Category: General

Prof. Adam Ahmed, the Provost of National Defence College, Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, has backed the call for drug test for all public office holders in the country.

Ahmed made his position known while answering questions from newsmen at the 6th Annual Ramadan lecture series and prayer for the nation, organised by the Ashraaf Islamic Foundation, on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme of the lecture was: ‘Drug Abuse, Criminality and Insecurity in Nigeria: Toward a Collective Solution’.

He said: “Some political appointees and elected persons when they behave you will know clearly that they are high on drugs.

” And the same thing some technocrats and some security personnel, so it is widespread.”

Ahmed, who was the Chairman of the occasion said in Malaysia, Philippines and some South American countries politicians were tested before they were given power.

He added: “Not just that every person that is holding power including the military, security people are tested before they are given a very serious responsibility.

“Because, leaders have a way of influencing followers, if they are known to misuse drugs, the tendency is that those that are behind them will also be involved.

” So, that is why I believe strongly that no one should be given any serious responsibility until the person is tested for drugs.”

Ahmed called on those that were responsible for drug legislation and administration of anti drug use to be more proactive in tackling the incidences of drug abuse in the country.

He also emphasised the need for the government to identify various groups like the ashraaf islamic foundation to spearhead the campaign against drug abuse in the country.

Ahmed said: “Drug abuse in Nigeria and misuse of drug by the people are worst than any kind of crime that we think.

“Because the bulk of the crime that is committed in this country can be traced to drug abuse or misuse of drug, be it political, criminal, security even at home, social, economic, all can be linked to drug abuse.

” I think in the beginning, we never took the fight against drug abuse serious in this country.

“Yes, during the military, there were draconian laws which fortunately some people hade ven called such laws should be returned where drug pushers were killed.

” But then after that, we went through a period where everything goes as far as drug is concerned in this country.”

According to him, the mancae has almost engulfed all sectors, adding, “including all functionality of the society. So, it is a really sad situation”

He, however, commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other relevant agencies for their efforts in curtailing the menace of drug abuse in the country.

Earlier, the founder of the foundation, Imam Sharafudeen Aliagan, said the objective of the event was to find a lasting solution to the rampant effects of drug abuse in the society.

He said: ” We have a lot of professionals, we have lots of academicians and many people who really know what is going on in the.sociery.

“We put heads together having discovered what the menace of drug abuse is and its rampant in the society.

” Drug abuse, criminality, insecurity we know that is exactly what is affecting us in the country, as we speak that is our major problem.

“So, we feel that current affair is very important that we discuss all our programmes.

” And when we discussed this and we are able to bring out the report to the government and the generality of Nigerians, there will be some high level of solutions to this menace.”

According to Aliagan, the foundation invited Muslim and non Muslim professionals and academicians to brainstorm to find a lasting solution to the menace.

He said: “Because, those who are into kidnapping, insurgency and rubbery must have taken one of these intoxicants which help them to perpetrated their evil acts.”

Also, Mrs Amina Bukola, the women leader of the Nasrul-Lahi-il Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), described the theme of the lecture as very topical and timely.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Cameroonian foreign minister, Lejeune Mbella, on Friday said that all applications for entry visas to Cameroon will be done online as from April 30.

According to the minister, applications would be carried out “exclusively” through a dedicated website, www.evisacam.cm, after which an online visa authorization will be issued to the applicant.

The applicant can then go to either a diplomatic mission or a border post to actually obtain the visa, Mbella said in a statement earlier on Thursday night.

Mbella said for applicants in areas far-flung from a diplomatic mission or those not covered by a mission, “an online visa authorization, together with a QR code, shall round off the phase.”

The procedure will be completed within 72 hours from the date of pre-enrollment, or 24 hours in the case of express visa applications, the minister said.

“Cameroon’s e-visa system is part of an effort to turn Cameroon into a more attractive destination, while at the same time addressing some of the concerns of Cameroon’s diaspora and aligning our consular system with the highest international standard.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG), has cautioned against deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in seeking positions from the incoming government of the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The convener of the forum, Mr Emmanuel Nwosu, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

Nwosu said that Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, voted for Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Feb. 25, presidential election for national integration.

He called on all leaders of the APC and honest supporters of the President-elect, to equally discourage and condemn those who want to use religion as a tool to get certain positions.

“It has come to the attention of the Progressives Advisory Forum for Good Governance (PAFOGG) that certain persons are now deploying the use of religion and ethnicity in their campaign to get position from the incoming government.

“PAFOGG wishes to condemn this very ugly and dangerous development and calls on all leaders of our great party and honest supporters of our leader and President-elect to equally condemn this reprehensible act.

“The opposition party which deployed religious and ethnic sentiments during the 2023 general election was roundly defeated by APC because honest and peace-loving Nigerians disregarded their campaign of hate and bigotry and voted for the Muslim/Muslim ticket,” he said.

Nwosu wondered why any member of APC would dare to use religion and ethnicity as campaign tool to seek for any position.

“Knowing how delicate issues of religion and ethnicity are in Nigeria, it beats one’s imagination that any right-thinking person who claims to be a supporter of APC and Tinubu will bring this ugly trend into our party to create bad blood and division among us when we should be celebrating our well deserved victory.

“The PAFOGG condemns in its entirety, the act of using these two very sensitive areas of religion and ethnicity to campaign for any political position at all.

“PAFOGG will not stand by and watch our hard-won victory turn to bitter war among our members and supporters who are desperate for political positions,” Nwosu added.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited the Hiil-Weyn camp between Mogadishu and Balcad, where the Somali National Army soldiers who recently returned from training in Uganda are stationed.

The President was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Abdikadir Mohamed Nur, the Mayor of Mogadishu, Yusuf Hussein Jim’ale, and the Somali Police Commissioner General Sulub Ahmed Firin.

The soldiers, who got military-police training, are intended to contribute to the security of Mogadishu and stop the Al-Shabaab terrorist activities.

The President instructed the military officers to do their duties with vigilance, control, security, and peace of mind. He also urged them to set an example for the other forces in maintaining peace in the country.

President Hassan emphasized that the army’s primary responsibility is to protect the safety, dignity, and lives of Somali citizens. He instructed the military to maintain discipline and follow the rules of the army.

Source: Somali National News Agency

A Utah man who fatally shot his wife, her mother, and the couple’s five kids after he was investigated for child abuse left a suicide note saying he ‘would rather rot in hell’ than continue enduring what he called controlling behavior by his wife, investigators wrote in a report released on Friday.

The claims in the suicide note left by Michael Haight, 42, stand in stark contract to conclusions by investigators in the 57-page report that overwhelmingly portray Haight, and not his wife, as controlling and abusive. The report cites the family’s communications before the killings and interviews from community members conducted after the January tragedy.

‘This is nonsense and I can’t handle it for one more day. We will not be a burden on society. I kept asking for help and you wouldn’t listen,’ Michael Haight, 42, wrote in the note included in the report released by the city of Enoch.

‘I would rather rot in hell than to put up with another day of this manipulation and control over me,’ Haight wrote.

Haight’s attorney, Matt Munson, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The report builds off documents released after the murder-suicide that detailed how Haight removed firearms from the home, was investigated on suspicion of child abuse, and searched online for ‘gunshot in a house’ in the lead-up to the shootings.

It paints a picture of Haight as a volatile husband concerned about maintaining a facade of perfection throughout the southern Utah community in which the family lived, where the majority of residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The report also details how bedding was laid over all but one of his children’s bodies in bedrooms throughout the home. Body camera footage released along with the report shows a tidy home.

Investigators also interviewed a neighbor who said she was awakened on the night before the eight bodies were discovered when she heard multiple ‘bangs’ that she assumed were fireworks.

The report describes the circumstances leading up to the killings, which took place two weeks after Haight’s wife, Tausha Haight, filed for divorce.

People close to the Haights interviewed by investigators whose names were redacted in the report said that Michael Haight had lost his job at Allstate Insurance in nearby Cedar City, Utah and was seeking to start an independent agency.

Source: Somali National News Agency

Labour Party state chairmen say they did not sack Julius Abure as Chairman of the party, insisting that he (Abure) remains the recognised National Chairman of Labour Party (LP).

The state chairmen of the party in Abuja took back the party secretariat which was alleged to have been taken over by thugs who seized and sealed the office on April 6.

Mr Ogbaloi Kelly, Chairman, Edo State LP, said that the National Working Committee (NWC) is a subordinate organ to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

“Therefore, when a faction of it is comes to take laws into its hands, it becomes a total nullity.

“Those who are taking this action are members of the party who have since been suspended, and as at the time they took this action, their suspension had not been lifted.

“Therefore, we are saying here that the 36 state chairmen have come to retake their possession.

“These miscreants who took over the office do not have the authority to control this matter, but we here have the authority and law to be in charge of the party and we affirm Abure.”

Kelly said that even the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) affirmed Abure as the chairman in their communique .

“We have come here to tell the world that the action of this faction is a total nullity and should be disregarded because the action does not follow the content of the rules and constitution of the Labour Party.”

Mr Cashmir Agbo, Chairman, Enugu State Labour Party, said that there was the need for party members to be guided by the rules and laws of the Constitutional provisions and the laws of the land and the party.

“The position of the party and the mechanism in the resolution of crises are very clear. In the constitution, you have to exhaust that mechanism in court.

“You go to court and obtain a court order and you want to enforce that order by yourself.

“What am saying in effect is this that they mixed criminality with civil process and the court that gave them that order endangered law.”

Agbo blamed the crisis on those that do not want LP to challenge the presidential election in court, adding “we are challenging the outcome of INEC’s result, they should allow the court process to finish.

“What they are doing is to enforce their will and distract and force labour party nationwide to withdraw the case in court.”

Agbo said that Abure remains the authentic Chairman of Labour Party in Nigeria and there was no body except the National Executive Committee that could remove him.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

By May 21, the inaugural flight of Hajj 2023 from Nigeria will commence with the first batch of intending pilgrims answering the call of God to perform the fifth and last religious rituals of Islam.

The pilgrims are referred to as guests of Allah for obeying the religious injunction and leaving the comfort of their homes, families and businesses to achieve that one aim to please Allah alone.

Jabir reported the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as saying that, “The pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah are the guests of Allah. He called them and they answered Him. They ask from Him and He gives them.”

Some of the major challenges faced by pilgrims before travelling and while at the two Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are that of accommodation, transportation and feeding.

These recur because of a number of combining factors involving the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), states and FCT Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Boards, as well as licenced tour operators. These bodies are solely responsible for pilgrims welfare, and are expected to address the problems, given the fact that the pilgrims had fully paid for these services.

A number of measures have been taken after the lifting of the two years ban on the pilgrimage due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. First, the number of pilgrims in 2022 was slashed from the normal two million and two and a half million yearly. It is assumed also that the number of facilities for the pilgrims were actually enough due to the approved numbers.

This year, however, the number of pilgrims expected to perform the Hajj has been brought to a record level where some officials were quoted as giving a figure of 2.5 million while others said no limit was set.

Reports have it that most places used for accommodation by Nigerian pilgrims in previous pilgrimages including the 2022 Hajj, had been demolished for renovation and therefore new ones have to be arranged.

Similarly, the case of transportation challenge is two pronged. The airlift of pilgrims from and to the Holy land do witness various infractions because of the lack of ability of states pilgrims boards to meet their allotted times for take-off. The pilgrims ultimately suffer these lapses.

Feeding also becomes a challenge for pilgrims because those charged with the responsibilities of taking care of it, encounter one problem or the other towards satisfying them.

It is gladdening to note that these are major issues being handled in the various stakeholders meetings between NAHCON, state and FCT pilgrim’s welfare boards and tour operators which started since the end of the 2022 Hajj. The meetings were held in the country and in Saudi Arabia, where the agencies undertook physical inspections of facilities for Nigerian pilgrims.

It is also gratifying that at the April 7 meeting in Abuja to announce the fares and airlines approved for the 2023 Hajj, representatives of stakeholders corroborated the NAHCON decision on a number of issues.

The Executive Chairman, Yobe Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mai Aliyu Usman, said all states were part of the decision taken by NAHCON on the 2023 hajj fares and choice of airlines.

He said that members of the various boards went to Saudi Arabia with the NAHCON officials twice, adding that all decisions and agreements were done together in the interest of the intending pilgrims.

The various fares for performing this year’s Hajj has also been announced and those blessed to perform it expects the best from stakeholders that majorly involves NAHCON and other parties at the states and FCT, as well as tour operators.

NAHCON announced eight different 2023 hajj fares regime for the Northern States and other parts of the country.

“The 2023 Hajj fare incidentally has eight different costs. Pilgrims in Maiduguri and Yola departure centres in the North East will pay the sum of N2,890,000 and this includes their 800 dollars Basic Travel Allowance (BTA).

”For the other Northern States, we have agreed that the cost is N2,919,000, we now move to South which has six different price regime, Edo State is N2,968,000 and the entire South-South and South East are in this same price regime.

”Ekiti and Ondo States N2,880,000, Osun state is N2,993,000 and Cross River State incidentally has the cheapest which is N2,943,000, while that of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states is N2,999,000.”

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, explained that the inflation rate both in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia as well as the scarcity of aviation fuel were largely responsible for the increase when compared with that of 2022 which was N2.5 million.

”However, NAHCON and the state pilgrims boards and agencies made several efforts in order to keep the fare at the barest minimum level, while also considering the economic feasibilities and reality of the situation.’’

He revealed that NAHCON and all the 36 states and the FCT pilgrims’ boards have reviewed the 2022 hajj operation and adopted strategies for a hitch-free 2023 operation.

”We have agreed with all having reviewed the 2022 operation to do everything that will make us to get every pilgrim that registered to Saudi Arabia in good time.

”We have also agreed that there will be zero tolerance for flight delay or cancelation this year and if there is such there will be sanction on the state or pilgrim or airline that is responsible for it.

”We have also agreed that May 21, 2023, will be the day for the inaugural flight for the 2023 Hajj”, he said.

With less than 43 days to the commencement of the inaugural flight, the meetings and agreements reached by NAHCON and other stakeholders in the country and Saudi Arabia, intending pilgrims and their families look forward to a commensurate treatment of the guest of Allah at the Holyland during and after the performance of the religious ritual at the 2023 Hajj.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government has called on authors and publishers to produce “born accessible’’ books to accommodate visually impaired persons.

The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCPWD), Mr James Lalu, gave the task at a news conference in Abuja.

Lalu spoke on the domestication (signing of the Copyright Act) and initiation of the the implementation process of the Marrakesh Treaty.

He noted the challenges faced by the blind, people with low vision and print disabled, calling for the production of books in worldwide accessible formats such as braille, audio, e-text and large print to address their challenges.

“We cannot talk about inclusive education without providing learning materials in accessible formats. In our determination and commitment, we will make sure we make it accessible for the blind community,’’ he said.

According to him, the commission has a mini printing press to produce any braille educational materials for free to ensure an inclusive environment for all persons regardless of their disabilities.

He said: “We are inviting the public to make sure they use this printing press and every services they will get are absolutely free.

“ We call on all organisations that any programe that you are doing and will be inviting PWDs, make sure you provide them at an accessible formats because we are here at your service and will provide it for free.’’

He added that plans were on ground by the commission to revive the existing braille printing press in Lagos for the production and distribution of free braille school books for pupils in primary and secondary schools.

The Executive Secretary also called on prospective investors to establish braille printing press to carter to the needs of visually impaired persons.

“ We are calling on the general public, anyone interested in establishing a braille printing press, the NCPWD will provide appropriate license for the printing press.

“And we will work closely with them to ensure that we maintain the standard and quality of documents to be produced to improve service delivery for our pupils to ensure education is accessible for disability community, the blind community.”

Dr John Asein, the Director General, Nigerian Copyright Commission(NCC), stressed the need for accessible educational materials for visually impaired to reduce rates of blind beggars on the street.

“When you tell blind children to leave the street and go to school, and they get to schools and don’t find their own books in those schools, they will go back to the streets.

“Books should be made available to everyone in the manner, way and platform that can be used to learn.

“And for the blind, that means providing the books in accessible formats and copies,’’ he said.

Asein added that as strategy to implement the Marrakesh Treaty, NCC would collaborate with other stakeholders to make the Copyright Act, other funded government books in braille and other accessible formats.

“Everytime government sponsors or funds the production of any book, it will be available in accessible formats because tax payers include both the blind and the sighted, as the blind are part of this nation, so should reap from the national resource,’’ he said.

Mr Adamu Ishiyaku, the National President, Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB), said the implementation of the National Copyright bill into law will ensure access to printed materials for visually impaired persons.

“We urge all these partners to continue to partner with NAB and other stakeholders to ensure implementation of this act.

“Particularly Section 26 of the National Copyright Law is successful and realistic for the visually impaired and otherwise print disabled,’’ he said.

On his part, Mr David Okon, thevChairman, Education Committee for the Blind, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the copyright act and other policies affecting PWDs in Nigeria.

Okon, however, urged incoming governments to implement the Act to enable PWD gain necessary knowledge and literacy that will enable them contribute to national development.

He said: “We should not go into retrospect, but we should progress. We are appealing that the new administration should take it up from there.

“They should implement this act and other provisions that will make equality and equitability in the Nigerian society for PWDs. We want equal rights and equity.’’

Sightsavers Country Director, Dr Sunday Isiyaku, said the signing into law of the copyright act, 2022, and implementation of the Marrakesh treaty would promote greater cultural participation, education and social inclusion for PWDs.

Isiyaku, represented by Ms Esther Angulu, the Programme Manager, Social Inclusion, said: “It is not enough for us to keep talking if we are not out there pushing and ensuring that this is done.

“We will continue to support with the work NAB have started and also support to ensure that the bill is implemented.’’

He reiterated their commitment to partner stakeholders in promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of the society, including education, employment and community life.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria