El-Rufa’i introduces four-day working week
By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq
The Kaduna State Government will commence a transition to a four-day working week in the state. The government will begin implementation of the transitional arrangements in the public service of the state from 1st December 2021.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the government said, “all public servants, other than those in schools and healthcare facilities, will work from home on Fridays. This interim working arrangement will subsist until the government is ready to move to the next stage of the transition which will culminate in the four-day week across all MDAs in the state”.
Mr. Adekeye further stated that “the state government expects the required legal and regulatory framework to be in place by January 2022. This will also enable the organised private sector to engage with the process and agree a longer transition period to a four-day working week”
Scores of ISWAP terrorists killed as Nigerian military launches offensive airstrike
By Muhammad Sabiu
No fewer than 26 insurgents of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have been eliminated in Gajiram town, Borno State, after the Nigerian military launched airstrikes on them.
Reports show that the military made the attacks after the insurgents, who came on their gun trucks, made an attempt to invade the town.
A military officer in the know of the incident, whose identity is made anonymous, reliably told journalists that 26 bodies of the insurgents were counted.
Confirming the heavy casualty inflicted on the terrorists, he said, “The aircraft arrived timely and bombarded the locations of the terrorists and burned some of them beyond recognition.
“We have so far counted 26 bodies of the terrorists, but unfortunately, we lost two gallant soldiers while tackling other fleeing enemies.
“More bodies of the terrorists could be seen from afar in their burning trucks along Kunli village road and on the eastern side of the town.”
Should hate be taught as a primary school subject?
By Amara Sesay
We have heard the stories of hate. And they all come in different textures and tenors. There is the hate for a tribe, the hate for a race and then the hate for a country. But anytime we want to sit down and talk about hate, people get really emotional. As if it doesn’t exist!
I think the problem arises from our native perspective on hate. This makes it effortless to hate but embarrassing to admit it. So people get emotional when others develop the courage to analyse their hatred politely. It makes them feel sad. And the person who did the exposè sometimes ends up feeling guilty.
But what if every child had the basics of hatred right from primary school? Such tough preparation for the future makes it easy to confront and respond to hate in a more calculated and strategic way.
Children deserve to know their historic enemies. And how new enemies are formed both online and offline. And how sometimes they themselves unwittingly recruit their own enemies by the things they say or show (read: show off)
Already, we teach them in nuanced and more pernicious ways. But schools can do the job better, I believe. Because with schools, there is respect for taxonomies, hierarchies and references or evidence. The affective domain should not be entirely left to homes, especially where bitter and frustrated bigots or extremists parade as parents.
Children deserve to know that their competitive nature will attract hatred and enmity; that their relentless strides towards excellence will attract a few more enemies. Every milestone they hit attracts more assassins with buckets of stones waiting for the perfect time and angle to pelt them. They should learn that for every change or significant reform they spearhead, friends will become enemies, and enemies will become arch-enemies. This might not always be the case, but they should learn and prepare for such eventualities.
When we leave hate studies to parlour talk and swathes of private histories taught at night, the wounds of centuries continue to rot unhindered. And nations stagnate while others are progressing.
Let’s be more intentional about teaching hate. And let our children learn this early. Late awareness of such an important issue is always costly, if not fatal.
Amara Sesay wrote from Lagos. He can be reached via amarasesay.amir@gmail.com.
Twitter accepts our conditions – FG
By Uzair Adam Imam
The Federal Government has said that Twitter has agreed to abide by the laid down conditions for its operations in the country.
Appearing on Channels TV, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, disclosed.
Recall that On June 5, 2021, the Buhari administration had slammed an indefinite suspension on Twitter.
Keyamo was a member of a committee the government set to dialogue with the microblogging site.
He disclosed that the committee had made significant progress, adding that: “The reason why the President took that step is to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter and not to drive them away from our country. That recalibration we have started it.
“We also set up a technical committee to interface with Twitter and come up with a lot of conditions for them to fulfil for us to lift the suspension.
“It was Twitter that reached out to the Federal Government to say they want to know what and what they can do to straighten up the relationship with the Federal Government and so, we have gone far, but I may not, at this forum, let out a lot, but we gave them a lot of conditions, and they have agreed to all the conditions.”
The conditions were: “Twitter paying attention to national security and cohesion; registering its physical presence and representation in Nigeria; fair taxation; dispute resolution and Local content.”
This indicates that the ban on Twitter will be lifted soon.
COAS charges troops to uphold professionalism
By Uzair Adam Imam
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, has charged officers and soldiers of the newly formed 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army to exhibit professionalism and discipline in their operations and other engagements in their area of responsibility.
A release issued to journalists by the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed that Gen Yahaya gave the charge on Sunday, November 28, 2021, during a visit to the Headquarters 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Jalingo.
The statement described his visit as part of the operation and assessment to formations and units of the Nigerian Army across the country.
The release partly reads: “Presented with a security brief on the Brigade’s area of responsibility by the Commander 6 Brigade, Brig-Gen Hillary Mabeokwu, the COAS proceeded to address the troops, charging them to demonstrate professionalism and discipline in the discharge of their duties.
“He pledged to provide requisite logistics for the full take-off of the nascent Brigade.
“The COAS later commissioned newly constructed 6 Brigade Garrison office and Quarter Guard before proceeding to inspect the proposed permanent site of the Brigade.
“He expressed appreciation to the government and people of Taraba state for providing the Nigerian Army with a parcel of land to build the Brigade,” the statement added.
Gunmen attack Jos prison
By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq
The Nigerian Correctional Service has, on Sunday, confirmed the attack of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jos, Plateau State.
The spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Controller of Corrections, Francis Enobore, confirmed the incident, saying “The Medium Security Custodial Centre in Jos, Plateau State came under attack by gunmen who reportedly stormed the facility in large number with sophisticated weapons”
He further stated that “although they gained entrance to the yard, they are however trapped within as men from sister security services were immediately mobilised to assist the armed guards to cordon the perimeter wall and the entire area”
The attack was said to have been carried out at about 5pm on Sunday, and sophisticated weapons were said to have been used by the attackers.
CBN set to enlighten Kano business owners about its policies and programmes
By Muhammad Sabiu
The Kano branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set to educate business owners in December on its policies and how they can venture into various programmes initiated by the apex bank.
This is contained in a letter dated November 25, 2021, and signed by H.S. Mohammed on behalf of the Branch Controller, CBN Kano.
The letter was addressed to the Students’ Union Government president of Bayero University Kano, requesting the student leader to mobilise 50 of his union members at the sensitisation event.
The letter partly reads: “The Central Bank of Nigeria intends to sensitise manufacturers, traders, farmers, banks, artisans, cooperatives and the general public on the various policies and programmes of the Bank which they can key into.
“Consequently, the Bank is cordially inviting you and your members to in-depth presentations from 9:00 a.m daily on Wednesday, 1” and Thursday, 24 December 2021 at Afficent Event Centre, No. 4 Magajin Rumfa Road, Opposite DTSV Office Nassarawa, Kano.”
Explaining what the event is all about, the Bank wrote, “The ‘CBN Fair’ is a harmonised sensitisation program on all the Central Bank of Nigeria’s initiatives (Real Sector Financing and Interventions, Payment Systems Initiatives, Consumer Protection, Clean Naira Note Policy, Financial Inclusion and Consumer Rights) with a focus on the recent e-Naira initiative.”
Why we should decisively end rape menace in Nigeria
By Abdullahi Adamu
Rape is dishonourable, immoral and sinful to humans and must be outrightly condemned by all. Everyone has a woman in their life – mother, wife, sister, niece, or daughter. We should understand that rape is a crime to the existence of humans and must be kicked out of this nation now.
It is dishonourable because it takes away the victim’s pride that has been raped and her skin engraved in a deep wound that may take years to heal.
It is immoral because society frowns at it as it goes against the general acceptable way and conduct in any given community. It is also sinful because it goes against the dictates of the creator and amount to stealing from the other person, the victim.
We have heard the government of Nigeria speak against it but with no pragmatic line of action. Instead, we have seen the hand of the law taking a long but slow road to this issue.
One of the challenges of rape is the low level of prosecution despite the high number of media-reported cases. As a result, some victims agree to ‘settle the matter’ with the active connivance or encouragement of law enforcers. Although the Penal Code of Nigeria (Section 282), the Criminal Laws of Lagos State (Section 258), and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (Section 1) all present rape as a serious offence.
One unconfirmed report states that there have been only eighteen convictions in Nigeria! Most rape cases are never reported. Even some ladies find it difficult or impossible to tell their parents or guardian
Government should declare a national crisis on rape. Women and children safety must be paramount across Nigeria. The security agents should wake up and take a necessary measure on the issue of rape in the country and stop keeping mute like a dog that cannot bark.
As a woman, you need to take it upon yourself to resist the societal attempt to objectify yourself. Your “womanness” is not by how good you conform to the stupid societal standard of you being an object. You’re a woman, and that alone validates your “womanness”
And as a man, you need to understand that the idea of being “a dog who respects no fair play in the game” only puts you on the same pedestal as animals. Your real trophy will come from the number of women you choose to treat strictly as “women” and not “objects” like society implores you to do. You’re a man, not a dog!
Rapists are criminals and should be prosecuted and convicted. Victims identities should be protected. Known rapists should be named and tagged. A special anti-rape police unit should be created in the Nigeria Police dominated by trained women.
Abdullahi Adamu can be reached via nasabooyoyo@gmail.com.
Viral video shows how IPOB insurgents decapitate 2 Muslims
By Muhammad Sabiu
A viral video clip shows how some suspected terrorists working for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) beheaded two Northern Nigerian Muslims.
Daily Nigerian, an online newspaper, reports that the terrorists could be seen displaying the heads near an open fire, as they were jubilating “their feat and identifying the nose and forehead of one of the victims as “Hausa”.
As they were chanting different inciting words, juggling one of the two heads, one of the perpetrators said in the Igbo language, “This is a Hausa man now”, while another argued that the head was of a Fulani man.
Recall that IPOB terrorists maimed one driver of the Ɗangote trailer and some of his assistants in the past weeks.
IPOB has been notorious for killings and setting government and other detention facilities on fire.
The group leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was some months ago apprehended abroad and repatriated, and he is currently standing trial for treason, jumping bail and illegal possession of arms.
COVID-19: FG directs civil servants from level 12 and below to resume work
By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq
The Nigerian government has directed federal civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below to resume full duties on Wednesday December 1, 2021.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, gave the directive in a circular on Friday in Abuja. Dr. Yemi-Esan, further said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the vaccine mandate policy to all Federal Government employees.
The new development follows a recommendation by the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19, urging workers to resume full working hours and days.