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NSCDC Directs State Commandants to Support Safe Schools Project
NSCDC Directs State Commandants to Support Safe Schools Project
By: Michael Mike
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has directed its State Commandants to support the Safe Schools Project to further assist to cascade the capacity building training programmes for the benefit of more stakeholders in their domain.
The NSCDC which is saddled with the responsibility of protection of critical national assests and infrastructure (CNAI), described children as the greatest assets of Nigeria.
Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, mni gave the directive in a keynote delivered at a one-day capacity building programme organised by the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) for State Coordinators and Desk Officers drawn from the North Central geopolitical zone, held at the National headquarters of the Corps in Abuja.
He reteriated his administration’s commitment to the cause of safer schools for students, teachers and host communities through training and retraining which is the mainstay of any organisation.
Represented by the Deputy Commandant General Technical Services, DCG Zakari Ningi, the Corps’ helmsman said the training with the theme: “ensuring safer schools for all” is geared towards improving the capacity of NSSRCC personnel at all levels in line with achieving the Safe Schools Declaration target of government.
He maintained that after the vulnerability study of schools conducted by the Corps in 2021, the Corps has since been committed to ensuring safer learning environments for children, teachers and host communities.
While declaring the training opened, the NSCDC boss urged participants to network and draw knowledge from experts for better service delivery, and applauded the contributions of other stakeholders like the Ministries Interior, finance and education and Civil Society Organisations like Save the Children International for their unwavering commitment towards achieving the mission of the centre.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Commander NSSRCC ACC Rabiu Ibn Muhammed, said in the phase of new trends in insecurity like cyber threats, drug abuse, cultism amongst others, the centre sees opportunities for collaboration, innovation and growth and hence the need to equip its personnel on latest innovations and technologies in the security field.
He further explained that experts have been carefully selected in various areas to impact new insights on the participants to better confront the various challenges facing the safety of schools all over the federation.
He highlighted that other phases of the training will take place in the other geopolitical zones before the first half of the year.
Also, speaking in a good will message, the National Coordinator Financing Safe Schools, Hajiya Halima Iliya Ibrahim extolled the efforts of the Commandant General and other stakeholders in spite of challenges of funding and budgetary allocation for their unique role and unwavering commitment towards the mission of the Centre established in 2023.
She encouraged the participants to actively participate and share knowledge, domesticate and also cascade the knowledge to the grassroots.
In the same vein, the lead Consultant to NSSRCC, Prof Tyoor Terhemba, Deputy Director Advocacy and Focal Person Save the Children International, Dr Musa Bada and immediate past Commander of the Centre ACG Hammed Abodunrin, PhD, fdc delivered goodwill message.
The 300 participants for the one-day training were drawn from the states in the North-Central Geopolitical Zone comprising Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, Plateau States and Federal Capital Territory.
NSCDC Directs State Commandants to Support Safe Schools Project
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
By: Zagazola Makama
Seven suspected bandits were arrested along the Benin–Agbor Road in Edo State during stop-and-search operations, security sources confirmed.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, all Fulani youths, were intercepted after being offloaded from a truck at about 1800 hours on 2 December 2025. A search revealed pictures of assault rifles, including AK-47s, on their mobile phones.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to have travelled from Adamawa State. Investigations are ongoing for the possible recovery of actual firearms and to determine their involvement in criminal activities.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements to help prevent criminal acts in the area.
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
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Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
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