A non partisan advocacy group, the National Elders Forum has agreed with President Muhammadu Buhari on the performance of the Armed forces of Nigeria (AFN). The group said the AFN has proven that it has the capacity to defend the country in the face of daunting security challenges.
President Muhammadu Buhari attended the Nigerian Army (NA) Trooping and Presentation of Colours Parade 2023 which was held at Eagle Square, Abuja. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces arrived at the ceremony dressed in military uniform to witness the retirement of 53 regimental colours of the NA and the issuance of 28 colours of newly created units.
The Federal Government has revealed plans to airlift Nigerians caught up in the ongoing crisis in Sudan. This Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, and her Foreign Affairs counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, made the announcement yesterday. According to the FG, the evacuation of about 5,500 Nigerians, including students stranded in Khartoum and other crisis stricken cities in Sudan. According to a statement in Abuja by Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the two ministers said government has already set in motion mechanism to ensure the safe extraction of Nigerians. The statement notes: “The ministers emphasise that concrete plans are underway to deploy, very shortly, air transport to evacuate all stranded Nigerian citizens, through identified safe transit areas, back home to Nigeria in safety and dignity.”
The Federal Government (FG) has confirmed plans to evacuate Nigerians stranded in crisis-hit Sudan. Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama in a media chat disclosed various strategies the FG has put in place to ensure safe evacuation. Also, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the evacuation plans which will commence as soon as Tuesday morning. According to Mr Onyeama, the FG have have been "working round the clock" to ensure safe evacuations.
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje pardoned forty-three (43) inmates serving various jail terms across the state on 21st April 2023, to commemorate Eid-el-Fitr festivals, hence making the total number of pardoned inmates in the last eight years four thousand (4,000). Represented by his Deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Ganduje said his administration has acquitted four thousand and thirteen inmates and settled fines and compensations for the inmates to the tune of four million, nine hundred and forty-nine thousand nairas, (N4,949,000). Governor Ganduje tasked the pardoned prisoners to exhibit good character after being re-integrated into society.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday, warned that bandits could take advantage of the transition period to launch bloody attacks in the country. He, therefore, advised that security operations against bandits should be increased in the remaining days of the current administration and beyond. This is coming on the heels of a fresh attack on Sabon Layi community of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The bandits were reported to have stormed the area in their large number shot sporadically, killed nine people, abducted over 20 others and then rustled several livestock. Governor Nasir El-Rufai during the presentation of a security report by the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna, the state capital on Wednesday. “Though grim, these reports are published in fulfilment of the obligation of transparency that the government owes the residents of this state.they have a right to updates on the progress in investments, revenue generation and other happy events, citizens have legitimate expectations to be provided with consistently accurate accounts of what is going on and on the measures being taken to address security challenges.
