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Darret foundation holds two days workshop for Christian and Muslim youths in maiduguri

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Darret foundation holds two days workshop for Christian and Muslim youths in maiduguri

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The Cardinal Onaiyekan and Dr Tim Darret foundations both focused on peace and development have held a two days workshop to bridge the peace gap between Christianity and Islam in the country.

The workshop with theme “youth and conflict: interfaith challenges and opportunities for peaceful co-existence” was held in maiduguri recently mainly to open the eyes of young people in the “Muna community” on how to further strengthen the peace in the state and the region respectively.

Declaring the workshop open, Bridgid O’Connor from the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) who is also the Chief of Party for a project known as “Thrive” noted that it was a workshop to strengthen the capacity of young people of the state especially on promoting peaceful co-existence within themselves instead of living in crisis.

Speaking with newsmen during the occasion, she said that most of the young people assembled at “kirika sama” in maiduguri had training in social cohesion and trauma management which is vital to their keeping of the peace.

She revealed that the talk shop was an opportunity for adherents of both Christianity and Islam to gather together and jaw jaw about the way forward in promoting peaceful co-existence.

O’Connor stated that since peace is not something that comes within one or two days but a phenomenon that should be worked on by parties involved to get a long term solution, she expects the people to be able to rationalize the advantages and go for it at all costs.

“Nobody can eat peace. It has to be worked upon. You also have to have a form of living to be able to provide or create peace. I will not necessarily advise them on how to run their lives but I believe that as matured adults, they have their individual competencies and know what to do.

“They should trust in their own skills and competencies and take the initiatives to their own communities to reach their neighbors and see what they can do together especially by promoting and ensuring a fair share of the resources they have in their communities together. ” said O’Connor.

The convener of the peace project Dr Timothy Darret said he expected that each of the 50 participant who attended will turn out as peace ambassadors in their neighborhoods.

In his presentation, he regretted that the love of worldly things such as money, materialistic materials, was a very big challenge to both religions, as it can lead young people to do things beyond their comprehension.

“This is because a lot of youths today do go to their early graves because of their worldly desires, they engage in rituals, yahoo, kidnapping, etc.

” These desires at times makes them to even sacrifice their parents and loved ones. So, people are advised to engage in legal hustling in order to make a leaving, by doing so, we can be able to overcome this challenge.

” Illiteracy is another challenge faced by interfaith, because lack of knowledge about one’s religion, can lead to certain misinterpretations about one’s religion. So, it is advisable to always look for knowledge, although knowledge is expensive, but if you think so, try ignorance, then you will find out that it is more expensive than knowledge.” He stressed.

On lack of mentorship, he went on: ” You will observe that a lot of people give little or no attention to mentorship, as they think they know everything and don’t need any teaching or guidance from anyone. Most especially in the case of religion. There are lots of things that needs mentorship, Professional guidance and deep understanding, because without good guidance, it can lead to misinterpretation, which can trigger religious crises and misunderstanding.

“Most of the problems faced today in religious perspectives is due to bad mentorship guidance or due to misinterpretation by your own understanding. So, consulting a good mentor or leader for religious guidance is most needed in order to prevent this challenge.” he concluded.

Also speaking Dr Timta Musa said he expects that peace would be fostered and maintained in the state at all times after the two days training.

Speaking on commitment Dr Timta Musa asked what they can do for peace in their own commitment and what can they do to promote peace and understanding among people.

To him, “that’s what we should first decide and then do what’s needed to be done. At times some religious leaders do engage in hate speech, which might trigger some misunderstanding, so we should try to commit our self in any activity that can promote peace and people’s commitment.

Several papers were presented during the two days sessions which include: “Understanding interfaith dynamic in Borno” by Sheikh Talha. “Role of youth in preventing Radicalization.” by Fr Saminu Gabriel. “Interfaith Challenge the common drivers” Sheikh Talha and Peaceful co-existence by Fr Saminu Gabriel. Of course forgiveness was amply handled by Dr Tim.

Darret foundation holds two days workshop for Christian and Muslim youths in maiduguri

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

By: Zagazola Makama

A tragic road accident occurred on Saturday at the popular Mile 6 Market in Jalingo, Taraba State, when a tipper truck loaded with shaft sand lost control and rammed into a crowd of traders and shoppers.

Zagazola learnt the incident, which happened around midday, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed as emergency responders continue rescue operations and assessment of the scene.

Sourcessaid the truck was speeding when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered into the busy market area, knocking down people and structures along its path.

“It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim, a local vendor. “The truck was on speed and after the tyre burst, the driver couldn’t control it. It just rammed into the crowd.”

Security operatives and medical personnel arrived swiftly at the scene to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals. The body of the deceased has also been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to identify victims and notify their families.

The driver of the truck has been apprehended and is currently in custody as investigations continue into the cause of the crash.
End

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.

He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.

Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.

He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.

He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.

He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.

NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.

Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.

The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits in large numbers stormed Bature Daji community in Niger in the early hours of Saturday, abducting a resident while narrowly missing their original target, a local vigilante member.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the attackers invaded the residence of one Dani, a known vigilante operative in the area. He was reportedly the primary target of the assault but managed to escape.

However, the gunmen kidnapped one Attahiru Ibrahim, popularly known as Sarki Daji, from the same neighborhood and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Local sources revealed that the assailants later moved toward Gorogawu Village, a border community near the Republic of Benin, raising concerns of cross-border movement and security challenges.

A joint team of security forces, including military and other operatives, has launched a pursuit operation to rescue the victim and apprehend the attackers.

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