Tuesday, April 17, 2018
‘Human Capacity Development Responsible For NAF Achievements’ BY JOY YESUFU, Abuja
The Chief of Air Staff, (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has said the source of several feats and achievements of the force in different internal security operations is human capacity development, saying that this has helped to reposition the Nigerian Air Force to adequately deal with challenges. Abubakar made this known on Monday in Abuja at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters during the winging ceremony of 14 new pilots out of which two are Liberians. The Air Chief said NAF in the last 3 years or thereabout have continued to project air power both within and outside Nigeria, noting that this winging ceremony was a clear testimony of the commitment of a service that is responsive to the needs of the country and her people. He maintained that the accomplishments of NAF’s pilots and other personnel, who are undertaking daring missions in the face of real danger are testimonies to the quality of training they have received. He said, “Despite the successes we have recorded so far in all these multiple engagements, we are fully aware of the need to train and retrain personnel, including pilots required to deal with these challenges. Accordingly, we are not resting on our oars but constantly building the required capacity to optimally project air power in these theatres in fulfilment of our national security imperatives”. “In realization of our drive for human capacity development through robust and result oriented training for enhanced professional performance, I am pleased that 12 more Nigerian Air Force pilots along with 2 of their Liberian counterparts are being winged today, having concluded their training in Kaduna and Ilorin. “There are 4 Nigerian Air Force student pilots undergoing training with the United States Air Force and one of them is the first female potential fighter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force. In addition, we have one student pilot with the Royal Moroccan Air Force and 4 student Instructor Pilots training at the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
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NATIONAL NEWS 37
Zik Award: Masari, Wike, Others Pledge To Do More For Nigeria BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina
Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and other recipients of the 2017 Zik Prize have expressed their readiness to put in their best in the service of Nigeria. They also promised to shun politics of bitterness and hate as a takeaway from the approach of the organizers of the Zik Prize to the award presentation held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island,
Lagos, which had no fewer than five governors in attendance. Speaking on behalf of the award winners which include Chief Bisi Akande, former Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC); the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru; the wives of Anambra and Bauchi State governors , Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano and Hajia Hadiza Abubakar, Governor Masari vowed that they would continue to do more in the service to the nation. “We appreciate the organisers for choosing us as recipients
for 2017 and also wish to assure them that we will not fail them; those qualities they saw in us in nominating us for this award, I assure you that we will continue to do more in the service of our fatherland,” he stated. The highpoint of the event was the award presentation to the winners by the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; the Governors of Sokoto and Kebbi, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, amongst others.
2015 Elections: Oni Knocks Yakassai Over Card Reader Comment BY ANDREW ESSIEN, Abuja
Former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Engr. Segun Oni, has carpeted elder statesman, Tanko Yakassai, over statement credited to him that the North took advantage of the faulty card readers to manipulate the process in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari. Yakassai, who is the chairman of Northern Leaders and Stakeholders Assembly (NLSA), was reported to have made the statement when he led members of the steering committee on advocacy visit to former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, in Minna,Niger state. Addressing newsmen yesterday
in Abuja when he visited the national secretariat of APC to pick his nomination form ahead of the party’s governorship primary, Oni said Nigerians actually rejected the PDP government even as he dismissed the comments as untrue. Oni said: “I want to say that, that is not true. The card reader cannot rig election. Human beings can rig elections not card readers. I must say that when people are looking for ways to justify their inadequacies, they will look for failures, they will look for faults, so the card reader has suddenly become. “The truth is that, people of Nigeria voted overwhelmingly for Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari. The people of Nigeria were tired of the PDP, the
people of Nigeria were clearly embarrassed by a government that went not just pilfering, went to the extent of even stealing what is supposed to be the source of his own wealth. “They were stealing oil and they were selling it into individual pocket. Have you ever heard that? So, if we’ve had a government, that reckless, a government of President of all us, declaring that stealing is not corruption. A government that clearly shows that it is clueless which had nothing to contribute and it was probably tired and people of Nigeria went on to vote that government out. People are now waking up from their slumber and trying to posit reasons why they lost. They lost because people replied it was time to go,” Oni stated.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has said combating menace of Boko haram and other extremist organisations require collaborative efforts,saying that collective actions and inactions will have impacts on our efforts to ensure safety and stability to our individual countries, Africa, and the world in general. Buratai stated this yesterday in Abuja at the opening ceremo-
BY MICHAEL OCHE, Abuja
An anti corruption group, the New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NiCReL) has urged the House of Representatives to allow the EFCC to continue its ongoing investigation of alleged corruption in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) without undue interference. Addressing journalists in Abuja, Executive Director of NICReL, Patriot Gabriel Apeh raised an alarm over what he described as plots by some individuals to scuttle the ongoing investigation. Apeh said since it is the EFCC that can prosecute those indicted, it will be proper to allow it carry out its statutory mandate. He expressed concern that there is already a distortion of the facts and context such that the entire investigation exercise could be truncated. He said, “We have, in the course of monitoring development around this saga, discovered that the investigation is already on the way to being jeopardized unless urgent steps are taken to get the perspectives right.” He therefore said the ongoing probe must therefore end in indicted persons being charged to court and convictions secured to act as deterrence for others who think it is okay to steal from the needy.
UCH Security Guards, Cleaners Protest Nonpayment Of 13 Months Salary BY ADEBAYO WAHEED, Ibadan
L-R: National treasurer, All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa, Ekiti State APC governorship aspirant, chief Segun Oni and National organising Secretary of the party, Senator Osita Isunazo when chief Oni picked his expression of interest form at the National secretariat in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO.
Buratai Tasks African Military Chiefs On Regional Terrorism BY JOY YESUFU, Abuja
Group Raises The Alarm Over Plot To Scuttle NEMA Investigation
ny of the 2018 African Land Forces Summit. The COAS said activities of violent extremist organisations, Boko Haram, Al Shabab and other terrorist organisations have continued to keep security forces in the region busy and committed to ensure safety of lives and property, adding that Nigeria have recorded significant progress in taming the excesses of the Boko haram terrorists group. He said the forum will afford
the African countries the avenue to share experiences on global terrorism and forge common approach in combating transnational trades and crimes such as violent extremism, organised terrorism, arms proliferation and piracy among others. He further said the forum will also give military leaders the opportunity to interact with the aim of strengthening existing relationships and developing new ones, adding that terrorism, proliferation of small arms and light weap-
ons, piracy and human trafficking remain the major challenges facing the African continent with ripple effects across the globe. In his address, the Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin said violent extremism, terrorism, human trafficking, proliferation of small arms and light weapons as well as piracy have continued to pose security challenges to our individual and collective countries, saying that collaboration promotes regional unity.
Security guards and cleaners working at the University College Hospital (UCH) ,Ibadan, Oyo State yesterday protested against non -payment of their salaries ranging from 11 to 13 months. The protesters had gathered in front of the administrative office of the hospital in the early hours with placards and singing solidarity songs. Some of the protesters who spoke, pleaded with the government to intervene in the matter following the failure of the hospital management to pay their salaries. According to them, the hospital authority had said that they may likely not pay them. Some of their placards read, “Pay us our salary, it’s our right. No pay No work. Speaking on behalf of the protesting security officers, Mr. Ayorinde Sunday who is one of the security men said, “we have been here since 7am to protest peacefully over the non -payment of 13 months salaries now, though we are contract staff but we are posted here and we normally do our work here but we are not been paid. “We usually receive our monthly salary a week after the contract staff received their own but now we have not been receiving any salaries since last year November when we staged this kind of protest for the first time.