Author Archives: daudupress

A documentary on the pathetic story of the living conditions of the Internally displaced persons, (IDPs) in most part of Nigeria has been produced by a young Nigerian.

The documentary titled, ‘Silent cries: Unveiling hidden lives’ aptly captured the true life story of the pathetic situations of these Nigerians who were once going about their lives just like every other Nigerians, doing their legitimate businesses, but have everything cut short and now forced into a life of hardship occasioned by the unfortunate attack on their communities by bandits and Boko Haram.

The young Nigerian, Farouk Muhammed, son of the president of the Nigeria Archery Federation, Mohammed Baba Abdullahi, and an under graduate from Bingham University took a trip into one of the camps to present a side of the story that the government has been so silent about.

The documentary presented the IDP camp as lacking in basic amenities that would make living conditions comfortable and conducive for any person. He emphasized the fact that there are no schools for the children as they were seen playing away all day long.

The documentary saw the writer speak with several of the IDPs on the condition of their stay in the camp. Speaking first, the coordinator of the camp visited, and one of those who has been at the forefront of fighting for the rights of IDPs in Nigeria, Idris Halilu explained the challenges they face living in the camp.

“The story is unpalatable, it’s such a sad story. The living condition is critical. Honestly life has not been easy for us. What do I mean? 95 percent of what I eat, what IDPs eat comes from individuals, foundations and NGO. So when I say 97 or 98 percent you can see that government intervention is just 2 percent and ordinarily they are supposed to shoulder it 100 percent.

Another respondent who spoke with the writer was one of the escapees by name Mallam Ahmed who narrated how he escaped from Boko Haram and wondered for six days without food and water before entering the camp.

“In Gwoza I was a business man selling bikes and I also rare cattles. I was also a farmer when terrorists came to our town. They looked for boys who are 13 years, and older and killed them. I left the town with no shoes on my feet. Before I even got to leave i hid under the bed. They started marrying women and girl off to the terrorists. It was one of these women that saved me; I had to hide for six days without food and water before I finally left there”, he concluded.

Another resident of the IDP camp, Adaza Haruna from Bornu state said she had spent about nine years in the camp, but lamented that that their greatest challenge is food.

*Food is very difficult to get, some persons have mattresses while some don’t. Those that don’t have mattresses spread plastic to lay on. My husband is currently sick because of laying on the floor. I have five kids but only three are alive, the cold is very bad on my husband. Some night he does not sleep, he spend the entire night crying”, she lamented.

Also the women leader of the IDP camp, Leyatu Ayuba runs a road side restaurants in the camp. She narrates her experience in the hands of the terrorists, explained how she lost her husband and her son in the hands of the terrorists. Never the less, she expressed gratitude to the NGO, the Foundations and others good spirited persons who have always come to their aide at the camp.

The writer ended by saying that despite these challenges they still find some reasons to make themselves smile and happy in the camp.

Barcelona, Spain. June 25, 2024 – The World Bank Group announced today the approval of a second disbursement of $45 million for Liberia’s Renewable Energy Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE). This announcement signifies a major step forward in Liberia’s renewable energy efforts.
The project will finance the first 20-megawatt solar PV project and the expansion of the Mount Coffee hydropower plant, increasing its capacity from 88 megawatts to 129 megawatts. The total budget for the project stands at $96 million.

In a meeting with Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Mr. Ashish Khanna, Practice Manager for West and Central Africa at the World Bank Group, praised President Boakai’s visionary leadership in prioritizing energy as a catalyst for economic growth and development.
“Liberia has made tremendous progress in the energy sector and remains the only country in sub-Saharan Africa that has reduced distribution losses by 30%, with over half a million new connections to households,” Mr. Khanna noted. He emphasized that Liberia’s recent achievements in the energy sector position the country favorably to attract private sector investments.

Vice President Koung expressed gratitude to the World Bank Group for its ongoing efforts to address Liberia’s energy crisis. “I want to thank the World Bank for all the support to Liberia, especially in helping us solve our electricity challenges. Your continuous support will help our country increase access to electricity.” VP Koung called for immediate interventions to mitigate electricity outages as the dry season approaches.
He reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to work with the World Bank Group to transform the lives of Liberians.

For further information, please contact:
Press & Public Affairs Department
Office of the Vice President.

By Emmanuel Daudu

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) in strategic surveillance and tactical operations has clamped down on illegal bunkers sabotaging the nation’s economy through their alleged involvement in illegal dealings in Petroleum products in Obiapu forest, Ukwa West, Abia State.

According to a press release signed on 25th of June, 2024 by CSC Babawale Afolabi National Public Relations Officer NSCDC National Headquarters Abuja, While responding to the Corps’ Correspondents in an interview the CG SIS Commander, Deputy Commandant Appolos Dandaura said the 4 suspects were notorious Syndicate that specializes in operating and controlling multiple artisanal oil refineries in a thick forest at Ukwa West in Abia State.

He further hinted that the 4 Suspects were caught in possession of stolen crude oil, locally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and some Instruments used in perpetrating the untoward act.

The Squad went ahead to dismantle and destroy several illegal connection points connected to oil pipelines where the crude oil was being siphoned.

“The following suspects were arrested at the crime scene:
Oluchi Ibuh, a female adult of 39years from Anambra State; Michael Isaac (M) aged 31 years who hails from Edo State, Chioma Osioma also a female aged 32 years from Imo State and Ebere Chike another female of 32 years from Anambra State”.

“The exhibits sighted at the crime scene are Galvanized pipes for trucking and pumping stolen crude, Heavy duty Industrial Hoses used for stealing and siphoning crude oil, very large quantities of stolen crude oil stored in fabricated tanks, local cooking pots, Pit Reservoirs, calibrated plastic surface tanks and many cellophane bags used for packaging and conveyance. Amongst are Unquantifiable litres of illegally refined AGO, Metal buckets and Shovels”.

Notably, the Suspects are assisting us in the Investigation after which they would be charged to a Court of competent jurisdiction.

By Hon. Ayodele Thomas
Lead Advocate, Defense Advocacy Support Project (DSAP)CEO, Higher education Leadership and policy project (HELP)

The United Nation’s public Seevice day is a special time to say thank you to the Army of Public servants Nationwide for their selfless contributions and sacrifices towards effective and efficient delivery of public services to the people. Most importantly, our Great Nation should designate  the United Nation’s public service day as a special Military Appreciation Day to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of the members of the armed forces as the greatest public service.
In this regard, the Higher Education leadership and Policy project, HELP, a research and policy-based consulting firm, has mooted a new appreciative initiative, the Defence Support Advocacy Project, DSAP, to support efforts of the armed forces and other security agencies under the leadership of the Chief of Defense Staff, CDS, General Christopher Gwabin Musa in the fight against insecurity and other forms of violent criminality in the country. The initiative is aimed at modeling the Citizens’ trust for the Nation’s Armed Forces at this critical time that the CDS a military scientist and well-trained soldier is implementing people-centric leadership philosophy with huge achievements that reflect the values of discipline, bravery, and professionalism that define the Nation’s fighting machine, the Nigeria Armed Forces.
Today, that the CDS who came prepared for the challenging responsibility is not in doubt; he has displayed the capacity, willingness and ability to herald a new dawn by strategically re-invigorating and tactically implementing doctrine of reality and necessity in the Nation’s defence and internal security management as it perfectly fits into the Mantra of the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. It is noted that the tripod on which his leadership stands, i.e., people-centric, disciplined, and forces multiplier, are very strategic towards winning and not losing any battle in the quest to keep the nation safe.
“Consequently, after due impact assessments of the nationwide military campaign, HELP recognizes the need for all the critical public stakeholders to stand by the CDS so as to effectively reconstruct the Nation’s security model with a view  to destroying the conditions that embolden the terrorist, insurgents, kidnappers and their cohorts to carry dastardly acts on citizens.”Therefore, the Defence Support Advocacy Project, DSAP, as a civil-military relations public support platform is premised on the fact that the peculiar nature of our nation’s internal security management is not all about military might but requires non- military strategies and tactics. DSAP also recognizes that the nation is suffering from a societal threat that covers everyone, and for this reason, it is approaching security from the perspective of development without which there is no security.
The initiative will therefore adopt the “Design Methodology approach” to unlock our innate superpowers and secret weapons of champions with the deployment of critical tools like “Diplomacy, strategic public dialogue, Consultations, Conversations, and Monitoring and Evaluation” as applicable to the Nation’s public space. It is highly envisaged that this pro-active non-military strategic weapons systems and approach which fit into the CDS People-Centered leadership philosophy could ultimately be a game changer that will offer strategic solutions that will significantly contribute to the peace and security of the Nation.
As a result of the consequences of the negative public perception about the Nigerian Armed Forces which has been orchestrated by false narratives in some quarters, most especially among the very critical publics who should naturally show understanding, the project will take-off with an elaborate world press conference to present the Nigeria Armed Forces as a special brand of public Service. This is with a view to informing local and international audiences of the great achievements of the military under General Christopher Musa and by so doing destroy the plots and ploys of some international organizations and critical local news media agencies willing to deliberately blackmail the Armed forces and set the Nigerian publics in particular and the outside world in general against the great initiatives of the current leadership of the Nation’s Armed Forces.
To support the CDS leadership of the Armed forces, outlined programs under the initiative will present the Armed Forces as a special public service brand so as to change the long-held public negative perception. Some of the implementation channels includes radio programs, strategic Publics sensitization, research and documentations, strategic Media retreat, special Happy hours, monitoring and Evaluations, Youths/Students special outreaches, meetings and campus tours, special documentaries, musical videos and social media campaigns etc. All these and other Strategic events will present and celebrate Nigeria Armed Forces service as the Nation’s top Public Service.
As we celebrate General Musa and his team in the challenging National service, we “We are very hopeful that the CDS and team will keep pushing for new frontiers to consolidate the status of the Nigeria Armed forces as a brand that has earned itself a place in the enviable rank of the world’s bests in terms of professionalism, courage, resilience and combat efficiency, with glowing tributes from regional and global peacekeeping outings, as well as in the management approach of the hydra-headed monster of insecurity and other criminal activities plaguing the Nation.
Today, we use the opportunity of the United Nation’s public service day to salute the courage of the Chief of Defence staff Gen. Christopher Musa and team over all the great achievements recorded within a year of being appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Today, the fight against terrorism, banditry, oil theft, and other forms of criminality across the country has convinced critical Nigerians that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“We also use this medium to strongly appeal to the general public to exhibit extreme caution in consuming misguided social media information and reports and at the same time restrain from aligning with activities of desperate politicians who have resorted to ethnocentric and religious sentiment so as to give the Armed Forces a bad name even in the face of the ultimate sacrifice of the gallant soldiers and officers in the discharge of their duties of protecting the nation’s territorial integrity.
“We therefore urge the Armed Forces under General Christopher Musa to remain undaunted in the protection of the Nation’s Democracy, stay focused and maintain their dedication in the ongoing Nationwide Military campaign to make Nigeria a safe Nation for all Citizens.”
Today,  as we recorgnise the Military service as the Nation’s No.1 Public service,  let every Nigerian extend Public appreciation to a soldier and a member of the Armed forces as a reminder of their profound contributions to Nation building.