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People’s Forum calls for investigation into alleged spending of over N3 Billion in Northeast, Northwest Nigeria

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People's Forum calls for investigation into alleged spending of over N3 Billion in Northeast, Northwest Nigeria

People’s Forum calls for investigation into alleged spending of over N3 Billion in Northeast, Northwest Nigeria

By: Our Reporter

Investigations by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had revealed a breach of procurement laws by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in their spending of N3.07 Billion in the two geopolitical zones of northeast and northwest Nigeria.

IPCR is a Federal Government’s institute under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and saddled with the responsibility of preventing, mitigating and resolving conflicts in the regions across the country.

Reacting to the huge sum of money spent by the Institute to restore peace in the Northeast, a stakeholder and member of Borno-Yobe Peoples Forum, Alhaji Abba Kaka said the people of Borno are neither aware of the presence of IPCR nor any of their interventions.

Alhaji Kaka made this known during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE on RADIO, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development in Abuja.

While expressing shock over the alleged amount of money spent by the institute, he further revealed that even the immediate past Chairman of Governing Council of the Institute, Senator Muhammed Abba-Aji was surprised upon discovering the sum of money the institute claimed to have spent on the region.

He called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to swiftly probe the expenditures by the institute in the Northeast.

He added that Senator Aji, who was disturbed by development, had already reached out to the current Director-General of the IPCR to brief the Northeast Governor’s Forum on the allegations.

His words: “As a stakeholder from Borno State, I am just hearing that N3.07 Billion was spent on peacebuilding in the Northeast for the first time, I am not aware of their presence neither is the Borno-Yobe People Forum which I belong to.

Also Read: SPEAKER OF ECOPARL WANTS URGENT MEETING OF ATTORNEYS…

“Last night, I called the former Chairman Governing Council of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution to read the story, he called me back that and said he is not even aware of himself, he has even asked the current Director-General of the institute to come and brief the Northeast Governor’s forum. He was the chairman from early 2018 to December 2020, they didn’t have a kobo as far as he is aware, so he was surprised and was absolutely dumbfounded.”

Reacting to breach of procurement laws in the contracts awarded by the institute, Alhaji Kaka lamented that the prevalence of corruption in the public service through contracts award became possible due to the connivance of public servants and companies involved.

While urging the anti-graft agencies to investigate the monies IPCR spent on peacebuilding in the Northeast, he hailed ICIR and PRIMORG for exposing such reports to the general public and the government and called on Non-Governmental Organizations and citizens not to relent in demanding accountability.

“We are calling on the EFCC and ICPC to kindly investigate this matter and find out what really happened to the money. This is just one agency of the government, there are several such things happening,” Alhaji Kaka stressed.

Earlier, ICIR said the rationale behind the investigation was to evaluate the monies spent on the Northeast and Northwest Nigeria given the fact that killings, kidnappings and other forms of insecurity persist in the region despite over N3 billion spent in the two geo-political zones.

ICIR findings reveal that killings in the Northeast and Northwest, where most of the funds were spent, rose from 2,773 deaths in 2017 to 6,401 in 2020, which raised questions about the budget performance of the institute.

People’s Forum calls for investigation into alleged spending of over N3 Billion in Northeast, Northwest Nigeria

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VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary

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VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has departed Abuja for Dakar, Senegal, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the country’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary celebrations.

Senegal celebrates its Independence Day on April 4 each year, commemorating its freedom from French colonial rule in 1960. The day is marked by national pride, with ceremonies, parades and cultural events.

The Vice President’s attendance at the annual event is in honour of an invitation extended to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, following the strong mutual relationship between Nigeria and Senegal.

The independence Day celebrations will be held at the Place de la Nation in Dakar, with President Faye playing host to Vice President Shettima and other distinguished guests from across Africa and beyond.

The Vice President is expected to return to Nigeria tomorrow after the one-day event.

VP Shettima Departs Abuja For Dakar To Represent President Tinubu At Senegal’s 65th Independence Anniversary

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President Tinubu Laying Foundation For A Better Nigeria, Says Hajiya Nana Shettima

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President Tinubu Laying Foundation For A Better Nigeria, Says Hajiya Nana Shettima

  • Tasks Nigerians on constructive criticism of government actions, policies

By: Our Reporter

Wife of Nigeria’s Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, has scored the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu very high, saying the President is building a better Nigeria for Nigerians through his laudable economic policies, various empowerment initiatives and investments in key sectors of the economy.

And to help the President secure a better future for all Nigerians, the VP’s wife also encouraged the citizens not to relent in giving very useful advice to the government, urging them to be more constructive in their criticism of the administration instead of just attacking for political reasons.

Hajiya Nana Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during the annual Ramadan feast, which had in attendance women groups and students

Emphasizing the determination of the Tinubu administration to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come, she said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is baking a new cake for us that are alive today, and for the Nigerian children and grandchildren that are coming behind us. It is who he is ably supported by our lovely First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.”

Hajiya Nana Shettima noted that the President means well for the people of Borno State as well as Nigerians in all parts of the country, even as she urged the citizens to always pray for President Tinubu and members of his cabinet.

“I can tell you that he (the President) means well, not only for Borno people but for the entire nation. We should not forget him and his subordinates in our prayers,” she added.

She further commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her contributions towards actualizing the agenda of the administration, especially through the Renewed Hope Initiative which she said has impacted many lives, including women, children and people with disabilities.

Also speaking at the event, the Director General of Maryam Babangida Centre for Women Development, Abuja, Dr Asabe Bashir, admonished women and the people of Borno State to imbibe the teachings of the just concluded Ramadan.

She also sought the people’s support and prayers for President Tinubu, thanking the President for picking his deputy from Borno State.

She said, “I always reiterate the importance of prayer because without prayers we can do nothing in life. We have just come out of Ramadan; let us imbibe that culture and lessons we received during the 29-day fast. We need to continue with the spiritual reflection.

“We should thank God and President Bola Tinubu for remembering the people of Borno State again by bringing the seat of the Vice President, not just to the North-East region but to Borno State after Ambassador Babagana Kingibe was elected along with the late Chief MKO Abiola so many years ago.

“We must continue to pray for the administration of President Bola Tinubu because if it succeeds, we succeed,” Dr Bashir added.

On his part, the Speaker, Youth Assembly of Nigeria, Tijjani Abubakar, thanked President Tinubu for his support to Nigerian youths through various youth empowerment initiatives.

Also, Dr Martins Ekunke, who spoke on behalf the South-South, Yoruba and Igbo communities residing in Borno State, commended the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for galvanizing support for people living with HIV/AIDS through her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Among those that attended the annual Sallah feast hosted by Hajiya Shettima, were the wife of the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Hajiya Maryam Lawan; wife of the Deputy Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Hajiya Laure Musa-Askira; female Commissioners and political appointees.

Also in attendance were women groups, members of the Borno State chapter of the Nationals Association of Nigerian Students, as well as the leaders of South-South, Igbo and Yoruba communities residing in Borno State, among others.

President Tinubu Laying Foundation For A Better Nigeria, Says Hajiya Nana Shettima

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UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala

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UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala

By: Michael Mike

The National Headquarters of University of Ilorin Alumni Association has lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing three of its members into various leadership positions in the country.

Those appointed were Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Kemi Nandap,, whose tenure was elongated till December 2026, Non Executive Director of NNPC, representing North Central, Mr Babs Omotowa- and the Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, Prof. James A. Aribisala.

In a congratulatory message to the trio, the National President, Prof. AbdulRasaq Kilani, and the National Secretary, Dr Barakat Raji, said the Association received the news of the appointments with excitement.

The Alumni, who commended President Tinubu for selecting the best for their various positions, assured him that the three alumni would not disappoint him in attaining the goals set for them to achieve.

While felicitating with the appointed members on their well-deserved appointment, the Association charged them to always show the excellence in them in surpassing the targets set for them by Mr President.

The Association who extolled the pedigrees of the appointed members in their various fields, implored them to live up to the expectations of the slogan of the institutions “better by far” in all ramifications.

The Alumni then prayed for their successful tenure and tasked them not to hesitate to reach out to them whenever their services are needed in any capacity towards national development.

UNILORIN Alumni Commences Tinubu on Appointment of Nandap, Omotowa, Aribisala

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