The Nigeria’s House of Representatives issued a call on Tuesday urging the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and heads of other security agencies to deploy additional personnel to troubled areas in Plateau and Ekiti States. This move aims to stem the tide of killings in these regions.

The resolution came following the adoption of motions of urgent public importance presented by Ishaya Lalu and Akin Rotimi, members representing Bokkos/Mangu and Ikole/Oye Federal Constituencies of Plateau and Ekiti States, respectively.

Highlighting the urgent need for action, Lalu, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on House Services, recalled the recent attacks in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, resulting in over 50 deaths, injuries, and significant property destruction. The House called for the establishment of a Civilian Joint Task Force in Plateau State and initiated a committee to investigate the causes of the recurring attacks.

Rotimi, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, emotionally led the discussion on the increasing criminal activities in Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency, particularly addressing the loss of lives and properties. He described the constituency as exposed to peculiar security challenges due to its forests, topography, and dilapidated roads.

The House observed a minute of silence in honor of the deceased and urged the Chief of Army Staff to redeploy military forces to the outpost along the Oke-Ako area. Additionally, they directed security agencies to deploy more personnel to Ekiti North 1, work towards bringing the perpetrators to justice, and rescue the abducted school children and teachers in Emure Ekiti. The Ministry of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency were also urged to rehabilitate the Ayedun to Irele road and other roads in the Federal Constituency promptly.

The Oyo State House of Assembly is poised to combat the troubling trend of attacks on innocent citizens, particularly by Fulani herders in Oriire Local Government and other regions of the state. Lawmakers expressed their unanimous commitment to addressing this menace during discussions prompted by a motion sponsored by Hon. Johnson Ogundele, the representative for Oriire State Constituency.

Hon. Ogundele presented the motion, emphasizing the urgency of the situation, citing two recent incidents of attacks and killings by Fulani herders within a nine-day period in Oriire Local Government. Describing the acts as inhumane and barbaric in a civilized society, he highlighted a specific case in Ogbomosho communities where a victim, Mr. Amusa Kareem, had his left hand completely severed by the herders.

In response, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, presiding over the session, asserted the commitment of the House leadership to address the security challenges. He stated the intention to convene discussions to identify parameters for curbing insecurity in the state, emphasizing the need to engage various state and local security agencies, monarchs, farmers, and other relevant bodies in different zones.

The House urged the Ministry of Justice and all security agencies in the state to rigorously enforce the Oyo State Open Rearing and Anti-Grazing Law under Omituntun 2.0. This measure aims to address the menace of attacks and prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents perpetrated by Fulani herders on citizens.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Market & Men Association of Nigeria has officially welcomed Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, as an honorary member, expressing their support and gratitude for her positive contributions to women’s welfare nationwide.

Mrs. Felicia Sani, the National President of the Association, made this declaration during an event in Abuja, where she praised Mrs. Tinubu for fostering a peaceful environment under her administration, which has greatly impacted the success of market women in their businesses.

Sani highlighted the importance of Mrs. Tinubu’s continued support and urged her to provide resources that would further enhance the economic growth of market women. As a gesture of appreciation, the women presented yams, onions, peppers, and tomatoes to Mrs. Tinubu.

In response, Oluremi Tinubu, represented by Mrs. Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi, the Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, expressed gratitude for the warm adoption and pledged ongoing support for the market women. Recognizing their resilience, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs. Tinubu reiterated her commitment to assisting them.

The women, through their adopted representative, also called for peace in the country, urging against actions that may lead to violence. This gesture reflects their collective advocacy for stability and harmony within the nation.

Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, launched three impactful programs facilitated by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in Osun State.

The ceremony, held at the Industrial Development Centre (IDC), Oshogbo, marked the initiation of the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) for micro-enterprises in Osun State, the National Business Skills Development Initiative (NBSDI), and the commissioning of an ultra-modern Common Facility Centre for Garment and Fashion.

Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s initiative for stimulating the economy and providing welfare for the people, Minister Oyetola stated, “Today’s interventions are loud testaments to the Federal Government’s determination to protect businesses in the country, especially the Nano, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs), which is a critical sub-sector of the Nigerian economy.”

He urged beneficiaries to seize the opportunities presented by President Tinubu’s administration, encouraging them to become active contributors to the small and medium scale business sector.

Charles Odii, Director General of SMEDAN, highlighted the significance of Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs) in job creation, employing over 62.5 million individuals and contributing substantially to the GDP and exports.

Odii explained that SMEDAN’s Conditional Grant Scheme aims to formalize micro-enterprises in Nigeria, involving capacity building, CAC registration, micro insurance provision, and granting N50,000 to each recipient. This program has impacted over 40,000 entrepreneurs across 22 states.

The National Business Skills Development Initiative (NBSDI), implemented in 12 states and FCT, focuses on providing entrepreneurship skills, vocational training, and empowerment materials to address the capacity gap among youths. In Oshogbo, 55 individuals received state-of-the-art equipment for fashion, catering, and leatherworks, along with cash grants of N50,000 each.

The day’s activities also included the provision of ATM cards to CGS beneficiaries and the distribution of industrial sewing machines, cookers, mixers, and fabricating machinery to the participants of NBSDI. This comprehensive effort aims to uplift and empower entrepreneurs in Osun State’s fashion and garment industry.