IOM seeks revalidation of National Action Plan to tackle issues of displacement

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has promoted the need for the revalidation of the National Action Plan (NAP) to tackle issues that affect Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

IOM Chief of IOM Mission in Nigeria, Mr. Laurent De Boeck, disclosed this in Abuja at the 7th National Humanitarian Coordination Technical Working Group (NHCTWG) meeting, to revalidate the NAP on IDPs in Nigeria.

De Boeck, who was represented by Head of Policy Governance Liaison and Support of IOM, Daniel Salmon at the event organised with support of the Swiss, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and in close coordination with IOM and WFP, described the national policy on IDPs as dynamic framework designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective coordination of humanitarian responses to IDPs.

According to him, the NAP undergoes regular joint reviews to adapt to evolving contexts and ensure continuous improvement, through inclusive and democratic processes.

De Boeck said, “What has been fantastic is the process of people from different parts of Nigeria, from the civil society, governments or international partners all coming together, to discuss the critical matters of internal displacement in Nigeria.

”There are more than three million IDPs in Nigeria. This document provides us roadmap to go beyond purely humanitarian assistance and look at how to constructively develop sustainable pathways for internal displacement.

“It sets out the obligations and responsibilities of each government entity under the national policy and relevant benchmarks, timelines and indicators to facilitate monitoring accountability.

“This document identifies the budgetary requirements for implementation of the national policy to enable necessary allocation and resources of the fund as a result of the collaborative and inclusive process.

“This involved input and feedback of various stakeholders, including line ministries, institutions, state authorities, UN agency, NGOs and displaced communities through technical working group meetings, bilateral consultations, focus group discussions and validation workshops.”

In separate interview, the Head of Nigeria Office/Field Director, International Public Opinion Research and Analysis,
Mubarak Yusuf, said three documents were reviewed for the revalidation.

He said the first document was the NAP on IDP policies, noting that no fewer than 200 participants who were engaged, participated in consulting throughout the process.

He said: “The NAP is trying to ensure that critical activities of the policy are outlined and this is a process seamlessly that have started right from August 2022 with a number of actors.

“What we are looking at particularly now is revalidating this document, Also, looking at it from framework of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty alleviation, to measure what extent these activities will aid in alleviating poverty, particularly the vulnerable population.”

IOM seeks revalidation of National Action Plan to tackle issues of displacement

NSCDC FCT COMMAND ARRESTS SUSPECTED VANDALS, RECOVERS AK47 RIFLE

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command has arrested four suspected vandals in Dabi Bako area of the Kwali Area Council, Abuja.

The arrest was made during a routine patrol of the anti vandal team of the Command where one of the suspects was caught vandalizing armoured cables at the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), small Sheda, Kwali, kwali Area council, Abuja.

Upon interrogation, the suspect made useful confessions that led to the arrest of three (3) other accomplices and the recovery of more stolen armoured cables already on its way to the market.

The suspects are:
Amodu Lawal, 20 years, male, Katsina
Zaki Idris, 32 years, male, Kano
Suleiman Yunusa, 25 years, male, Kano
Isa Abdulrazak, 38 years, male, Kano

Further investigation is ongoing, thereafter the suspects would be prosecuted according to the provisions of the NSCDC ACT which empowers the Corps to arrests, detain and prosecute in the name of the Attorney General of the Federation (NSCDC Act Section 3:1f).

In the same vein, the men of the Anti- Vandal unit of the Command while on patrol in Abaji Area Council discovered an Ak47 rifle without its magazine attached in a farmland.

According to the farm owner who alerted the men on patrol, the riffle was discovered by him in his maize farm upon his arrival early in the morning at about 7am to work on his farm.

The said rifle have been recovered and taken to the Command’s headquarters for safe keeping and further investigation to unravel the ownership and source of the rifle.

The NSCDC FCT Commandant, Dr Olusola Odumosu commended the command’s anti vandal team for their gallantry and commitment to the protection of critical infrastructure as well as safety of the FCT residents in general.

He charged them not to rest on their oars but to redouble their efforts towards ensuring total eradication of vandals by effecting more arrest of these criminal elements destroying public utilities.

He assured FCT residents of the Corps commitment to their safety and the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure which is already yielding positive results.

“We want to assure all residents of the FCT that we will not rest on our oars, we are determined to keep you safe and ensure the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure in the FCT” the commandant said.

Dr Odumosu praised the farm owner for alerting the operatives on patrol upon his discovery of the rifle and not keeping it to himself for sinister motives.

He advised other citizens to emulate the patriotic spirit exhibited by the farm owner by reporting promptly any incident of crime or suspicious movement or activities in their environment to security agencies nearest to them.

NSCDC FCT COMMAND ARRESTS SUSPECTED VANDALS, RECOVERS AK47 RIFLE

Interior Minister Commissions New Fire Station in Bayelsa

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has commissioned a new fire station donated by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson to the Federal Fire Service (FFS) in Bayelsa State.

The fire station is based in Toru Orua, a community located in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday, Tunji-Ojo, who praised the senator’s gesture, noted that the new facility would enhance the agency’s ability to respond to fire incidents in the state.

He said: “It takes an exposed mind, a visionary personality to understand what is happening here today. With this, you are making this place a hub for the industrial revolution that will happen in the Niger-Delta.

“This is the first time I am seeing this exemplary initiative from a senator, and it shows that you understand that fire service is not just about fire as they are the first responders in any emergency situations. On behalf of the father of the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), thank you for being a pacesetter and hoisting the flag of greatness and development in the Niger-Delta region.”

The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Engr. Abdulganiyu Jaji, expressed his gratitude to Senator Seriake Dickson for donating a new fire station to the agency. “I thank His Excellency, the former governor of Bayelsa State, and current Senator representing Bayelsa West for this edifice,” Jaji said.

“I appreciate him for considering the building of a Fire Service station as his constituency project. With his collaboration, I am delighted that we now have this facility ready for operation.”

Speaking on the role of the fire service in response and rescue operations, Dickson called on lawmakers at both state and national levels to prioritize fire safety and consider building fire response capacities from their constituency allocations.

He said: “I use this medium to call on all our leaders in the country, our legislators at both state and national levels to consider seriously the issue of fire safety. The government cannot have the resources on their own to build the fire response capacity that our great country needs. I, hereby, call for support for the fire service.

“While we all agree that it is very important that we support security outfits, we don’t sometimes remember the critical role that the fire service that should be at the forefront of response and rescue operations needs to be. I want to call on legislators to think of building fire response capacities from their constituency allocations. I believe this will assist the service to deliver better on their mandate.”

Dickson assured the Minister of his support in the Senate for the reforms being implemented under the ministry.

The newly commissioned fire station is equipped with modern firefighting equipment and vehicles, and is expected to improve the overall firefighting capacity in the state.

Interior Minister Commissions New Fire Station in Bayelsa