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Military can be self-reliant-CDS
From Eyo Charles, Calabar
The Chief of Defence Staff , General Abayomi Olorisakin, has expressed confidence on the possibility of the Nigerian armed forces to be sent reliant if current investments and interests are sustained.
He spoke yesterday at the ongoing 4th quarter Nigerian Army Research and Development Conference at Obudu Mountain Resort in Cross River State.
He said the armed forces were at the vanguard of research and development that would position them for self reliance in their armament needs and military hardware.
“The Nigerian Navy held its conference on technological development a few weeks ago and two weeks ago I was invited to a conference by the Nigerian Air force and today, we are at the Nigerian Army Research and Development Conference and in each of these workshops there is a display of technological innovations which shows that the armed forces is taking the lead in putting the military and nation ahead technologically”, he said.
Navy rescues woman from kidnapers From Chris Eze, Yenagoa
Men of the Nigerian Navy yesterday rescued a female kidnap victim in Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Base in Yenagoa, Commodore Yakuku Wanbai, said the kidnappers struck yesterday at about 2:00am in Angiama-Gbene.
He said his men who were on patrol on the waterways got a distress call and headed to the scene of the incident where the kidnappers whose speedboat had developed a fault abandoned the victim and fled on sighting them.
“My men rescued the woman and brought her to the base and in line with the existing inter agency cooperation, we are handing the woman over to the police for preliminary investigations and re-uniting her with the family, he said.
Mrs Tokoni TrustGod told newsmen that five kidnappers armed with guns and machetes invaded her residence at Angiama Gbene early yesterday and abducted her.
“They broke into the house and asked me if I was Professor Millionaire Ambowei’s sister and I told them that I wasn’t, they said I was lying and took me away to the waterside where they put me in a speedboat.
“When we got to Olagbene their boat had a fault and ran out of fuel, when they saw an oncoming boat they fled into the bush and the people in the boat took me and hid me in the neighbouring community.
“Shortly afterwards, the kidnappers who had fixed their boat came to the place I was kept and shot severally, threatening to kill the people if I was not produced, so they brought me out and left for the waterside.
“We boarded the kidnappers’ boat again and heard the sound of the Navy gunboat, it was at this point that the kidnappers abandoned their boat and when the Navy people came I cried out to them that I was the one held hostage.
“They took me in their boat and brought me to Yenagoa,” the woman said. According to her, Professor Millionaire Ambowei is her husband’s brother based in Port Harcourt.
The Naval Base Commander handed her over to Mr. James Ejure, a Chief Superintendent of Police from the Criminal Investigation Department and Mr Richard Ogwuche of the Anti-Kidnap Squad of the Bayelsa State Police Command.
Ejure commended the Navy and promised that the police would conduct an investigation into the incident to arrest the kidnappers.
Angwe lauds IGP’s warning on rights violation
By Sherifat Amako
The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Professor Ben Angwe, has commended the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase, for warning officers and men of the police force to against violation of human rights.
Professor Angwe said the IGP’s warning was a welcome development in the light of reported cases of acts of incivility, physical assault, intimidation and extra-judicial killings perpetrated by the police.
The executive secretary said the NHRC was ready to partner with the police and other stakeholders in maintaining human rights in the works of the police.
He has also hailed the IGP for sustaining the ban on road-blocks, describing it as a source of extortion and abuse of human rights. “Frivolous searches, intimidation, arrests and extra-judicial killings are hallmarks of these road-blocks” he said.
He also urged the IGP to consider reactivating the human rights desks in all police formations as it will enhance the ability of the police to respect the human and fundamental rights of the people.
The IGP had warned in Kaduna on Tuesday that he would “deal decisively” with any police officer found guilty of human rights abuse or engaging in professional misconduct.
Sultan bags UNFPA maternal health award
From Abubakar Auwal, Sokoto
The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) has conferred on the Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III the Champion of Maternal Health.
In a brief investiture at his palace yesterday, the UNFPA Resident Representative, Ratidzai Ndhlovu, said the gesture was in appreciation of his contributions to maternal health which caused a drastic reduction in maternal and child mortality in the country.
“This is to appreciate your contributions to maternal health and your sustained effort towards ensuring that no woman loses her life while giving birth,” she said.
Responding, Sultan Sa’ad dedicated the award to the Northern Traditional Rulers Committee on Primary Healthcare which did most of the field work.
He assured UNFPA that they would continue doing their best towards safe delivery among women.
“Without you and other agencies the work would not have been done because we have limitations,” he said.
RTEAN Ogun chapter urges stability
By Terkula Igidi
Members of the Ogun State chapter of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) yesterday paid a solidarity visit to the National President of the association, Alhaji Musa Isiwele Shehu in Abuja, saying he had stabilised the association.
They said they were pleased with the way he has handled issues of the association and called for the current stability of the state chapter to be sustained through him.
Speaking to newsmen at the RTEAN national headquarters in Abuja, the State’s Acting Organizing Secretary, Lateef Salisu said they visited to thank the national president for his effective handling of the association’s
affairs in the state by appointing an active acting chairman in the person of
Ahmed Kuku Aboki following the death of the former chairman.
Salisu said they also wanted to use the opportunity to appeal to the national headquarters to confirm Ahmed Kuku Aboki as the substantive chairman of the state chapter given the fact that he had proved to be an astute administrator.
The state Administrative Secretary 2, Alhaji Lateef Dehinde, praised Isiwele’s leadership style.
Reacting to their appeal, Isiwele noted that the constitution of RTEAN was supreme and remained the guiding principle of
their activities.
He maintained that they were ever ready to entertain requests from every quarter, but such requests must be within the context of the constitution.
He said an election would soon be conducted to test the popularity and strength of contestants.