Wife of Kogi State Governor, Hajiya Sefinat Usman Ododo has enjoined parents in the state to imbibe sustainable environmental practices and climate change awareness in their children.
The First Lady, who made the call today, May 16, in a message to commemorate the 2024 International Day of Families in the state, stressed the importance of the family in shaping habits.
She said that the family institution could be empowered to drive the campaign against pollution, indiscriminate waste disposal and increase tree planting and recycling of waste products.
She decried the huge devastation that has been attributed to climate change, such as flooding and drought that have impacted negatively on households, resulting in displacement, hunger and disease.
Hajiya Sefinat called for measures to promote children enlightenment and lifestyle changes that could assist in reversing the impacts of climate change on the families.
She said that government programmes through office of the first Lady would continue to be initiated to support vulnerable groups and citizens in general, even as she advised parents not to waiver in their responsibilities in raising morally sound children.
The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.
The 2024 International Day of Families has, as its theme, Families and Climate Change.

Mallam Muazu Adamu, a dangerous fighter in the Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihad (JAS) faction, who operated under Commander Alai Gana, has durrendered to troops of 403 Amphibious Brigade of MNJTF Sector 3, Nigeria. He surrendered along with his wife.
Also surrendered were 47 individuals associated with Boko Haram, made up of seven men, nine women and 31 children.
According to a statement by the Chief Military Public Information Officer in
N’djamena, Chad, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, the terrorists surrendered at Kwatan Turare and Doron Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State Nigeria.
The statement said that during the initial investigation, it was discovered that these individuals escaped from Sharama, located in the Lake Chad Islands.

Members of the group told the soldiers that they have been engaged in farming activities before deciding to make their escape.
The statement said that the surrendered individuals are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation to ascertain more details regarding their activities and affiliations.
It said that the MNJTF would continue to be committed to maintaining peace and security in Lake Chad basin region.
“This development marks a step in the ongoing efforts to weaken the operational capabilities of terrorist groups in the region. The MNJTF continues to encourage those still involved in terrorist activities to surrender and embrace peace.”

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the N90 Billion subsidy for the 2024 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who made the announcement today, May 15, at the commencement of the airlift operations of the intending pilgrims to the Holy land recalled: “this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.

“President Bola Tinubu also works round the clock to control the downwards spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians, a move that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare.
“The President approved the release of N90 billion to Subsidize the pilgrimage cost for this year’s hajj.”
The first flight took place in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, with first batch of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
On hand to witness the ceremonial first flight were the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Jalal Arabi and Kebbi state Governor amongst others.

Scavengers, popularly known as “baban bola”, have allegedly killed three residents of Byazhin community in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
Eyewitnesses said that the victims include two women and a young boy.
According to a resident of the area, Jessica Adams, the scavengers attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.
The scavengers then went away, reinforced and returned at about 8pm yesterday night, May 14, wielding weapons, including machetes, clubs and stones and began to attack residents at random.
She said that the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen, was killed during the attack.
Two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed.
“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. “The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. “So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made.
“The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Adams said.
It was gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms. Shops too were shut down yesterday.

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has asked the United Kingdom to collaborate in making an input in strengthening democratic practice not only in Nigeria but Africa as a whole.
Senator Akpabio, who spoke today, May 14, when the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Mongtgomery led a delegation to pay a courtesy visit on the leadership of the Senate at the National Assembly, said: “we are delighted to associate with you, to learn from you and also to strengthen democracy in our country.”
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Media and Communications, Anietie Ekong quoted Senator Akpabio as saying: “We need your advice, your counseling, your input in order to enable that to happen.
“Ours is a nascent democracy, we are still at a learning point. Even the advanced democracies are still grappling with some challenges. We are learning to run. And we can assure you that standing on the shoulders of a giant like the United Kingdom, we can only get better.
“The 10th Senate has a very robust legislative agenda that is people-centered. Whether it is in the area of the economy, whatever laws we will make must have the welfare of the people of Nigeria in mind. Whether it is in the area of infrastructure, it must be to the benefit of the people.
“We also believe strongly in collaboration. We must exchange ideas in the best practices of democracy. We must bring most of the anachronistic laws and acts of parliament in tandem with modern realities.
“We have taken a look at our Constitution and find out that we still have military type edicts and decrees embedded in the Constitution. We have inaugurated the Constitution amendment committee which we believe will ensure that most of those things are eliminated to have a peoples centered constitution. We need your collaboration in that respect.”
Senator Akpabio decried the high turnover of lawmakers at the National Assembly and said they would need training and retraining.
He said that the National Assembly is also working on the amendment of the Electoral Act to make sure that every vote counts.
The High Commissioner, Mongtgomery acknowledged that the British High Commission had a long-standing relationship with the National Assembly and had in the past supported various issues that had to do with democratic practice in Nigeria.
“We came to share ideas with the Senate and to understand the vision and priorities of the 10th National Assembly. The UK and Nigeria have a longstanding relationship and we have incredibly strong people to people links between our countries.
“We have very significant connections between our democracies and our democratic institutions. We have many Nigerians working in the UK and many of our people working here. We are bound together by families, friendships, business and people to people links. That is why the UK has a large diplomatic mission here.
“In the first year of my tenure as the British High Commissioner which coincides with the first year of the new administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that first year has seen a significant elevation in the relationships between my Government and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”