Author: Herald Newspaper

By Rukayat Abdulraheem, Lawrence Okedare and Haliru Idris The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has announced a cabinet-level security committee to midwife alternative short-to-long term solutions to curtail further security breaches. The committee is headed by Deputy Governor Mr. Kayode Alabi with Mrs. Olufunke Mercy Shittu, PhD of the Office of the Head of Service, will serve as the secretary. Other members of the committee are Special Adviser on Security Matters Brigadier General Saliu Tunde Bello; Hon. Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Abdullahi Bata; Senior Special Assistant on Security Alhaji Muhyideen Aliu; Special Assistant on…

The Kogi State Police Command has urged residents to disregard false alarms and reports circulating on social media regarding imminent attacks by bandits in the eastern part of the state The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Kankarofi, gave the charge in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, CSP William Ovye-Aya on Monday in Lokoja. “Such reports are unverifiable and did not constitute any elements of truth. “The command has taken security matters very seriously and has put measures in place to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state,” he said. The commissioner said that he has ordered the…

By Lawrence Okedare, Rukayat Abdulraheem and Haliru Idris Following last Sunday’s order by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, there are indications that the Police authorities have commenced immediate implementation of the withdrawal of police officers currently providing security for Very Important Persons (VIPs) across the country. The President had directed the police authorities to henceforth deploy the officers to concentrate on their core police duties. The presidential directive was issued during a security meeting held by President Tinubu with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; the Inspector-General of…

The Nigerian Army has said that a full-scale investigation is currently ongoing to unravel facts about alleged withdrawal of troops from the Maga community in Kebbi State shortly before the abduction of 25 schoolgirls on November 17. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the military leadership is treating the development “with utmost seriousness” and has vowed firm action against any personnel found culpable. The abduction took place at the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga in the Danko Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The investigation follows an official demand for explanations from military authorities by Kebbi…

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State Chapter, has assured residents of a drop in the price of poultry produce following the intervention of the Lagos State Government ‘Ounje Eko’ phase 2 farmers subsidy programme. PAN Vice President and Chairman of the Aiyedoto Poultry Farmers Settlement, Mr Foluso Adams, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos. The Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems has announced the commencement of Phase II of the Ounje Eko recently to cut down food prices ahead of the yuletide. Adams noted that the…

The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, has debunked allegations of diversion of local government funds in the state. While addressing a news conference in Abuja on Monday, he described the allegation by the groups as untrue, politically-motivated and deliberately orchestrated to mislead the public. “Ordinarily, such baseless propaganda would not deserve a response. But as we all know, when lies go unchallenged, they begin to look like truth. “Silence can unintentionally empower misinformation. We are a government committed to transparency, accountability and the right of our citizens to accurate information. “It is important to set the…

The Federal Government has said that it will establish an Emergency Gender-Based Violence Response Fund to address Nigeria’s significant financing gaps in prevention and survivor support services. Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, announced this at a high-level engagement on Monday in Abuja, to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The event was organised in partnership with Women for Women International, an international NGO. Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the establishment of the fund had become urgent as less than 0.5 per cent of the national budget currently went to GBV prevention and response, leaving safe spaces and survivor support centres severely…

President Bola Tinubu, says it is time for Africa to occupy permanent seats on the United Nations (UN) Security Council, with all attendant privileges, including the veto. Tinubu, represented by the Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said this on Monday during the first plenary session on Peace, Security, Governance and Multilateralism at the Seventh African Union–European Union Summit in Luanda, Angola. The Nigerian leader insisted that a comprehensive reform of the global governance system is long overdue. ” It is time for Africa to occupy permanent seats on the UN Security Council, with all attendant privileges, including the veto. ”Genuine text-based negotiations…

The Governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States, under the umbrella of South-West Governors’ Forum have reaffirmed support for the establishment of State Police. Speaking through a communique read after the Forum’s meeting held at the Oyo State Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, on Monday, the governors said state police could no longer be delayed. In the communique, which was read by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, the forum submitted that the creation of state police would enhance ongoing efforts in tackling insecurity across the country. It, therefore, tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the fight against…

The Kwara State Government on Monday in Ilorin, flagged-off the deworming programme for 810,267 school-aged children across 12 Local Government Areas of the state. During the programme, Mebendazole tablets for the control of Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH) would be administered. The Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, described the programme as a vital public health intervention. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, El-Imam described the STH as one of the most widespread and persistent Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). According to her, the STH infections are caused by parasitic worms such as roundworms, whipworms, and hookworms.…