By Salisu Sani-Idris

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Monday called for wider support for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) upcoming international lecture on insecurity in the Sahel.

Shettima stated this when he granted an audience to the leadership of NAN led by its Managing Director, Malam Ali Muhammad Ali, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Vice-President emphasised the importance of collaborative action, noting that President Bola Tinubu was very much interested in the security situation in Nigeria and would not take it lightly.

Shettima also called for regional and collective efforts to address the insecurity in West Africa’s Sahel region.

He observed that the security situation in the Sahel region had significant implications for Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

“The international lecture NAN is organising is very timely, especially on the issue of insecurity in the Sahel.

“The security situation in the nation is something that the President is very much interested in and is not taking it lightly,” he said.

Shettima expressed optimism about the potential outcomes of the conference.

“I believe that with the calibre of people that will grace the lecture, you will come up with a lot of perspectives on how to address the insecurity in the Sahel in a holistic way.”

Earlier, Ali had told the Vice-President that the theme of the conference was “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts and Options.”

He announced that the lead speaker at the lecture, billed for Sept. 25, would be Mohamed Ibn Chambas, former Chairperson of the ECOWAS Commission.

According to him, the conference is part of NAN’s efforts to expand its role beyond news dissemination to actively contributing to national discourse and problem-solving.

“NAN is organising its first international lecture as part of the media’s role to expand the frontiers of knowledge and find solutions to problems,” Ali said.

He outlined several initiatives aimed at enhancing NAN’s reach and effectiveness, including the introduction of vernacular broadcasting.

Others present at the meeting are NAN’s Director of Administration, Malam Abdulhadi Khalie; Director of Special Duties, Muftau Ojo; Deputy Director of NAN Multimedia, Ismail Abdulaziz; and Board Secretary, Ngozi Anofochi.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Ezra Musa

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended a four-man syndicate for allegedly impersonating and blackmailing its Chairman, Mr Ola Olukoyede, in a one million dollars fraud.

The EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the suspects were arrested on Wednesday at Gimbiya Street, Garki, and Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

Oyewale stated that the alleged fraudsters impersonated the EFCC Chairman and contacted a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, for a deal.

According to Oyewale, they claimed that Bello-Koko was implicated in fictitious EFCC investigative activities during his tenure as NPA MD.

“The impersonators allegedly demanded one million dollars from Bello-Koko, threatening arrest and prosecution if he failed to comply.

“Upon receiving intelligence about the impersonators, EFCC operatives were deployed to collaborate with the alleged fraudsters, leading to their successful arrest.

“The suspects are currently in EFCC custody and will be charged to court once investigations are concluded,” he said.(NAN)

By Sumaila Ogbaje

By Salif Atojoko

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Directors-General for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to a statement on Monday by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s spokesman, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed has been appointed as the new D-G of the NIA, while Mr Adeola Ajayi takes the helm at the DSS.

“Amb. Mohammed has had a distinguished career in the foreign service since joining the NIA in 1995.

“He has served in various roles, culminating in his promotion to the rank of Director and his subsequent appointment as the head of the Nigerian mission to Libya.

“The 1990 graduate of Bayero University, Kano, had served in North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, and at the State House, Abuja.”

He added that Ajayi had risen through the ranks to attain his current post of Assistant D-G of the Service.

He said Ajayi had served as State Director in Bauchi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Kogi at various times.

He said the new appointments followed the resignation of the previous NIA and DSS chiefs.

“President Tinubu expects the new security chiefs to work tirelessly to reposition the two intelligence agencies for better results.

“He charges them to bring their experience to bear in tackling the security challenges facing the country through collaboration with sister agencies and in alignment with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“The President thanks the outgoing Directors-General of the two pivotal intelligence agencies for their services to the nation while wishing them success in their future endeavours,” said Ngelale. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The failure of Nigeria to use the capacity of its Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in 60 years has hampered the nations journey into self-sufficiency in defence capabilities.

This position was made known by the Chairman, Equipment and Protective Applications Nigerian Limited (EPAIL), Kola Balogun, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Balogun, who is also the Secretary, Defense Industrial Association of Nigeria (DIAN), said the journey DICON after 60 years has not been impressive in terms of output.

“Now, looking backward, 60 years down the line of DICON journey to where we are today, has not been impressive by virtue of what has been their output.

“Output is the sense of what have they been able to come out with compare them with their counterpart in China and Brazil.

“I am very sure they set up Nigeria’s DICON and Brazil almost at the same time and if you look at what Brazil has been able to do with its own, it is very, very impressive.

“It is mind-blowing that they are producing helicopter, they are producing so many parts of defense target across the world and, we are supposed to have the similar threshold with that same organisation in Brazil.

“But however, the reverse is the case. One of those things I have realised is that some of us don’t believe in ourselves that we can do it, that we have what it takes to develop ourselves,’’ he said.

Balogun said that Nigeria had started realising that it must be decisive and determined to change things, adding that there were certain levels of sacrifice that everyone must make.

According to him, 60 years down the line, Nigeria is not producing helicopter or any major arsenal of war, which are things it must have to change its games plan.

“My exposure has revealed to me that we cannot trade with the whole world and get it right.

“We have to choose few partners while we come back home and define our standard and define a framework of licensing those who are going to be responsible for production of arm and ammunition and some other gadgets.

“We must introduce license in order to create a streamline of monopoly and the monopolies aspect of it is to create markets for them.

“It’s not a market for everyone. It has to be from the willingness to partake in the defence industry, must have financial capability; must be knowledge based; have footprint of what defence is all about’’ he added.

The expert said that Nigeria must be able to record astronomical growth in the next 10 years with the new DICON law that had birthed another private sector driven defence industry.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the act into law, adding that Nigeria must harness the opportunities to develop its defence capabilities locally. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chairman, Equipment and Protective Applications Nigerian Limited (EPAIL), Kola Balogun, says the rising of local players in Nigeria’s defence industries, will be a game changer in enhancing its military’s fighting power.

Balogun, who is also the Secretary, Defense Industrial Association of Nigeria (DIAN), said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said the local players understood the place of knowledge transfer as well as methodology of getting knowledge across the borderline.

According to him, indigenous defence producers had made giant strides in infrastructure that supports growth and the intuition of knowing the peculiarity of the kind of threats bedeviling the country.

He said that EPAIL was positioned to produce more advanced lethal and non-lethal weapons and ammunition for the country with government collaboration.

According to him, EPAIL has been able to produce light armoured vehicle, anti-mine, tactical walking talky, drones, ballistic helmet and vest, as well as protective guard boots.

“Now, the game changer is the fact that we are now producing weapon holders that save the lives of our personnel from snipers.

“Those are the improvisation and we are now putting a bit of sophistication so that we can have a higher maneuverability in all our vehicles when they are on the frontline operation.

“So, those are the domestication I was explaining to you. With local industry we will be able to know what is good for us.

“By doing what is good for us, we will be able to conquer the enemies. You can’t administer a vehicle made for Europe to come and work in Nigeria. It doesn’t match.

“And those are the kind of thing that we are trying to change the narrative,’’ he said.

Balogun said the local players would leverage on the population and harness intelligence to be able to manage the confrontation of the foreign influence that would not allow Nigeria to develop its defence capabilities.

According to him, Nigeria must come out to show that it is ready to move forward in its defence needs.

“It has to be purposeful and it has to be well determined and the sound must resonate across all the formation.

“Army, Air Force, Navy, all of us must prepare and say yes, 60 years down the line, okay, it doesn’t matter, 10 years from now, we know what we are going to accomplish.

“We are not confronting anybody but we want to maintain peace within our territory, we want to maintain peace within our region.

“Peace means you fortify yourself, put all the structure in place and we reduce our level of complacencies because we need to ensure that foots on the ground all the time, stand firm when necessary,’’ he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is poised to deploy technology- driven facilities and avenues to fight economic and financial crimes and other acts of corruption.

The EFCC Chairman, Mr Olanipekun Olukoyede, said this at the inauguration of an electronic learning management studio at the EFCC Academy in Abuja.

Olukoyede said that the studio would help to boost the intellectual strength of the commission’s workforce and promote distance learning.

While stressing the importance of technology in the fight against corruption, Olukoyede pointed out that the studio would add value to the productivity of staff and help develop capacity.

“As you are all aware, our mandate is now technology- driven.  In those days, you get to go to the bank; you fill vouchers, fill everything, collect your cash, put it in your boot and drive it home

“But today, at the press of a button, you move money across the world

“So, if they have advanced in the way they move money, we are also advancing in the way we checkmate them, and that is the essence of this project,” he said.

The Commandant, EFCC Academy, Mrs Chinwe Ndubeze, said that the academy had statutory capacity-building mandate for the EFCC workforce and staff of other law enforcement agencies.

According to her, it is also the designated training Academy for the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions of West Africa (NACIWA).

“The EFCC Academy is the designated training Academy for NACIWA. You will be delighted to be part of launching our E-Learning system.

“It is a demonstration that, not just the EFCC, but NACIWA is moving forward and not lagging behind with trends relating to the digital era.

“It is clear that, indeed, education must go digital. We are in the digital era and it is staring us in the face,” she said.

The commandant said that the Academy had been leading in the area of training and education.

“We are delighted that we are moving our training from the mundane, the regular to the innovative, and of course, you know that when it comes to E-Learning, it is more inclusive,” she said.

Head, External Corporation Unit of the EFCC, Aliyu Wali, said that the potential and possibilities of the studio were enormous.

According to him, it will open doors of endless possibilities for growth, learning and innovation for officers of the EFCC, Nigerians, sister agencies and other stakeholders.

“Today, as we launch this E-learning studio and platform, we are not just unveiling a facility; we are opening the doors to endless possibilities for growth, learning, and innovation.

“This platform will play a crucial role in enhancing the capacity of our officers and staff.

“It will provide them with the tools they need to excel in their duties and uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism,” he said.

The inauguration of the studio was graced by members of NACIWA, representatives from the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), MacArthur Foundation, ECOWAS, USAID, among others. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman