By Abigael Joshua

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has expressed the determination to eliminate crime in the territory.

The FCT Chairman of  PCRC, Dr Rufus Ebegba, said this at the security seminar organised by FCT PCRC with the theme; “The role of PCRC in national security” on Friday in Abuja.

“We will reduce crime to the barest minimum if not totally eliminated, flash points in the FCT are areas where crimes are committed hideouts.

“We don’t want those flash points to exist in FCT and we believe that the PCRC will work closely with the police to ensure that those flash points are eliminated.

“Not just the flash points, kidnappings, one chance and all other vices committed within the FCT,” Ebegba assured.

Ebegba appealed to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, and other relevant authorities to see the need to buy drones, bullet proof vehicles and helicopters to combat crimes in the FCT.

“Anywhere alarm is raised two or three helicopters will head towards the area to combat crime, we want to ensure that government gives the Police all the necessary support.

“We want to urge government to raise the retirement years of police officers to 65 years.

“This is so that we will not be losing good hands that have been trained over the years with government resources who have also trained themselves over the years and still willing to serve,” the chairman appealed.

Ebegba called on all interested members of the public to join the  PCRC in the FCT to combat crimes.

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Nurudeen Sabo, gave the assurance that all flash points in the FCT would be eliminated.

“It is important to maintain cordial relationships with members of the public,” Egbetokun said.

Commissioner of Police CP Haruna Garba who was represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police ACP Diya Sunday said the Police would continue to imbibe community policing by relating with the members of the public to combat crimes.

“At this time we have pervasive challenges of crimes in our nation, we are talking about hideous crimes like kidnappings, robberies and the likes,” Garba said.

He assured that the police would do more in national security to combat crime in the FCT.

the PCRC National Chairman, Mr Mogaji Olaniyan,  who was represented by the national vice chairman Central, Mr Tanko Dada tasked members of PCRC on community policing to combat crime.

“We must be vigilant, pass sensitive information at the right time,” Olaniyan said.

He commended the FCT PCRC chairman for all the seminars he has been organising for his members to ensure adequate security in the FCT. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Razak Owolabi

By Deborah Coker

The Zone 5, Headquarters of the Nigerian Police Force, has warned a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Edo against misleading narrative concerning the murder of one Edwin Ogiamen.

Ogiamen was the Okaighele and youth leader of Ubiaza community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government of Edo, who was murdered on March 29, 2023.

A statement by DSP Tijani Momoh, Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday, said that the case was no longer with the police but in court.

According to Momoh, the CSO, Talakawa Parliament, had at a press conference attempted to mislead the public over what transpired with regards to the case.

He noted that the claim by the CSO that one of the suspects, Emmanuel Aigbogun, was unlawfully arrested over the murder case, was a calculated effort to divert the focus of the case.

He added that the allegations were unfounded, baseless, false and a calculated attempt to manipulate the public for Aigbogun to evade prosecution.

“For the avoidance of doubt and for members of the public not to be misled by the false narrative, the zonal command wish to state the following facts:

On March 1, a petition dated 27/02/2023 written by Legal Minds law firm on behalf of one Edwin Ogiemwense, the Okaighele/youth leader of Ubiaza community along Benin/Sapele Road, Ikpoba-Okha LGA was received and referred to the Anti-vice section for discreet investigation.

“On March 29, two operatives of the Anti-vice section while at Ubiaza community to serve letter of invitation to the suspect, one Lucky Ogiamen ‘m’ a fight ensued between the said Lucky Osifo Ogiamen and the petitioner, late Edwin Ogiemwense.

“Which was followed by sporadic gunshots from the armed thugs stationed around the community bush by the said Lucky Ogiamen.”

The ZPPRO added that the Police operatives who were not armed tactically escaped unhurt, while the armed thugs held the petitioner hostage and later shot him dead.

“When the information on the attack was received at the Zone, serious efforts were made to reinforce and rescue the petitioner, but before reaching there, he had already been killed and their vehicles burnt.”

Momoh said that the matter was referred to the Homicide section of the Zone for discreet investigation.

“On March 31, the team with some vigilante members arrested four suspects in connection with the murder of the said Edwin Ogiamen.

“At the close of initial investigation, the suspects made confessional statements and investigation report was submitted and the four suspects were arraigned in court on charges of conspiracy, murder and malicious damage,” he said.

He further said that duplicate case files were sent to the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice,  which was done and the suspects were charged to court by the DPP.

Momoh added that on Sept. 14, three other suspects, including a human right activist, were arrested and joined in the pending case before the court.

“It is pertinent to state that the human right activist was arrested by SWAT operatives from Abuja after being pointed out by the deceased family and not operatives of the Zone.

“The Zone wish to state that in respect of the allegations made against the O/C Anti-vice and his team, they were earlier invited and interviewed by the IGP’s Monitoring unit in Abuja on May 18, and were thereafter released.

“The allegations made against the Policemen are therefore not only false and malicious, but a calculated effort to divert the focus of the investigation,” he added.

The spokesman said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5 Headquarters, Mr Arungwa Nwazue, has urged the public to remain calm as justice would be served in the matter.

“The AIG further warned all those fond of spreading false information to the public to desist from such as they could be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

“Additionally, the AIG reminded the CSO that the human right activist is not in the custody of the Police but in the custody of the court, and therefore his release cannot be ordered by the Police.

“If he actually has an alibi on the day of the murder and could be verified, he should bring it to the hearing of the court,” Momoh said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

By Felicia Imohimi

The Chartered Institute of Social Work Practitioners of Nigeria (C-ISOWN) , has solicited Federal Government`s support on training and retraining of practitioners to maintain minimum standard and uniform practice.

Dr Iyeme Efem, Immediate Past President of the institute made the call when a delegation from C-ISOWN visited the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on Friday in Abuja.

He said the visit was to pledge their support and readiness to work collaboratively with the minister to achieve the ministry’s mandate.

Efem appealed to the minister to support it in building capacities of social workers and support the professionalisation of the practice.

“We see this as the panacea to building a strong social work practice in Nigeria and in Africa at large,”he said.

He expressed the institute’s readiness to support the ministry’s programmes to professionalise social work practice and increase the army of professional social workers.

According to him, such collaboration would address the myriad of social ills affecting the country.

He said that the institute provides opportunities for intending social workers, to gain practical field experience through internships or participating in various activities and projects.

According to him, the projects can either be offered by the institute or in partnership with government agencies and international organisations.

Efem said “the organisation has been implementing the USAID/Fistula Projects in Nigeria since 2007.

He said the partnership had provided the project the avenue to introduce various social work skills building opportunities for Nigeria.

“The current USAID/MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics (MSSFPO), implemented by EngenderHealth provided the institute with a new strategy of rehabilitation and reintegration.

“This strategy fits perfectly with the activities of the ministry. So, we have been very excited to work as partners with the project and the ministry to expand the capacity building of social workers.

“One of the main components is the development of the counseling protocol for implementing rehabilitation and reintegration.

“Another is the development of a compendium of skills building centers in the implementation states.

“We believe that this will be very useful for developing the next generation of social workers who will anchor most of the rehabilitation of women with fistula and social issues,” he said.

He appealed to the minister to sponsor the relevant officers in the ministry, to participate in the special membership and induction programme for senior officers in service to be properly registered.

He informed the minister of the institute upcoming international conference scheduled for Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

The minister, Dr Betta Edu assured them of the ministry’s collaboration with the institute to move the issues of humanitarian affairs forward in the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Joseph Edeh

By Perpetua Onuegbu

The Federal Government has solicited the release of 50 hectares of land by state governments to enable it actualise its Renewed Cities Agenda in housing delivery for citizens.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed  Dangiwa, made this call when the Governor of Taraba, Dr Agbu Kefas, paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that the present administration’s plan to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda for housing needed the support of states in the provision of land.

Dangiwa said that under the first phase of the project, government planned to build 34,500 houses nationwide using FMBN, FHA and Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to achieve this.

He said that decent, quality and affordable housing for all Nigerians was a major priority of the government, adding that the ministry was working with the National Population Commission (NPC) to establish the actual housing deficit.

“Our findings in house estimates show that for us to meet the housing needs of Nigerians, we need to build about 550,000 new homes per annum over the next ten years.

“That is the massive size of our housing challenge. At the average cost of N8 million this will require about N4.4 trillion per annum.

“Records show that over the past decades, the Federal Agencies, and the Ministry of Housing combined produce less than 15,000 housing units per year.

“A key reason for this is, of course, the big elephant in the room: inadequate access to finance.

“While this is true, I also believe that we have not been innovative enough in finding solutions to meet the challenge in a bold and audacious manner,” he said.

Dangiwa said the good news, however, was that President Bola Tinubu was a   proven game-changer who had demonstrated this in all of his policy announcements.

“So, as we acknowledge the challenge before us, we are not frightened by it. Rather, we see it as a golden opportunity to make a difference in the history of affordable housing in our country.

“Already, we have written letters to be sent to all the state governors seeking about 50 hectares of land for renewed hope cities.

“I’m sure that your Excellency will be kind and gracious enough to honour our request,” he said.

Earlier, the governor said that he had come to pay a solidarity visit and pledged his support to the minister to move the ministry forward.

Kefas said the minister was not alien to Taraba, adding that “it is a good place to invest.”

He, therefore, called for collaboration with the ministry in infrastructure development, especially in housing development.

“One of the things I want to bring to your notice is that you have a property in Jalingo and it has been there empty and nobody has occupied it and we do not want it to waste.

“So, we are requesting that we want to take over that property so that we will able to provide accommodation for our civil servants.

“Also, we are available to offer you any land in Taraba to be able to build anything that will benefit our people.

“We are also aware that the ministry has made provision to build a new Federal Secretariat in Taraba state.

“We are very happy about that initiative and we want to assure you that we are ready to give you our support whenever you are ready,” Kefas said.

He, therefore, urged the minister to ensure that the secretariat was built to accommodate all the state ministries. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Okon Okon

President Bola Tinubu has approved the confirmation of the appointment of Adewale Adeniyi as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Mr Willie Bassey, Director Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the President tasks Adeniyi to bring his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment.

“The appointment takes effect from Oct. 19 and his tenure is in accordance with the extant provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR). ” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede