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Father Begs Son To Surrender

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By our correspondent

Malam Baba Modu, an 80 year-old father to a Boko Haram commander, popularly called ‘Ba-Ana’, has begged his son to surrender and embrace peace.

Modu made the call in an interview with our correspondent this afternoon in Maiduguri.

He said that he was unable to persuade his son to abandon the cause and surrender under the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor.

Recounting his ordeal, Modu said his son was conscripted by the insurgents in 2012 at a farm in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno.

“I lost hope of meeting my son after his abduction in the past seven years. One day, I met someone who told me that my son was alive and mentioned where I can find him.

”I was also told he is one of the commanders of the Albarnawi faction of the Boko Haram.

“I travelled to the shores of the Lake Chad to plead with Ba-Ana to surrender and embrace peace. It took me about one week to get to where I met him.

“When I arrived at the camp, I told them that I am the father of Ba’ana and after series of interrogations, they asked me to wait for him to return from a mission.

“Ba-Ana returned at night, he was marveled to see me, and when he heard my voice; he told his men that I am his father.

“I pleaded with him for about 30 days in a bid to convince him to lay down his arms and embrace peace, regrettably he did not heed my counsel.

“Ba-Ana confessed that he killed many people and believed that the authorities would not forgive his crimes. He also believed that he had committed his life in the course of God.

“I did not lose hope; I will continue to pray God to heal his soul and bring him back to me,“ he said.

 

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NIMC DG BAGS HONOURARY DOCTORAL DEGREE

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NIMC DG BAGS HONOURARY DOCTORAL DEGREE

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The DG/CEO of NIMC, Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, was conferred with an honourary doctorate by the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote received the honourary doctoral at the University’s 10th Convocation in Abuja on Tuesday, 14th January 2025.

The conferment of the honorary doctorate on Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote is in recognition of her immense contributions to nation-building, particularly her sterling performance in identity management.

She has transformed the identity management space of the country within a short time of her assumption as the DG/CEO of NIMC.

Engr Coker-Odusote thanked the Management of the African University of Science and Technology for the award and promised not to rest on her oars in making meaningful contributions to the development.

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FG LAUNCHES DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS FOR FEDERAL CIVIL SERVANTS

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FG LAUNCHES DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS FOR FEDERAL CIVIL SERVANTS

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H


In a bid to enhance the skills and competencies of government employees in navigating digital tools and technologies, the Federal Government has launched a digital literacy training programme for federal civil servants.

This initiative is a collaborative effort between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.


The programme aims to equip civil servants with the necessary skills to effectively utilise digital technologies, thereby improving their productivity and efficiency.

This is particularly important as digital transformation is fundamentally about people, and having a workforce that is proficient in digital tools is crucial for driving economic growth and development.


The Director General, of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE at the launch of a 3-day workshop on digital literacy training and certification for federal civil servants in Abuja, emphasised that digital transformation is a journey, not a destination, and it is fundamentally about people, not technology.


He stressed that without the active involvement and engagement of individuals, technology alone will not drive meaningful change. He said, “Technology makes our lives better, the government cannot accomplish that without you, as you are the one who creates the policies, designs the services, and delivers them to citizens”


The NITDA boss revealed that to reach the ambitious goal of 70% digital literacy by 2027, NITDA has launched an innovative initiative called Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) aims to empower Nigerians with essential digital skills, making them digitally literate and proficient in navigating the digital landscape.


He said, “The first initiative to work with the Ministry of Education to develop digital literacy skills curriculum has been approved and we started the implementation this month.

We are working now on training all teachers and collaborating with National University Commission, National Board for Technical Education, and National Commission for Colleges of Education, to infuse it in all tertiary institutions curriculum.


“The second one is working with NYSC to recruit 80 champions in each NYSC stream, every year we will train at least Ten million and three hundred thousand Nigerians on digital literacy. And the third one is the workforce readiness. According to world Bank, by 2030 between 35 to 45 percent of work in Nigeria will need digital competency,” he added.


The representative of Head of Service of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, emphasised the importance of transforming the civil service into a dynamic, technology-driven, and globally competitive workforce, adding that the vision is a cornerstone of the Federal Service Commission’s strategy and implementation plan, which prioritises the journey towards a digitally literate civil service.


She maintained that the workshop is not just a training exercise, but a pivotal opportunity to shape the future of Nigeria’s public service. “By acquiring cutting-edge tools and knowledge, participants will be empowered to deliver their mandate more effectively, driving meaningful change and progress in the country, she averred.


While acknowledging that the partnership between the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and NITDA, serves as a shining example of collaboration in achieving shared goals, she expressed her gratitude to NITDA and other participating organisations for their roles in bringing this vision to life.


“This collaboration underscores the importance of working together to harness the power of digital technology and drive meaningful change in Nigeria’s public service,” she added.

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GAC’s Endorses New Lagos Speaker, Meranda

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GAC’s Endorses New Lagos Speaker, Meranda

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The newly sworn-in Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda on Tuesday, received the endorsement of the Governance Advisory Council, GAC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC August24news.com can authoritatively reveal.

The leadership of GAC, gave the endorsement on Tuesday, at a closed door meeting with Meranda and some key principal officers, held at Lagos House, Marina.

Meranda, it was gathered sought the cooperation and understanding of the council members to in the discharge of her duty as speaker.

President Bola Tinubu, APC National leader then, created the GAC, which is the highest decision making body of the party in the state.

Fielding questions from the media after the meeting, the Speaker, said, “We briefed the GAC about what happened at the state House of Assembly and to seek their blessings which we have gotten.”

Meanwhile, the GAC, led by Tajudeen Olusi, declined to make any comment on the meeting.

It was however, gathered that the State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, left Nigeria on Monday night for an official event.

Recall that former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who is currently abroad, was impeached by members of the House of Assembly on Monday over various allegations of misconducts and financial misappropriations.

Meranda, was immediately elected and sworn-in, replacing Obasa. 

Also, the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko was removed, while all standing committees of the House dissolved.

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