Food shortage: Igbajo community embraces FG 500,000 hectares farmland policy - NaijaAgroNet

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The Igbajo Community in Osun State has embraced the Federal Government’s agriculture revolution policy geared at cultivating 500 hectares of farmland to tackle food shortages in the country.

The presidency recently disclosed that 500,000 hectares of land have already been mapped to increase the availability of arable land for farming, having declared a state of emergency on food security in Nigeria.

FG enacts law to establish AgricDev Fund

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The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has enacted a law to establish the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) reports NaijaAgroNet:

The President, General Mohammadu Buhari, retired, NaijaAgroNet: gathered has signed the National Assembly (NA) bill seeking the establishment of National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) into an Act.
An official gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria published on October 30, 2022, with Number 192 and volume 109 as sighted by NaijaAgroNet:, as certified by the clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Amos Olatunde Ojo.

Civil Societies petition Buhari over OPL 245, asks FG to resist $15bn calls - NaijaAgroNet

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Some three civil societies, namely, Recommon, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) and Corner House have petitioned President, Major General Muhammed Buhari, retired, over the recent developments with regards to the various court proceedings relating to the corrupt award in 2011 of the OPL 245 Oil field to Eni and Shell, calling on the government to fight the corruption.

In a letter dated 4th of November 2022 addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, titled Recent Developments on OPL 245, highlighted some positive developments and also set priorities for the federal government in demanding justice from the OPL245 deal.

Group urges South, Middle Belt Governors to reject FG's armed agro-rangers - NaijaAgroNet

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The Pan Yoruba self-determination coalition known as Apapo Oodua Koya (AOKOYA), has urged the South and Middle Belt State Governors to reject the agro-rangers which the Federal Government of Nigeria has proposed to deploy to states, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the group in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet, 'This is RUGA in disguise. It is an attempt to give protection to violent pastorist Fulanis, who are bent on taking over Yoruba territories by force of arms."

NITDA DG: FG to save N4.5bn on content management - NaijaAgroNet

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The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa has said the implementation of the service-wide Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solution, organized by the Office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation, will result in an annual saving of about N4.5 billion in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Inuwa, who was represented by the Director, Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions (ITIS) Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi disclosed this while presenting a paper at the one-day ECM Service-Wide Round Table Workshop on ECM implementation with the topic "The Modalities of Software Clearance on ECM Solution for MDAs" at the Rotunda Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.

Kano attracts N3b from FG on healthcare delivery - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet

The Kano State government, under Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the healthcare delivery services, under Save One Million Lives Programme, the federal government has attracted about Three Billion Naira (N3B) funding for more service delivery in the health sector, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Confirming this, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kano State, Abba Anwar, told NaijaAgroNet that the cheque was given by President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the Minister of Budget and Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, among other remaining 12 states that also excelled in the area.

"But Kano being the best in all the North West states, Ganduje received standing ovation when the state was called. Impression of satisfaction was clearly on guests' faces. He collected the cheque on behalf of his state," he said.

This, he also said, was as a result of the state unassuming performance in all the areas under the programme, last year, 2018. The sum of  $1m was given to each of the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, as intervention in some selected areas of the health sector.

The areas were Immunization Coverage, Bed Net use by children under Five, Vitamin A Supplementation, Child Birth Spacing, HIV Testing during pregnancy and Skilled Birth Attendants for quantity and quality care.

"After the implementation of the programme by all the states last year, a survey was conducted and  all the states were ranked by performance. Kano became one of the 13 states that performed wonderfully well in the programme. The programme was an initiation of the federal government and the World Bank."

Appreciating the gesture Commissioner of Health Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso expressed satisfaction over the landmark achievements by Ganduje administration, adding that, "Kano is fast moving forward in the health sector. Just like all other sectors."

"The money given is to compliment state efforts in this area. In all the six identified areas of the programme, Kano excels beyond any comments. We are doing our possible best to see that all identified areas are given the much needed attention," Getso states.

Kano, according to the Commissioner excels in improving the infrastructural development for the sector. So also in the area of effective and efficient drug distribution in the state health facilities.

"Equipments are readily available in our facilities. This administration is not relenting in its effort in making sure that all sub-sectors under health are handled with utmost care. Because of the importance attached to it by our able governor. He attends all other sectors with similar care," he encouraged.

Getso, by way of justifying how Kano excels in the health sector, to the point that the state was given the above mentioned sum from the federal government, the health commissioner emphasises that, "For the first time in the history of the state, we have budgeted more than 15 percent in our budget, for the health sector.  This is a great achievement by all standard."

He also refers to the recently awarded contract for the establishment of Cancer Centre by the Kano state government, saying that, "This will be the first Cancer Centre established by the state government in Nigeria. All Cancer Centres we have in the country are established by the federal government."

The Save One Million Lives Programme aims at changing focus from "input based" to "result based" financing of health care "...intended to save the lives of mothers and children by increasing access to, and utilisation of evidence based, cost effective and high impact maternal, child and nutrition interventions in Nigeria and change the federal-state relationship to a Result-Based partnership."

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Herders, cattle rustling killings reduced - FG - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government (FG) has drastically reduced killings associated to herders attacks, cattle rustling, trans-border crimes, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, revealed this at a special town hall meeting on measures by he Federal Government to curb killings in Gusau, Zamfara State on Monday.

He also said these achievements were  as a result of concerted and committed actions by the government.

Mohammed highlighted some measures taken to curtail the herders  attacks, cattle rustling and other acts of banditry to include deployment of a Joint Military Intervention Force (JMIF), comprising Regular and Special Forces personnel from the Army, Air Force and Navy, and working in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

In addition, he said, FG established the Army’s 2 Battalion Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kanfanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State.as well as established a new Area Command and two additional  Divisional Police Headquarters in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Further, he said, FG established Nigerian Air Force of Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States, and deployment of Special Forces to these Quick Response Wings.

He equally said that the inauguration by the Nigeria Police Force of a new Mobile Squadron in Takum, Taraba State, and Operation 'Whirl Stroke', operating in Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara states, were to tackle the menace of armed herdsmen, cattle rustlers, communal militias, kidnappers and other bandits.

“I have no doubt that the good people of Zamfara can testify to the drastic reduction in the activities of cattle rustlers and other bandits in the state since the Federal Government assembled a 1000-strong military force, comprising the army, air force, police and the civil defence, to launch fierce attacks on the bandits terrorizing the villages and towns of Zamfara State. The situation will continue to improve until the violence has stopped,” he said.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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FG calls for media self-control in Benue herdsmen attack

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government (FG) has appealed to the media and public commentators to exercise utmost restraint in their coverage of the fallouts of the what it described as recent farmers and herders clash in Benue State in order not to further inflame passion and worsen the situation, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a press statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, and made available to NaijaAgroNet, the Minister of Informationand Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said while the Federal Government is working hard to address the situation with a view to preventing a recurrence, not just in Benue State but everywhere across the country, it is incumbent on the media and public commentators not to engage in actions that can aggravate the crisis.

''Lest we are misunderstood, we are neither saying the media should not cover the crisis nor asking public commentators to desist from commenting on it. All we are saying is that both must be circumspect.

''The current poisoned atmosphere of incendiary comments, unrestrained use of pictures and footages that offend human sensibilities as well as fingerpointing can only exacerbate the situation and complicate ongoing efforts to end the crisis,'' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government is absolutely saddened by the loss of lives and the destruction of property resulting from the crisis, and recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in commiserating with the Benue Governor, unreservedly condemned the killings and also assured of the necessary security measures to prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to book.

He said the Federal Government has also mapped out short and long-term solutions to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders, including a planned conference of stakeholders, and assured of the government's strong determination to find a lasting solution to the farmers/herders' clashes.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Anti-grazing bills: Lagos NUJ says FG must take a stand on Fulani herdsmen menace

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has been charged to take a stand over the menace of Fulani herdsmen across the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) gave this charge at its meeting held at the Combo Hall, Lagos State Television, Agindingbi, last weekend.

In a communique made available to NaijaAgroNet, NUJ while reacting on the state of the nation and the union, outlined some six-point as enunciated by the communiqué committee, made up of Ajibola Abayomi, Eniola Ajayi, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Chidinma Agu and Olalekan Olagunju, frowned at the spate of anti- grazing bill being championed by various states across the country, lamenting that FG silent over the matter is no longer golden.

“The Federal Government was challenged to come up with a stand following reactions of various states against the grazing bill in order to curtail violence between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen,” the congress charged, kicking against the plan by the Federal Government to clamp down on the social media.

On the 2018 budgetary allocation by the Federal Government, the congress presided over by its newly elected chairman, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, said the allocation of 6 per cent of the fund to the education sector as against the 26 per cent recommended by the United Nations, and as such advised the government to give higher percentage to the sector to engender development.

In addition, the congress urged a step up of professionalism among journalists via training and retraining of members into online publication, in order to raise the level of professionalism and operate within the ethics of the profession.

Further, the congress resolved:

“That it was high time the Union researched and championed new marketing models to aid media development so as to meet its financial obligations and commitments in the changing phase of the economy;

“To set up Welfare Committee to assist Journalists facing challenges and also to liaise appropriately with management of media houses on prompt payment of salaries;

“Committees set up to look into various crises on land matters were given up to January 2018 Congress to submit their reports to enable the Union take a position on the way forward.”

Uju N. Domonic/ED, Ops

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FG, States pledge matching fund for rural sanitation, promotion

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government and some implementing states have committed to a matching fund of $5million as counterpart contribution to the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, Margaret E. Umoh, in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet, said that Nigeria secured the grant for the project through the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS), which is a coalition of relevant government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners and civil society organisations working in the sanitation sub-sector.

The Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu, was quoted as saying this during the meeting with State Governors on the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) in Abuja.

“As we are all aware, access to improved sanitation in Nigeria has declined over time. As a result, there are over 70 million people without access to improve sanitation and more than 45 million 

people practicing open defecation in Nigeria,” he said.

Recognizing the public health risk, he pointed out that the Federal Government called on states and development partners to invest in the water, sanitation and hygiene sub-sector as Federal Government cannot fund it all alone.

Adamu said further that the RUSHPIN project which is going on in 6 Local Government Areas of Benue and Cross River States is a good example of government’s efforts in mobilizing resources to the sector in view of the limited resources available.

The Minister added that the Federal Government through the instrument of Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme and the roadmap of ending open defecation by 2025 in the country, has demonstrated commitment in addressing the issues of water, sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria.

Adamu thanked the Executive Director of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Dr. Chris Williams for the support given to Nigeria through the Global Sanitation Fund grant. While thanking Ondo and Sokoto States for their interest in the RUSHPIN project, he called on other states to key into the project as investing in water, sanitation and hygiene would protect the health of the people.

Present at the meeting were the governors of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Responding, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom said that in conjunction with the Federal Government, Benue State has paid 5million into the RUSHPIN Project in the state. While his counterpart from Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal said that the state counterpart fund will be captured in the 2018 budget proposal. The Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said that the issue of open defecation in the state is a big challenge, and that they are ready to partner with the Federal Government and other development partners in addressing the issue.

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FG restates ban on 25 items

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance at the weekend, listed some 25 import prohibited in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the spokesman for the Finance Minister, Mr. Festus Akanbi quoted his principal, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun as saying that the banned items include soaps, spaghetti and used or second-hand (tokunbo) refrigerators.

The press statement read in part:

IMPORT PROHIBITION LIST (TRADE)

Live or Dead Birds including Frozen Poultry H.S. Code 0105.1100 – 0105.9900, 0106.31.00.00 – 0106.39.00.00, 0207.11.00.00 – 0207.26.00.00 and 0210.99.00.00

Pork, Beef, H.S. Codes 0201.10.00.00 – 0204.50.00.00, 0206.10.00.00 – 0206.90.00.00, 0210.10.00.00 – 0210.20.00.00

Bird Eggs H.S. Code 0407.11.00.00 – 0407.90.00.00; excluding hatching eggs

Refined vegetable oil 1507.10.00.00-1516.20.90.00.but excluding refined linseed, castor and olive oil. Crude vegetable oil are however NOT banned from importation.

Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form containing added flavouring or colouring matter H. S. Code 1701.91.10.00 – 1701.99.90.00 in retail packs

Cocoa butter, Powder and cakes H.S. Codes 1802.00.00.00 – 1803.20.00.00, 1805.00.10.00 – 1805.00.90.00, 1806.10.00.00 – 1806.20.00.00 and 1804.00.10.00 – 1804.00.90.00

Spaghetti/Noodles H.S. Code 1902.11.00.00 – 1902.30.00.00

Fruit Juice in retail Packs H.S. Code 2009.11.10.00 – 2009.11.90.00 – 2009.90.90.00

Waters, including mineral waters and aerated Waters, containing added sugar or sweetening matter or flavoured, ice snow H.S. Codes 2201.10.10.00 – 2201.90.00.00, other non-alcoholic beverages H.S. Codes 2202.10.00.00 – 2202.90.90.00.(but excluding energy or health drinks – liquid dietary supplements e.g. Power Horse, Red Ginseng, etc)

H.S. Code 2202.90.10.00 and Beer and stout (Bottled, Canned or otherwise packed) H.S. Code 2203.00.10.00 – 2203.00.90.00.

Bagged Cement H.S. Code 2523.29.00.00

Medicament falling under Headings 3003 & 3004 such as:

Paracetamol tablets Syrups

Cotrimozazole tablets and Syrups

Metronidazole tablets and Syrups

Chloroquine tablets and Syrups

Haematinic formulations:

(i) Ferrous sulphate and ferrous gluconate tablets

(ii) Folic acid tablets

(iii) Vitamin B Complex tablets (except modified release formulations).

Multivitamin tablets, capsules and syrups (except special formulations)

Aspirin tablets (except modified release formulations and soluble aspirin)

Magnesium trisilicate tablets and suspensions

Piperazine tablets and syrups

Levamisole tablets and syrups

Ointments penicillin/gentamycin

Pyrantel pamoate tablets and syrups

Intravenous Fluids (Dextrose, Normal Saline etc)

12. Waste pharmaceuticals H.S. Code 3006.92.00.00

13. Soaps and Detergents H.S. Code 3401.11.10.00 – 3402.90.00.00 in retail packs

14. Mosquito repellant Coils H.S. Code 3808.91.17.00 (mosquito coils)

15. Sanitary Wares of Plastics H.S. Code 3922.10.00.00 – 3922.90.00.00 and Domestic Articles and Wares of Plastic H.S. Code 3924.10.00.00 – 3924.90.90.00 (but excluding Baby Feeding Bottles 3924.90.20.00) and (flushing cistern and waterless toos toilets).

16. Rethreaded and used Pneumatics tyres but excluding used trucks tyres for rethreading of size 11.00 x 20 and above 4012.20.10.00

17. Corrugated paper and Paper boards H.S. Code 4808.10.00.00 and Cartons, boxes and cases made from Corrugated paper and Paper boards H.S. Code 4819.10.00.00,

Toilet paper, Cleansing or facial tissue H.S. Code 4818.10.00.00 – 4818.90.00.00 excluding baby diapers and incotinent pads for adult use 9619.00.22.00 and Exercise Books H.S. 4820.20.00.00

18. Telephone Recharge Cards and Vouchers 4911.99.91.00

19. Carpets and other textile floor coverings falling under H.S. Code 5701.10.00.00 – 5705.00.00.00

20. All types of footwears, bags and suitcases, H.S. Code 6401.10.90.00 – 6405.90.90.00 and 4202.11.90.00-4202.99.90.00 but excluding safety shoes used in oil industries, sports shoes, canvass shoes and all Completely Knocked Down (CKD), blanks and parts.

21. Hollow glass bottles of a capacity exceeding 150 mls (0.15 litres) of all kinds used for packaging beverages by Breweries and other beverages and drinks company H.S. Code 7010.90.49.00 and 7010.90.31.00.

22. Used compressors H.S. Code 8414.30.90.00, Used Air Conditioners H.S. Codes 8415.10.10.00 – 8415.90.90.00 and used Fridges/Freezers H.S. Code 8418.10.10.00 – 8418.69.00.00

23. Used motor vehicles above 15 years from the Year of manufacture H.S. Code 8703.10.00.00 – 8703.90.00.00

24. Furniture H.S. Code 9401.1000.00 – 9401.9000.99 and 9403.1000 – 9404.9000, but excluding Baby walkers, laboratory cabinets such as microscope table, fume cupboards, laboratory benches (9403), stadium chairs, height adjustment device, base sledge, seat frames and control mechanism, arm guide and head guides. Also excluded are; skeletal parts of furniture such as blanks, upholstered or unfinished part of metal, plastics, veneer, chair shell etc.

25. Ball point pen and parts including refills (excluding tip)

*Ayo Midele with additional report from Independent

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Dickson commends FG’s water project in Ogbia

NaijaAgroNet:

The governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Seriake Dickson has commended the efforts of the Federal Government leading to recent completion and commissioning of the Central Ogbia Water Project at Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Governor Dickson, who gave this commendation when the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, paid him a courtesy call in Yenagoa, expressed delight that the project would meet the water needs of several communities in the area.

He stressed the need for those, who occupy positions of public trust to show true commitment to the completion of projects they inherited, pointing out that, the infrastructural deficit confronting most states and the Federal Government is as a result of reckless abandonment of government policies and programmes.

"This is the type of cross-party collaboration and continuity that should inform government policies. So, I like to thank the Federal Government for establishing this water project and the present administration for seeing to its completion for the beneficiary communities and people of this state to benefit," he said.

Highlighting the importance of water for both domestic and industrial use, the Governor said his administration would spare no effort to ensure the provision of potable water for the people of the state, despite the environmental challenges posed by the terrain and oil spills over the years.

He, however, called for more collaboration between the state, Federal Government and other development partners within and outside the country, noting that, the magnitude of work and financial resources required to meet the potable water requirements of the people was beyond the reach of the state government.

Governor Dickson, who also solicited the support of international organisations with the requisite financial and technical expertise, appealed to the National Assembly and the executive arm to carry Bayelsa along in their annual budgetary allocations for water projects across the country.

"If you look at Bayelsa from the outside, you will think there is so much water to drink. But the sort of water we have here, has its challenges because of the prolonged environmental issues that have arisen as a result of our being host to most of the oil producing companies.

"In the past four years that we've been here, we've tried a number of initiatives in terms of getting the right technology. So, we want to work closely with the Federal Government, its agencies and all partners across the globe, who have the capacity both in terms of financial muscle and technical expertise to ensure that we make potable water available to our people," Dickson submitted.

In his remarks earlier, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, who was accompanied on the visit by the House Committee Chairman on Water Resources, Hon Aliyu Pategi, the Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, Hon. Onoye Beredugo among other top officials said his team was in the state to commission the Central Ogbia Water Project, which was initiated by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He noted that, the project would be handed over to the state after the commissioning for beneficiary communities to use.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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Pix: Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson

Gov. Ikpeazu advises FG to establish NYSC farms to ease unemployment

NaijaAgroNet:

The Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has advised the Federal Government to think of establishing farms across the 36 states, using members of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) as drivers of a youth agricultural initiative, reports NaijaAgroNet. 

A press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Comrade Enyinnaya Appolos, said this at the weekend when Gov. Ikpeazu received the Director General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Sule Kazaure, on a one day working visit at Government House, Umuahia. 

Governor Ikpeazu said the policy will make it mandatory for Corp members to be trained by experts in various aspects of agriculture during their one year national service, and every state will provide farm. 

He said that upon the completion of their service year, the Federal Government will make Agric loans accessible to them to go into various aspect of farming.

Ikpeazu said that the scheme will provide employment as it will encourage youth involvement in agriculture and reduce the number of white collar job seekers.  

The governor said, "I've thought about how to solve the problem of unemployment in Nigeria and I think that the best way to solving this problem Sent from my iPad

According to him, "NYSC is a vehicle that can drive government policies including agriculture and achieve good value chain in the industry".

He promised that the erosion site at the orientation camp will be visited and the female hostel looked into, promising that government will continue to assist the NYSC in the state.

Ikpeazu also pleaded with NYSC to consider awarding contracts for the production of uniforms and boots to Aba tailors and shoe makers to support his administrations drive for patronage of made in Aba goods and services. 

He assured that the state Government will guarantee high quality products as well as provide industrial capacity machines and high quality inputs to a consortium of tailors and shoe makers at Aba to meet the demands of NYSC in a timely manner.

 The governor stated that the state is also ready to supply uniforms and boots to military men in the country at competitive prices.

Earlier, the DG of the NYSC, brig Gen Suleiman Zakari Kazaure said that he was in the state for a routine inspection of the camp facility for the batchA stream 2 of the NYSC.

He thanked the Governor for the cordial relationship between the state and the NYSC team in the state and appreciated his achievements in the state including his benevolence to the NYSC and requested him to assist in the area of erosion control in the camp, fix the dilapidated female hostel and provide borehole as well as do something about the subvention payable to NYSC.

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Pix: Dr Okezie Ikpeazu

Ezu River corpse: MASSOB cries foul says they are our members, petitions UN, FG

Information reaching NaijaAgroNet puts credence to the story ran by us that initial investigations at the break of the news that some corpses dumped in Ezu River in Anambra State boundary with Enugu State was the handwork of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with serious implication for upstaging epidemics in over 100 communities along the riverines.

Reports by Leadership stated that the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has identified the corpse as its members in Police custody.

MASSOB went on to list some of their names, alleging that they were in Police custody, invariably killed and dumped in Ezu River, just as the group petitioned the United Nations, Federal Government, United States’ President Barack Obama, United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), and Amnesty International to name a few.

The group also insisted they identified the corpses of those found floating in the Ezu River at Amansea community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State as those of their members arrested by Police on November 9, 2012.

Director of Information, MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, maintained in a press statement made available to newsmen Friday that the controversial corpses were those of their members who were arrested by security agencies in different parts of the Anambra State last year but were never released, nor charged to court.

He contended that Police secretly executed them alongside other criminals and dumped same in the river to cover their tracks. 

“MASSOB, with a deep sense of grief and sorrow, wishes to inform Mr. Ban Ki Moon (UN Secretary General), President Goodluck Jonathan, US President Barack Obama, United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), and Amnesty International about the gruesome murder of MASSOB members by the Special Anti-Robbery Squared (SARS) of Nigeria Police Force, Awkuzu, Anambra State,” he said.

Some of the victims’ names as given by MASSOB include Basil Ogbu, Michael Ogwa, Sunday Omogo, Philip Nwankpa, Eze Ndubisi, Ebuka Eze, Obinna Ofor, Joseph Udoh and Uchechukwu Ejiofor. 

Madu further pointed out that these victims were arrested at MASSOB’s security office at Onitsha, Anambra State, on November 9, 2012, by a combined team of Nigerian security agents - Army, Police and SSS - and were later handed over to SARS’ headquarters in Awkuzu, Anambra State, where they were detained until their suspicious disappearance. 

“We got information from an insider at SARS headquarters, Awkuzu, that armless MASSOB members detained at SARS were secretly killed alongside other robbery suspects,” he alleged. 

Reacting, the acting spokesman of the Anambra State police command, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, said that it was only the outcome of the autopsy being conducted on the specimen taken from the corpses that could state whether the claims by the group were true or false.

NaijaAgroNet equally confirms that MASSOB may have visited the SARS in Awkuzu only to discover that their members in custody are missing.

Meanwhile the Anambra State government have began to build borehores to enable the affected communities have some alternative water supply, especially the Amansea town. 

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