Crime
Saving the Lake Chad Basin; Solving Myriads of Security Problems in Nigeria
In the northeast, tens of thousands of people have been killed and whole communities and public infrastructure have been decimated in the Boko Haram conflict, one of the most deadly and the most devastating during the past decade. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); js">
Thousands of young girls and women have been abducted and serially raped. Over three million people have been internally displaced while others have fled to neighbouring countries. There is also the problem of massive starvation as farms have been abandoned and camps for internally displaced persons are not adequately catered for with food, medicines and other supplies despite the commendable humanitarian assistance by international organization, foreign governments and the Nigerian national and state governments.
During the past decade also, there has been the problems of wars and massacres involving herdsmen and farming communities in different parts of Nigeria.
The Social Development Integrated Center (Social Action) in conjunction with Development and Peace Caritas, Canada; in a new report claimed that there are similarities in all of these conflicts and advocate for the need to promote a common civic understanding of the genesis of these problems. Hitherto, discourses around these unfortunate developments have had an overwhelming ethnic and religious colouration, which have contributed to dividing Nigeria along those lines.
While delivering welcome address by the Director of the Social Development Integrated Center (Social Action), Dr. Isaac ‘Asume’ Osuoka at the official launch and panel discussion on the report titled BOILING OVER: GLOBAL WARMING, HUNGER AND VIOLENCE IN THE LAKE CHAD BASIN, said that “What we have realized in our engagements and associated research is that there are intersections of an ongoing ecological crisis and violent conflicts in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region generally.
“In the other areas of Nigeria such as the Niger Delta, decades of environmental damage caused by the petroleum industry created local impoverishment and unemployment that encourage armed insurgency and banditry.
Therefore, both in the north and the south of the country, as agencies deal with the immediate challenges of insecurity, we need also to have a conversation about how to address the underlying ecological and governance problems that created the vulnerability in the first place.”
Osuoka also said that, “the findings of their research in northeast Nigeria is in accord with the view expressed by the Nigerian government that climate change is responsible for decades of drought and desertification in the Sahel region.”
Before the advent of Boko Haram in 2009, the Lake Chad Basin had undergone dramatic climate changes, resulting in the near-total drying up of the lake. Between 1963 and 2019, the Lake Chad had lost over 95% of its original size of over 22,000km2 to just a little above 1,000km2 impacting adversely on the livelihoods and the altering of migration patterns. It impacts include reductions in the pasture for livestock and fertile land for food production.
The near total loss of Lake Chad has had profoundly negatively impacts on fishing and agricultural livelihoods as the Lake used to serve as a lifeline for millions of people. By 2009, many young and able men in the Lake Chad Basin were unemployed!
The droughts of the 1970s and 1980s put pressure on the Nigerian government to build several dams and irrigation projects, sometimes with international credit facilities. Many of these projects started without adequate assessment of environment and social impacts, the report revealed that, in many cases, gains from such projects were overshadowed by massive dislocation of poor farmers and herdsmen who were removed from irrigated land in favour of politically connected persons. This was responsible for the peasant protestation against displacement by dams, which resulted in the Bakolori Massacre of 1980. The Maitasine revolt and massacre also happened in the same year. It is instructive to note that in the case of Maitasine, it was an Islamic sect that led the poor to revolt. “We can only imagine the social conditions in northeastern Nigeria that turned young men into butchers of fellow men under the banner of Boko Haram years later.”
“What the report we are presenting today shows is that understanding the social ecology of violence is imperative to sustainable peace in northeast Nigeria and elsewhere.” Osuoka reiterated.
In all of these, the reality of poor governance cannot be ruled out.
Osuaoka said, “However, if we say that climate change is a causative factor for the situation of insecurity, we do not suggest that it is the only cause. The reality of poor governance, the looting of funds by officials and contractors and the resultant abandonment of ecological restoration and development projects, many of which have been implemented without adequate consideration of environmental impacts, have all provided triggers for the crises.
So far, there have been reports, and widespread public perception of mismanagement of funds voted for humanitarian assistance in northeast Nigeria. When the state officials act with little regard for the human rights of citizens, the result is a germination of a culture of impunity.”
Now we have a
crisis that the government alone cannot address without the support of the
civic leadership. Our shared understanding of the urgency of the challenges at
hand and the necessity for concerted actions to achieve peacebuilding, national
development goals and a sense of global justice is key to solving the problem
we found ourselves in.
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Crime
Kogi Govt to Bolster Security, Collaborates With Security Agencies
By; Unubi Emmanuel O
The Kogi State Government has affirmed its commitment to partnering with security agencies in order to significantly reduce criminal activities within the state.
During an official visit by the State Commandant of the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Quadri Ibrahim, to the Governor’s Office in Lokoja, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by Deputy Governor, Comrade Joel Salifu, lauded the police force for their role in complementing the state government’s efforts to combat crime effectively.
Governor Ododo expressed confidence in the professionalism exhibited by the police personnel attached to his office, emphasizing his trust in the Nigerian Police Force and other sister agencies in their dedication to the government’s fight against insecurity.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo pledged to allocate additional resources towards enhancing the security infrastructure in Kogi State, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between the state government and the police yielding positive results.
He urged all security agencies within the state to unite in supporting the current administration and to demonstrate unwavering faith in the decisions made by the government, particularly in safeguarding the lives and properties of Kogi State residents.
Earlier in his speech, the State Commanding Officer of the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Police Force, Quadri Ibrahim, commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his investments in the security agencies within the state. He assured of their continued commitment to upholding professionalism in ensuring the safety and security of the populace.
Quadri Ibrahim praised Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his inclusive governance approach and expressed gratitude for the support extended to the security agencies, which has significantly boosted their morale in carrying out their duties effectively across the state.
The Commandant extended his appreciation to the Governor for his unwavering support towards the Nigeria Police Force and offered prayers for Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, to continue to enjoy the wisdom and courage necessary to steer the state towards greater heights.
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Crime
Kaduna State Police Command Apprehends Abuja Notorious Kidnapper, Chinaza Phillip
The Kaduna State Police Command on thursday, January 18, 2024 successfully apprehend Chinaza Phillip a notorious kidnapper operating in the Abuja area. The FCT Police Command confirms this, saying that the operation was carried out by diligent police operatives from the command. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Chinaza Phillip is alleged to have been involved in various high-profile kidnapping cases in the capital city, instilling fear among residents.
In a statement on Friday, the FCT Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Josephine Adeh, said the name of the suspected kidnapper is Chinaza Phillip.
She said Philip was arrested on Thursday, January 18, 2024, for his involvement in the recent kidnappings and killings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The suspect was promptly handed over to the FCT Police Command on Friday, January 19, 2024, and is currently in police custody.
The FCT Police Command expresses its commitment to thorough investigations to ensure that justice is served.
Details surrounding the arrest and subsequent charges will be communicated to the public in due course, as the police work diligently to provide a comprehensive account of the arrest and the charges leveled against Chinaza Phillip.
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- Prince Abdulrahman Obaje is a Media, Information and Computer Technology Consultant. A quintessential Journalist, online marketer, social media strategist, Mathematician and Computer Scientist is based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is the Founder and the Publisher of The Informavores!. You can reach me on +234 805 939 5252 or send i-witness report directly to me on news@informavores.com.ng.
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Crime
How This Suspect Conceals Drugs To Take To These Countries – NDLEA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), says the drug suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi conceals illicit drugs weighing 7.8kg in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion. to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); js">
According to it spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi disclosing in a statement on Sunday 30th July, 2023 in Abuja, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), had said that it has thwarted attempt by the drug suspect, Igboma Ifeanyi to export quantities of Loud, a variant of Cannabis, Tramadol and Rohypnol.
Babafemi said that the illicit drugs weighing 7.8kg were concealed in 66 bottles of skin lightening lotion.
He further said that the suspect was arrested by the operatives while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline flight to Muscat, Oman at the Lagos airport.
Also, another suspect, Ekpenisi Wisdom was equally arrested while trying to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Oman with 6.00kg skunk hidden in a bag of food stuff.
“A follow up operation led to the arrest of a staff of Toprano Hotel, Ikeja, Ibigbami Temitope Oluwatobi, who was fingered in the drug trafficking scheme.
“A consignment of 5.70kg codeine syrup going to the United Kingdom was also on Thursday July 27 seized from a 51-year-old widow, Adewunmi Atinuke by NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO export shed of the MMIA Ikeja, ” he said.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives attached to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (NACHO) export shed of the MMIA intercepted a cargo going to Nairobi, Kenya.
Babafemi said that a search of the consignment revealed that various quantities of MDMA (Ecstasy) popularly known as ‘Molly’ and Rohypnol were concealed in a bag consisting of foodstuff.
He said that the NDLEA operatives arrested an agent, Onydem Chinwe who presented it for export.
Equally, a consignment of 8.5kg skunk well concealed in a vehicle engine block going to Dubai, UAE was intercepted by the NDLEA operatives.
Babafemi said that the consignment was intercepted on Tuesday July 18 by the officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, (DOGI) , attached to courier companies in Lagos.
He quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the MMIA command as well as those of DOGI for their resilience and commitment.
According to him, Marwa charged them and their counterparts in other Commands to remain undaunted by the various machinations of drug cartels and barons.
NAN
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