SOUTH-SOUTH: BAYELSA STATE: EX-MILITANT LEADER DENOUNCES VIOLENCE AND THUGGERY

Eris Paul A.K.A General Ogunboss

A prominent ex-militant leader in Bayelsa state, Eris Paul, also known as General Ogunboss, has  called on all ex-militant leaders and youths in the state not to  allow themselves to be hired by politicians to plot and perpetrate violence ahead of the December 5^th Governorship election in the state.

According to Eris Paul, though the ex-militant youths and leaders have embraced the Federal government's Amnesty deal, and vowed to sustain the existing peace under the present administration, pressure is being mounted on the youths of the state to carry out violence.

Niger Delta Militants

He noted that Bayelsans must tolerate one another and seek non-violent approaches to decide who becomes the next governor of the state. He also advised youths of the state not to be used as political thugs.

NATIONAL SECURITY: NIGERIA ARMY REINSTATES 2,500 SOLDIERS, 102 OFFICERS

It was all joy and smiles as the Nigeria Army recalled over 2,500 soldiers who were asked to withdraw from service for alledged offenses committed under the counter insurgency operation code named, Operation Zaman Lafiya.

This decision followed the submission of the report by the review panel set up by the Army, which began sitting in Kaduna on August 17, 2015.

The reinstated soldiers and officers, it was learnt, had commenced retraining at the Nigeria Army Training Centre, Kontangora, Niger State.

The 2,500 soldiers were among the over 4,000 who responded to a memo from the Army authorities inviting soldiers for a review of recent disciplinary cases, which emanated from the counter terrorism operation.

AFRICA: SIERRA LEONE GANG RAPE KILLERS

NEWS TITBITS:

For information leading to the arrest of a gang rape suspected of raping and killing a girl, the Sierra Leone government has offered a $ 1,000 (640 pounds) reward for the rapists.

The body of Hannah Bockarie, a teenage sex worker was according to report, found last week on a beach in the capital, Freetown, with sand stuffed in her mouth.

Activists said Ms. Bockarie’s case reminded them of the country’s civil war when rape was used as a weapon.

An online campaign has been launched condeming the act and calling for the criminals to be brought to book.

AFRICA: CONGO WARLORD ICC TRIAL

NEWS TITBITS:

Map of DR Congo

Former Congolese Warlord Thomas Lubanga, serving a jail term for crimes against humanity wants to be released from prison early to study the causes of ethnic conflict.

Thomas Lubanga

Speaking at a hearing at the Hague, Lubanga who was sentenced to 14 years in prison by the International Criminal Court for using child soldier and raping girls said he wanted to return to DR Congo and pursue a doctoral thesis in the city of Kisangani, to identify a new form of sociology to help “tribal groups to live together in harmony”. Lubanga who led one side during fighting between two Congolese communities, was the first person to be convicted by the ICC, in 2012.

He is eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his sentence. He has been in custody since being arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2005.

It will be recalled that Lubanga led a militia in the gold-rich Ituri region of DR Congo during a conflict between the Hema and Lendu communities, in which an estimated 50,000 people died and hundreds of thousands were made homeless.

NORTH CENTRAL : KOGI STATE WORKFORCE

NEWS TITBITS:

The Kogi State government has disclosed that it has no plans to downsize its workforce, in spite of huge wage bills and dwindling resources accruing to it.

Gov. Idris Wada

Moses Atakpa, Head of Service of the State who made this known in Lokoja, the state capital said the government was not and would not contemplate such move.

He insisted that government was not contemplating reduction of the workforce in spite of the astronomical wage bill, describing any information in that regards as a mere speculation.

According to him, efforts were being harnessed to strengthen the civil service as the mechanism charged with implementing government policies which would take the state to the next stage of development and provide quality service for Kogi state.

Civil servants

NORTH EAST : ADAMAWA STATE ON BAILOUT FUNDS

NEWS TITBITS:

Gov. Mohammed Jibrilla

The Adamawa State government has been explaining what it has done with the recent bailout funds given to states by the Federal Government   saying it was not meant for the payment of salaries and allowances owed civil servants.

Chief of Staff to Governor Mohammed Jibrilla, Abdulrahaman Jimeta, who stated this in Yola said the state received N 3.8 billion as its share of what he called “Largesse” from the Fedral Government and after consultations decided to allocate the funds to areas the government considered more expedient.

The position of the state contradicts the reasons given by 36 states governors who after various meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari requested for the bailout saying without it, states could not offset the back log of salaries owed civil servants.

The official said the state used some of its funds to address its security challenges.

Adamawa is one of the three states most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said the state spends N 45 to N50 million monthly on its security outfit, “operation Tsaro”, which is run by the military as well as N 200 million on clerics, traditional rulers and others, to pray for security.

NORTH CENTRAL: BENUE STATE TO CONSTRUCT MARKUDI OLD BRIDGE

NEWS TITBITS:

As a means of checking flooding in Markurdi, the state capital, Benue State government is to construct the Markudi old bridge road as a panacea to the annual flooding along the bank of River Benue.

Gov. Samuel Ortom

State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Emmanuel Manager, who is also the Chairman, State Committee on erosion and Flood Control, made this known in Markudi while answering questions from newsmen.

The state Executive Council on Monday set up a committee to make emergency arrangements to address flooding and identify areas where people had blocked drains and other water channels for subsequent relocation.

Old Markurdi bridge