NEWS
FG Proposes N2.4bn Rehab Centres For Repentant Terrorists
The Federal Government has said it is considering establishing rehabilitation centres for repentant terrorist groups.
The Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Rear Admiral Yem Musa (retd.), explained to the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence that the NCTC plans to establish two Disarmament, Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centres for repent terrorists.
He said this is part of the capital projects of the NCTC for 2023.
Out of a capital expenditure of N3, 839,160,000 proposed for next year, N2, 400,000,000 will be spent on the centres.
The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.), had on November 17, 2022, led heads of the intelligence community before the committee to defend their respective 2023 budget proposals.
Musa lamented that the NCTC, which is less than one year old, has been battling with a shortage of funds to achieve the purposes for which it was established.
The NCTC presentation to the committee partly reads: “Since its establishment, efforts have been made towards the setting up and operationalisation of the centre. These efforts have not been easy due to lack of funding for the centre since its inception early this year as provision was not made for funding in this year’s budget.
“That is why this maiden budget is key to the effective take-off and operationalisation of the centre to achieve its core mandate.”
Musa told the committee that the projected personnel cost for 2023 was N1,864,889,169, but the Budget Office of the Federation reviewed it downward to N997,152,292.25, which he said, “is insufficient for the Centre considering its proposed staff strength.”
The NCTC coordinator pleaded with the committee to consider and approve the initial sum forwarded by the centre.
While the NCTC proposed allocation of N3, 839,160,000 to its capital projects, the sum was reviewed down to N428, 860,000.
The NCTC coordinator prayed the committee to “facilitate the appropriation of (a) the sum of N1,864,889,169.00 only as personnel cost for the Year 2023; (b) the sum of N5,860,610,050.00 only as overhead cost for the Year 2023; (c) the sum of N3,839,160,000.00 only for the Year 2023 capital expenditure.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.
To address Nigeria’s ₦9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year, the Senate has approved President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to secure a ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2 billion) loan.
The decision was made during Thursday’s plenary session, where a voice vote confirmed the approval following the presentation of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
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Chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North), the committee endorsed the loan request as a vital step in managing the country’s fiscal challenges.
Recall that President Tinubu had submitted the proposal earlier in the week, outlining the loan as a crucial component of his administration’s external borrowing strategy.
Details shortly…………..
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