Women in Kogi State have appealed to the State Government to stop giving amnesty to rape offenders, but rather sentence them to death or life imprisonment.

The women of Kogi Central senatorial district made the call on Tuesday in Okene at a sensitization workshop organized by the Challenged Parenthood Initiative, CPI, for the proposed bill on Violence Against Persons Prohibition, (VAPP), which has passed through second reading in the Kogi State House of Assembly.

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They also called on the Government to intensify effort to rid the state of other social vices ravaging the 21 Local Government Area.

The women, who were overwhelmed on the content of the bill and what it intends to achieve in their lives, unanimously knelt and offered prayers against any person who intend to work or stand against the passage of the bill in the State.

In her address, the Executive Director, Challenge Parenthood Initiative, CPI, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, while noting that the bill is currently awaiting public hearing in the chamber, said if passed, it will help address most of the societal and domestic violence in Kogi State.

Agbogun who admonished participants to take the sensitization down to the grassroots in a bid to allow quick passage of the bill, said the campaign on violence against women is a collective responsibility.

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“We have read of some horrific accounts of this heinous crime through various media channels in recent times. A lot of time, victims of this heinous crime don’t even report the incident to the appropriate authorities so their stories do not even make it to the newsroom.

“Many victims of rape for fear of stigmatisation and being blamed for their ordeal bear the pain of the crime committed against them, thereby leaving their assailants roaming free to perpetrate more crimes. It is indeed quite unfortunate that victims are sometimes blamed for being raped.

“The question one may now ask is how effective the laws which pertain to rape have been over the years in securing convictions and serving as deterrents to offenders. It has been observed that prosecuting rape cases can be quite tough due to a myriad of factors ranging from stigma to the provisions of the law itself on the issue.

“Information obtained from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) website indicates that there have been 65 rape convictions between 1973 and 2019 in Nigeria. This number, no doubt is insignificant considering the number of reported cases of rape in the country. There is a need for quick passage of this law in Kogi state to address tur menace of rape and other issues on violence against woman,” she added.

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Also speaking, the Executive Director Initiative for Grassroots Advancement, INGRA, Mr Hamza Aliyu highlighted other areas which the proposed bill seeks to address, which include, sexual harassment, rape, intimidation, molestation, physical or psychological threat, political violence, thuggery, among others.

The bill, according to Mr Aliyu, also recommend severe punishment ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment for any offender, while any person who incites, aids or abets crime of the above will be convicted for the same offence and will be liable for at least ten to twenty years and above or option of fine from N100,000 to N500,000.

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Adding her voice, Mrs Omeiza Leah, the chairperson, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwifery, NANNW, Kogi central chapter, admonished parents to caution their children against any form of violence that will tarnish their image and that of their family.

She added that the campaign for supporting this bill should start immediately in their various communities as this would help to checkmate the excesses of those perpetuating this grievous crime in Kogi State.

The workshop had in attendance participants across the five Local Government Areas of the Central Senatorial Districts, religious leaders, community leaders, market women and a judge of the High Court of justice Okene, Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, among others.

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Kogi women kick against amnesty for rape offenders, call for death sentence

The Ogun State Government has urged residents living in flood-prone areas across the state to relocate to higher grounds before heavy rains begin in the state.

The government listed about 40 communities in 10 local government areas across the state as places that would be affected by the predictions of impending floods.

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The 40 affected communities in 10 councils include Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ifo, Obafemi Owode, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode, Ado-Odo/Ota, Yewa South, Ogun Waterside and Ogun East.

The government’s appeal comes barely four weeks after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency predicted that some states, including Ogun, would experience heavy flooding from September.

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The Commissioner for Environment, Abiodun Abudu-Balogun, during a press briefing in Abeokuta on Monday, advised residents of the 40 communities to relocate temporarily to safer places as part of moves to protect lives and property.

The commissioner noted that the advice was in the best interest of the affected residents.

He added, “Whether they are living on illegal structures or not, we shall continue to make sure that government protects them. That is not to say those structures will not go. Those structures will give way.”

40 Ogun communities to relocate ahead of floods

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has asked the Federal Government to honour the agreement it had with the union before making any announcement on the reopening of the universities after the COVID-19 pandemic.

It added that it would unfold its next agenda if the Federal Government refused to negotiate the 2009 agreement signed by both parties.

The ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, disclosed this while speaking at a town meeting at the African Hall, the University of Ilorin, but he however, declined to reveal the agenda.

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Ogunyemi said, “I think it is better we wait. When we get to that bridge, we will cross it. I can’t open our strategy here; whatever you do is about strategy; let the government refuse to negotiate, we will unfold our strategy then.”

He stated that the union had in March went on strike because of the government’s insensitivity to university education, adding that some of ASUU’s demands included funding of university education, which the government had reneged on in the last 10 years.

“There is a deliberate attempt to kill university education in the country. Some universities use stoves in their laboratories instead of burners and buckets to fetch water to perform experiments; it’s as bad as that,” he said.

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He explained that ASUU had signed MoU with the Federal Government on the need to improve facilities on the campuses, students’ welfare, promotion, and welfare, which were ignored “because there are plans to make education inaccessible to children of the poor, which today is creating social vices such as Yahoo-Yahoo, Yahoo-plus, banditry, and other criminal activities in the society.

“Check the social media; you will see them celebrating their children graduating from foreign universities. This is why they are not willing to fund public universities”, the ASUU president said.

Universities won’t reopen until our demands are met – ASUU

Several commercial sex workers and shop owners were stranded as the Federal Capital Territory Administration demolished four brothels and shops at a notorious area of Jabi, Abuja, on Thursday.

The buildings, which were said to have no approval were pulled down by bulldozers accompanied by officials of the Development Control Department of the FCT Administration and armed policemen.

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In addition, the owners and occupants of the structures were accused of ignoring several demolition notices asking them to vacate the buildings. However, the residents claimed they were not given adequate notice before the demolition exercise.

A resident, Joseph Ola said, “They didn’t give us notice, they demolished our houses, and I don’t know why our political leaders are not here.”

A food seller identified as Mrs Godwin, stated, “They (FCT officials) informed us that they would come but nobody believed. They were supposed to carry out the demolition on Wednesday but we did not see them. I pity the shop owners and the sex hawkers because this exercise will affect them terribly.”

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The Director of Development Control Department, Muktar Galadinma, while addressing journalists, said the Administration had held meetings with the residents and marked the affected structures before the exercise.

“My advice is that they should not build any commercial structure along this corridor because this is supposed to be an indigenous community but the proliferation of commercial activities are attracting men of the underworld and even making the environment dirty,” he noted.

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In addition, the FCT Director of Security, Adamu Gwary also said the proliferation of shanties in the community had made it a haven for criminals, hence the demolition.

Gwary stated, “The demolition would have been done during the first term of Muhammad Bello (FCT Minister) but due to so many considerations, we stepped some of these things down. But something has to be done and this is in the interest of the general public.”

The Chairman, FCT Task Team on City Sanitation, Ikharo Attah, stated that the brothels were removed at the instance of the natives “whose buildings were not demolished.”

FCTA demolishes four brothels, shops in Jabi

More facts have emerged about the killing of notorious militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana, in Benue State, by the military on Tuesday despite embracing amnesty.

According to a community leader, who spoke with journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, Gana was in a government convoy when he was dragged out of a car by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse,  near Yandev roundabout in the Gboko Local Government  Area of the state.

The community leader said the militia leader was then thrown into a military vehicle and driven away.

This was in contrast to the report given by Commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma,  Major General Ali Gadzama, on Tuesday on Channels Television that Gana was killed in a  gun battle with soldiers.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, Nigeria Army Kills Wanted Benue Militia Leader, Gana

It was gathered that Gana had embraced amnesty between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday at the Katsina-Ala Stadium in the presence of prominent indigenes of the Sankera District of the state, including the First Class Chief of the area, His Royal Highness, Abu Shuluwa.

The  Sankera zone consisting of  Logo, Katsina-Ala and Ukum local government areas has been the worst hit by the activities of Gana and his gang since 2009.

In an earlier attempt to embrace amnesty, in 2015, the notorious militia leader and others had surrendered no fewer than 200 guns including AK-47 rifles in the state Government House.

However, the move for amnesty was thwarted after the killing of the Senior Special Assistant to the state Governor on Security,  Denen Igbane, in 2016.  After the incident,  the militia leader went back into hiding.

Also, according to the community leader, the latest efforts at amnesty were initiated by some prominent indigenes, who persuaded Gana to drop arms and embrace peace.

The community leader said, “He (Gana) actually came out because of the assurance given by the prominent indigenes and traditional rulers and he was not armed when he was dragged out of the car and taken away to be killed.

“The militia leader sat in-between the Chairman of the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Alfred Atera, and a priest in one of the cars in the government convoy.”

According to the community leader, the convoy was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse on its way to Makurdi

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He stated, “As soon as we got to the  military checkpoint, some soldiers who spotted Gana had to pull down  the priest, drag Gana into their waiting vehicle and zoom off.”

Meanwhile, residents of the  Sankera zone on Wednesday expressed their fear of reprisal attacks from members of Gana’s gang.

A trader in Katsina-Ala, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “We heard that many of the repentant militias who saw what happened along the road turned back and they might likely return to the trenches.

“These people may see it as betrayal and want to unleash terror on the people in this area.”

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The state Governor, Samuel Ortom, has expressed shock over the arrest and killing of Gana by soldiers.

In an interview with journalists at the Government House, Makurdi on  Wednesday,  the governor explained the second amnesty programme of his administration which covered the Sankera geopolitical zone and added that he was still awaiting a briefing from the commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma.

When asked if the killing of Gana had sabotaged the amnesty programme, Ortom said that the programme was not truncated as those who could not get to Makurdi due to the confusion created by the military operation would be given another chance.

He then urged the people of Sankera to remain calm as he was still investigating circumstances surrounding the arrest and killing of Gana.

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He said, “Shortly after we left yesterday night, there was a press statement issued by the special force, that is Operation Ayem A Kpatuma,  in Doma, Nasarawa State.

“I reached out to the commander of the force and told him that I was surprised and needed an explanation.

“He assured me that he would come and brief me,  but I must say that I am surprised by what happened. I do not want to take issue with the military but I have a duty to protect the lives of the people.”

 Set up judicial panel, Suswam urges  FG

Meanwhile, a  former governor of Benue state and senator representing the Benue North East Senatorial District,  Gabriel  Suswam, has urged the Federal Government to set up a judicial panel to unravel the alleged killing of Gana by soldiers.

In his reaction to the incident,  Suswam released a statement in Abuja titled, ‘A time to heal,’ in which he stated that the action of the soldiers could frustrate the peace already being achieved in the state following Gana’s decision to embrace dialogue and surrender his arms.

Suswam said, “Even war criminals captured alive are entitled to certain rights. The claim that Gana was killed in a gunfight needs further explanations because those who accompanied him and who watched him being taken away, including his local government chairman, do not believe he was in possession of any arms.

“An independent judicial commission of inquiry will unravel facts of the matter to serve as lessons for the future.”

Appealing for calm, he said, “The events of September 8, 2020 in my senatorial district where repentant criminals who had surrendered after extensive persuasions were singled out and killed extra-judicially leaves a sour taste and has opened a gaping wound that requires all efforts to heal.

“It is no secret that my senatorial district has been traumatised and the people terrorised by activities of criminal gangs led by Mr Terwase Agwaza alias Gana for many years.

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“The consequences of this endless terrorism have been a steady decline of economic and social activities leaving a once prosperous people pauperised.

“Markets no longer attract traders, schools are closed and farmlands abandoned. Politics in the area has become a war with uncontrolled proliferation of dangerous weapons.

“No responsible leader will idly stand by and watch his community become a theatre of war and a gangster’s paradise.

“It is with this solution mindset that traditional rulers, clergymen and elders of the area decided to utilise means of constructive engagement and dialogue to ensure that youths of the area do not become tools for the destruction of that society.

“The Benue State Government and security agencies have long desired for a return to normalcy, peace, prosperity and security of the area.

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“That is why some leaders were mandated to reach out to these outlaws to persuade them to drop their arms and channel their energies towards the rebuilding of our thoroughly battered community.

“We were all excited to see the dreaded Gana come out of hiding to the warm embrace of our traditional rulers, clerics and political leaders at a public function at the Akume Atongo Stadium in Katsina-Ala.

“Our joy was multiplied when we saw him along with his militia surrender arms and publicity renounce a life of crime. Our revered king extracted a pledge from him never to turn his kingdom into a wasteland.

“Those present at this forum heaved a great sigh of relief with the thought that finally, a life full of uncertainty has come to an end.

“I was totally dumbfounded to learn that while Gana was on his way to Makurdi the state capital to present himself to the state governor who was waiting, his long convoy that included political leaders, traditional rulers, clergymen and security agencies was ambushed by allegedly armed soldiers and he was isolated and taken away.

“In the midst of the confusion, pictures began to circulate on social media of the bullet-ridden body of Gana with a rifle callously placed on his side.

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“While I have been consistent in condemning the reign of terror he unleashed on his community, I cannot in good conscience as a lawyer of over three decades and senior parliamentarian accept cold-blooded extra-judicial murder of an unarmed person as a solution to our security problems.

“The lessons of the Boko Haram escalation after a similar murder of its leader are still here with us.

“If this method is accepted as a norm in our country, there will be no need for laws and courts. We stand to benefit more by subjecting suspects to due process of the law.

“Information extracted from a living Gana would have helped security agents get to the root of activities of criminals.

“By this Gestapo style execution, we have missed an opportunity to learn vital lessons about the structure of crime in the area.”

Benue: Soldiers dragged militia leader, Gana out of govt convoy

The wife of Edo State Deputy Governor Mrs. Maryann Shaibu has cried out over alleged threat to her life and family by the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Shaibu, in a petition through her solicitors, Idemudia Ilueminosen & Co, to Police Commissioner Lawan Jimeta, alleged that Oshiomhole did not only threaten to deal with her, but also declared that he (Oshiomhole) had sent thugs to monitor her in Etsako West Local Government, to carry out the threat of dealing with her.

She urged the police to investigate the alleged threat, to bring Oshiomhole and his cohorts to book and avert harm.

Oshiomhole, through his media aide, Victor Oshioke, however, described Shaibu’s wife’s petition as nothing, but a futile attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians from the trending video of Mrs. Shaibu, threatening to flog women old enough to be her mother, if they dared to exercise their rights to attend any event other than the one she organised.

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Oshioke said: “The petition is a calculated attempt to drag down the name of Comrade Oshiomhole. Shaibu and his wife should find another way to launder their family image, which has been badly damaged by their numerous unguarded public utterances, captured on video, threatening violence on Edo people.

“Comrade Oshiomhole is a man at peace with himself and his environment. He is focused on marketing the APC governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his SIMPLE agenda manifesto to Edo people, for their ultimate benefit.”

Oshiomhole issued me a murder threat - Shaibu’s wife

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, says the Federal Government has paid up to N20bn in COVID-19 inducement allowance to doctors and health workers in the country.

Mamora, who applauded all front-line health workers in the country amid the fight against the pandemic, made this known on Wednesday morning while featuring on Channels Television‘s programme, Sunrise Daily.

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It will be recalled that about 16,000 doctors have downed tools over the government’s inability to meet their demands including insurance package, payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance as well as the payment of medical residency training funding.

It was reported that the doctors also called for the upward review of their hazard allowance from the sum of N5,000 which they described as “paltry”.

“The Federal Government has not invited us to a meeting after we notified them that we will be proceeding on strike. We have directed all our members across the country both federal and state institutions to recommence the strike we suspended on June 22, 2020,” the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors had said at the commencement of the indefinite strike on Monday.

However, speaking on Wednesday during the tChannels television programme, Mamora said it is regrettable that this is happening at a time when the nation is grappling with a pandemic.

He said the N5,000 hazard allowance for doctors and health workers in the country which has been in existence for about 30 years was suspended for the period of the pandemic.

He said, “We have been able to pay the COVID-19 inducement allowance because we had to suspend the hazard allowance for this period so that we can go into renegotiation after.

“We are now paying starting from 50 per cent of the basic of the workers depending on where the point of operation is. We were able to pay April, May full, June, part of it has been paid but not fully paid and it is because of the economic situation and these funds have to be sourced for one way or the other.

“We’ve been able to disbursed close to N20bn and I repeat close to 20bn. So, to now say nothing has been done, that is not true.”

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On the insurance package for health workers who pay the ultimate price in the line of duty, the minister said, “Every worker in the Federal Civil Service is entitled to the Group Life Insurance Scheme which is domiciled in the office of the head of Civil Service of the Federation.

“We discussed this in our previous engagements with the doctors and we did say that they need to come up with this information. All the relevant officials, particularly in the office of the head of Civil Service of the Federation, were present so that they (doctors) will know who to direct all these things to.

“What we just do in the ministry of health is the supervision of the process. So, when a health worker dies and he was an employee of the Federal Government, the information comes to us, goes to our Human Resources Directorate and it is processed. Ours is to do a follow-up but the office of the head of Civil Service will get these things done because they are the one that interface with insurance companies because it is a group of insurance companies that manage this process.

“But what we have discovered is that some of the time, the appropriate information is not made available. For example, we have asked the various federal tertiary hospitals to come up with their nominal role so we know who is on that list and stands to benefit in the event that death, unfortunately, happens. We made that clear and the doctors said they now understand better.”

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Mamora also said the medical residency training funding which is one of the agitations of the doctors has been captured in the Revised 2020 Budget but government bureaucracies and processes were delaying its implementation and payment.

“The issue of residency programme gulped N4bn and it has been captured in the budget and it has been appropriated but you know government processes tend to be somehow slow. So, it’s just the implementation in terms of documentations that remains. The doctors themselves can confirm this,” he added.

FG pays N20bn COVID-19 allowance to health workers

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned President Buhari that the hike in electricity tariff and price of petrol may increase the rate of suicide amongst Nigerians.

PDP also warned that the increment may lead to Nigerians resorting to slavery abroad.

The opposition party was reacting to a remark by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Nigerians paying less for electricity and petrol.

Mohammed had said the price of petrol and electricity tariff in Nigeria was one of the lowest in Central and West Africa.

However, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan described Mohammed’s assertion as irrational. He stressed that the hike was insensitive.

In a statement he issued yesterday, Ologbondiyan said: “We remind President Buhari that this hike will worsen the scary situation in the last five years, where compatriots are resorting to suicide, slavery mission abroad as well as selling of their children as options.

“PDP therefore rejects the highly irrational argument by the Minister of Information, Mohammed, that fuel price is lower in some West African countries, without presenting the contradictory economic settings in those countries and ours.”

Nigerians may resort to suicide over Fuel, electricity tariff hike – PDP warns Buhari

Popular Broadcaster, Ifedayo Olarinde, who is more popularly known as Daddy Freeze, has called on the public and the police to hold the founder of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie responsible, if any harm should come to him.

Daddy Freeze, who is the Convener of the Free the Sheeple Movement and Leader of the Free Nation in Christ, stated this while reacting to Ibiyeomie’s threats, in a video.

Ibiyeomie, had during a sermon in Port Harcourt on Sunday, cursed Daddy Freeze, threatening to kill him for allegedly insulting his mentor and founder of Living Faith Church aka Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo.

Ibiyeomie had said, “I will never be alive and see anyone insult my father, you are not born, I will kill you, I will tear you into pieces. Insult me I wouldn’t talk but insulting Oyedepo, I can’t be alive and you insult my father.

“The day Daddy Freeze insults Oyedepo, I will deal with him and arrest him. Who gave birth to you? Do you have a father? Show us his picture.”

Ibiyeomie, who was behind the prolonged detention of blogger, Kemi Olunloyo, in 2017, said he would also ensure that Daddy Freeze is arrested and charged, describing him as “half-caste, Somalian and bastard”.

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Reacting in a video, however, Daddy Freeze said, “If anything happens to me, I’m speaking to the police, the public, and the world at large, should anything whatsoever happen to me, I want you to know who to hold responsible.”

The broadcaster also said he didn’t insult Bishop Oyedepo but only pointed out the cleric’s misinterpretation of Ephesians chapter five.

“I didn’t insult Bishop Oyedepo. He quoted from Ephesians 5 verse 22 and I drew his attention to verse 21. Correcting someone scripturally is not an insult. Christ was criticised, Paul was criticised, Peter was criticised and even the Pharisees were criticised. So, there is no way you will preach a message from the scriptures that you will not get criticism. It is impossible,” Daddy Freeze added.

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If anything happens to me, Pastor Ibiyeomie is responsible  -Daddy Freeze

The Government of Ogun State has announced the reopening of schools, five months after they were shut down to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The state government stated that schools should reopen on September 21 for the first term of 2020/2021 session.

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This was disclosed in a statement released by Kunle Somorin, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, on Monday. The statement announced that the reopening of schools is extended to all classes in primary and secondary schools, technical and vocational colleges, and tertiary Institutions of learning.

According to Kunle Somorin, universities, polytechnics and colleges of education are to resume same day, September 21.

However, as part of COVID-19 guidelines, school hours are staggered for public schools.

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The official statement said that pupils in Primary one to three will be in school from 8am to 11am; while those in Primary 4 to 6 will be in classes from 12 noon to 3pm. For those in secondary schools, the hours are staggered in the same manner among those in junior and senior classes.

Somorin also added that technical and Vocational will operate their normal school hours of 8am to 2pm.

He maintained that Early Child Care Development and Education classes for infants from 3 to 5 years of age will not be resuming in public schools until the next phase of schools reopening.

“Tertiary institutions are allowed to commence reopening from 21 September, 2020 as may be determined by their respective Management,” he said.

Ogun state reopens schools; releases guidelines

Following reports that the Boko Haram insurgents were plotting to attack Abuja, the nation’s capital, security agencies have been placed on red alert.

The Defence Headquarters, while assuring residents of the FCT, and Nigerians in general, explained that the armed forces and other security agencies would ensure effective surveillance of the Federal Capital Territory and other states of the nation.

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A security report from the Nigeria Customs Service had hinted that members of the Boko Haram terrorists group have flooded the FCT and are planning to carry out coordinated attacks on five identified locations.

The service listed the Kunyam bush along Airport Road, off DIA Staff Quarters, Abuja; Robochi/Gwagwalada forest; Kwaku forest, Kuje, Abuja; Unaisha forest in the Toto Local Government of Nasarawa State; and Gegu forest, close to Idu town in Kogi State, as some of the areas where the terrorists reportedly set up their camps.

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However, in a statement released on Sunday, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, assured Nigerians that preventive and pre-emptive intelligence was ongoing to thwart the plot.

The statement titled, ‘Security alert: Defence headquarters assured residents of FCT and adjoining states of safety,’ read partly, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria working together with other security and response agencies particularly the core intelligence agencies hereby assure the general public that preventive and pre-emptive intelligence is ongoing. The general public is thus advised to go about their lawful businesses undeterred.”

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The statement further said that the offensives against the common enemies of the nation would not cease until normalcy is restored in all parts of the country.

The FCT Police Command, through its spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, in a statement, also said it was working in synergy with other security agencies “in the ongoing effort to strengthen security in the FCT.”

DHQ discloses readiness to foil terrorists attack on FCT

The South-West Regional Manager, Adolescent 360, a project of the Society for Family Health, Tunde Ogungbemiro, has disclosed that there was an increase in the rate of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the lockdown imposed to stop the spread of Coronavirus.

Ogungbemiro said the group also noticed an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies during the same period. He said this in Ibadan on Friday during a ceremony to disseminate achievements and challenges of the project in Oyo State.

According to Ogungbemiro, the increase was noticed from the data in health facilities used by A360 in the  Akinyele and Ibadan North East local government areas of the state. It was also discovered that a large number of adolescent were sexually active, contrary to the belief of their parents and guardians.

He stressed that young people ought to be taught about reproductive health in order to prevent them from contracting HIV, STDs and unwanted pregnancies.

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Ogungbemiro said, “Between March and May, we recorded over 16 teenage pregnancies in just six health facilities that we adopted in two local government areas. This figure is a sharp increase compared to the period before it.

“That tells us that a lot happened in other places that we did not capture. Also, all the health facilities were out of STD drugs during that time. Increase in sexual activities was not limited to the adolescent group alone, but sex among the adults and married couples was not part of our mandate.”

Some of the girls, who were part of the project, lauded the initiative and pleaded with the state government to extend it to other areas of the state. In response, the Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Muideen Olatunji, said the state government would replicate the project done by the group in other parts of the state.

SFH discloses STD, teenage pregnancies increased in Ibadan during lockdown 

Nigerian newspapers,on one page.