The Federal Government has declared Monday 14 June 2021 as public holiday to mark this year’s Democracy Day, Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aragbesola said. In a statement issued by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Shuaib Belgore titled “FG declares Monday, June 14, 2021, public holiday to mark this year’s Democracy Day celebration.” The minister urged Nigerians against inciting violence and any form of agitations during the period.
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged security agencies including the military and police to treat rampaging bandits terrorising many parts of the country in the language they understand. Mr. President declared this during an interview with Arise TV broadcast on Thursday. In the interview, the President said Nigerians will see the difference in the activities of the security agents. He said the country cannot afford another famine that could arise if the activities of the bandits are not checked.
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), on Tuesday, announced the lifting of the suspension on passport application requests. Amos Okpu, assistant comptroller for immigration, in a statement, informed that the portal will open at midnight on June 8 for applicants to apply and make payments for categories of their choice. Okpu noted that the applications and payments should be done through the commission’s website: www.immigration.gov.ng.
As part of efforts to curtail the worsening security challenges across the country, the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman Baba, has announced the immediate suspension of tinted vehicle windscreen permits in Nigeria. The recently confirmed IGP made the announcement during a meeting with senior police officers, including commissioners and DIGs from across Nigeria on Monday.
Governors of the six South-west states of Nigeria under the aegis of South-West Governors’ Forum have directed all commanders of South-West Security Network, coded “Amotekun”, to immediately begin joint operations to stem the spate of insecurity in the region. Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who is also the Chairman of the forum, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Akure. Akeredolu, who described the attack at Igangan, as “a cowardly onslaught”, urged security agencies “to get to the root of this latest act of provocation”. The forum chairman also called on all well-meaning Nigerians to condemn, in the strongest possible terms, saying, “this latest assault is on decency and communal harmony”.
The Police Council on Friday, June 4, confirmed the appointment of Alkali Usman Baba as the substantive Inspector General of Police almost two months after President Muhammadu Buhari approved his appointment as acting IGP. Usman Alkali was confirmed during a meeting of the council in Abuja, which was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari. Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, who confirmed the development to State House correspondents after the meeting said the appointment of Baba as IGP was unanimously confirmed. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo physically attended the meeting which was billed to take place last week but postponed to honour the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and ten other military officers who died in a plane crash on May 21.
