Month: April 2023

Mr Akin Olateru, Director-General, Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has urged journalists to promote transportation safety network and development through proper reportage of occurrences across the country.

A statement from Mr Tunji Oketunbi, NSIM General Manager of Public Affairs on Friday in Abuja stated that Olateru gave the advice when new executive members of the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, such move will help to properly educate the society to quickly understand occurrences in the transportation sector.

Olateru commended the critical role journalists played in the dissemination of accurate information derived from investigations and final reports of occurrence.

The NSIB boss stated that journalists’ reportage had greatly improved the image and the general well-being of the Bureau and the country as a whole.

He further commended the media for the critical role played in the actualisation of the establishment of the NSIB.

Olateru called for the continuous support of the media and other stakeholders in the fulfilment of the Bureau’s new mandate of investigating accident and serious incident that occurred in the air, rail, marine and other modes of transportation in Nigeria.

“Nigeria as a country should move in line with the world by separating the regulatory body from the investigating body, so as to avoid conflict of interest, and ensure objectivity in what we do.”

According to him, this is unlike in the past when there was no investigation into the cause of transportation mishaps and the authorities were more focused on punishing the offenders.

“ The new NSIB will carry out independent investigations of transportation occurrences, determine the causal factor and proffer safety recommendations to prevent reoccurrence.

“The bureau is at the critical level of the bills implementation and this is the time we need your assistance, cooperation commitment, understanding and professionalism, in pursuing the noble objective,” he said.

Speaking, the new Chairman of the ATACA, Mr Oru Leonard, expressed appreciation for the support and assistance the Bureau had shown toward ATACA members, especially in the area of training on accident investigation reportage.

The chairman said the recent training really informed the members about the processes and procedures of accident investigations.

He further said the training impacted on how to better inform the public about accidents and incident occurrences in a more professional and concise manner that would not instil fear or cause havoc.

Oru, however, called for more of such gesture and support of ATACA’s activities by the bureau.

He said a deeper collaboration and partnership between the two organisations would be mutually beneficial to both parties.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bureau, in collaboration with Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI) organised a week-long training titled: “Investigation Management- Media Relations” for the Abuja correspondents.

NAN further reports that a similar training has been previously organised by the bureau for aviation correspondents in Lagos.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has called for peace and orderliness in the ancient city of Ile-Ife and its environs.

Ooni, who spoke through his Second-in-Command, Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ile-Ife.

He said as the royal father of Christians, Muslims and traditionalists and as a leader who championed peaceful coexistence globally, there was no reason why his home should be in turmoil.

He said that as a direct descendant of Oduduwa, the progenitor of Yoruba race who also preached peaceful coexistence, he believed there was no reason why people of different faiths should not live peacefully in tolerance.

He noted that the two major faiths and traditional worshippers had coexisted peaceful in ages past and that there should not be hostilities between them now.

Four persons were reportedly injured when traditional religion worshippers attacked worshippers in a mosque in Ile-Ile on Thursday.

Traditionalists in the town had announced on Wednesday that the “Oro’’ cult would perform some rituals in some parts of Ife between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., advising residents to avoid the areas.

According to one of those in the mosque, Mr Abdulazeez Bashir, Oro adherents broke through the fence and began flogging worshippers with canes, instructing them to leave the ablution area.

“One of them even attacked the Imam, Alhaji Abdullateef Adesiyan while coming into the mosque. He was beaten with a cane and hit on the face with a rod.

“When I discovered that about five persons had been injured, apart from the Imam of the mosque, I had to call the Ife Chief Imam, Alhaji AbdulSemiu AbdulHammed to intimate him with the happenings.

“The situation could have escalated into a big crisis when other Muslims began to gather around, but the traditionalists eventually left. The victims were later taken to a hospital for treatment,’’ Bashir said.

When contacted, Osun Police Command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation into the mosque invasion had been launched.

Oba Ogunwusi promised to renovate the mosque that was affected as well as pay the hospital bill of the Imam of the mosque.

The Chief Imam of Ifeland, Alhaji AbdulHammed, told NAN on Friday that the trouble had been settled.

He confirmed that the traditional religion worshippers assaulted the Imam of Idiomo Mosque, Ilare, Alfa Adesiyan, inside the mosque.

AbdulHammed called for maintenance of fundamental rights of religion, speech and peace among others.

“There is no family throughout Africa that practices one religion.

“There should be freedom for individuals to practice whatever religion they choose without coercion,’’ he said.

The Chief Imam appealed to indigenes to ensure that they maintained peace and orderliness during each festival in the town, stressing that there is no profit in violence.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government, on Friday expressed its determination to strengthen the capacity of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to build a resilient mechanism towards supporting less privileged Nigerians.

Dr Sani Gwarzo, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Sani Gwarzo, stated this at a one-day capacity building workshop for NGOs and its Social Development workers in Abuja.

Represented by Mr Ahmed Mahmoud, Gwarzo noted NGOs played a critical role towards complementing government efforts in providing the necessary support to members of the society.

“The NGOs, through their activities and partnership with different levels of government are able to facilitate development through the use of advocacy and training they derive their popularity out of the numerous benefits they provide.

“They promote religious tolerance and harmony, educate the masses on government policies as well as monitor the policies and galvanise people through advocacy to participate on issues of considerable benefits to the society,” he said.

He therefore, urged them to develop competent and performance-based policies as well as implement institutional monitoring programmes to ensure better outcomes.

“We should all work harmoniously and focus on mutual benefits by ensuring a win-win strategy, training programmes such as this are necessary to update ourselves on the Ministry’s mandate to better the lot of the vulnerable members of our society.

“It is opportunity to brainstorm on strategies for addressing their concerns, hence the need for partnership as a key to bridging the gaps which organisations experience when they stand alone,” he said.

The permanent secretary said the ministry had partnership with an International NGO, Save the Children Foundation, to monitor as a third-party the federal government Social Investment Programme in states.

On his part, the Director, Social Development of the ministry, Mr Taiwo Bashorun, said the workshop was necessary to upgrading the capacity of the participants for optimal productivity.

Bashorun, therefore, urged the participants to utilise the opportunity and share ideas with a view to achieving the desired goals of the programme.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Uhogua, near Benin, have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create a Polling unit in their camp.

The IDPs in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that this would protect them against thugs and allow them exercise their franchise.

They claimed they were attacked by suspected political thugs at Oronsanye Primary School polling unit where they had gone to vote during the March 18, House of Assembly election in the state.

The IDPs are mainly from Borno and Adamawa States, running from insecurity in the country’s north east region.

Some of them came from Chibok, Biu, Askira Uba and Gwoza.

Suleman Ayuba, one of the IDPs told NAN that, with what happened on March 18, they were already feeling insecure.

“It was obvious that we were the target, because there were two polling units in the primary school, but the attack was carried out in ours.

“Our people were injured, we lost our phones and other valuables, yet till now, nobody in the state have come to sympathise with us after the attack unleashed on us.

“Majority of our people are still receiving treatment in health facilities outside the camp, even money to pay their hospital bills, we don’t have and we are still looking for.”

Similarly, Philemon Emmanuel, another IDPs, called for another election to be conducted for the IDPs who were de-enfranchised during the attack.

According to him, it is not good that many of us were de-enfranchised by political thugs in spite of having our PVCs and candidates we wanted to vote for.

“We are Nigerians, though IDPs for no fault of ours. So politically, we have a right to join other Nigerians in deciding who we want to lead us.

“Government have been carrying out rerun in other places, so they should also consider this camp, in view of what happened at the polling unit during the state assembly election, so that our vote can count.”

Pastor Evelyn Omigie, Assistant Coordinator of the camp said that there was the urgent need for the federal government and INEC to create a polling unit in the camp.

According to her, we need a polling unit in line with the federal government directive, that polling units must be situated in all IDP camps across the country.

“I don’t know why this people should not be allowed to have their own polling unit. If we have one here I think we wouldn’t have experienced what we did during the election.

“Also in spite of what happened, and what we have expended on hospital bills, nobody has come to sympathise with either the victims or management of the camp.”

She called on the federal government to investigate the incident and unravel the perpetrators of the attack on the IDPs’ polling unit.

“We want them arrested, tried in court and jailed for their crime against the IDPs.

“Imagine, all the trauma they went through before. The sound of guns that God delivered them from, resurfaced again that day.

“So the government should try as much as possible to bring the perpetrators to book,” she said.

Omigie also called on the government to support the camp financially so as to be able to treat the IDPs who sustained various degree of injuries and make them healthy again.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigeria has won her third game against Ghana by 62 runs at the ongoing Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF) Women’s Invitational in Lagos.

The game at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Cricket Oval on Friday, saw the Ghanaian team win toss and opted to field.

Nigeria had a slow start to the game but usual suspects Salome Sunday 27(18) and Agatha Obulor 25(34) helped kept the scoreboard ticking for the Nigerian side.

The hosts eventually sailed to 120 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs.

In the second innings, Ghana relied on Rasidatu Salia 20(29) and Komalpreet Grewal 11(23) to help see the side reach the target but their efforts wasn’t enough.

Nigeria’s Racheal Samson 4/18 and Peculiar Agboya 2/18 did the damage against the Ghanaian side as they limited their West African rivals to 58 for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.

After the game, Rhyda Ofori, Captain of the Ghanaian side, said there are lots of lessons garnered so far from the tournament.

“We lost all our matches in the tournament, but it’s not the end of Women’s cricket in Ghana.

“We have learnt some lessons here and we will take it home and improve on our game. Hopefully, we will come back better and stronger,” Ofori said.

On her part, Blessing Etim, Captain of the Nigerian team, lauded her team’s efforts, adding however that they needed to do more.

“The win means a lot to us because we have put up a great effort and teamwork to ensure that we go unbeaten throughout this tournament.

“Although we need to come through with our batting and bring our ‘A’ game as well as we face Rwanda on Saturday,” Etim added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ghana has exited the tournament, losing all of its matches to Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, along side Nigeria.

Meanwhile, host Nigeria will face Rwanda in the last group game while Sierra Leone will face Cameroon, both on Saturday.

The tournament, which began on Monday, is expected to end on Sunday.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria