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Breaking: Military men arrest Catholic priest in Cross River

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*** Gov Ayade fingered

It has just been confirmed that Rev. Fr. Titus Armon, Assistant Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Abuochiche, Bekwarra LGA was arrested yesterday evening at about 6pm by military men who didn’t identify themselves.

Eye witness accounts by parishioners who attended Evening Mass said Father Armon was picked up right in the Church Premises just as he finished the evening mass and was greeting parishioners.

More information coming in has it that he was “arrested” by men In military uniform dispatched from Calabar! He was arrested in place of his twin brother, also a priest who serves in Anambra. His twin brother has recently been highly critical of the governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade.

Father Armon, the one at Anambra had written a very critical fact check on the tenure of Gov Ayade!

Efforts however are under way by the Catholic Heirachy lawyers from Joe Agi SAN Chambers to trace him and effect his release.

“We look forward to his release and more details on why he was arrested and who instigated his arrest as the day goes by,” the eye witness say.

Parishioners at SS Peter and Paul are said to be restive and are wondering why a priest will be arrested and from within the premises of the church too.

Reports reaching us indicate that community leaders are working hard to placate worshippers so as to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Fact Check on Ayade by Father Armon which probably led to the arrest:

“Governor Ayade warns Cross River State Youths.*
(Copied)
Great Cross Riverians, I want to salute the courage of our young people who joined their compatriots across the nation to protest against police brutality and bad government in Nigeria.
*♤ _Where were you hiding when #EndSARS started in Cross River State?_*

As you are aware, my administration has over the years made the well-being of our young people a key priority.
*FACT Check: _Most of them belong to the same Cult fraternity as your brother Frank!_*

Indeed, not only do we have the youngest political appointee in the country, who is just over 16 years old, our state executive council is the youngest in the country.
*♤ FACT Check: _That IS NOT TRUTH. The youngest person was 19yrs when appointed._*

I value the life of every Cross Riverian. I am therefore, appealing to our young people to avoid any act that could bring them on the way of harm now that the Federal Government has deployed anti-riot policemen in our cities.
*♤ FACT Check: _It’s your responsibility! DON’T PASS THE BLAME to the Federal Government of Nigeria._*

You have through your sustained protests, made your points. We have heard you loud and clear.
All the issues you have raised are noted and I hereby, make the following commitments:

1. We will proceed with the process of asphalt overlay and fixing of potholes within Calabar metropolis. We must however, allow the rains to subside to give us a dry sub-surface to make for a better and more lasting job.
*♤ FACT Check: _You recently said on record that you were not elected the Governor of Cross River State to be repairing potholes. Has_ #EndSARS _now changed your mind?_*

2. We will find additional means to create more jobs for our young people.
*♤ FACT Check: _You keep on making this same promise every year, during the COVID-19 pandemic you made the same promise yet again._*

I would like you to note that in spite of being the least federal allocation earning state, we do not owe salaries. We also do not owe pensions
*_😳🙄🤔Prof. Ben rapture is real! Our lean resources not withstanding, we will strive to commence the payment of gratuity as soon as possible. What happened to your Intellectual Money and Green Money?_*

Do not forget also that our administration granted tax exemption to low income earners in the state.
*♤ FACT Check: _Your guys are still beating up citizens and collecting Tax from them._*

3. The focus of our administration has been on industrializing the state with a view to creating job opportunities for our people. We have established several industries including the ultra-modern rice mill, Ogoja, Cocoa Processing Factory, Ikom, Calabar Pharmaceutical Factory, Calabar Noodles Factory, Frozen Chicken Factory, Calabar Garment Factory, Rice Seedling Factory, Toothpick Factory, Piles and Pylon Factory, all of which have been completed. The factories will soon commence operations, thus providing more job opportunities for our people, including our young people.
*♤ FACT Check: _All these bogus factories mainly located in warehouses are privately registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC; Barrister Alphonsus Oga Eba, Due Process DG and your candidate for the PDP-CRS Chairmanship is a major shareholder in most of them._*

4. We are doing more than it is in public domain to confront the security challenges in Calabar. We have deployed a special security team from Abuja and so far, the team is doing a good job, arresting between 15 to 20 suspected kidnappers on daily basis.
*♤ “Benedict! Benedict!! Benedict!!!… _how many times did I call you? I am not saying that you are lying;_ I AM SAYING YOU ARE NOT TELLING THE TRUTH. Kidnappers are having a field day in Calabar and Akpabuyo on a daily basis_*

99.9 percent of suspects are non-indigenes of the state. So I commend our people for their non-involvement in this crime of stealing human beings.
*♤ FACT Check: _That Is Simply NOT TRUE more of the captured suspects paraded were indigenes of the state._*

5. The dualisation of the Tinapa-Odukpani Highway with the spaghetti flyover and an interchange bridge will be completed this coming dry season.
*♤ FACT Check: _Are you prepared to take native Oath “Mbiam” that the Spaghetti Flyover will be completed this coming dry season? Have you now found a sponsor as a result of #EndSARS? My friend “mbòk, biko, ejòr, dòn allah,” fear GOD…_*

6. Asphalting of the dual carriage road in northern part of the state will get to the Bekwarra axis of the road by the end of the month. The Okpoma, Mfom part of the road will be completed by the first quarter of 2021.
*♤ NO COMMENT!*

7. Boki East-West road and the North Ukelle road which the World Bank reckoned was beyond the capacity of the State, will be completed by the first quarter of 2021.
*♤ NO COMMENT!*

8. The construction of the 275km superhighway and the Bakassi Deep Seaport was set back by three years when the Federal Government took our State to court. It took a spec

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Tinubu Signs Bill Establishing National Centre for Arms Control

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The development was made known at a workshop focused on gender mainstreaming in efforts to curb the spread of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, held on Tuesday in Abuja.

The workshop was organized by the NCCSALW. Ribadu, represented by the Director of External Affairs from the Office of the National Security Adviser, Amb. Ibrahim Babani, described the president’s assent as a crucial step in the government’s fight against the illegal proliferation of arms.
He noted that this legislative backing would solidify the centre’s authority and facilitate more coordinated efforts to tackle the issue.

Ribadu also emphasized the importance of gender mainstreaming in addressing the arms control problem, citing key international frameworks such as the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
This resolution underscored the need to protect women from the impacts of conflict and ensure their active participation in peacebuilding and security initiatives.

AIG (rtd) Nuhu Ribadu
National Security Adviser

He also referenced the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which highlights regional cooperation in stopping the spread of weapons that disproportionately affect women and children in conflict zones.

“The importance of gender mainstreaming in preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons cannot be overstated,” Ribadu said. “It strengthens our strategies and ensures our approach to security is inclusive and sustainable.”

Speaking at the workshop, the National Coordinator of NCCSALW, retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Johnson Kokumo, detailed the centre’s recent efforts in combating illegal arms proliferation.
Kokumo mentioned that the centre recently retrieved a substantial cache of illegal arms from the Nigeria Customs Service and arrested 10 suspects involved in illicit importation. These suspects are currently being prosecuted for offenses that include the illegal importation of 544 firearms and 112,500 rounds of ammunition, in violation of Nigerian law.

Kokumo further revealed that the centre has retrieved 3,383 decommissioned and illicit small arms, along with 26,749 rounds of ammunition, from various government agencies. He also announced plans for an Arms Destruction Exercise later this quarter to ensure that recovered arms are permanently removed from circulation.

Highlighting the global implications of small arms proliferation, Kokumo said, “The control of small arms and light weapons is not only a national concern but also a matter of international importance.” He added that addressing this issue through a gender-sensitive approach is both a moral imperative and a strategic move, considering the grave impact of armed conflict on women and children.

“This workshop is a significant step in ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into national and regional strategies for small arms and light weapons control,” he stated.

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IPPIS Database Safe and Secure – FG Assures Civil Servants

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By Elizabeth Okwe

Contrary to apprehensions being expressed in certain quarters regarding the security of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), the Federal Government has reassured civil servants that the System database remains secure and has not been compromised.

The assurance came via a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations,  the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, on Monday in Abuja.

A news report (not SunriseNigeria) had claimed that the ‘IPPIS Payroll Validation section on the official website of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had been hijacked by an unknown hacker.

It also claimed that workers’ data stored on the official website of the IPPIS Secretariat, a department at the OAGF, was susceptible to attack because the secure site layer feature of the website had expired and remained unrenewed for over a year.

However, in the statement, the OAGF said the government is committed to maintaining and operating a safe and efficient personnel and payroll management system.

Checks by our correspondent showed that the IPPIS section of the website was still inaccessible when this report was filed.

Mokwa stated that “the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System database has not been compromised,” and reaffirmed that employees’ personnel data was secure.

The OAGF, which is responsible for overseeing the management of the IPPIS and other federal financial initiatives, revealed that it has implemented an ICT Security Policy aimed at safeguarding its digital assets.

According to the OAGF, this policy aligns with global best practices in cybersecurity, ensuring the continuous protection of sensitive data within government systems.

“No data is saved on the OAGF website,” the statement clarified, addressing rumours that sensitive information may have been stored or compromised through the website.

“The IPPIS uses the website only to share information, not for transactions. Neither payroll nor payments are made through the website, therefore, no data is contained in the website,” Mokwa stated.

The statement further clarified that the IPPIS Validation Portal, recently developed to update employee information, had been deployed for a specific period. Once the data validation exercise was completed, the portal was shut down permanently to prevent any further access.

“The IPPIS Validation Portal was deployed on a secure platform,” the statement read, adding that a secure database and application system were procured from HELIX-FONS, a reputable international software provider.

The office acknowledged that the IPPIS is of utmost importance to Nigerian workers, thus it became imperative to assuage the fears of any loss or breach of employees’ data in the IPPIS database.

 

 

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Security

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Arrested at Abuja Airport

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Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero.

The arrest was carried out at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja this morning.

According to sources, Ajaero was about to board a flight to the United Kingdom for an official assignment when he was picked up by the DSS personnel.

The reasons behind his arrest are still unclear, but sources revealed that he has been handed over to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

Recall that Ajaero was scheduled to attend the conference of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK, which is slated to be held today.

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