesday 9th December to express her appreciation to him, APC leadership in the State and the people of the zone for reposing their confidence in her to serve them at the red chambers.
Dadu’ut who was in company of her husband and Prof. Garba Sharubutu, Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, presented the certificate of return to Governor Lalong.
She promised not to disapoint the people of the southern zone and the entire State during her time at the Senate.
Governor Lalong again congratulated Prof. Nora for being the first woman to occupy the position of Senator in Plateau State saying his desire is to lift up more women and remove all barriers that make them not realise their dreams.
He said with her acedemic and other contributions to society, he was optimistic that she will excell and make the people proud.
He promised to continue to support her and all Federal legislators from the State as well as other appointees at the Federal Level in order to bring development to the State.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham
Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State.
9th December 2020.
Photos; Josiah Jenv

ISWAP Captures Newly Inducted Nigerian Army Armoured Vehicle
The Islamic State West Africa Province’s (ISWAP) Amaq news outlet, on Tuesday, shared pictures of vehicles captured and destroyed in an ambush of Nigerian troops advancing in the dreaded Alagarno forest – Timbuktu triangle area.

One of the vehicles in Nigerian Army camouflage pattern was a new Toyota Landcruiser (Buffalo) Guntruck and the other the newly inducted Kia KIA KLTV-181 military tactical-utility vehicle designed and manufactured by Kia Motors Corporation.

Calibre Obscura, an arms researcher, in a tweet on the incident said, “ISWA ambushed/repelled the NA in #Alagarno leading to multiple (7 claimed) killed and vehicles captured, including an up-gunned Kia KIA KLTV181 APC delivered only this year, and technical[ly] so new it has the emissions still on the window. HMGs/small arms likely captured too.”

The KIA KLTV-181 in the picture appears to have been upgraded by the Nigerian Army with a local armoured turret for the gunner, unlike previous pictures of the KIA KLTV-181 in use without a turret.

KIA KLTV
KIA KLTV
The first official confirmation of the vehicles’ induction into the Nigerian Army was by Chief of Army Staff Tukur Baratai during the opening of his combined first, second and third quarters conference in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

Buratai, a lieutenant-general, said the Nigerian army recently took delivery of key platforms to reinvigorate its operations.

“These include the VT4 and FT1 tanks, the KIA light tactical vehicles as well as the SH2 and SH5 self,” he said.

In January 2019, the Army chief visited KIA Motors Corporation, where they were received and was briefed by Director Special Vehicle Global Sales Group, Il-Tae Kim.

The delegation was also conducted round the company’s manufacturing plants, particularly the KIA Light Tactical Vehicles manufacturing plants.

The loss of equipment through capture and destruction by insurgents is widely believed to be a major contributor to the prolonged war in the Northeast. Similarly, the use of insufficient or inefficient protected mobility exposures troops to ambush, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), and leads to loss of equipment.

In 2019, Tomasz Rolbiecki, an independent open-source analyst, shared a picture released by ISWAP showing newly inducted Innoson gun trucks behind fighters.

The recent incident and drawback in Alagarno is part of a series of setbacks faced by the military in the area.

In March, dozens of Nigerian soldiers were killed and injured in an ambush in Timbuktu triangle-Alagarno forest. The incident led to a chain of events including the replacement of the then Theatre Commander Olusegun Adeniyi and his recent court marshall, following the leaking of a video where he highlighted the challenges faced by his troops.

The area has remained under the control of the ISWAP fighters despite sustained military offensives to retake it, to clear suspected ISWAP positions.

Attempts by soldiers to advance met with stiff resistance and challenges from ambushes and IEDs.

In September, the commander of 25 Task Force Brigade based in the Army Super Camp 2 in Damboa was ambushed alongside his troops. He died after undergoing a medical procedure.

The 25 Task Force Brigade is part of Army Super Camp 2 in Damboa Local Government Area, Southwest of Maiduguri. Some of the command’s battle areas are the dreaded Alagarno and Sambisa forests.

In October, days after the launch of Operation Fireball, dozens of casualties were recorded and a Major was killed in Doksa, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno.

Several military pieces of equipment were lost to the insurgents.

PRESS STATEMENT

NORTHERN GOVERNORS CELEBRATE GEN. T.Y. DANJUMA @83

The Northern Governors Forum has congratulated Former Minister of Defence
Gen. T.Y. Danjuma as he marks his 83rd birthday.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong in a message described Gen. Danjuma as one of Nigeria’s finest soldier, philanthropist and statesman who has done a lot to promote the unity, peace and development of Nigeria.

He said Gen. Theophilus Danjuma throughout his military career demonstrated professionalism, gallantry and patriotism in defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity in the various responsibilities he handled.

The Governor also said the celebrant has impacted the lives of many citizens through his business mentoring initiatives and philanthropy that has enabled many younger people to start businesses and acquire education which has helped them to stand on their own.

Lalong also commended Gen. Danjuma for his unwavering faith in Nigeria and his consistency in offering wise counsel to various levels of governance and his support to organizations and institutions towards building a united, prosperous and peaceful country.

While wishing him more years of good health and God’s protection, the Governor said the Northern Governors Forum will continue to draw from his wealth of experience in areas including security and human development to address the challenges of the region.

Dr. Makut Simon Macham
Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State & Chairman, Northern Governors Forum
9th December, 2020.