NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Defence/Security

DSS warns against plans to cause ethno-religious violence

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Plans
By Monday Ijeh
The Department of State Services (DSS) has again warned against plans by some persons and groups to exploit some fault lines to cause ethno-religious violence in some parts of the country.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Service, Dr Peter Afunanya, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Service had on Jan. 11 issued an alert of plans by some elements working with external forces to incite religious violence across the country.

The alert stipulated that the targeted States were Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Rivers, Oyo, Lagos and those in the South East.

It said the plans was to cause inter-religious conflicts and use their foot soldiers to attack some worship centres, religious leaders, personalities as well as key and vulnerable points.

Afunanya said the latest developments on the alert indicated desperate efforts by these groups to subvert public order.

He said that persons have continued to resort to inciting, unguarded and divisive statements, acts and to pit citizens against one another in order to apparently inflame the embers of tribal and religious discords.

“For the umpteenth time, the Service strongly warns these elements to desist forthwith from their (planned) nefarious acts or face the full wraths of the law.

“The DSS will, in collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies, take necessary steps to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizenry,” he said.

Defence/Security

Army urges public to ignore news on secret trial, execution of soldiers

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By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Nigerian Army has called on members of the public to ignore a report by a coalition that it conducted secret trails and executed six soldiers of Igbo extraction.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a group which identified itself as a coalition of rights activists and scholars, on Tuesday made the allegation in a press statement.

The Nigerian Army made the call on its social media handle, tagged the allegation as false, fake news and malicious.

A senior military source, who pleaded for anonymity, dismissed the allegation, saying it was impossible for the Nigerian army to conduct secret trial of any soldier.

The officer said the army usually set up a general court-martial publicly to try erring soldiers or officers, adding that such court-martial must have a President and other members.

“There is no iota of truth whatsoever that six soldiers were tried secretly and executed by the Nigerian army on Jan. 25 as alleged.

“The promoters of that allegation are the enemies of Nigerian who are trying so hard to instigate tribal or ethnic crisis in the country,” he said.

Also, a Coalition of Youth Groups in Nigeria has dismissed the allegation of secret trial and execution of six soldiers of Igbo extraction against Nigerian Army by a certain coalition on Tuesday.

The youth, which was superintended by the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), stated this in a communique issued at the end of the meeting of leaders of the youth coalition on Tuesday in Abuja.

The youth groups comprised of the Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN), Niger Delta Youth Council, Igbozurumee Youth Council, Arewa Youth Council, O’odua Youth Vanguard, Nigerian Students Parliament (NSP), and 34 other youth organisations.

The youth called on the Nigerian Army to consider legal action against the purveyor of the fake news to serve as deterrent to other hired mischievous propagandists who are all out for the highest bidders.

“Generally, from our independent investigation, there is no iota of truth. We challenge him to produce evidence as we believe the names he mentioned are fake.

“We will no longer tolerate any unpatriotic behaviour borne out of mere quest for cheap and stupid popularity. We are poised to ensure that Nigeria remains one United indivisible country against all human machinations,” the group said.

Education

Ekiti SUBEB, ULS train 2,625 primary school teachers

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By Ariwodola Idowu
The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Ekiti and the Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), are partnering to train 2,625 primary school teachers on specialist phonics literacy teaching practices for primary school teachers.

The initiative, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, is being held in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission.

NAN also reports that the training being organised under the Teachers Professional Development Programme would last two weeks.

Mr Gary Foxcroft, the Chief Executive Officer of ULS, a not-for-profit organisation, who spoke on the sidelines of the programme, described the Jolly Phonics Literacy Project in Ekiti as a specialised training programme for teachers of pupils in elementary classes.

He said the exercise, which began on Jan. 25, would cover all the three senatorial districts of the state.

” This training is planned to equip teachers with the expertise and tools required to enable them to transform Primary 1, 2 & 3 pupils in government schools across the state,” he said.

According to him, Jolly Phonics is an interactive teaching tool that uses the synthetic phonics literacy teaching methodology.

He explained that synthetic phonics methodology had been recommended and mandated by many governments around the world because of its immese capacity to provide children with the skills needed to read and write.

” The Ekiti State Jolly Phonics is a fantastic opportunity for all children in Ekiti State to benefit from the opportunity to learn to read and write.

” The project will therefore help increase equity and equal opportunities for all children in Ekiti State,” he said.

He commended UBEC for its continued support in the adoption of Jolly Phonics in government schools across Nigeria.

“UBEC has really recognised the tremendous impact that Jolly Phonics has been having on literacy levels in Nigeria’s government schools and has taken it on as one of its flagship programmes.

” This has helped us to initiate new projects across the country. Jolly Phonics is now being taught in all 36 states and FCT.

” This is truly amazing and will help to improve the reading and writing abilities of millions of children in the years ahead,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Patrick Uzu, Nigeria Country Director at ULS, commended the exceptional support and partnership offered by Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board.

“We are delighted to be partnering with SUBEB in Ekiti to train, resource and mentor its teachers in Jolly Phonics.

” This project gives the children of Ekiti State a brighter future.

” Our sincere appreciation goes to the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Femi Akinwumi, and his team who have helped in overseeing the training very professionally,” he said.

The Project Manager of ULS in Ekiti, Adeoye Adeyemi, urged participants to replicate the knowledge gained during the training in their various schools.

He also advised the participants to ensure that the knowledge acquired had the desired impact on the pupils through systematic and demonstrable teaching methods.

Science & Tech

FG extends deadline for NIN-SIM linkage

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By Jessica Dogo
The Federal Government has extended the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) integration by eight weeks with a new deadline of April 6.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde on Tuesday.

He said the extension was ordered by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, after the meeting of the Ministerial Task force on NIN-SIM registration.

Pantami stated that the extension was to give Nigerians and legal residents more time to integrate their NIN with the SIM.

“It was reported that a total of 56.18 million NINs have been collected by the mobile network operators. Each NIN is usually tied to an average of 3 to 4 SIMs and this infers that the current figure accounts for a significant portion of the existing SIMs.

“This number of NINs collected represents a significant increase when compared with the 47.8 million reported by the Technical Committee on Jan. 18.

“Furthermore, over 1,060 registration centres for NIN have been activated and made operational by NIMC across the country.

“Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have opened hundreds of centres and are rapidly deploying resources to open thousands of other NIN enrolment centres across states of the country.

“This is in line with the policy of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to enhance security and make the process of obtaining NINs easier for Nigerians,” he said.

The minister reiterated the need for Nigerians and legal residents who were yet to register for the NIN to be diligent and take advantage of the extension to enroll for their NIN and link with their SIMs.

He encouraged citizens to take advantage of the extension to fully participate in the process and follow the safety guidelines at all the NIN enrolment centers and ensure compliance with the booking system in place.

“This protocol is in line with the executive order on COVID-19 2020, signed by President Buhari on Jan. 27, 2021, in keeping with the provisions of the quarantine Act 2004.

“It will be recalled that Feb. 4, 2020 was the initial date of the commencement of the National NIN-SIM Registration Policy.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria applauds all Nigerians and persons of other nationalities for their understanding, cooperation and for enthusiastically participating in the exercise,” he said.

The minister also commended efforts of NIMC, NCC, MNOs and all other relevant government and private sector organisations for their unflinching support toward the success of the exercise.

The meeting was attended by key stakeholders including the Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta and Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Aliyu Aziz.

Other members in attendance are the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, and the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo.

General News

Calabar gully erosion victims return home after govt., NEWMAP interventions

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By George Odok
Residents of erosion remediated communities in Calabar Municipality has returned to their houses after the completion of the gully erosion site that pulled down many buildings in the area.

The residents, who were filled with joy, expressed their gratitude when the state Commissioner for International Development Cooperation, Dr Inyang Asibong, visited the area as part of her inspection tour of projects across the state.

Asibong, who oversees the Cross River Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), was accompanied on the tour by management staff of the Project and government officials.

Speaking to newsmen at the site, Asibong said the inspection was part of efforts in ensuring that the project meets the Environmental and Social Management Plans and ensure completion before rainy season.

Commenting on the project, the Commissioner said that Gov. Ben Ayade of cross River was determined to execute meaningful and quality projects that would benefit the people.

“We are here at the Ikot Nkebre, Ikot Anwatim and Nyahasang communities courtesy of the Cross River Government and the World Bank NEWMAP to inspect the sites and the ongoing work happening here.

“Out of five fingers of the gully erosion, four fingers have been completed; the communities are actually happy with this, because the erosion ravaged the communities, destroyed and brought down houses before this intervention.

“We are happy at the pace of work we are seeing here. The contractors have promised to complete it by the end of the dry season.

“We are constantly monitoring this process and we know that with the way the work is going, by the end of April 2021 the work will be completed,” she said.

She commended Ayade for providing the enabling environment and counterpart funds for the project and the World Bank NEWMAP for their support.

Also speaking, the Project Director of AKPAVEN Integrated Service Limited, George Brown, thanked the inspection team and assured them that the project would be completed before the end of dry season.

Brown added that the vital aspect of the job which poses threat to the community would be completed.

“The job has gone over 80 per cent completion and hopefully we are looking at completing it before the rainy season.

“The erosion job is dynamic; we are trying to meet up before the rain start coming. We still have other aspect of the job that is yet to complete, like the bioremediation jobs, the planting of grasses and other things,” he said.

On his part, the Village Head of Ikot Nkebre, one of the affected communities, Mr Anthony Nkebre, showered lauded the state government, NEWMAP and the World Bank for coming to their aid.

Politics

Kaduna deputy Governor tasks APC stakeholders on membership registration

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By Amen Gajira
Dr Hadiza Balarabe, Deputy Governor, Kaduna State, has appealed to stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to make financial commitment towards the registration exercise of the party.

Balarabe made the call on Sunday at the Southern Kaduna APC stakeholders’ engagement committee meeting in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

She enjoined the stakeholders to make personal monetary contribution, saying that the financial implications of the exercise cannot be left to state government alone.

“I want to call on every stakeholder to make sacrifices financially and otherwise towards the success of this important exercise that we have coming up.

“When you make personal financial commitments to things like that, it gives you a real sense of belonging.

“Government alone cannot be left to cover the cost of this all important assignment, so we must individually do our bit for this party that we love so much,” she added.

According to her, APC is a great party with a great ideology and the registration exercise will reposition it for even greater exploits.

Also speaking, Bala Bantex, the immediate past Deputy Governor of the State, underscored the need for oneness and unity of purpose as the party planned to make inroad into Southern Kaduna.

Bantex implored the leadership of the APC in the state to work out modalities of ensuring that members are fully grounded in the ideology of the party.

In his remarks, the state Chairman of APC, retired Commodore Emmanuel Jekada, disclosed that the registration and revalidation exercise would start on Feb. 9.

Jekada noted that the state office had already taken delivery of all materials to be used for the exercise and called for full participation of members.

Other stakeholders who spoke offered strategic recommendations on the way forward for the APC in the zone and the state.

NAN reports that that the meeting was attended by both past and present elected and appointed government officials from Southern Kaduna.

General News

Edo IDP mulls mechanised farming

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By Deborah Coker
The management of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, Uhogua, near Benin has indicated interest to go into mechanised farming if provided with land and other equipment.

Pastor Solomon Folorunsho, Coordinator of the camp, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

Folorunsho said that the venture would be used to engage the older IDPs in the camp, thereby serving as a means of employment to them.

He also said that the venture would enable the camp to be food sufficient to a large extent.

He explained that there was no better time to strategies for the survival and re-integration of the IDPs into normal life in the society than now.

He disclosed that some of the older IDPs were already workers in one form or the other in the camp, as they assist in providing care services to the younger IDPs.

He therefore appealed to government and communities around the camp to make its plan a reality by providing land and equipment for the project to commence.

“Don’t forget these older ones before the sack of their communities by insurgents were engaged in communal lives and fending for themselves and families.

“We believe that in the cause of undergoing rehabilitation from the trauma of events that made them IDPs, we can engage them and make their re-integration to the society faster through the venture.

“Believe me, they are very ready for this venture, if only we get what we are appealing for, which is land and equipment as well as seedlings, because they don’t want to be idle and be seen as liabilities”.

The coordinator also disclosed that in the last seven and half years, now fewer than 125 of the older IDPs have acquired skills in fashion design/tailoring, soap making, baking and fishery.

He explained that these ones were already training others in the camp, but said that the challenge was the inadequate sewing machines available.

Folorunsho also told NAN that more than 400 IDPs have successfully been re-united with their families.

He noted that the major challenges faced in the camp remains feeding and education support to those in tertiary institutions as well as those seeking to go there.

He also said that the health facility in the camp was in need of a medical doctor and drugs, because as of now the facility had no single doctor, and there was dearth of drugs too.

He commended the management of the University of Benin, the Nigerian Medical Association, the Nigerian Bar Association and some corporate organisations for their periodic mentorship of the IDPs.

“These mentorship has really helped us, that is why you see do much zest for education in the youths amongst us.

“We also specially commend the Edo Government for it’s interventions in assisting us with food items. Honestly these interventions always come at the right time”, he said.

Economy/Business

NEPC trains 6, 500 entrepreneurs on export trade in Enugu

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By Emmanuel Acha
The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) says it trained no fewer than 6, 500 entrepreneurs in six Community Trade Groups in Enugu State in 2020.

The Southeast Regional Coordinator of the council, Mr Arnold Jackson, disclosed this on Tuesday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

Jackson said that notable among the trade groups that were trained was the Cashew Community Trade Group in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.

He said that no fewer than 6,000 members of three trade groups, namely, farmer group, processor group and pickers were trained under the cashew value chain.

Jackson said that the move was in line with the diversification policy of the Federal Government.

The coordinator said that the council had in line with its one state one product policy, identified Enugu State as having comparative advantage in cashew production.

He said that such policy was aimed at empowering entrepreneurs to enable them to participate in the promotion of non-oil export in Nigeria.

Jackson, however, said that the state was also doing well in cassava production and spices, adding that the various programmes of NEPC had impacted positively on the active entrepreneurs in the state.

He said that the council would give the operators of small scale businesses the needed exposure to explore international markets.

The coordinator said that with the coming into effect of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), goods produced by local entrepreneurs would in principle reach no fewer than 1.2 billion people in about 54 countries.

He said that the AfCFTA was a noble initiative aimed at increasing the volume of trade among African countries, which currently stands at about 20 per cent.

“With the AfCFTA, local entrepreneurs can choose to supply about 90 per cent of their goods in the international market and reserve 10 per cent for the local market,” Jackson said.

The coordinator said that the council, as part of its efforts to encourage local entrepreneurs in the state, had concluded arrangements for the establishment of Export Promotion Clubs in the state.

Economy/Business

1m Nigerians to benefit from COVID-19 Cash Transfer- Osinbajo

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By Folasade Akpan
No fewer than One million Nigerians are to benefit from the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Cash Transfer Project which aims to lift the urban poor affected by the pandemic out of poverty.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said this on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating the COVID-19 Rapid Response Registration (RRR) Cash Transfer Project.

According to him, the project is a national initiative to build a shock responsive framework for capturing and registering the urban poor and vulnerable populations across Nigeria.

Osinbajo said that the new register complements the already existing platforms under the World Bank supported National Social Safety nets Project (NASSP).

“As of Dec. 31, 2020, we have identified and registered about 24.3 million poor and vulnerable individuals into the National Social Register; equivalent to about 5.7 million households.

“Through this project, we are currently injecting about N10billion directly into the hands of about two million poor and vulnerable households every month.”

According to him, the initiative is about the largest evidence-based effort by any administration on poverty reduction and its impact on the lives of the poor is huge.

“This is by way of improving the livelihoods of the beneficiaries through enhanced household purchasing power, smoothening consumption, increasing savings and acquisition of household assets and improving the local economy.

Osinbajo said that the RRR was designed to focus mainly on the urban poor wards selected using scientifically validated methods of satellite remote sensing technology, machine learning algorithm and big data analysis.

“This social protection method of targeting is the first strategy to be developed and tested in the Sub-Saharan Africa region and Nigeria will be the first country for its implementation.

“With the RRR, which uses a wholly technology-based approach, we are primed to achieve an end-to-end digital foot-print in cash transfers for the urban poor.

“Which also helps us achieve our financial inclusion policy under the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access programme (EFInA).”

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first set of 3,115 beneficiaries have already received N5,000 each cash transfer and the programme will continue until it reaches the one million target.

The cash transfers will be received by the beneficiaries for six months.

Also at the event, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, said that the RRR would provide the gateway to many social development initiatives.

“This is because it uses innovative advancements in technology, in combination with ground-truthing processes, to generate an early response system.

“By design, the register also links to other databases such as banking information of respondents and national identity numbers.

“It is a process that is advanced in unifying national databank towards the delivery of social development in Nigeria.

“There is no doubt that in future, as has been demonstrated in the previous presentation, we will be reverting to the process used here and the register itself, to aid emergency assistance and support social protection activities in Nigeria.”

According to her, with the inauguration of the project, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development now has the database that can provide evidence for impact tracing for most social development projects in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Mr Shubham Chaudhuri, the World Bank Country Director said the COVID crisis hit Nigeria very hard, especially on the socio economic front.

“Even in the absence of the crisis, we were projecting that perhaps another seven million Nigerians were at risk of falling into poverty over the next two years.

“With the COVID crisis and the economic pressures that have resulted, we are now projecting that that number could rise to close to 18 million.

“So, I think it should be pretty obvious that this kind of scale up effort is absolutely critical to the overall COVID response,” Chaudhuri said.

NAN reports that the target groups are small businesses, street vendors and petty traders as well as low-wage employed individuals and families.

It also covers daily labourers earning wages by engaging in construction and other forms of daily wage-based activities, employees of businesses involved in services and workers in different industries and manufacturing firms.

Others are taxi drivers, street dwellers, orphans and vulnerable children, people living with disabilities and vulnerable families living in slum areas.

The project provides a sustainable framework that supports humanitarian disaster risk response delivery system and shock response in future emergencies.

Sports

NFL nominates first female referee for Super Bowl

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This year’s NFL Super Bowl will feature a woman referee for the first time, as Sarah Thomas joins head referee Carl Cheffers, the league announced on Tuesday.

“Sarah Thomas has made history again as the first female Super Bowl official,” NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent said in a statement.

“Her elite performance and commitment to excellence has earned her the right to officiate the Super Bowl. Congratulations to Sarah on this well-deserved honour.”

Thomas is at the end of her sixth season in the league and will be one of seven officials for the championship game on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay.

On Sunday it will be determined which two teams will face off.

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the U.S. and has always been played on the first Sunday in February.

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