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Buhari Approves N13B For Community Policing Take-off

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4 years ago

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To battle the escalating insecurity, community policing will soon take off across the country, the National Economic Council (NEC) said on Thursday.

The new security plan, which is expected to halt killings, kidnappings, banditry and insurgency in many parts of the country, has got N13 billion cash approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule announced the decisions at the end of NEC’s sixth meeting this year, which was virtual, except for the attendance of a few of the members at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa.

Sule was one of those who attended the meeting at the Villa. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided.

He said the decision was taken after a report by the adhoc committee on security and policing, headed by Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, was submitted to the Council.

The ad-hoc panel, according to him, met August 4, to review the growing security challenges in the country.

The governors also requested for more funding for states and the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to enable them to meet security obligations.

Sule said the meeting received briefings from the NSA, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said: “Council resolved that the chair of the NGF (Nigeria Governors’ Forum) with two other governors would meet with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Finance Minister and the Inspector-General of Police to co-ordinate the proper utilisation of the N13 billion funding of community policing in the states.

“State governments have been overwhelmed by insecurity expenditures and there is the need by the federal government to inject more funds to augment expenses by the states, among others.”

“The meeting made several observations and came up with recommendation, that would help government tackle insecurity in the country.”

Community policing is the middle-of-the road proposal by Inspector-General (IG) Mohammed Adam following the cry for State Police as panacea to the security challenge.

The attempt by the Southwest states to a regional police was also blocked, forcing the states to decentralise Operation Amotekun.

The NEC also received reports on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country; flood disaster risk management for 2020, and compensation payments on federal highway project across the country.

The meeting commended the efforts and commitment of the federal government in containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting States’ response capacity through various interventions.

The NCDC report indicates that positive cases have fallen from 19.7% in June to 13.7% this month, while number of states with testing laboratories increased from 2 to 32, including the FCT.

According to the status report presented to the council, “the average tests per day has risen from 500 at the onset of the outbreak to 3,500 today, while the daily laboratory testing capacity increased to 10,000.”

Council also received recommendations from the adhoc committee some of which include: the states and FCT to look for ways of upscaling the communication at the grass-root level/ non-compliance to non-pharmaceutical interventions.

The need for states and FCT to explore the suggested use of local networks and traditional institutions such as Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) for re-orientation of the people at the grassroots who had continuously lived in denial of the pandemic, thereby displaying nonchalant attitude towards the laid down protocols.
States and FCT should engage the services of respected community influencers such as the heads of “Area Boys”, market women, and villagers, in disseminating the same message to the grassroots using different modes/media that are common to such people and could easily attract their attention.
Also at the meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, gave detailed balances of the various national financial accounts: Excess Crude Account (ECA) Balance as at 18th August 2020 = $72,408,119.44

Stabilization Fund Account

Balance as at 18th August 2020 = N44, 207, 377,110.34

Natural Resources Development Fund Account

Balance as at18th August 2020 = N144, 047, 195, 020.54

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Tinubu Signs Bill Establishing National Centre for Arms Control

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2 weeks ago

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September 18, 2024

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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

Published

3 weeks ago

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September 17, 2024

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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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NLC President, Joe Ajaero, Arrested at Abuja Airport

Published

4 weeks ago

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September 9, 2024

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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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