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HCSF Applauds Governor Zulum’s Visionary Leadership During Visit to Maiduguri Government House

Published

3 months ago

July 31, 2025

Joel Ajayi

In a strong show of support for sub-national reforms, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, has commended the Governor of Borno State, His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, for his exceptional leadership and reform-driven governance, which continue to enhance public service delivery and foster sustainable development.

Speaking during a courtesy visit on the governor, the HCSF described the visit to the State as insightful and memorable.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director, Information and Public Relations Mrs Eno Olotu, stated that Walson-Jack expressed deep appreciation to Governor Zulum for the warm hospitality extended to her delegation and for his steadfast partnership with the Federal Civil Service.

She praised the Governor’s visionary leadership and reform-driven governance to enhance public service delivery and promote sustainable development across the State.

Mrs. Walson-Jack highlighted several key engagements she undertook while in the State including her participation at the 110th Regular Meeting of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals in Nigeria, where she delivered the keynote address; the commissioning of strategic healthcare infrastructure; an inspection tour of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital; as well as strategic engagements with staff of federal institutions at the Federal Secretariat and the Federal Training Centre (FTC), Maiduguri.

According to her, these engagements provided valuable insights into local service delivery efforts and presented opportunities for stronger intergovernmental collaboration.

The HCSF particularly commended the Zulum-led administration for its deliberate investment in capacity building for Civil Servants. She noted that the structured training programmes, institutional reforms, and emphasis on performance management in Borno State are in strong alignment with the priorities of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25).

She further applauded Borno State’s active participation in key national reform initiatives, including the 2025 Civil Service Week held in Abuja, the Institutional Strengthening Retreat in Katsina, and the maiden International Civil Service Conference (ICSC) declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. These efforts, she said, reflect a firm commitment to building a modern, efficient, and people-oriented Civil Service.

In line with ongoing digital transformation under FCSSIP25, the HCSF presented a number of federal digital initiatives aimed at enhancing service efficiency, transparency, and engagement. These include ServiceWise GPT – an AI-powered tool for civil service knowledge access; GOVMAIL – a secured official email system for civil servants; the Online Compendium of Federal Circulars; the Federal Civil Service Online Academy; and monthly publications such as Civil Service News and the Service Welfare Newsletter. She encouraged the Borno State Government to explore adaptation of these innovations to strengthen service delivery at the State level.

A notable highlight of the visit was the commendation of the restoration and revitalisation of the Federal Training Centre (FTC), Maiduguri, which had previously been displaced due to insurgency.

Mrs. Walson-Jack announced that the Centre has now secured full accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to offer diploma-level training in key areas such as Public Administration, Office Technology, and Procurement and Supply Chain Management. She attributed

this milestone to Governor Zulum’s unwavering support and leadership, describing his intervention as pivotal to the Centre’s recovery and repositioning.

In his response, Governor Zulum welcomed the HCSF and her delegation, and commended the HCSF for her resilience, focus, and dedication to driving critical reform initiatives at the federal level and promised to domesticate them at the state level.

He acknowledged the synergy between federal and state-level reforms and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing workforce productivity, and ensuring the welfare of Civil Servants in Borno State.

The HCSF reiterated the commitment of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to sustaining collaboration with the Borno State Government, with a shared goal of building a resilient, professional, and citizen-focused public service

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Imo Auto Parts Dealer Runs Abroad to Escape Bandit Attacks

Published

46 mins ago

November 3, 2025

The Gleamer

An automobile parts dealer, Mr Ifeanyi Kingsley Iwuagwu, has fled Nigeria to save his life after a series of deadly attacks by bandits on his community in Imo State.

Iwuagwu, who left the country in January this year, said he was forced to seek refuge abroad following repeated violent raids that claimed several lives and left properties in ruins.

The young entrepreneur, a native of the Okigwe axis of Imo State, recounted how relentless assaults by armed men transformed his once peaceful village into a war zone. “I had no choice but to leave,” he told AljazirahNigeria Newspapers. “It became a matter of life and death. Remaining there would have meant waiting for the next attack.”

As the only son of an aged mother who depends entirely on him for her welfare, Iwuagwu said leaving her behind was the most agonising decision he has ever made. His mother now lives in constant fear and uncertainty.

“It breaks my heart to be far from her,” he lamented. “But I had to leave to stay alive, with the hope of bringing her to safety one day.”

In recent years, many residents of rural communities in Imo State have faced escalating threats from bandits and criminal gangs, forcing some to abandon their homes and even seek refuge overseas.

For Iwuagwu, the decisive moment came on 20 November 2024, when his shop in Amiagbo, Nwangele Local Government Area, was looted and set ablaze. “That was the day I finally decided to follow the path of some of my colleagues who had already fled abroad,” he explained. “There is no safe place in Nigeria anymore. We keep hearing reports of kidnappings, banditry, herdsmen invasions, and terrorist attacks across all six geopolitical zones—no one knows where will be next.”

Security experts and community leaders have continued to urge the government to provide greater protection for defenceless communities and address the root causes of insecurity in the South East.

For Iwuagwu, survival remains his foremost concern. “All I want is peace and the chance to live without fear,” he said. “No one should have to abandon their home just to stay alive.”

The South-East geopolitical region of Nigeria has in recent years become a flashpoint of violence, with numerous deaths and widespread destruction of businesses and property. Many residents have fled their ancestral lands in search of both safety and livelihoods.

According to Amnesty International, approximately 1,844 people were killed in the South East by both state and non-state actors between January 2021 and June 2023.

The organisation’s Director, Isa Sanusi, disclosed this during the presentation of a report and campaign launch against insecurity in the region, titled “A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South East”, held on 7 October.

Many Nigerians are now placing renewed hope in the recently appointed service chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, praying that their tenure will bring lasting peace and restore public confidence in the nation’s security architecture.

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