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Dangote Cement Ibese Celebrates Senior Citizens, Champions Inclusion in Host Communities

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. . . As Ogun Commends Cement Giant for Empowering Persons with Disabilities

Foremost Cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc has reaffirmed commitment to deepening community welfare through sustained social investment programmes in its host communities across Nigeria and pan-Africa.

Head of Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant, Ayyagari Subbaraidu made the declaration when the Plant hosted elders and persons with disability within its 17 host communities during a programme tagged: “A Day Out with Senior Citizens”, held at the plant premises in Ibese, Ogun State.

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Dangote cement Ibese restated its unwavering commitment to the development of communities within which it operates just as the Ogun State Government praised the management of the Company for its unwavering commitment to community well-being.

The Plant Director said the initiative is meant to enhance the emotional, social, and physical well-being of the elderly in the communities, adding that the programme now in its third year, addresses some of the challenges many elders face, including loneliness and limited social interaction, by providing a supportive environment for relaxation, connection, and free medical screenings.

Said he, “This annual event is specially curated to improve the social and emotional well-being of our senior citizens while offering essential medical checks and take-home items to support their quality of life.”

He explained that while aging is a blessing, many elders experience loneliness and limited interaction, noting that the outreach serves as a platform for relaxation, bonding, and access to free health checks.
Subbaraidu also disclosed that alongside the outreach, Dangote Cement identified six individuals living with disabilities who received wheelchairs to support their movement and daily activities.

“With this year’s edition, we have now reached 150 elders and 11 persons with disabilities underscoring the company’s commitment to recognizing and uplifting vulnerable groups within our host communities. Our goal is to put smiles on the faces of our senior citizens in recognition of their contributions to society,” he stated.

Some of the items distributed to the beneficiaries include: rechargeable lamp, Cardigan, Dual-power transistor radio (battery-operated and rechargeable), Adire, Double layer thermal insulator water flask, beverages and milk, tea bag, Disinfectant, Compressor socks, Jumbo shear butter cream, Packs of bathing soap, Detergent, Dangote Rice, Semovita, Cash incentive and take-home bag.

Subbaraidu assured all stakeholders that Dangote Cement Ibese will continue to strengthen interventions in health, education, infrastructure, and empowerment in line with its Community Development Agreement adding; “We remain committed to supporting community growth through initiatives that promote peace, progress, and shared prosperity.”

He then thanked the Ogun State Government, partners, and community leaders for their partnership and collaboration which has provided the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the communities.

Subbaraidu noted that this year’s edition was organized in collaboration with Ore Ofe Clinic, Ilaro, a trusted healthcare provider in Dangote Cement’s HMO network, to ensure comprehensive health screening for all beneficiaries.

The Ogun State Government, represented by Hon. Araba Adebukunola, Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Affairs, lauded Dangote Cement for its unwavering commitment to the well-being of the community, describing the initiative as a model for corporate social responsibility in the region.

The Special Assistant to the Governor praised Dangote Cement for its consistent commitment to community well-being noting that the outreach aligns with the state government’s vision to promote holistic welfare for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups.

Pointing out that the programme complements ongoing social inclusion efforts of the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Hon. Adebukunola highlighted several initiatives of the Ogun State Government, including the Women Economic Empowerment Policy, the Nigerian for Women Project, skills acquisition programmes, gender-based violence response systems, and child protection services as some of the state government programmes design to socially aid the people of the state.

She described the Dangote’s Day Out with Senior Citizens as “timely, impactful, and deeply aligned” with the state’s mission of supporting citizens across all life stages, while reaffirming the Ministry’s willingness to collaborate with organisations advancing community wellness.

Also Speaking, chairman of Yewa North Local Government, Olusola Akinbode, commended the management of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, stressing that the unrelenting efforts of the organisation in ensuring that everyone is catered to in and around the host communities is no mean feat.

“Over time, we have had a very smooth relationship with Dangote Cement, Ibese; they have been law abiding, very supportive and we see people with a heart of giving and growth. Their humanitarian activities and corporate social responsibilities have cut across all age groups; from youth empowerment to farmers’ provision of tools for artisans, women and the elderly empowerment, Dangote Cement is truly committed to a better society.

An emotional Banji Bamidele, a person with disability and one of the six recipients of the wheelchairs, thanked the management for their kind gift, adding that in his 30 years of being physically challenged and crawling from end to end, “this is the first time I will have the opportunity of riding on a wheelchair, which puts an end to over 30 years of crawling. I thank Dangote Cement for this priceless gift.”

Caption:
L-R, Head Social Performance, Dangote Cement Ibese Plant, Ademola Ojolowo; General Manager HAM/ Admin, Dangote Cement ibese plant, Aina Olugbemiga; Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Women Affairs, Hon. Araba Adebukunola Augusta; Plant Director, Dangote cement Ibese, Ayyagari Subbaraidu; Chairman, Community Join Consultative Committee, Hon. Dayo Ogunyinka; Chairman, Yewa North Local Government, Hon. Olusola Akinbode; Head of Internal control, Dangote Cement Ibese, Sola Akinloye and Manager, HAM/Admin, Dangote Packaging Ltd, Oloyede Oladipupo with some of the beneficiaries of the Wheel Chairs. Front row, L-R, Aminat Babalola; Fausat Odu; Banji Bamidele at the Dangote Cement Ibese Plant’s 2025 Edition of A-Day Out with Senior Citizens.

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‘Dem Dey Use Stick Dey Flog Women’ — Nigerians in India Camp Cry Out

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Nigerian women allegedly being held at a deportation facility in India have cried out over their treatment, with a video circulating online showing some of them displaying injuries and alleging that security personnel flogged detainees.

The video began circulating online on Wednesday and shows a group of Nigerian women inside and around what they described as a deportation camp.

Several of the women pointed to marks, bruises and apparent injuries on their legs, feet and bodies while alleging that they were beaten with sticks or canes.

SEE ALSO: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case

“See my video, see my leg,” one of the women could be heard saying in the footage.

Another woman said, “Mona see wetin dem dey do for deportation camp.”

“Deportation camp, na dem flog person, see,” another woman said while showing what appeared to be an injury.

The women further alleged that female detainees were beaten with sticks.
“Dem dey use stick dey flog women, mona dey see am,” one of them said.

Another woman, while pointing at an injured detainee, said, “Dem carry cane flog o… see her body, dem flog am.”

The women also alleged that police officers carried sticks inside the facility.

“Police carry stick like say dem dey cut firewood,” one of the women said.

The footage shows the women appearing distressed as they moved through the facility and gathered in an outdoor area.

They repeatedly appealed to Nigerians to share the video and draw attention to their situation.

“Make una see… make this video trend/go,” one woman said.

“Make una share am,” another added.
One of the women also expressed frustration over their alleged experience at the facility, saying, “We don suffer, every time, every time.”

The footage comes amid ongoing concerns over Nigerians detained at the Lampur detention centre, also known as Sewa Sadan, in New Delhi.

Recall that in September, reports emerged that more than 200 Nigerians were being held at the facility, with some detainees alleging poor food, inadequate medical care and prolonged detention.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) subsequently defended its handling of the situation and said the Nigerian High Commission in India was seeking another amnesty period to facilitate the departure of Nigerians without proper immigration documentation.

No official response from the Indian authorities or the Nigerian government specifically addressing the allegations in the latest video had been made available at the time of publication.

 

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‘Military Gets Huge Budgets, Yet Air Crashes Persist’ — Shehu Muhammad

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Military Conducts Mass Burial For Slain Soldiers In Niger Ambush, Air Crash

Rights activist, public affairs analyst and Chief Executive Officer of The Dialogue, Shehu Muhammad, has questioned the continued occurrence of military aircraft crashes despite the huge budgetary allocations to the country’s defence and security sector.

Muhammad spoke while reacting to the recent Nigerian Navy aircraft crash in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Describing the incident as “one incident too many,” he recalled that Nigeria had recorded several military aircraft crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army over the years.

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He said the recurring incidents had raised concerns among members of the public about the condition of military aircraft and the process through which military hardware is procured.

“People have begun to cast aspersions as to the honesty, sincerity, and openness in the purchase of military hardware, including airplanes,” Muhammad said.

According to him, the concerns are heightened by the substantial funds allocated to the military and other security agencies over the years.

“There are insinuations by the public that, after all, the military receive the highest amount of money from the budget year in, year out,” he said.

Muhammad also questioned the transparency of defence procurement, particularly the process of selecting contractors for the supply of military equipment.

He argued that the repeated crashes should prompt authorities to examine military aviation operations, aircraft procurement and the management of defence resources.

The latest crash occurred in Irele, Ondo State, with recovery efforts reportedly complicated by the difficult terrain around the crash site.

Muhammad said the latest incident should not be treated in isolation, but should lead to broader questions about military aviation safety and the management of resources allocated to the defence sector.

He called for greater transparency and accountability in the procurement and management of military hardware to restore public confidence.

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‘NYSC Has Outlived Its Usefulness, Should Be Scrapped’ — Shehu Muhammad

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Gombe NYSC Prioritises Safety of Corps Members

Rights activist and public affairs analyst, Shehu Mohammed, has called for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), saying the scheme has outlived its usefulness amid growing security concerns across the country.

Shehu made the call on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, while reacting to the kidnapping of prospective corps members travelling to orientation camps in Akwa Ibom and Anambra states.

He described the incident as “one incident too many,” noting that kidnapping, maiming and the detention of victims in kidnappers’ camps had become frequent in several parts of the country.

SEE ALSO: 2027: North Should Back South-West To Complete 8 Years In Power — Shehu Sani

“I think it is just a case of one incident too many. There are more unreported cases of kidnapping and maiming and detention in kidnappers’ den, almost all over the country, especially in the northern part of the country: the Middle North West, North East, and North Central. It’s a daily, daily happening,” Sani said.

He said the security situation had made him question the continued relevance of the NYSC scheme, which was established to promote national unity.

“When Bukola was saying that she objects to the scrapping of NYSC, I tend to take a different view. My view is that the entire NYSC was meant to unite Nigeria, but if in uniting Nigeria you lose your daughter, you lose your son, you lose your uncle, you lose your sister, you lose your neighbour, then it’s not worth the trouble,” he said.

Shehu argued that corps members should instead be allowed to serve in their respective states, eliminating the need for young Nigerians to travel long distances to orientation camps.

“This NYSC issue should be scrapped, removed from the constitution, allow each and every corps member to serve in his own state, traveling with all the dangers, with all the costs,” he said.

He also highlighted the financial burden placed on families when corps members are posted far from their home states.

“If a child is going from Katsina to Anambra State to report to the camp, minimum that you give him is three hundred thousand naira for transfer cost, three hundred. How many parents have three hundred thousand naira to give their wards?” Sani asked.

He said the financial burden was only one aspect of the problem, with corps members also facing security risks and possible trauma during interstate travel.

“Minus all the dangers, the consequences, the uncertainties, the traumas involved. If your child has to go through a trauma, through uncertainty, through pain, through kidnapping, through raping, eventually through killing, why do you have to go for NYSC?” he said.

“As far as I’m concerned, the NYSC project has outlived its usefulness. It should be scrapped.”

Shehu also warned that kidnapping in Nigeria was taking a new dimension, with criminal groups increasingly targeting vulnerable groups.

“Corps members are vulnerable groups. Travelers for commercial purposes all over the country are vulnerable groups. Therefore they are now going for soft targets,” he said.

According to him, kidnappers also use abductions to blackmail victims’ families and government authorities into paying ransom.

“The next one is blackmailing either the parents or blackmailing government to collect money,” he said.
Sani alleged that ransom payments were subsequently used to finance criminal activities.

“So they can finance their arm purchase. They can finance their purchase of hard drugs to enable them operate without pity and compassion, and to send permanent fear into the community,” he said.

He added that the kidnappers were using their activities to create fear within communities, despite being relatively few in number.

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