23 LGAs in three northern states battling kidnappers, cattle rustlers, terrorists – Newstrends
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23 LGAs in three northern states battling kidnappers, cattle rustlers, terrorists

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23 LGAs in three northern states battling kidnappers, cattle rustlers, terrorists 

Kidnappers, cattle rustlers and terrorists have made life difficult for residents of 23 local government areas in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicates that residents of the affected areas have either been forced to migrate, enter into agreements with the criminals or live a life of uncertainty.
In Sokoto State, for instance, residents list local government areas worst affected as Isa, Sabon Birni, Gwadabawa, Illela, Tangaza, and Goronyo.

NAN gathered that residents had been forced to abandon their farms, while some villages had been deserted across the affected LGAs.
Abubakar Bawa, the chief press secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, said that the state government was aware of the enormity of the situation.
“We are giving priority to ensuring a safe environment. Addressing security challenges has remained top on our administration’s nine-point agenda.
“Our target as a government is to ensure that citizens sleep with their two eyes close and continue to live and relate peacefully with one another,’’ he said.

He assured that the Nigerian Army, police and other security agencies have been sustaining efforts to secure the areas.
The governor’s spokesman said the government would continue to provide all necessary support for the security agencies to address the challenges.
Also, the spokesperson of the police command in Sokoto State, Ahmad Rufai, said the Commissioner of Police, Ali Kaigama, has been engaging residents to facilitate the flow of actionable information to address banditry and other criminalities.
He said the command had adopted measures, deployed personnel and materials, and has been collaborating with other security agencies to end banditry and other criminalities in the state.

The police spokesperson said local governments in eastern parts of Sokoto State were mostly affected by the security challenges.
In Zamfara, a civil society activist, Faruk Shehu, said many communities in the 14 LGAs of the state have been displaced, with residents of Maru, Anka, Shinkafi, Maradun, Zurmi, Gusau and Bungudu LGAs, worst affected.
He said that previous attempts at dialogue with the bandits had failed, resulting in the escalation of the security challenges in the state.

“The security challenges in the state started as cattle rustling and later transformed into banditry and kidnapping,” Shehu said.
He expressed the hope that the ongoing engagement started by Governor Dauda Lawal with the military and other security agencies would lead to an escalation of attacks on the bandits to secure the areas they have dominated.

Already, the state government has been emphatic that there will be no peace deal with the bandits.
This was emphasised by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Nakwada, who said the government will never dialogue with the bandits as done by previous administrations.
Nakwada added that the state governor would support security agencies and community groups to bring the criminals to their knees.
The situation in Kebbi has already claimed the lives of at least 2,500 people between 2019 and 2023, according to Bamaiyi An’iko, the secretary of Zuru Development Foundation.
An’iko said that 2,500 people were killed in Danko, Wasagu, Fakai, Sakaba and Zuru LGAs, all under Zuru Emirate.
He said bandits have been attacking and displacing rural communities in the emirate, adding that some communities around Bena, Danko, and Wasagu had come under siege or total control of the bandits.
“Some communities had to sign agreements with the bandits,” the foundation secretary said.

”There are a lot of Internally Displaced Persons requiring urgent provision of relief materials, including food and toiletries, clothes and mats.”
He urged the state government and other agencies not to relent in providing relief assistance to the IDPs.

An’iko commended the efforts of the military, police and other security agencies working to restore peace in Kebbi.
The Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Umar Tafida, assured that the government was determined to end the security challenges.

Tafida also said the government would continue to provide support for victims of bandits’ attacks who have been forced to leave their homes.
According to him, the government is worried over the recurring banditry attacks which have led to loss of lives, destruction of properties, and a negative impact on farming activities.

“The state government under the leadership of Dr Nasir Idris, will leave no stone unturned in making sure that banditry comes to an end in the state.

”Communities should assist security agencies with credible intelligence information to fish out the bandits in order to bring them to justice,” the deputy governor added.
He warned that the government would deal decisively with informants or anyone caught conniving with bandits.

Also, Ahmad Idris, chief press secretary to the governor, said apart from Zuru Emirate, the government had deployed troops to three local government areas under Yauri Emirate also facing challenges from bandits.

“The government is doing its best to ensure that the situation is fully tackled,” he added.
A community leader, Sani Umar-Jabbi, said there was a need to prioritise community engagement in tackling security challenges in the country.

He said that apart from an attitudinal change among Nigerians, the country should come up with a policy to stem population growth.
Mr Umar-Jabbi, who is the district head of Gagi in Sokoto State, said that the unplanned population had contributed to the escalation of the crisis due to shrinking farmlands, grazing areas and other natural resources.

23 LGAs in three northern states battling kidnappers, cattle rustlers, terrorists 

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

The federal government has unveiled a proposed budget of N47.9 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year.

Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Bagudu revealed that the council had approved the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2025-2027.

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According to the minister, the government has pegged the crude oil benchmark at $75 per barrel, with an oil production target of 2.06 million barrels per day (bpd).

The budget also sets the exchange rate at N1,400 per dollar and aims for a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.4%.

 

BREAKING: FEC proposes N47.9 trillion budget for 2025 fiscal year

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told FIJ that they have arrested Timber Wabote, the former executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCMB), on the grounds of a failed $35 million Bayelsa refinery project fraud.

Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s spokesperson, confirmed this to FIJ on Thursday.

“It is true,” Oyewale responded to FIJ’s inquiries.

Wabote is accused of misappropriating public funds for a refinery project that should have improved local energy production.

Vanguard reported that the NCDMB under Wabote paid $35 million to support the development of energy infrastructure in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa, yet there was nothing to show for it.

The EFCC picked Wabote up following the arrest of Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, for alleged misappropriation, money laundering and diversion of $35 million in public funds.

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“NCDMB under the watch of Wabote allegedly paid the $35 million to Akindele to build a 2,000 barrel per day (BPD), refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data centre and tank farm at Brass free trade zone (FTZ), Okpoama Community in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State,” a source with the EFCC had explained.

Since December 2020 when the payments were made, Akindele abandoned the project with little or nothing to show for the huge sum he received.

Preliminary investigations showed that Wabote’s NCDMB financed 17 different projects, including the 2,000 BPD refinery in Brass LGA.

There has been a series of public fund misappropriation cases in the energy sector in recent times.

FIJ earlier reported that members of the House of Representatives summoned three ministers to defend how over $2 billion was spent on renewable energy with not much to show for it.

A recent FIJ report also recently detailed how residents of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa, have not had power in their homes since July due to the vandalisation of the Ahoada-Yenagoa transmission towers caused by unidentified persons.

The Bayelsa state government told FIJ it was the federal government’s responsibility to provide electricity for residents. The state has no renewable energy options reliable enough to power its capital despite the multi-million-dollar NCMB energy project.

Transparency in the energy sector has become necessary at a time when Nigerians have suffered power instability due to frequent grid collapses.

EFCC arrests ex-NCMB boss over $35m energy project fraud

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Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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Yahaya Bello

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has requested an adjournment in the new case against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, stating that the 30-day window for the previously issued summons is still active.

The commission has granted administrative bail to his co-defendants, Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, and asked the court for an extension of time for Bello to appear.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, EFCC Counsel Jamiu Agoro noted that the court’s order from October 3rd had not yet expired.

“In that wise, we feel it will not be appropriate for us to take proceedings while that 30 days is still running. So we have discussed and agreed to come back on the 27th day of November, 2024, my lord,” he told the court.

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He also mentioned that the previously set date of November 20th was not convenient for the prosecution counsels.

Counsel to the second defendant, Aliyu Saiki, SAN, confirmed that his client had been granted administrative bail by the prosecution and had no objection to the adjournment request. The third defendant’s counsel, ZE Abass, concurred.

The prosecution counsel also requested the court to allow the notice of hearing to be pasted on the last known address of the first defendant.

After hearing from all counsels, the judge granted the EFCC’s application for adjournment and the issuance of the hearing notice.

“I have considered the application for adjournment by the complainant and issuance of hearing notice and the submission by the second and third defendants. The application is granted,” she said.

Justice Anenih then adjourned the case to November 27th for arraignment.

The former governor, alongside Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu, are being prosecuted as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectively, in a fresh 16-count charge instituted against them by the EFCC.

Court adjourns Yahaya Bello’s trial till Nov 27

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