News
SDGs office, NYSC partner to train SDGs development facilitators

SDGs office, NYSC partner to train SDGs development facilitators
The Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train trainers for SDGs development facilitators.
The training which is the second edition is a three -day event holding in Abuja is aimed at training corps members who will in turn train others for the effective implementation of the SDGs, especially at the grassroots.
The workshop is tagged Train-The-Trainer Workshop for Facilitators and Schedule Officers of the NYSC-SDGs Champions.
In her keynote address, the SSAP-SDG, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the implementation of the SDGs was centred on capacity building, technology, adequate financing, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.
According to her, trainings on youth engagement, particularly at the local communities cannot be overemphasized as the local government is pivotal to the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria.
“It is the closest tier to the people and as such, the only tier of government that can feasibly understand, monitor and react to the millions of activities that will collectively add up to the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria.
“Youth engagement at the grassroots has been identified as a critical success strategy to the effective implementation of the SDGs implementation.
“The youths can develop and focus on innovative community engagement mechanisms to ensure that citizens are actively participating in the SDGs through Programme design, implementation, evaluation and reporting among others.
“Essentially, we must train and equip our young Champions who are key partners in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development,” Adefulire said.
She added that the NYSC-SDGs Champions must seize the opportunities provided to them and utilize them optimally by taking deliberate actions that translate to productive employment for their financial security and sustainable economic growth and development.
Brig.-Gen.Mohammed Fadah, Director-General, NYSC, pledged his support for the programme in line with policy thrust of the NYSC.
“Management under my administration would promote the NYSC-SDGs and other viable programmes that that will support the government and Non-governmental Organisations in addressing various challenges confronting the nation’s developmental efforts.
“In doing this we shall harness the talents of our corps members to galvanise the populace into becoming informed participants in the process of attaining inclusive and sustainable national development.
“In essence, our corps members shall be the vehicle which drives the process of bridging the information gap between policies and programmes implementation.,” Fadah said.
He, therefore, urged the corps members to take the training seriously to update their knowledge in development issues especially SDG projects.
He was represented by Director, CDS NYSC, Alhaji Abdulrazak Salawu,
In his remarks, Mr Ahmad Kawu, the Secretary of Programmes, (SOP) SDGs said it was commitment of the OSSAP to localise the SDGs in Nigeria, that brought about the training.
“The Training of the Trainer (ToT) is an imperative tool in strengthening capacities for SDGs implementation at the grassroots in Nigeria.
“COVID-19 Pandemic has affected all spheres of our lives. As we are gradually recovery from its socio-economic impact, there is no better time than now to strengthen multi-stakeholders’ engagement to enable us reclaim lost grounds and explore new ways of accelerating action on the SDGs.
“Specifically, this workshop is aimed at building the capacity of the NYSC Schedule Officers and SDGs Development Knowledge Facilitators to enable them to train and recruit the NYSC-SDGs Champions in driving the process of localising the SDGs.
“By translating them into concrete actions through advocacy and meaningful engagement in the 774 local government areas of the country catalyse development initiatives at the community level through stakeholders ‘buy-in, ownership and active participation in our local communities.
“Develop innovative and sustainable strategies in mobilizing partnerships and local financing for the SDGs among other objectives,” Kawu said.
Still speaking on the objectives of the training, Mrs Uforma Dick, Deputy Director, NYSC said the expectations of the workshop include to explore new ways of accelerating action on the 17 goals to increase effectiveness and efficiency of action.
“By targeting multiple SDGs for proper tracing of progress and reporting of the SDGs, as well as building synergies among State and NonState actors.
“To get updates on how to localise the SDGs using advocacy and awareness creation to secure the wellbeing of people, economies, societies and our planet.
”To understand implementation strategies for realization of the decade of action using Innovation and digital skills.
“Proffer practical solutions to challenges limiting the realization of the SDGs. Refresh the minds of the participants on the existing solutions and emerging issues.
“Build consensus and understanding among team leaders on the training packages and contents for uniformity,
develop realistic strategies for effective and sustained service delivery during orientation seminar.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme ‘NYSC-SDGs Champions’ was launched on Feb. 13, 2017 by the OSSAP-SDGs in collaboration with the NYSC as a continuation of the NYSC-MDGs project.
NAN also reports that 43 Development Knowledge Facilitators (DKFs); 37 NYSC Schedules Officers from the 36 States and the FCT; and selected Officers from the NYSC Directorate Headquarters and the Policy and Strategy Unit (PSU) of OSSA-SDGs are the resource persons for the training.
SDGs office, NYSC partner to train SDGs development facilitators
News
Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash
By: Zagazola Makama
A tragic road accident occurred on Saturday at the popular Mile 6 Market in Jalingo, Taraba State, when a tipper truck loaded with shaft sand lost control and rammed into a crowd of traders and shoppers.

Zagazola learnt the incident, which happened around midday, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed as emergency responders continue rescue operations and assessment of the scene.

Sourcessaid the truck was speeding when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered into the busy market area, knocking down people and structures along its path.

“It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim, a local vendor. “The truck was on speed and after the tyre burst, the driver couldn’t control it. It just rammed into the crowd.”
Security operatives and medical personnel arrived swiftly at the scene to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals. The body of the deceased has also been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to identify victims and notify their families.

The driver of the truck has been apprehended and is currently in custody as investigations continue into the cause of the crash.
End
Crime
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.
He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.
Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.
He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.
At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.
He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.
He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.
NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.
In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.
Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.
The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
News
Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits in large numbers stormed Bature Daji community in Niger in the early hours of Saturday, abducting a resident while narrowly missing their original target, a local vigilante member.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the attackers invaded the residence of one Dani, a known vigilante operative in the area. He was reportedly the primary target of the assault but managed to escape.
However, the gunmen kidnapped one Attahiru Ibrahim, popularly known as Sarki Daji, from the same neighborhood and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
Local sources revealed that the assailants later moved toward Gorogawu Village, a border community near the Republic of Benin, raising concerns of cross-border movement and security challenges.
A joint team of security forces, including military and other operatives, has launched a pursuit operation to rescue the victim and apprehend the attackers.
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