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IITA, Other Research Institutions Pivotal To FG’s Agric Revolution – VP Shettima

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IITA, Other Research Institutions Pivotal To FG’s Agric Revolution – VP Shettima

** Says it’s time to walk the talk on food security

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s avowed commitment to agricultural revolution and food production can be facilitated by partner research and production institutions like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) as well as volunteer partners.

According to him, the Tinubu administration has taken the bull by the horns and is walking the talk by fixing Nigeria’s food security challenges.

Speaking on Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when he embarked on an assessment tour of the IITA, VP Shetttima expressed total confidence in the capacity, expertise and ability of the institution to harness the nation’s agriculture potential.

He said looking inwards has become mandatory, especially with withdrawals of some specialised grants meant for alleviating the plight of Nigerians through the health and agricultural sectors.

“The IITA is an institution that has been at the forefront of agricultural research, food security and economic development across Africa for the past five decades.

“We have some of the best crop scientists working here. The institution has been in existence for over 57 years but the Nigerian government has not fully utilised its potential. But it’s better late than never.

“That is why the President insisted that my humble self, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusinesses and Productivity Enhancement (Office of the Vice President), Dr Kingsley Uzoma, should come here and give him a live account of what we saw,” the VP said.

The Vice President explained why the government is poised to partner with IITA, noting that the institution’s commitment to practical research, impact, local yearnings and robust technological innovations makes it an indispensable ally in Nigeria’s agro-food sustenance policies.

Earlier, the Director-General of IITA, Dr Simeon Ehui, said the institute is spearheading multiple initiatives that have improved access to climate-resilient seeds and agricultural technologies.

“Our innovative systems between IITA-CGIAR and partners, particularly in improving cassava, maize and cowpea varieties have increased farmers’ access to high-yield climate-resilient seeds. The same applies to rice,” he said.

Dr. Ehui explained that IITA’s efforts are creating measurable impacts on both small-scale and commercial farming operations nationwide, noting that in the Northeast, the USAID-funded Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity (NIAA) has established community-based enterprises that focus on youth and women’s participation in agriculture.

“Our project in the North East is developing community-based enterprises, creating jobs and increasing yields of staple crops and ensuring nutritionally dense staple food for Nigerians,” Dr. Ehui stated.

He pointed out that a major advancement in the institute’s work is the newly established Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health at IITA headquarters.

“This initiative will serve as a regular catalyst for promoting sustainable fertilizer use, improving soil health and directly supporting Nigeria’s efforts to increase agricultural productivity,” Dr. Ehui said.

He added that the institute has also played a crucial role in crisis response, partnering with the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit (PFSCU) to address the recent ginger blight epidemic.

The Vice President, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusinesses and Productivity Enhancement (Office of the Vice President), Dr Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (Southwest), Moremi Ojudu, and other senior government officials were taken round the facilities at the institution, including the Seed Multiplication Centre for yam/cassava and the institution’s Business Incubation Platform (BIP).

IITA, Other Research Institutions Pivotal To FG’s Agric Revolution – VP Shettima

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Chieftaincy dispute causes chaos in Muye village in Niger

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Chieftaincy dispute causes chaos in Muye village in Niger

By: Zagazola Makama

A renewed chieftaincy tussle in Muye village, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, has sparked violent confrontations between rival supporters, prompting swift intervention by security operatives.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the crisis began around 6:20 p.m. on Thursday when the deposed village head, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulkadir Maigari II, forcefully returned to Muye and broke into the palace.

The incident provoked tension among residents, especially after supporters of the current Dakachi confronted the deposed monarch. The situation was immediately brought under control by a team of security personnel from Lapai.

However, Zagazola learnt that the situation escalated on Friday morning when supporters of both camps clashed again, leading to a free-for-all fight that disrupted public peace in the community.

Security sources were swiftly deployed to Muye to restore normalcy.

“The combined security teams have brought the situation under control. Monitoring and surveillance operations are ongoing to prevent further breakdown of law and order,” the source said.

No casualties or arrests have been officially confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

Chieftaincy dispute causes chaos in Muye village in Niger

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Eid-el-Kabir: IPCR Calls on Nigerians to Peace, Harmony

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Eid-el-Kabir: IPCR Calls on Nigerians to Peace, Harmony

By: Michael Mike

Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has called on Nigerians to promote peace and harmony in their communities, recognizing that peace is essential to national development and progress.

The advice was given by the Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, in his message on Eid-el-Kabir.

The Institute, while extending warm greetings to Nigerians, wished them a joyous and peaceful celebration, marked by love, compassion, and unity.

The Institute while noting that Sallah is a significant occasion in the Islamic calendar, symbolizing the values of sacrifice, gratitude, and community, emphasized that the spirit of Sallah should guide Nigerians in their interactions with one another, fostering a culture of peace, tolerance, and understanding.

The IPCR urged Nigerians to promote peace and harmony in their communities, recognizing that peace is essential to national development and progress, while
encouraging individuals to embrace the values of Sallah, including forgiveness, empathy, and kindness, in their daily lives.

According to IPCR, peace is critical to promoting national stability and cohesion.

The Institute also urged Nigerians to use this period of Sallah celebration to address conflicts and promote dialogue, which could help to build trust and understanding among Nigerians and also contribute to a more peaceful society.

It recognized that the country’s many ethnic and religious groups can work together to build a more harmonious society, celebrating their differences and promoting a culture of tolerance.
End

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Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing

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Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing

By: Michael Mike

A community leader and the Waziri Mushere of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, Chief Yohana Margif has expressed dismay over the incessant killing of innocent citizens of the community.

Margif made this known in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Abuja.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene to halt what he described as genocide against the people, which he said was being perpetrated by suspected herdsmen.

Margif also called on Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, and other security chiefs in the country, to rein in the alleged culprits.

He said: “I would like to draw the attention of the topmost leadership in Nigeria to the deteriorating dire security situation in Plateau, particularly in Mushere Chiefdom of Bokkos LGA.

“I urge President Tinubu to take immediate decisive action to halt these endless and senseless killings, protect lives and properties, and secure the future of the Mushere people, and other victims of obvious genocide against the people.

“Herdsmen are killing our innocent people, burning their homes, looting their foodstuff, property, livestock, and taking over their ancestral lands,” he said.

According to the Abuja-based real estate mogul, the attacks and attendant killings have intensified recently since the onset of this year’s farming season.

Margif further said that the people had been displaced from their villages and ancestral homes and were forced to become internally displaced persons in the country.

He emphasised that the situation required immediate intervention by all stakeholders in order to prevent further escalation and inflict an irredeemable harm by wiping out the entire community from the surface of the earth.

He lamented that: “Since President Tinubu’s administration began, Plateau State has witnessed an unprecedented escalation of violence and loss of lives.

“This is the current sad reality. Our people are constantly under the threat of the enemy’s bullets and can’t sleep with two eyes closed due to the perpetual unleashing of violence against them by external forces.

“Something urgent must be done to stem the tide of violence and end this war against the people in order not to
harm this administration’s reputation,” Margif said.

In the past couple of days, suspected herdsmen militia killed no fewer than 35 people in the localities of Hokk, Pangkap, Fokoldep, Kopmur, Margif, Horop, Mbor, Mushere and Kwahas localities in Mushere Chiefdom.

Chairman, Bokkos Community Peace Observers, Kefas Mallai, who confirmed the killings to newsmen, said the victims included a 70-year-old Pastor of COCIN LCC Kwakas-Mushere, Mimang Lekyil, who was attacked and killed in the church.

He said that the pastor’s wife was also shot in the leg and was admitted at the Jos University Teaching Hospital for treatment, he said.

“Bokkos has never been this insecure, with the people being butchered as we are currently witnessing,” Lilian Madaki, from the Mushere community told journalists.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Emmanuel Adesina, also confirmed the incident in a statement saying security forces including police and military personnel, had been deployed in the affected communities.

Community Leader Seeks Tinubu’s Urgent Intervention in Incessant Plateau Killing

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