News
ASSEP: Presidency, NEDC begin In-Person training of 150 Borno Teachers to revamp education in North East

ASSEP: Presidency, NEDC begin In-Person training of 150 Borno Teachers to revamp education in North East
By: Our Reporter
The Office of the Vice -President in collaboration with North East Development Commission (NEDC) have launched an in-person training of 150 Teachers drawn from various Secondary schools in Borno State.
The first Batch beneficiaries were from public and private Secondary schools in MMC and Jere Local Government who are undergoing a 2 -Day in-person teachers’ training under the Accelerated Senior Secondary Education Program (ASSEP), which aim to transform education quality in the North East region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

This in-person teacher training programme is a follow up to the online version where several hundreds across the North East states were exposed to several modern technics and pedagogy of academic improvements by the One-Million Teacher, globally-acclaimed organization in teacher training.
Declaring the programme open at Education Resource Centre in Maiduguri on Monday, Personal Assistant Domestic & North-East Affairs, Office of the Vice-President, Comrade Mahmud Muhammad said, the gesture is intended to cover all teachers across the North East states of Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa and Gombe.
He added that beneficiaries are expected to cascade the knowledge gained down to their respective schools for the benefit of Teachers and Students based on the ASSEP that is designed to upgrade teaching skills in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and agriculture.
Muhammad also said, the exercise is in line with the education revitalization commitment under the supervision of the Senior Special Assistant on Regional Development to the President, office of the Vice President, Dr. Mariam Masha with support from NEDC.

“I am honoured to recognize Vice President Kashim Shettima’s Visionary Leadership in Launching the Accelerated School Support Education
Program (ASSEP), which aim to transform education quality in the
northeast region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and education revitalization commitment under the supervision of the Senior Special Assistant on Regional Development to the President, office of the Vice President, Dr. Mariam Masha with support from the NEDC.
“Education is the greatest game changer, and on behalf of the Project Implementation Team (PIT) of ASSEP, I commend the Borno State government under the leadership of Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for his unwavering commitment to enhancing education despite the challenges of insecurity in the state.

” The Governor’s tireless efforts, alongside the State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe and other stakeholders have significantly contributed to ASSEP’s successful implementation.
“To our dedicated teachers, your participation in the 1 Million Black Belt
Teachers virtual training demonstrates exceptional dedication to
excellence. This in-person training marks crucial up skilling, aligning with global best practices, focusing on enhancing capacity, transforming
education quality, and fostering student excellence.”
“We’ll assess training impact through student quizzes, hoping for Borno
state to lead as a citadel of knowledge. Thank you to our partners for your
unwavering support and special appreciation to NEDC for bankrolling this special education intervention.
“As Malcolm X said, ‘Education is the passport for a better tomorrow.’ Your perseverance will profoundly impact student performance and help build a better and prosperous future”. Comrade Muhammad stated.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Focal Person ASSEP, Suleiman Abba Sheriff urged the participants to take good use of the opportunity in order to change the narratives, especially on the current decline of quality education in the region.
Also in his submission, the Lead Training Facilitator, Mr. Oluwagbenga Gbenga Ojo said, the training will provide needed skills and knowledge for the teachers to enable them deliver lectures and reposition the education so that, students would be able to write reports, memos, design websites, communicate better and expose to current trends in academic developments.
The ASSEP intervention project is being driven by Office of the Vice President and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) towards transforming educational development and inject innovative approaches, with focus on STEMA towards driving future development and human empowerment in Nigeria’s North East region.
ASSEP: Presidency, NEDC begin In-Person training of 150 Borno Teachers to revamp education in North East
News
RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State
…Making it the 20th State to Benefit from the Support
By: Our Reporter
The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Program, launched in Abuja in March 2024 to provide monthly support to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, has reached Yobe State—making it the 20th state to benefit from the initiative.
Since its inception, the program has covered Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto States before arriving in Yobe.
With generous support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another industrialist who prefers to remain anonymous, assorted food items were delivered, bringing relief to many households, particularly those with disabilities.
The First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, noted that donors provide two truckloads of food items to each beneficiary state for onward distribution. Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, she highlighted Yobe as a major beneficiary of RHI programs and interventions.
These include:

- The Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economists Empowerment Program, which supported 500 women with ₦50,000 each.
- The RHI Women Agricultural Support Scheme, where 20 women received ₦500,000 each.
- A ₦68.9 million grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Young Farmers Club.
- Annual financial support to senior citizens, with 100 beneficiaries receiving ₦100,000 each in 2023 and 250 beneficiaries receiving ₦200,000 each.
- A ₦50 million financial grant to 1,000 petty traders.
- The Women in ICT Program, aimed at empowering women in the digital economy.
According to Senator Tinubu, these interventions are designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni represented by his Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Barde Gubana reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the state has aligned with RHI through various empowerment programs for women, children, and vulnerable groups. These include the distribution of household items, skill acquisition schemes, and post-insurgency recovery programs that have economically empowered many women.
The State Coordinator of RHI and Wife of the Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Hafsat Kollere Buni, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending such impactful support to Yobe State. She also looked forward to stronger collaborations to further project the ideals of RHI and improve the lives of the people.
Also present at the event was Dr. Ubong Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, one of the key donors to the program.- RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State


News
Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency
By: Zagazola Makama
Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.
Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).
He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.
“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.
He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.
The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.
“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.
Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.
The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.
Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency
News
Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach
By: Zagazola Makama
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.
Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).
He said the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.
“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.
The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.
According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.
“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.
Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.
He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.
The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.
“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.
The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
End
-
News2 years ago
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years ago
EYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns2 years ago
Army University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS2 years ago
A History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
News6 months ago
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
Opinions2 years ago
Tinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria