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2024 Hajj preparations at 70% completion – NAHCON Chair

Published

2 months ago

March 11, 2024

Alhaji Jalal Ahmad-Arabi, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON)

2024 Hajj preparations at 70% completion – NAHCON Chair

Alhaji Jalal Ahmad-Arabi, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has disclosed that preparations for the 2024 Hajj exercise have reached approximately 70% completion.

Addressing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday, Ahmad-Arabi assured that the commission is committed to ensuring a successful Hajj operation.

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During his visit to Birnin Kebbi, Ahmad-Arabi conducted a facility tour at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport and the Kebbi Hajj camp to assess their suitability as centers for pilgrim airlift during the 2024 Hajj operation.

He remarked, “We are nearly 70% ready, and there’s no cause for concern. Once payment is made and acknowledged, the issuance of visas will swiftly follow.”

News

DSS gives updates on ‘manhood theft’ in Abuja

Published

6 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

DSS gives updates on ‘manhood theft’ in Abuja

The Department of Security Services, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says the territory has recorded improved security within one year of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

The Director of the department, Adamu Gwary, a Fellow of Defence College, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Gwary told NAN while assessing the performance of the Tinubu-led administration on security in the FCT, that the impact was impressive, considering the reduced incidents of security breaches.

According to him, the security situation has significantly improved since Nyesom Wike assumed office as the FCT Minister in August 2023.

“We receive not only a situational report from security agencies but from members of the public.

“In the past, it used to be a daily affair where you will hear there are these issues, there are those issues, here and there, within the city, the environs, and the suburbs of the FCT.

“But today, sometimes a whole week will pass without any report.

“We have an interface with traditional rulers, who give us intelligence reports, which we process and forward to responsible security agencies, but this has really died down.

“Also, if you recall, the issue of theft of manhood was at its peak at the commencement of the Tinubu-led Administration, but that has been completely addressed.

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“This is not to say that we are there, but the improvement is very visible in terms of the reduced number of reported cases of criminal activities.”

He attributed the successes to the proactiveness of the FCT minister through intensive community engagement and the provision of logistics and equipment support to security agencies.

He recalled that Wike had organised town hall meetings across the six Area Councils of the FCT, where he and security agencies interacted with community members on their active participation in addressing insecurity.

“The minister had equally provided vehicles to traditional rulers across the FCT to enable them to move around their domain and mobilise their subjects to support ongoing security efforts.

“This is intending to take security to the doorsteps of the residents and assure them of the FCT Administration’s readiness to support security agencies to do their work.

“These have really paid off,” he noted.

Gwary added that the minister equally set up security task forces to address heinous crimes, like kidnapping the dreaded one-chance criminal activities.

On logistics support to security agencies, the director said that the FCT minister, under Tinubu-led administration, had procured and distributed motorcycles to security agencies, including vigilance groups to improve security in rural communities.

He added that the FCT Administration had equally procured patrol vehicles, fitted with modern communication gadgets including combat protective gears.

“Plans have also been concluded to procure surveillance drones and other equipment to enhance surveillance and operation of security agencies in the city.

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“These are all geared towards ensuring zero tolerance to heinous crime within the city centre and the suburb, which is plagued with the issue of kidnapping and the rest,” he said.

The director described security as everybody’s business and called on the resident to cooperate with security agencies in sharing timely and accurate information.

“See something, say something and we will do something,” he added.

Edward Orim, Principal Consultant Edgard Consulting, a private security firm, equally said that Wike, under the Tinubu’s government had made significant headway in addressing insecurity in the FCT.

Orim, who is also the Chairman of ASIS International, Chapter 273, Abuja, an international security organisation, particularly lauded the current government for curbing the trend of kidnapping in the territory.

“From my own assessment, I think the current administration has done very well,” he said.

He, however, advised the FCT Administration to do more in strengthening community policing, where everybody would be involved in assisting the police with critical information, including logistics where necessary.

“Community policing is very critical to addressing insecurity; know your neighbour and give information out to the police to help them do their job.

“There should be more awareness on the residents to be aware of their surroundings, security threats and work with security agencies to address them,” he stated.

DSS gives updates on ‘manhood theft’ in Abuja

News

Just in: FG proposes another new minimum wage, labour kicks again

Published

10 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Just in: FG proposes another new minimum wage, labour kicks again

There is no end in sight yet on new minimum wage dispute between the Federal Government and the organised labour as no agreement was reached at a meeting held on Tuesday.

The labour on Tuesday rejected the N54,000 proposed by the government as new minimum wage.

This is N6,000 higher than the N48,000 proposed by the Federal Government last week, which labour leaders rejected outright.

Again, the organised labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress at the Tuesday meeting said no to the new proposed minimum wage of N54,000.

The labour last week said they would not accept N100,000 as the new minimum wage.

They however said they would not insist on N615,000, which was presented to the government for consideration.

News

BREAKING: Court halts extension of Rivers LG chairmen’s tenure

Published

12 hours ago

May 21, 2024

Trends Admin

Simnalaye Fubara

BREAKING: Court halts extension of Rivers LG chairmen’s tenure

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has declared the six-month tenure elongation of the state’s local government executive chairmen by the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly as null and void, unconstitutional and of no effect.

The court ruled that the law was inconsistent with the 1999 constitution and section 9 (1) of Rivers State Law No. 5 of 2018 which fixed three-year tenure for local government chairmen and councilors.

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The court gave the judgement in a case filed by Enyiada Cookey-Gam & 6 Ors vs. The Governor of Rivers State & Ors.

The presiding judge, Justice, D.G. Kio, in his judgement, declared that Local Government Law No. 2 of 2024, which extended the chairmen’s terms by six months was in conflict with the 1999 Constitution and Section 9(1) of Rivers State Local Government Law No. 5 of 2018.

The court affirmed that the lawful tenure for the chairmen and councilors remained three years, as stipulated by the 2018 law.

The judge stressed that any attempt to extend the tenure was unlawful and violated the officials’ oath of office.