News
Governor Wike Deplores Bandits Attack In Sokoto
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has deplored bandits attack in Sokoto State and commiserated with the government and the Sultan over the unwarranted killing of innocent citizens by bandits.
The governor, who condemned the recent spate of killings in Sokoto, said the government and people of Rivers State consider the dastardly activities of marauding bandits as barbaric.
Governor Wike stated this when he and the Sokoto State governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, paid a courtesy call on His eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto in his palace in Sokoto over the weekend.
The Rivers State governor expressed dismay over the wanton killing of innocent citizens by bandits in Sokoto and other parts of the country.
“We have had a long standing relationship and so the people of Rivers State have told me to commiserate with you and people of Sokoto State. I’m sorry for what happened and we believe God will give the families that have lost their loved ones the courage, give them the strength to bear this unnecessary lost of lives.”
The governor, who was accompanied by a delegation of Rivers’ elders, also thanked the Sultan for the role he has been playing to ensure the stability of the country
” You’ve been trying to stabilise all the religious groups, all the ethnic groups, to understand we have no other country than our country call Nigeria. You have always spoken out irrespective of whether he touches on Moslems, whether it touches on Christians, on whether it touches on those who don’t have religion.
“You’ve always spoken out and you have admonished government where necessary in terms of insecurity, in terms of other crisis, in terms of poverty. You have always spoken out and to advise government on the best way to try and see that things get better for the citizens of the country.”
The governor said it takes somebody who has passion and undying love for the country to play the kind of role the Sultan has been playing to ensure stability and unity of the nation
“This character in you is rare. If all leaders can exhibit this kind of trait, then we will have future, then we can know that this our country is going somewhere. You’re exhibiting the character that is expected of leadership.
“You have had sleepless nights talking to Christians, talking to Moslems , talking to the North, talking to the South, talking to everybody to see ourselves as one Nigeria.”
Governor Wike urged the Sultan not to relent to speak for the oppressed, the less privileged, the poor and rich Nigerians.
In his response, His eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, thanked Governor Wike and the Rivers’ delegation for the brotherly visit.
The Sultan blamed lack of love for the prevalence of killings, confusion and acrimonious relationship among Nigerians.
“If there is love, all the acrimonious we hear, all the confusion all over the place , the killings won’t have taken place. People kill without any motive. Blood thirsty people kill anyhow because there is no love, and there is no godliness.”
The Sultan assured that he will continue to build bridges and cementing relationship between the peoples of Sokoto and Rivers States.
“Whatever we have done , it is what our forefathers and religion ordered us to do, and we will do more to strengthen our relationship, so that we can have a peaceful society.
“So that we can have a country that we can be proud of and say yes, this is the Nigeria that we dream of. Not the Nigeria that we hear sad news of killing innocent people, unnecessary shedding of blood.”
He commended Governor Wike for his consistent visit to him, particularly during festive period and for supporting the government and people of Sokoto State.
The Sultan further appreciated Governor Wike for his unprecedented developmental strides in Rivers State.
Governor Wike was accompanied by the Rivers State chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Desmond Akawor, Senator Olaka Nwaogu, Senator Lee Maeba, Mr Ledum Mitee and Director-General, Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement, Mr. Igonibo Thompson.
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
Tinubu The Audacity To Hope – Two Years After
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Flags off Free to Shine Campaign Against HIV/AIDS, other STDs in Enugu
The Intellectual Sins of June 12: A Reckoning with Nigeria’s Democratic Conscience
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
