Connect with us

National News

FG to Partner with California National Guard to Fight Wildfire 

Published

on

FG to Partner with California National Guard to Fight Wildfire 

FG to Partner with California National Guard to Fight Wildfire 

By: Michael Mike, Abuja

The Federal Government is set to partner with the California National Guard to fight wildfire.

A statement on Monday by the Director Press in the Ministry of Interior, Blessing Lere-Adams read in part that: “In her   continued effort to control and manage varied wide and huge fire disaster, the Federal Government is to partner with the California National Guard for capacity training and assistance to ensure that it curtails the destruction of lives and properties in our forests and homes when such incidences of wide fire disasters occur.”

She said the Minister of Interior Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola disclosed this during the meeting with a delegation from the California National Guard headed by Major-General David Baldwin, Adjutant General and his team on a visit on Monday in Abuja.

Aregbesola stressed that interAgency operations of the Federal Fire Service and that of the  Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps is very necessary to protect the nation’s armless fire fighters when they embark on such  rescue mission, nothing that: “This will no doubt go a long way protecting them from  being  attacked during official operations of fire rescue missions.”

The Minister said that before embarking on any rescue mission by our Federal Fire Service officers he expects that the Armed Squad of the NSCDC to first be on ground to clear the way for the fire fighters to ease their rescue operation and to avoid being killed or harmed since they are not armed.

He requested of the National Guard to assist the nation’s Agencies on InterAgency operations to enhance their capabilities to manage wide and huge fire incidences, noting that: “The aim of Humanity is to benefit from people’s experiences and be better prepared towards such occurrences, thereby putting timely necessary remedy in place.”

Aregbesola said he hopes that a team should be arranged to work with the Federal Fire Service officers and the Nigerian Air force crew to develop a skill to do buck planning that will provide tangible solutions and to also provide facilities such as aircraft to deal with huge  wide fire disasters.

Also Read: Buhari takes over Presidency of PAGGW 

The Permanent Secretary of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore in his welcome remarks said that the visit of the California Guard would have been earlier, but for the global COVID-19 pandemic, that’s why it’s holding now.

Belgore revealed that the Ministry and all its Services will be in Ilorin this week for the 2nd Annual Ministerial Retreat to address and discuss security grey areas thereby coming up with better strategies that will definitely improve internal security management in Nigeria.

Also speaking, Major General David Baldwin, the Adjutant General of the California National Guard, appreciated the Minister, the Permanent Secretary, the CGs of the Agencies and all Management Staff of the Ministry who had made out time to discuss the issue of collaboration on the Internal Security of Nigeria, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the training and retraining of its personnel to improve their security capabilities.

Hon. Aliyu Gebi, in his overview of the Relationship between the Ministry and CANG stated that the partnership had started with former American President, Barack Obama for Nigeria to gain experience from their wealth of knowledge, particularly in their activities as it relates to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

He used the occasion to extend visiting opportunities to relevant officers of the Ministry of Interior to visit California so that the Federal Fire officers can learn more on the California mode of operation since they are best in international standard in areas of wide and huge Fire disaster Management.

FG to Partner with California National Guard to Fight Wildfire 

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

National News

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

Published

on

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

By: Michael Mike

Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.

The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.

In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.

“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.

“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.

The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.

Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.

Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

Continue Reading

National News

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

Published

on

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

By: Michael Mike

The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.

A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.

“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”

According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.

The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.

Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

Continue Reading

National News

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

Published

on

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People


…. Donates relief materials to displaced persons in Yelwata, IDP camp

By: Michael Mike

Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has charged former governors, legislators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Benue state to set aside rivalry, unite and act with urgency to save their people from incessant attacks and killings.

Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Principal Partner, Brookfield Chambers Abuja stated this on Saturday 28th June 2025 while donating relief materials to victims of the recent gunmen attacks in Yelwata community and displaced persons at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Some of the items donated under the banner of Women, Youth, Children and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), a non-governmental organization founded by her, include: bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam and other household items.

She said: “This is no time for division. It is no time for political squabbling or ego-driven manoeuvring. Among us are men and women who have led this state — former governors, legislators, traditional rulers — individuals with influence and authority. The time has come to set aside our differences and stand united, for the sake of the ordinary Benue man, woman, and child.

“That is why I stand here today to make this urgent and heartfelt appeal to our leaders: cast aside rivalry, unite, and act. Act with urgency. Act with purpose. Because what we face now increasingly resembles a deliberate, coordinated effort to erase our people and our heritage.

“We must take heed of the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who once said:
‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them.’
Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our present predicament:
‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed… you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”

Waziri, while stating that her call was a build up to the earlier proposal by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit Beforehand Benue, noted that meetings alone would not solve the problem, urging that: “But let us be sincere: peace will not come from meetings alone. To end the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots. Before the Yelwata massacre, communities in Gwer West, Apa, and Guma had already endured weeks of killings, kidnappings, and raids. These horrors did not emerge in a vacuum; they are symptoms of deeper issues.

“We must therefore confront the real causes — ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, and the rise of cultism as well as the abuse of illicit drugs. These forces must be tackled, along with the herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage. We cannot afford to keep going in circles. And there is no room for blame games. Our leaders — and indeed, all of us — must be pragmatic. So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that never again will a child in Benue grow up in a camp instead of a home”

She said the development in Benue must be of “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proferring solutions that will bring an end to these barbaric acts”

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights