News
Nigeria, Seven Other Countries Get $1.96 million from ECOWAS to Tackle VVF

Nigeria, Seven Other Countries Get $1.96 million from ECOWAS to Tackle VVF
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria and seven other member countries of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have received $1.96 million from the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre to tackle cases of fistula disorder (Vesicovaginal fistula).
All the eight countries got $245,000 each. The other countries are Togo, Benin, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, and Liberia.
The presentation of cheques to the beneficiaries were one of the highlights at the 91st Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairman ECOWAS Council of Ministers, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar revealed that the Council would deliberate on the Community budget for the 2024 fiscal year while lamenting the current economic challenges affecting the region’s Gross Domestic Product and revenue generation.
The Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that: “We must be mindful of the prevailing economic and financial challenges confronting our sub-region, such as inflation, high food prices, and currency devaluation, which have adversely affected our economies.”
He lamented that: “These challenges have impacted on our gross domestic product, revenue generation, and in particular our mobilization of the Community Levy, due to devaluation of some of our major currencies, particularly Cedi and Naira
against the US Dollar.”
Tuggar urged Council Ministers to support the recommendations of the Administration and Finance Committee on enhancing prudence, as well as the efforts of the President of the Commission and other Heads of the Institutions on blocking leakages to ensure judicious use of the meagre resources.
Also, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, decried that member states under sanctions have stopped remitting levies, adding that ECOWAS need enough financial resources to tackle the challenges bedeviling the region.
Touray said: “For some time now, the levy collection has been a challenge. The amount of 0.5% ECOWAS levy on imports from outside the Community has been collected by member states on behalf of ECOWAS.
“However, the deposit of these funds into the ECOWAS bank accounts at the country level and access to the funds have been a challenge. This has led to low resource mobilization.
“The situation is more critical now that our member states under sanctions have stopped remitting the levy. As the financial situation gets more difficult, the tasks for ECOWAS are growing.”
He however urged the Council of Ministers to “mobilise the levy fully to be able to implement our community work programme and keep up with the successes of ECOWAS.”
Nigeria, Seven Other Countries Get $1.96 million from ECOWAS to Tackle VVF
News
Taraba communities agree to ceasefire as police deploy personnel in Karim Lamido

Taraba communities agree to ceasefire as police deploy personnel in Karim Lamido
By: Zagazola Makama
Communities involved in a recent farmers-herders conflict in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State have agreed to a ceasefire and resolved to embrace peace following a high-level intervention by security agencies.
Zagazola Makama report that security delegation deployed for an on-the-spot assessment to the area on Monday, held a peace meeting with key stakeholders in the affected communities.
The meeting, which was held in Karim Lamido town, ended successfully without incident, as leaders of both the farming and herding communities pledged to maintain peace and work together to prevent further clashes.
To ensure sustained calm and protection of lives and property, security personnel were immediately deployed to flashpoints across the local government area.
The deployments include 40 Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel, conventional police officers, Nigerian Army troops, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) operatives, as well as local vigilantes and hunters stationed in Munga Doso.
In Bandawa, an Anti-Kidnapping Squad has also been mobilised, and adequate security arrangements are in place to deter criminal activity.
Taraba communities agree to ceasefire as police deploy personnel in Karim Lamido
News
Two villagers ambushed, killed in Plateau’s Riyom LGA

Two villagers ambushed, killed in Plateau’s Riyom LGA
By: Zagazola Makama
At least two person were attacked and killed in an ambush by unidentified assailants in Dachidom Village, Riyom Local Government Area of the state.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the victims, identified as Linus Davou and Tunde Daylop, were ambushed and killed while returning from Hwot Village on Tuesday night.
The sources disclosed said that a distress call was received at about 10:30 p.m. from the Commander of the local Hunters Association, reporting that the victims were attacked at about 9:48 p.m.
The Nigerian army troops along with other combined troops were promptly deployed to the scene.
The lifeless bodies of the two men were recovered and evacuated to the General Hospital, Riyom, for documentation and further investigation.
Two villagers ambushed, killed in Plateau’s Riyom LGA
News
Army, NAF Troops repel ISWAP attack on military base in Kala-Balge, Borno

Army, NAF Troops repel ISWAP attack on military base in Kala-Balge, Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army, supported by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), have repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Rann, the administrative headquarters of Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State.
Zagazola report that the incident occurred in the early hours of May 13, when the terrorists, disguised as Fulani herdsmen, launched a coordinated assault on the military base.
A reliable security source Zagazola Makama that the troops engaged the attackers in a fierce gun duel, at about 12:15 am, prompting the intervention of a NAF fighter jet which arrived at the scene during the firefight.
On sighting the air platform, the terrorists reportedly attempted to flee in different directions to avoid attack.
However, the NAF pilot tracked and engaged a group of the fleeing terrorists escaping in a Hilux truck, neutralising several of them and destroying the vehicle.
The number of casualties on the side of the terrorists could not be independently verified, but the military confirmed that normalcy has been restored to the area following the encounter.
Army, NAF Troops repel ISWAP attack on military base in Kala-Balge, Borno
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