The leader of the DVD Movement in Plateau State, Nde Victor David Dimka fsi has congratulated the Catholic Bishop of Pankshin, Bishop Michael Gobal Gokum on his birthday celebration.
In a statement issued in Jos today, February 26, 2021, the leader of the DVD movement said;
“We join all Christians and people of goodwill, in congratulating His Excellency, The Catholic Bishop of Pankshin Diocese, Dr Michael Gobal Gokum on his birthday. We celebrate with this tireless Chief Shepherd of the flock of Jesus Christ and pray God to grant him several years of fruitful service in the vineyard of the Lord. We associate ourselves with his giant strides in the development of Christendom in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole. Happy birthday, to our Chief Priest, Hurray!!!”.
ZAMFARA SCHOOL CHILDREN: NORTHERN GOVERNORS SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Again, the Northern States Governors Forum has condemned another attack on Government Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State where where hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted.
In a statement, Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong said this trend is unacceptable and strong measures must be taken to put an end to it before it escalates into a monster that will consume educational pursuit and national aspirations.
Governor Lalong said this development which is coming on the heels of the abduction of school children in Kagara, Niger State still being addressed, calls for serious concerns among all Nigerians.
He said “as Northern Governors, we are deeply saddened by this embarrassing and unfortunate attack on our children who are in schools to seek knowledge and build capacity to impact the nation and create a better society. The assault on schools where innocent and harmless students are targeted should not be condoned in any way because it has the tendency to set the nation back to ignorance and more poverty. The Northern part of the country in particular is more educationally disadvantaged and cannot afford to have these disruptions. Enough is enough”.
The Northern Governors therefore urged security agencies to use every asset at their disposal to rescue the children and bring to justice those behind the act. They also want Nigerians to support the security agencies and government with credible information that will lead to swift resolution of the situation.
Lalong sympathised with the families of the abducted school children, the people and Government of Zamfara State, assuring them of the support of the Forum in tackling the problem.
The Northern Governors Forum rose from their meeting in Kaduna on Thurday where they resolved to take far reaching measures to address insecurity and other challenges of the region and the nation at large.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau State and Chairman Northern Governor’s Forum. 26th February 2021.
GOVERNOR LALONG MEETS PARENTS OF LATE FLT. LT. PIYO, SAYS NIGERIA HAS LOST A HERO.
Governor Simon Lalong has again consoled the family of Late Flight Lt. Henry Bitrus Piyo describing his tragic demise as a great loss to the Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole.
Governor Lalong met with the parents of deceased flight lieutenant shortly after returning from the Northern Governors Forum meeting in Kaduna and asked the family to accept the untimely death of their son as the will of God.
Lalong who had earlier sent a team to condole the family said the memory of the heroic pilot will continue to be honoured as he died in active service and for the security and peace of the nation.
The Governor was accompanied by his Kwara State counterpart Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazak and Secretary to the Government of Plateau State, Prof. Danladi Abok Atu.
Dr. Makut Simon Macham Director of Press & Public Affairs to the Governor of Plateau. 26th February 2021.
HON. GAGDI CONDOLES WITH EMIR, EMIRATE COUNCIL AND PEOPLE OF KANAM OVER THE DEMISE OF PRINCE ISHAKA.
The Honourable Member Representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi(Danmalikin Kanam) has expressed sadness, and sympathy over the demise of Ishaka Muazu Muhammadu, younger brother to the Emir of Kanam.
In a condolence message he issued on Friday, the Danmalikin Kanam described the demise of Prince Ishaka an irreparable loss to the good people of Kanam.
“I remember with absolute admiration, the positive roles played by the deceased throughout Kanam and beyond. I am deeply shocked to learn of his sad demise, Gagdi said.
“On behalf of the good people of Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam, and my family, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, particularly the Emir of Kanam, Alhaji Babangida Muazu Muhammadu II, Kanam Emirate Council and the peace loving people of Kanam and it’s environs.
Gagdi prayed for the repose of the departed soul .
Just as negotiation is still on to free the kidnapped students of a school in Kagara, Niger state, gunmen have kidnapped students of another government secondary school in Zamfara State.
The CHANNELS TV is reporting that the latest attack occurred at Jangebe in the Talata-Mafara local government area.
Confirming the incidents to Channels Television via a telephone conversation, the state commissioner for information, Hon. Suleiman Tunau Anka said the gunmen stormed the school around 1 a.m today and abducted the students.
He however did not confirm how many students were kidnapped.
As of the time of filing this report, all attempts to reach police authorities in the state have proved abortive.
Mr Ijeoma arrived in South Africa in 1998 to study at the University of Pretoria. He is now accused of bigamy.
Having earlier renounced his Nigerian citizenship, Edwin Ijeoma, a professor of public sector economics at the University of Fort Hare, was left in the cold after his South African citizenship was revoked by the country’s ministry of home affairs. He is now stateless.
Mr Ijeoma, who arrived in South Africa from Nigeria on a study permit in 1998 to study at the University of Pretoria, was found guilty of fraudulently relying on a bigamous marriage to a South African woman to obtain citizenship by naturalization, local media Times Live reported.
The don was granted permanent residency in the southern African country the same year he graduated from the University of Pretoria, after being exempted from immigration restrictions due to his marriage to a local woman two years earlier.
By 2005, the academic, who obtained a PhD in economics in 2003, was granted South African citizenship through naturalisation, but in 2007 he divorced his South African wife, ostensibly because the couple was unable to conceive a child, according to Times.
Thereafter, the newspaper added, he was joined in South Africa by a Nigerian woman, Anne Tomo, who, in her application for permanent residence, attached a copy of her 1993 marriage to him in Nigeria, tipping off home affairs officials that Mr Ijeoma had committed bigamy.
Officials said on both occasions when Mr Ijeoma made submissions to immigration authorities in South Africa, when he was asked to indicate an immediate family member still residing in Nigeria, he listed Anne Ijeoma as his sister – not his wife.
Officials held that Mr Ijeoma’s sole mission in marrying the South African woman was to acquire citizenship, and he has now had his citizenship revoked by the ministry of home affairs.
The verdict followed a suit he filed against the home affairs ministry before the Bhisho high court.
The court’s acting judge, Mickey Mfenyana, upheld the initial judgment from 2020 which found Mr Ijeoma guilty of falsifying his marital status to the department, thereby making his South African citizenship null and void.
Abductors of the 27 students and 15 workers of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, have threatened to starve them to death if the ransom they are demanding is not paid on time.
One of the abductors stated this in an audio recording made available to one of our correspondents on Wednesday by a prominent Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi.
In the audio recording, the abductor, who spoke in Hausa, was heard conversing with a negotiator, identified by Gumi as a top official of the school.
He rejected N2.7m offered him as ransom for the 27 abductees.
The bandit stated, “I don’t have food for them. If anybody dies among them, we will tell you where to go and pick the corpse.
“You know these children are hungry. I don’t have food to give them, only water if they are going to die, let them die.”
The negotiator said it would be difficult for him to get the phone numbers of all the parents as requested by the bandits.
The bandit responded that he was aware that many security agents and vehicles had been deployed in Kagara, vowing they would not succeed in rescuing the abductees.
He asked, “You think I don’t know what you people are doing? I can tell you how many security vehicles are in Kagara as we speak.
“It is with the help of the people of the city that intruders can overrun the city. Don’t you know that? The person who gave us this business is there among you. He is there with you. Wherever you go, he is watching you. If you want to do this deal, go ahead. From God we come and to him we will return
“Even if you put together the entire security forces of Nigeria in Kagara, I have eyes all over Kagara. Whichever step you take in Nigeria, I swear, I will know. You people are saying they should not pay us, that if they pay us, we will use to money to buy weapons. With whose money did we buy our weapons? If we don’t have weapons, you will just send security agents to kill us and take the children.”
Appealing to the bandit, the negotiator stated, “They (parents) have agreed to pay N2.7m. Each parent will pay N100,000 .”
But the abductor rejected the offer threatening to unleash terror on Kagara.
The abductor stated, “If I want Kagara to be in peace, it will be in peace. If it is not going to be in peace, it will go in pieces from here until Ilorin. If I die in this process, I have children that I have instructed that if I die that I don’t want Kagara to be peaceful if you don’t do as I say. Even if I die, nobody will come into Kagara.”
He also berated governors, who said they should not be paid ransom.
He added, “Governors are saying we should not be given money because we are going to use it to buy guns; guns that Allah provides and you are boasting about.
RESOLUTIONS OF NORTHERN STATES GOVERNORS’ FORUM MEETING WITH NORTHERN STATES EMIRS AND CHIEFS HELD ON THURSDAY 25TH FEBRUARY, 2021
The Northern States Governors Forum in its effort to address the challenges bedeviling the Region, held a meeting today Thursday 25th February, 2021 at the Council Chamber, Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Speaker and other Members of the National Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the President, Minister of Information and Culture, the Inspector General of Police, Director General States Security Service, Chairmen of the Northern States Traditional Rulers Council led by His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto amongst others. After extensive deliberations, the following resolutions were arrived at:-
The Northern States Governors Forum resolved to work assiduously and jointly with the Federal Government in tackling the challenges of insecurity in the Country to create conducive atmosphere for socio-political economic growth and development of the Country.
The Forum reiterated its commitments to work in synergy with their Southern counterparts and appealed to their colleagues to extend their presence in the northern part of the country in order to enable harmonious and peaceful coexistence among citizens and other ethnic nationalities.
It was resolved that the Northern Governors Forum would partner with the traditional institutions, religious leaders and all relevant stakeholders in the entrenchment of communal harmony, peace and security of the region and the country at large.
The NSGF resolved to put more efforts in enhancing the security and safety of all schools within their domains and therefore, urged the Nigerian Security Agencies to collaborate with the various States Governments towards achieving this noble objective.
The Forum resolved to address all humanitarian challenges facing the internally displaced persons through provision of enabling facilities and re-integration back to their communities.
The Forum further resolved that all the States would work in synergy with the security agencies to address the intra and inter border porousity in order to arrest illicit / illegal border movement.
The Forum also resolved to address the menace of ‘Yan’Sakai’ (Volunteer Vigilante Service Providers) in some States through meaningful engagements and legislation.
The Forum reiterated its commitment towards inclusion of the rural dwellers especially farmers/ herders through the provision of equitable opportunities for socio-economic and political participation both in public and private sectors.
The meeting resolved to collaborate with meaningful individuals and corporate organizations to invest in areas of Agriculture and Mining Industries in order to improve the economy of the Northern Region and Nigeria at large.
The Forum calls for due diligence in the execution of the Federal Government initiative in its economic sustainability plan wherein N700 billion Naira is earmarked for the project in order to address farming, animal husbandry and other agro-allied business. This effort will create jobs opportunities thereby creating wealth for our teaming population.
The Forum received various reports from the Committees constituted by the Northern States Governors’ Forum and resolved to look into the Report for possible implementation. Finally various presentations were also made by individuals and corporate organizations for the promotion of the Region. His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong KSGG, Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum.
The Senate, yesterday, confirmed nomination of AbdulRasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
All together,18 senators took their turns to interrogate Bawa for hours that the screening and confirmation lasted. With his confirmation, Bawa became the fifth person to head the anti-graft agency, which came into existence in 2003.
During questions and answers session, the new EFCC chairman said the commission would review its use of police officers in its operations. “The use of policemen and officers will be based on needs.”
Bawa said repatriation of wealth stolen and kept abroad would be the main focus of the EFCC under his watch and the agency would improve on its use of “Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) “ policy to check against corrupt practices.
On Senator Ali Ndume’s question on whether EFCC would continue to use the UWO despite the fact that Nigeria is yet to domesticate it, Bawa informed the Senate that section 7 (1) of the EFCC Act empowers the commission to investigate and even prosecute people based on the UWO.
The new EFCC boss pledged to ensure that the use of discretion is avoided, promising to act strictly in accordance with the EFCC Act. On alleged using of the EFCC to witch-hunt political opponents, Bawa said: “We are going to fight corruption and not people. There is a difference between fighting corruption and fighting corrupt people.”
As Nations & State continue to take advantage of Technological explosion for sustainable development and capacity building of its population, the Plateau State Information & Communication Technology Development Agency (PICTDA) has re-instated its commitment towards making Plateau State a conducive environment for tech freelancers, remote developers and creatives.
PICTDA held a parley discussion with the various security agencies and young people within the technology and creative sector on the new virtual work force of the 21st century which it said must allow it thrive.
DG PICTDA
The Plateau State Information and Communication Technology Agency is working towards granting protection to all tech freelancers, remote workers and creatives living in Plateau State against any form of harassment from security agencies. PICTDA intend to profile each and every one of them and grant protection to each of them.
Cyber security has become a thing of concern lately and as much as fraudulent activities keep rising, the Government of Plateau State is aware that there are those who are genuinely working virtually and deserves to be protected. We have taken time to sensitise the security agencies on the new virtual workforce and why these young people deserves to be protected. In the coming days we would be issuing statement on the new profiling guidelines.
In attendance was the Commissioner Science and Technology, Hon. Gyang Musa who reiterated Governor Lalong’s untiring efforts towards ensuring a more friendly environment for innovation and technology growth.
Hon. Musa Gyang
Plateau State Commissioner of Science & Technology Expected Impact: That you carry a laptop bag would no longer mean you are a fraudster as you would be given identification that is verifiable by security personnel and also a desk office to be created within PICTDA and the Police Headquarters for such purpose. Jos now welcomes all remote developers, freelancers and creatives who are looking for where to settle and work from. Governor Lalong is working towards creating the best technology ecosystem in West Africa.
PICTDA appreciated partners, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service, Alewa House and nHub as well the security outfits present.
All virtual workers who work within the tech and creative ecosystem would now be documented to enable ease of business and protection of lives and future of the emerging virtual workforce community in Plateau State.
Freelance Reporters 