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FCT Security: Administration To Confront Menace Of Scavengers, Cultism, Drug Abuse, Head-On

Published

4 years ago

February 17, 2021

… Collaboration Between Security Agencies To Improve

Joel Ajayi

FCT Administration will confront head-on the menace of scavengers, cultism and drug abuse as part of its strategies to ensure the security of lives and properties of residents of the FCT.

This was disclosed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello following the regular FCT Security Committee meeting held on Tuesday. 16^th February, 2021.

According to the Minister, the scavengers who often operate under the influence of hard drugs, perpetrate a lot of criminal activities within the Territory which will not be tolerated.

In the words of the Minister “each time there is crisis, you find that people of no known address, people without any means of livelihood suddenly come up with arms and start fighting each other and killing each other. All these are done under the influence of drugs and this is something that we are going to confront head-on”.

The scavengers, the Minister revealed had hitherto concentrated their criminal activities on vandalizing public utilities but had now become major threats to lives and property, reiterating that their activities remain banned in the Federal Capital City”

Malam Bello also said that there will now be an improved working synergy within the security and intelligence community in the FCT because the task of the provision of adequate security cannot be left to the police alone.

He also called for the support of the citizenry, especially in terms of providing intelligence to the security agencies.

Malam Bello said “We need citizens’ support, especially in terms of intelligence dissemination and also for leaders at all levels, whether it’s at the ward level or at the city level or at the village level or at the Area Council level”.

Continuing, he said “Political leaders at all level, as well as traditional and religious leaders have to play their part and we need to communicate and also encourage citizens to be law abiding and also to provide needed intelligence. Doing that, I think by the grace of God, we will surmount and continue to make FCT a very safe place for everybody”.

The Minister added that the security agencies also briefed the Committee on their plans and strategies to fight the kidnappings that occur, especially in communities outside the Federal Capital City.

Malam Bello also said that efforts will be made to continue to encourage the cordial relationship between herders and farmers within the FCT in order to prevent clashes between them.

On her part, the Honourable Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu equally reassured the residents of the Territory of their safety as the Administration was not unaware of the security challenges and is taking all necessary measures for the protection of lives and property.

She disclosed that the Administration was paying great attention to the reoccurrence of the Ebola Virus disease in Guinea taking into consideration that the FCT was an international gateway into Nigeria.

Dr Tijjani Aliyu also called on private clinics running the COVID-19 tests without reporting their finding to the relevant health authorities to desist from doing so. She called for the full disclosure of all mortalities suspected to be to COVID-19 so that post mortems can be carried out on the deceased so that their relations can receive adequate care.

Also at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA Mr Olusade Adesola, the Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Bornu, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr Umar Gambo Jubrin, The Commissioner of Police, Mr Bala Ciroma, traditional and religious leaders, Area Council Chairmen, heads of relevant FCTA agencies and departments as well as heads of the various military and para-military formations in the FCT.

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Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

Published

1 week ago

December 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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