FG Urges NSCDC to Boost Intelligence as Interior Minister Decorates 113 Senior Officers

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has called on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to strengthen intelligence gathering and operational readiness in the face of rising security threats across the country.

The call was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during a ceremony to decorate 113 newly promoted NSCDC commandants. The minister, represented by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Corrections, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), Maj. Gen. Abdulmalik Jibrin (Rtd), commended the Corps for its role in protecting critical national infrastructure, lives, and property.

Tunji-Ojo emphasized the need for strategic intelligence mapping to counter emerging threats, particularly as the Corps now shoulders additional responsibilities for the protection of Very Important Personalities (VIPs), a role previously managed by the Nigeria Police Force.

He encouraged the newly promoted officers and all personnel to uphold the confidence placed in the service by President Bola Tinubu, noting that the merit-based promotions are designed to boost morale and enhance performance.

The Commandant General of NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Audi, urged the officers to mentor subordinates, embrace leadership responsibilities, and adhere strictly to merit-based postings. He warned against lobbying for preferred postings, affirming that performance and dedication would guide all administrative decisions.

Representing the promoted officers, Commandant Ekanem Ekpenyong pledged unwavering commitment to duty, promising to uphold integrity and the Corps’ Oath of Allegiance.

In a key highlight of the ceremony, the Corps’ National Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Babawale was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commandant. The event also featured goodwill messages from the Controller General of Corrections, the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, and representatives from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and the Department of State Services.

The ceremony underscored the Federal Government’s resolve to strengthen the NSCDC and reinforce its role in Nigeria’s security architecture.

FG Urges NSCDC to Boost Intelligence as Interior Minister Decorates 113 Senior Officers

Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls

.Disburses N1bn to SMEs in 5 LGAs

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday commissioned a fully remodelled “Second Chance School” for vulnerable girls and women in Biu Local Government Area.

The newly inaugurated facility is part of a strategic initiative designed to offer adult women, including those who missed formal education or dropped out of school due to prevailing challenges, a pathway to self-reliance. 

The school’s curriculum is tailored towards providing comprehensive skills’ acquisition, critical digital knowledge and basic literacy, and numeracy training.

With the Biu centre now operational, Zulum’s administration has established three such schools across the state, with existing centres already operational in Maiduguri and Bama.

Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has disbursed N1 billion to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across five local government areas in southern Borno.

The targeted LGAs include Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar, with the funds intended to support entrepreneurs and enhance business sustainability.

Zulum explained that the direct injection of capital into the SME sector is essential for driving grassroots development and fostering self-reliance in the post-insurgency recovery phase.

In a related development aimed at tackling youth restiveness and promoting social stability, Governor Zulum has ordered immediate employment of 200 young individuals from the Biu Local Government Area. 

After the inauguration, Zulum visited Biu Specialist Hospital where he announced the immediate and automatic employment of a number of dedicated volunteer health workers who have served tirelessly.

He also inspected the 100-unit teachers’ housing estate under construction in Biu town. The estate is part of the Borno State Government’s motivational strategy to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals in public schools.

Governor Zulum has also directed immediate commencement of rehabilitation work on the Borno State Hotel Annexe in Biu.

Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls

Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has urged enhanced inter-agency collaboration to tackle environmental challenges across Nigeria.

The call was made during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Sadiq, and his team at the Ministry’s Abuja office.

Highlighting potential areas of cooperation, Lawal emphasized the importance of climate-resilient water supply and sanitation (WASH) programs aimed at ensuring year-round access to safe, reliable, and clean water in communities affected by dam operations. He noted that such collaboration would not only improve access to safe drinking water but also reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases in these areas.

On energy initiatives, the Minister discussed the distribution of clean cooking stoves to households in hydro-basin communities, stressing that this would significantly reduce household energy poverty, deforestation, and emissions through the adoption of energy-efficient cooking technologies.

Other proposed collaboration areas between the Ministry and N-HYPPADEC include erosion and flood management, ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient afforestation programs, youth and community engagement, job creation, and public awareness campaigns.

In his remarks, Abubakar Sadiq described N-HYPPADEC as a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry of Environment, outlining the commission’s impactful interventions across water supply, sanitation, housing, youth empowerment, water transport safety, and institutional strengthening. He also commended the Ministry for its prompt response to flood-prone areas, erosion challenges, and pollution management.

N-HYPPADEC maintains offices in Lokoja, Birnin Kebbi, Ilorin, Lafia, Jos, Gombe, Jalingo, Makurdi, Kaduna, with its headquarters in Minna, Niger State.

Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges