Despite Bandits Menace, Farmers Are Fully On Their Farms In North – Atiku
Long Awaited Super Tucano Aircraft Land In Kano, Nigeria, From The US
The first batch of A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, ordered from the United States by Nigeria in mid-2018 to strengthen the air attacks on Boko Haram and Bandits have arrived Kano, Nigeria
The A-29 Super Tucano is designed and built specifically for the ‘counter-insurgency mission’ in Nigeria.
The aircraft, according to a statement by the Nigeria Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in a statement today, July 22, touched down Kano airport today at about 12.34pm.
On hand to receive the aircraft were the minister of Defence, retired Major General Bashir Magashi, Chief of Amy Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao.
Nigeria Air Force had, in December 2018, offered a contract to SNC and Embraer Defense & Security to deliver 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft. The contract included ground training devices, mission planning systems, ground equipment, spares and other related support. The aircraft will be delivered in two batches.
The A-29 Super Tucano will support flight and combat training, close air support operations, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), armed over-watch, counterinsurgency and irregular warfare scenarios.
In April last year, Embraer and SNC announced the completion of the inaugural flight of the first of 12 A-29 aircraft.
The full fleet of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft was manufactured by SNC and Embraer at the Jacksonville facility in Florida, US.
Saudi King Seeks God’s Intervention To Restore Hajj To Muslim World
The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has sought the intervention of Allah in the restoration of pilgrimage to the Islamic world the way it had been before the arrival of Corona Virus that had stopped the normal performances for the second year running.
In a message to the Islamic world today, July 20, to mark the Eid-el-Kabir, the King expressed hope that in the year ahead, the restrictions (of large gatherings) will be taken away for the feast to go as it has always been.
“My brothers and sisters residing on the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, brothers and sisters of Muslims in the east and west of the earth, peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you, and happy new year, health, safety, and success from God.”
Quoted by the Saudi Press Agency, King Salma expressed gratitude for the effective coordination of 2021 Hajj season in light of the covid-19 pandemic.
“In conclusion, we praise and thank God for the honor that this blessed country has bestowed on serving the Two Holy Mosques and their destination to the fullest, and for His success in managing the Hajj and Umrah seasons successfully in light of this pandemic and the restrictions and effects that it imposed on the entire world. To ensure the safety of the pilgrims, and thanks also to the workers and volunteers in all government and private sectors who contributed to the success of this year’s Hajj season.
“And I ask God to accept their Hajj from the pilgrims, and from other Muslims their good deeds, and to bring this feast back to the Islamic nation as it enjoys security, stability, safety and prosperity, and happy New Year.”
President Buhari Doffs Hat For Escaped Pilot From Crashed Air Force Jet
President Muhammadu Buhari has raised hand for the Air Force pilot, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, who escaped from an Alpha Jet that was shut down by bandits in Zamfara State amidst intense battle.
The President, who received briefings from the superior officers on the incidence, hailed the gallantry displayed by the pilot who came under “intense ground fire from bandits
Buhari, however, expressed pains over the air crash, saying: “I was shocked by the devastating news of the air crash but felt much relieved, following the successful ejection by the pilot and his eventual rescue.
“May the injured pilot recover at the earliest time.’’
And back in his Daura country home in Katsina State where he observed Eid-el-Kabir prayer today, July 20, President Buhari played host to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) during which time he expressed his special attachment to the Service, saying that it had broadened the horizon of citizens, opens up opportunities and enhances understanding of cultural differences.
He confessed how he had consistently been commending former Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon for the initiative, which had created more opportunity for uniting the country.
President Buhari advised the youth corps members to make the best out of the opportunity of travelling around the country, especially in understanding different climates, cultures, languages and outviews on life.
“Everytime I meet with former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, like recently, I still commend him for the initiative of the NYSC. The NYSC is spectacular in many ways.
“Some of you have come from Port Harcourt, Lagos and Calabar and you can now feel the heat of Daura and how close it is to the desert.”
The President said that the NYSC scheme was well thought-out to unite the country through understanding.
“I feel very strongly about the NYSC and I am wishing you all the very best.
“I assure you that you will be much better as Nigerians after your experience.’’
President Buhari gave the corps members two cows from his farm, 20 bags of rice and N1, 000,000 cash.
The Corps Liaison Officer, Umaru Babayo thanked the President for all the efforts and sacrifices to restore peace in the country, and the policies to diversify the economy, with agriculture as the main driver.
He said that the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruk Umar Faruk, had shown a lot of kindness and warmth to corps members as well in his domain, appreciating the community for always supporting them.
Babayo assured the President of prayers for a successful time in office, and God’s providence in decision making that will move the country forward.
Imam Blames Banditry, Boko Haram On Wrong Application Of Islamic Knowledge
The Chief Imam of Chibiri in Kuje, Abuja, Ustaz Mohammed Khamis has described the rise of Boko Haram and Banditry as part of the wrong application of Islamic knowledge.
Ustaz Mohammed, in a sermon today, July 20 at the end of two Rakah of Eid to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, said that lack of knowledge of religion is more dangerous to the society than any other thing.
He said that Allah knows what He is doing when he places knowledge as number one priority for anyone that wants to worship Him.
“The first commandment He gave to the prophet, Mohammad was that he should Read, even though the prophet never knew anything about reading.
” The prophet, through Angel Jibril (Gabriel), was properly prepared in the acquisition of verse knowledge before he set out to spread Islam.”
Ustaz Mohammed said that it is very wrong for a Muslim to practice Islam the way he sees others practicing it without a personal knowledge of how it is supposed to be practiced.
According to him, it is not enough for one pride himself as a Muslim when such person either has no knowledge or apply the knowledge in a wrong way.
Fleeing Sunday Igboho Captured In Cotonou
Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has been arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Report reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper said that he was arrested at an airport in Cotonou yesterday, July 19 in the night.
He was arrested by the security forces in Benin Republic about three weeks after the Department of State Services (DSS) declared him wanted for allegedly stockpiling arms.
It was learnt that Igboho will be repatriated to Nigeria today from Benin Republic, one of Nigeria’s neighbouring countries in the West African sub region.
“He was arrested in Cotonou while he tried to travel out on Monday night. His destination was Germany. The security forces in Benin Republic should repatriate him to Nigeria on Tuesday,” the source said.
Nigeria Has No Excuse To Remain Mono-Economy; Oil Is Drawback – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed that with verse potentials in other sectors, Nigeria cannot afford to remain a mono economy.
According to him, no excuse will be good enough for Nigeria “to remain a mono-economy with all the challenges in oil production and fluctuating global prices when we have vast opportunities in crop and livestock production.”
President Buhari, who commissioned the first National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) Integrated Farm Estate in Suduje-Daura, in Katsina State today, July 19, said that reliance on oil had turned a draw back on the economy over the years, with unpredictable and fluctuating global prices that made it more difficult to effectively plan budgets, implement and measure outcomes.
According to the President, a globalized world places more emphasis on competitive edge of the economy for relevance, and that Nigeria would always play a leading role in the agricultural sector, with the vastness in experience, crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and more recently, a rising youth interest.
“As the world becomes more globalized, countries will continue to draw from their competitive advantage to remain relevant. My belief, and it is also shared by many Nigerians, is that our country has a special advantage in food and livestock productions that we must harness and promote to feed ourselves, and build a firm structure for exportation.
“Our vision of a robust agricultural economy continues to provide amazing results. Across the country today, we are seeing rising public and private interests in agriculture, especially among the youth, and a steady migration from subsistence to commercial farming.
“With the support of public institutions, like the Central Bank and Bank of Agriculture, old tools are giving way to more mechanized styles of farming, credit lines are becoming more accessible, and farming is becoming more acceptable and fashionable. Indeed, we are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector.”
President Buhari said that the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) was resuscitated to meet growing needs in the agricultural sector for exploring available potentials of job opportunities, entrepreneurship and marketing, home and abroad.
“The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) was already moribund when we assumed office. We had to resuscitate it to meet the growing needs of the country. I am happy to see that the directive to the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Paul Ikonne, and his management team when I launched the National Young Farmers Scheme (NYFS) in November 2020, is gradually taking shape.
“At the launch of the National Young Farmers Scheme, I recall that I told the management that I have directed that all NALDA’s abandoned farm estates be retrieved to enable thousands of our young men and women to be engaged in farming.
“This Administration will be achieving agricultural mechanization through this scheme and I am confident that Nigeria under my watch, we will achieve food security in producing most of what we eat. In good harvest years we may even export our surpluses and earn foreign exchange.”
The President commended the zeal and patriotism of the NALDA team in achieving quick and sustainable results like the Integrated Farming Estate, which had pooled the strength of men, women and youths in 13 communities and channelled them into different kinds of farming in one location.
“The Integrated Farming scheme, again, opens up more opportunities for employment, and most importantly creates communal-based system that promotes food security, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“I am impressed to see that this NALDA Integrated Farm Estate is purely organic and it further expresses my desire for Nigeria and Nigerians to have food sufficiency and begin to earn more foreign income through agriculture. As a government, what I am seeing here today shows my administration’s desire is genuine and realizable that our peoples’ orientation to farming can be changed for good.”
President Buhari directed all Federal Government institutions to work in synergy in lifting and diversifying the economy, and NALDA should be given all the support it needs to expand the Integrated Farm Estate across the 109 senatorial zones in the country.
The President expressed appreciation to Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State for providing a 100 hectare of land for the project.
He advised the governors and his counterparts in other States to provide more support to Federal Government institutions that have been mandated to work assiduously in engaging more minds and hands to turn the economy around for good.
This was even as Governor Masari thanked the President for the initiative of resuscitating NALDA, saying that agriculture had always being the strength of the Nigerian economy until the 70s.
He said with proper management of the project and a strong irrigation system the integrated farm would serve its full purpose, with benefits to the people and economy of the state.
Kebbi state Governor, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, said all the 36 states of the federation and FCT had benefited from the administration’s policy of always targeting grassroots with development projects.
He said the closure of the border to neighboring countries further demonstrated President Buhari’s seriousness in lifting the Nigerian economy, adding that Nigeria remains sensitive to the plight of neighboring countries.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, said that the financial regulatory body will start giving special attention to NALDA, while listing some of the laudable achievements of the administration through the Anchor Borrowers scheme for farmers.
“Mr. President, as you told me during the inspection and I agree with you that this is the best way to spend money. You are doing everything that is possible to bring the dividends of democracy to all Nigerians.”
Sallah: Outrageous Prices Of Rams, Food Stuff Infuriate President Buhari
“Taking advantage of the celebration to exploit fellow citizens through outrageous prices of food and rams is inconsistent with fine virtues of Islam.
“As practising believers, we shouldn’t seek obscene profits by making life difficult and miserable for others. We should not seek happiness at the expense of others.”
These were the complaints of President Muhammadu Buhari today, July 19, in a message he sent to Nigerians, particularly, Muslims, as they joined Muslims across the World to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir.
The President appealed to Muslims “to demonstrate the good virtues of Islam through personal examples and practices.
Reminded Muslims, especially traders, that Islam is a religion of charity that urges them to love their neighbour as they love themselves.
Buhari restated the determination of his administration to create a just, harmonious and prosperous country in which the safety of life and property is assured.
The President reflected on current challenges facing the country, saying that COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the economies of all countries, including Nigeria, in addition to the fact that floods have caused large scale destruction to agricultural farmlands, ” thereby impacting negatively on our efforts to boost local production in line with our policy to drastically reduce food importation.”
He said that such situation had led to food inflation which the government is working hard to address.
President Buhari said that no government in recent history has invested as heavily as his government is doing to promote local production of about 20 other commodities, through the provision of loans and several other forms of support to our farmers.
“Apart from the destruction caused to rice farms by floods, middlemen have also taken advantage of the local rice production to exploit fellow Nigerians, thereby undermining our goal of supporting local food production at affordable prices.
“As an elected president who enjoys the goodwill of the ordinary people that gave us their mandate, let me assure you that we are continuing with measures to bring relief to Nigerians, including making fertilizer available at affordable prices to our farmers.
The President said that the current insecurity in the country has produced severe and adverse effects on agriculture because farmers are prevented from accessing their farms by bandits and terrorists.
He reassured Nigerians that he is taking measures to address the security challenges, adding: ” we have started taking delivery of fighter aircraft and other necessary military equipment and hardware to improve the capacity of our security forces to confront terrorism and banditry.”
President Buhari called on the Muslims to continue to live in peace and harmony with their fellow Nigerians of other faiths in the spirit of peaceful coexistence.
“Let us pray for the progress of Nigeria at all times. Let us expose undesirable elements among us who are creating security problems for the country.”
