…wished Nigerians happy Christmas, and a peaceful and prosperous New Year

The Federal Government has declared Dec. 26 and 27, 2022 as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day.

It also declared Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, as holiday to mark the New Year.

The announcement was made by Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, on Thursday in Abuja.

The minister felicitated Christians and all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora on the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Aregbesola enjoined Christians to emulate virtues of Jesus Christ in deeds and follow his teachings, especially on faith, hope and love.

“We must imbibe the life of Jesus Christ in his practice and teachings on humility, service, compassion, patience, peace and righteousness that his birth signifies.

“This will be the best way to portray Christ and celebrate his birth”, he said.

The minister emphasized that peace and security were critical conditions for economic development and prosperity.

He therefore urged Christians and Nigerians to make the best use of the festive period to pray for the total eradication of any vestige of insecurity in the country.

Aregbesola reminded Nigerians that 2023, was an election and political transition year, as such they should make it a huge success by voting peacefully and avoiding anything capable of undermining the exercise.

He assured that the Federal Government has put in place effective measures for the security of lives and property.

The minister, however, said getting the desired peace requires all Nigerians to support the efforts of security agencies by providing timely and useful information that would assist them to discharge their duties effectively.

He urged Nigerians to be security conscious at all times and report any suspicious persons or activities to nearest security agency and through the N-Alert application on Android and IOS.

“When you see something, do N-Alert, as this would elicit prompt response from security agents,” he added.

The celebration calls for spartan discipline to protect lives and properties of everyone in our community and the nation as a whole, he said.

The minister advised Nigerians to celebrate moderately, act responsibly and refrain from spreading fake news on the country, the government and people around them.

Aregbesola admonished all citizens to remain focused, assuring that the 2023 would be a better year for everyone.

He wished Nigerians happy Christmas, and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.

A university don and lecturer with Bayero University, Kano, Professor Bello Ibrahim, has warned that insurgency in North East and banditry may not end in the next 20-30 years.

The don, who is also a Professor of Sociology at the university attributed the prediction to the fact that the region is battling with the major problems of poverty and lack of access to education as the two major reasons fuelling the crisis.

He gave the warning while speaking at the second reunion of BUK Sociology Class of 2008 held in Kano.

“There was a study we conducted on juvenile justice, where we found that youths of between 18-25 years, especially in Borno and Yobe states do not go to school. So, if bad people get to them, they could be easily influenced.

“These people have been neglected without religious and western education. Unless something is done about these factors (poverty and lack of access to education), I don’t see these problems going away,” Professor Ibrahim added.

Earlier, the President of the Sociology Class, Sulaiman Aminu Abubakar, said the reunion was organised not only to meet and greet 14 years after graduation, but also to raise funds to help the families of deceased members as well as initiate and execute a project that will improve education in the state.

The Nigerian Army has arrested Nwagwu Chiwendu, a deserted army lance corporal allegedly responsible for training and recruiting people into the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, had on December 12, 2020 launched the ESN, saying the regional security outfit, just like Amotekun in the South-West, would help to tackle crimes and criminalities in the South East.

In recent times, the group has been accused of perpetrating violent attacks in the region in order to achieve its agenda but IPOB has repeatedly denied being behind the attacks.

Military sources told MAIDAWAAREWAA that Chiwendu (13NA/70/9974) deserted the army and joined ESN since January 2021.

He was said to be the IPOB’s militant arm main trainer in weapon handling and rose to become its deputy commander in Imo State within few months.

SaharaReporters gathered that the ex-soldier was arrested over the weekend during the burial of his father at Mbaise.

Upon his arrest, the suspect allegedly confessed killing a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Gulak.

Gulak, a former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was murdered by a group of armed men on May 30, 2021, during a visit to Imo State.

He was reportedly trailed from his hotel room to the spot where he was killed around Umueze Obiangwu in Ngor-Okpala LGA, close to the Sam Mbakwe Airport Road in Owerri.

“IPOB/ESN Deputy Commander for Imo State; 13NA/70/9974 Lcpl Nwagwu Chiwendu, a deserter of the Nigerian Army has been arrested. This soldier deserted the army and joined ESN since January 2021. He was their main trainer in weapon handling and rose to be the second-in-command to Temple who is now the leader of the group in Imo State.

“While in the army, he served in Operation Hadin Kai and thus has operational experience. He was arrested during the burial of his father at Mbaise. He confessed to killing former presidential aide, Gulak, and confirmed that his camp was responsible for the kidnapping the two expatriates along Owerri-Okigwe Road and the killing of two police inspectors escorting the Convoy.

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Executive Council members for approving the construction of 132KV substations in Nguru and Geidam local government areas to boost power supply in the northern part of the state.

Buni made the commendation in a statement issued on Thursday via his Spokesperson Mamman Mohammed and made available to MAIDAWAAREWAA

According to the Governor, the Federal Executive Council approved the projects at its meeting yesterday, adding that the substations would improve the quality of life in the border communities.

He noted that the communities in the northern part of the state are very enterprising, with robust commercial activities that would be improved with the improvement in electricity supply.

Buni was emphatic that the move would also create employment opportunities and wealth creation in the area and, by extension, the state as a whole.

“The Buhari administration has given the people of Yobe State a sense of belonging and we truly appreciate that”, Buni said.

He then called on the people of the state to continue supporting the Buhari-led administration for more dividends of democracy.

Nigerian troops deployed under Operation Forest Sanity have killed at least eight suspected terrorists and seized six of their motorcycles following ambush patrols in the Chikun, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who disclosed this in a statement, said the security agencies reported the matter on Friday.

“According to feedback to the Kaduna State Government, the troops set up ambush positions at bandits’ crossing points in the Buruku/Birnin Gwari areas

“The troops thus made contact with bandits, and killed eight, while recovering four motorcycles and three mobile phones in the first successful mission, ” Mr Aruwan said.

He said the troops engaged bandits in a second mission and recovered two motorcycles.

“In a similar operation, troops killed two bandits during clearance patrols along the Sabon Birni-Maidaro-Dogon Dawa-Galadimawa-Kidandan-Fatika axes.

“The troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines loaded with 52 rounds, six motorcycles and three mobile phones.

“The troops also dislodged camps around Garke and Galadimawa in Giwa LGA, recovering three Dane guns, two magazines, some military uniforms and nine motorcycles,” the commissioner said

Meanwhile, Mr Aruwan said Governor Nasir El-Rufai noted the reports with gratitude, and commended the troops’ stealth, bravery and resilience in the successful operations.

Non-state actors have carried out relentless attacks on communities in the Birnin Gwari area. The gangs of criminals that operate in the area have killed and kidnapped hundreds of people in the area.

In the first six months of 2022, 645 people lost their lives in Kaduna. Most of the casualties were from the Birnin Gwari axis.

However, residents acknowledged that renewed efforts of the Nigerian security forces have in recent months eliminated dozens of the criminals and their leaders in the Birnin Gwari axis.

President Muhammadu Buhari, said despite so much effort on his part to make the country better, his best does not seem to be enough for some Nigerians.

He also said “I wonder if I am going to miss much. I think I’m being harassed. I believe I’m trying my best but still, my best is not good enough. Because there are people around that think that they can intimidate me to get what they want instead of going through certain systems to earn whatever they want to earn. And they are some people who want to be clever,” Buhari said in a documentary played at a private dinner organised by his family and close associates to mark his 80th birthday on Friday night at the State House Banquet Hall.

Buhari also described as “not a funny joke,” claims by some Nigerians that presumed him to be long dead and replaced by a body double named ‘Jibril of Sudan.’

The President said the dark rumour was the handiwork of some mischief makers who thrive on what they do not understand.

In the documentary interview, Buhari responded to a question about the rumour saying, “Yes! People said I am somebody from Sudan. I didn’t bother with the name. Nigerians have mischievous ways of explaining themselves.”

Asked if he finds such allusions to be funny, he said, “No. It is not funny because those who made those statements, just want to be cheeky. They want to distract attention from the main issue. Our main issue is to do the infrastructure and make people aware that they need to work hard to live well. They just want to enjoy life without earning the respect of their community and so on.”

While proposing a toast for the celebrant earlier, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo described Buhari as a forthright, kind man and an exemplary leader.

Citing the President’s “sense of humour,” Osinbajo said Buhari would make a good entertainer post-presidency.

He recalled how the President used jokes to calm him down and retract his intention to submit a letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to investigate allegations of corruption levelled against him.

“Mr President is a very humorous man and I think he would make a very good career in entertainment one way or the other when he retires. One day, I went to him because there were some allegations made against me. And I was so angry, so I went to him to show him the letter I had written to the EFCC to investigate.

“He looked at it and looked at me because he calls me VP or Professor depending on his mood. This time he said, ‘VP, why do you worry yourself about all these people? These people just make all sorts of allegations, they make all sorts of stories up, even they are saying that I am about to get married again. And even some foolish people were waiting at the National Mosque, waiting for me to come and marry again,” he said.

Osinbajo eulogised Buhari for leading the nation with “great courage and commitment,” saying “I invite your excellences, ladies and gentlemen, to join me in proposing this toast to an exemplary leader, a forthright and honest man, a good and kind man, and a man who has led this country with great courage, determination and commitment for so many years.

There were also goodwill messages from traditional rulers, such as the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, Emir of Kazaure, Najib Adamu and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

In attendance were the governors of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu; Katsina, Aminu Masari; former Ekiti state Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; cabinet members, family members, captains of industry including Chairman of AriseTV and the Thisday Group, Nduka Obaigbena, among others.