“Be responsible and guard your utterances while using social media platforms” ~YSU VC

By: Kolo Gulani

The Vice-Chancellor of Yobe State University, Prof. Mala Mohammed Daura, has charged the newly elected members of the Executive Council of the Student Union Government (SUG) to be honest and good ambassadors of the University.

The Vice-Chancellor made the call today Friday 10th January, 2025 while inaugurating the new EXCOS of the union at the Geidam Hall of the University.

Prof. Daura who was represented at the event by the Dean, Student Affairs, Prof. Sani Isa, expressed his dissatisfaction on some students over their unguarded utterances about the activities of the University on social media platforms.

He said it’s good for the students to always seek for clarification through the appropriate channels of communication in the institution so as to avoid sharing fake news and hate speeches that will implicate them.

In his address, the University Acting Director of ICT, Dr. Idi Mohammed, advised the students to properly apply for the students’ NELFUND in which he said, some students are making mistakes while applying for the loan.

In their separate remarks, the Head of Geology Department, Prof. Adam Zarma, and his counterpart from Public Administration, Dr Hadiza Mali Bukar, charged the students to concentrate more on their studies than student unionism.

In the meantime, the newly elected President of the Students Union Government (SUG), Comr. Yunusa Abdullahi Barde, called on the students of the University to support him and his team in discharging their responsibilities.

The President said his administration will prioritize students’ welfare, academic support, leadership and skills development as well inclusion and equality among the students.

The newly inaugurated EXCOS are Yunusa Abdullahi Bardea as President, Zainab Abdulmumin, Vice President, Mustapha Abdullahi, Secretary General, Muhammad Iliya, Assistant Secretary Genera and Helen Lukas as Treasurer.

Others are; Abba Kabir Yusuf, Financial Secretary, Hussaini Yakubu Abdullahi, Social Director and Saidu Musa Baba, Welfare Officer, Aliyu Adamu, Director of Sales, Ahmed Nasiru, Director Sport and Shitu Musa as Public Relations Officer (P. R. O).

“Be responsible and guard your utterances while using social media platforms” ~YSU VC

Prostitution among former captives on the rise in Borno, says Commissioner

By: Zagazola Makama

The Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, has raised concerns over the growing prevalence of prostitution among former captives of Boko Haram in communities such as Bama, Banki, and Gwoza Local Government Areas (LGAs).
Wakilbe stated this during a courtesy visit by Hamsatu Allamin, Chief Executive Officer of the Allamin Foundation for Peace, on Friday in Maiduguri.
He advocated urgent intervention to empower freed Boko Haram captives, to enhance their economic and social protection.

He said the call was imperative to fast track support and integration of the victims into the society, to enable them to resume normal life.

The commissioner lamented that some of the freed victims were exposed to sexual abuse due to their vulnerability, poverty and lack of support.

“I recently encountered an 11-year-old girl surrounded with three children. It was heartbreaking.

“The Cameroonian authorities’ repatriated young girls aged 13 to 15 with multiple children.

“These vulnerable individuals need urgent reintegration and support,” he said, adding that the spate of sexual abuse could be attributed to poverty and lack of viable alternatives for survival.

He also called for the establishment of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers in border communities like Bama, Gwoza, and Kamburungara, to empower the resettled victims of conflict.
“We need sustainable programmes to address their vulnerability and provide alternatives. Poverty drives many of these individuals into vices like prostitution.
“Once we offer skills and support, they can rebuild their lives,” he said.
Wakilbe stressed the need to focus attention to handling conflict affected children, noting that traditional education systems were ill-equipped to address their unique needs.
“Our education system must accommodate these children but they are not equipped to handle the specific needs of these children.
“Those children witnessed unimaginable violence, abduction and displacement which requires tailored de-radicalisation and reintegration efforts..
“We tried integrating some of these children into regular schools, but it failed. For instance, some of the Chibok girls were enrolled in secondary schools, the principals reported that they could not handle the unique needs of these children.
“We had to transferred them to special programmes like Second Chance schools,” he said.
According to Walkibe, lack of long term planning in addressing the education needs of the conflict affected children has been a key concern, adding that donor agencies implemented programmes that failed to meet their immediate needs.
He said that teaching local languages like Hausa in areas where Kanuri was dominant missed the point, and stressed the need to focus teaching in English Language, to ensure that the children adapt to modern education.
The commissioner noted that some donor funded programmes failed to address the immediate needs of the region, and urged them to prioritise capacity building for educators, and implement viable long term solutions for conflict affected persons.
“There are 67,000 women and children in the camps. We cannot continue turning a blind eye. We must rethink how to educate and reintegrate them.
“We need centers to teach skills and provide start up packs for these girls. Poverty drives them into vices, but with alternatives, they can rebuild their lives,” he said.
He said the state government had trained over 300 women in vocational skills and distributed start up packs, to enable them to become self-reliant.
Wakilbe reitrated government’s commitment to partner with development organisations and agencies, to address problems affecting victims of the conflict.
In her remarks, Allamin called for interventions to address critical issues identified during the peace building programme initiated by the organisation.
She said the organisation identified serious issues that required immediate, proactive and sustainable interventions to address.
Allamin said the foundation had rehabilitated hundreds of women and girls involved in the insurgency under its Community-based De-radicalisation of Women and Girls in the state.
She said the de-radicalised women had encouraged their peers in the bush to surrender to the authorities.

Prostitution among former captives on the rise in Borno, says Commissioner

Property Worth N1.9 trillion Save from Inferno

…N67.1 billion Property Lost, Over 100 Persons Died in Fire Outbreaks

By: Michael Mike

Property worth N1.9 trillion were saved from being destroyed by fire outbreak in 2024, with another estimated at N67.1 billion lost in the same period even as over 100 lives were equally lost in various infernos across the country, the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Engineer Abdulganiyu Jaji disclosed on Friday.

Addressing the media on the achievements of the the service in the last one year, Jaji said: “In the year 2024, the Federal Fire Service successful saved property worth N1.9 trillion and recorded an estimated property loss of N67.1 billion. In the same year, the Federal Fire Service responded to fire and other emergencies during which 30, 890 lives were saved while about 100 lives were lost .

He warned Nigerians on the dangers of not being careful enough around fire, stating that: “Currently, we are in the harmattan season when humidity is low and the risk of static spark or gas explosion can spread rapidly. Fire is a delicate and dynamic force that requires us to be more cautious and vigilant.”

He added that: “At this point, I implore all operators of fuel stations, petrol tankers, gas refilling station, gas cylinders consumers and the general public to follow safety protocols and regulations.

“As we begin year 2025, our focus, remains steadfast on ensuring public safety, and improving our commitment to saving lives, property and the environment.

“The purpose of today’s briefing is to address the fire outbreaks, that occurred across the country recently, especially those, in the year 2024 such as; petrol tanker explosions, markets, religious centers, fuel stations, private, public property and other major emergencies, in order to forestall further occurrence of such fire incidents.”

He disclosed that: “This year, we will continue to advance our goals through robust strategies, operational efficiency and proactive moves, we will also focus on raising awareness, improving response time using cutting edge technologies such as the National Fire Detection and Alarm System (NAFDAS), Fire Alarm App known as N-Alert.”

He said: “His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces who remains committed to the safety of lives and property of the Nation in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, made significant strides such as graciously approving the procurement of state-of-the-art firefighting appliances, Remodeling of the National Fire Academy Sheda.”

Jaji went on to apologize and condole with Nigerians over the fire incidences recorded so far since 2024 stating that effort are being made to build more secure stations to boost emergency response time to boost efficiency and cut down on losses during fire outbreaks

Property Worth N1.9 trillion Save from Inferno