​Our duty is to enforce the law, not negotiate with bandits — El-Rufai

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has reiterated his administration’s stance not to negotiate with bandits, saying that his job as governor is to enforce the law and help prosecute people who commit offences.

El-Rufai restated his government’s position during an expanded meeting of the State Security Council on Tuesday in Kaduna.

The meeting was attended by government officials, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders and people from professional associations, trade unions and civil society groups.

“We will not engage with bandits or kidnappers. Private citizens like clerics and clergymen can do so in their individual capacities, to preach to them and ask them to repent.

“We also want them to repent but it is not our job to ask them to do so,’’ he said.

According to him, the best way to solve the farmer-herder clashes, cattle rustling and banditry is for nomadic herdsmen to live more sedentary lives.

This, he added, would make them more productive and enable them to give their children education and access to better healthcare.

The governor argued that nomadic or transhumance cattle breeding had been rendered obsolete by urbanization and population growth as most of the cattle routes had been taken over by development.

El-Rufai said that the state was implementing a large ranching project at Damau Grazing Reserve in Kubau Local Government, which will make about 1,500 herdsmen sedentary.

He explained that the project would enable the herders to raise their cattle in a facility with pasture, school and Primary Health Centre, with a commercial partner ready to buy their milk.

The governor commended security agencies for their efforts to keep Kaduna state residents safe, in spite of the challenges they are facing.

El Rufai called for decentralisation of the police force, pointing out that Nigeria is the only federation that operates a unitary police force that is funded by state governments but not controlled by them.

​Buhari Applauds Imo Governor On People’s Welfare …Inaugurates 2 Roads

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the vision and efforts of the Government of Imo State, under Governor Hope Uzodinma, to provide infrastructure and improve the welfare of the people.

The President spoke on Tuesday at the virtual inauguration of two roads in Owerri, the Imo State capital, completed within the first year in office of Governor Uzodinma.

President Buhari applauded the Governor on the completion of the Assumpta to Hospital junction road and as well as the World Bank to Federal Secretariat road, respectively.

He described the two roads commissioned on his behalf by the Imo Governor as ‘‘quite symbolic and strategic.’’

”The first road, The Assumpta to Hospital junction road, is the gateway to the South-South from the South-East.
”The second road, the World Bank to Federal Secretariat road, is an important access way to the federal government secretariat and a major connecting link road between the residents of the densely populated World Bank area of the state and the rest of the state capital,’’ he said.

The President said he was aware that in the first year in office, the Imo state government had embarked on an ambitious target of executing 46 road projects.

”I am glad to learn that significant strides are being made towards their completion, and a number of them are amongst those being commissioned as part of the events in honour of the one-year anniversary.

”I must commend the State Government, under the leadership of Sen. Hope Uzodinma, for setting ambitious targets, and within just one year in office using this moment to evaluate the journey thus far.

”It clearly demonstrates the commitment of the government to the welfare of the people”, he said.
The President while congratulating the Governor for the feat noted that the infrastructure will go a long way in making life better for the people of lmo State and residents and visitors alike.
He urged the Governor to sustain the momentum and accelerate the pace of good governance in the State.

”I feel happy to learn from Governor Uzodinma that the policies of our administration and the manifesto of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), have greatly influenced his resolve to make a difference in Imo State.  I pray that you will keep the flag flying,” he said

In his remarks, the Governor said the infrastructure achievements being celebrated in Imo State have been greatly influenced by the sterling qualities of the President and as such the State Executive   Council unanimously voted to name the newly constructed World Bank to Federal secretariat road, Muhammadu Buhari road.

”When I assumed office a year ago, almost all the roads in the State were not motorable, and as a result, both inter and intra city movement were nightmarish.

”To make matters worse, there was no money to carry out palliative repairs… and I received no handover note from the previous administration and no kobo was handed over to me,” he said.

Governor Uzodinma, however, declared that one year after, he had kept his promise to surmount the challenges he met on ground and had surpassed the expectations of Imo people.

The Governor said beyond the 46 roads embarked upon by his administration, many of which have been completed, Imo people are also enjoying a new lease of life in health, education, agriculture, youth empowerment and rural development sectors.

​AstraZeneca vaccines: EU says no indication vaccination causes blood clotting

The EU’s drug regulator said Tuesday it remained “firmly convinced” of the benefits of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine despite several countries suspending its use over blood clot fears.

“We are still firmly convinced that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing COVID-19 with its associated risk of hospitalisation and death outweigh the risk of these side effects,” European Medicines Agency chief Emer Cooke told an online press conference.

“At present, there is no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions.

“They have not come up in the clinical trials and they are not listed as known or expected side effects,” Cooke added.

Clinical trials had shown “very small numbers of blood clot developments”, she added.

The Amsterdam-based EMA’s safety committee was meeting Tuesday to assess new information and would reach a conclusion at a special meeting on Thursday, Cooke said.

They would then “advise us on whether there are any further actions that need to be taken”, she said, without specifying what the measures could be.

A number of European countries including France and Germany suspended the use of the vaccine following the reports of blood clots.

World Health Organisation experts are also meeting on Tuesday to discuss the vaccine.

The EMA approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for people of all ages on January 29.

But its rollout was troubled from the start, with several countries initially saying it should not be used on older people. 

(AFP)