For their immense contributions to the virtual classrooms as well as bridging the learning gaps created by the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown and schools’ closure, the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Education District 1, Barrister Margaret Titilayo Solarin, has given special recognition to some teachers across different schools within the District
Speaking at the event organised by the District to celebrate the Year 2020 World Teachers Day, Barrister Solarin eulogised the teachers for their sacrifices during the schools’ closure alongside some other stakeholders of the District including the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Lagos State Branch.
She stated the teachers were recognised to encourage dedication to the profession, saying that virtual learning has now become a new norm in Lagos State as the initiative complements the classroom teaching.
According to her, “The celebration of the annual event, World Teachers Day, is very important for students, teachers and parents. For students, it gives them the opportunity to understand and appreciate the effort of the teachers to ensure that students get the right education. To teachers, it is a day of recognition of their efforts by all, especially students and parents”.
“It is also a day to tell teachers all over the globe to be positive and forge ahead because their effort is not in vain. The day is also celebrated to encourage young people in the nation to develop an interest in teaching as a profession and to join efforts to create a much more sustainable World”, the TGPS explained.
She also highlighted some efforts made by the State Government to curb the spread of Coronavirus disease as schools begin to reopen across the State, such as the formation of routine time-table for staggered school reopening, provision of necessary facilities and physical distancing practices in classrooms among several others.
She added that apart from the provision of funds for schools by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration, teachers had also been trained to take over the control of the spread of the pandemic through a train-the-trainers approach at the State and Education District levels.
Barrister Solarin maintained that the plans put in place for the safe reopening of schools in Lagos is responsible for the smooth running of academic activities for the SS3 students and others who are currently in school.
The Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Lagos State Chapter, Otunba Adesina Adedoyin, affirmed the pace-setting role of Lagos State, especially in the education sector.
He stated that virtual learning and teaching that was later embraced by some other States during the lockdown had been in practice in Lagos State before the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The teachers recognised by the District at the event included Mr. Idowu Olajide Taofik (English Language), Mrs. Agunbiade Ayotunde Busurat (Mathematics), Mr. Ambali Razaki Olabanji (Physics), Mrs. Adejobi Monininuola Ajibike (Chemistry), Mr. Odusanya Tolulope Joseph (Chemistry), Ms. Adegbite Oluwayomi Dayo (Literature), Mr. Isiaka (Yoruba), Dr. Rafiu (Accounting) and Mr. Babajide Olanrewaju Afolayan (English Studies).
One of the major causes of high diabetes in the country is sugar which carbohydrates are the main culprits also couples with low protein intake in the country, A lot of Nigerians are malnutrited without knowing it.
Malnutrition is basically not getting the required minerals and nutrition and needs and one of critical is protein. Chi Tola, a serial entrepreneur and agricultural business woman with eye in adding value in the chain has introduced pasta with mushrooms. This singular moves would fill in the void and vacuum created by protein deficiency which causes stunted growth in many Nigerians making them not to reach their potentials in life.
Speaking to the media, Chi Tola, the founder of Chi Tola farms the producers of ChiTi foods said ” we realized the importance of protein in first especially for kids and you know that in Nigeria, we eat more of carbohydrates whereby we expose ourselves to diabetes at an early stage. We intend to achieve with our products high protein intake because you know that mushrooms are very high in protein and good protein unlike beef that one has to battle with calories. “
” Selecting the best mushroom is a process that only the experts can do, why do we say this, we have poisonous mushrooms and we have edible ones also. We have carefully selected the best mushrooms in our farm which we raised organically and packaged for your enjoyment. You don’t need to worry about the hygiene, we are known to be bringing foods that are in line with international best practices. “
With great packaging and ready made market, Chi Tola has started taking with channel distributors that would ensure that the mushroom pasta gets to the final consumers and can be found in shelves of malls and store.
Lovers of mushroom have described the product as very nutritious and good for the body metabolism. Dr. Soyinka , the former commissioner of health , Ogun state and the son of Wole Soyinka said, “Having tasted the mushroom pasta, I would recommend it to homes because of the balance of nutrition and the value of nutrients in mushroom. It is a welcomed development and should be encouraged “
President Muhammadu Buhari rejoices with Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, on his re-election as Governor of Ondo State for another four-year term.
The President lauds the resounding victory of the Governor at the election held on Saturday, October 10, 2020, noting that the votes garnered “show that one good turn surely deserves another.”
He thanks the people of Ondo State for keeping faith with their Governor, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that “the people know the person and party that truly serves them, and have spoken in clear voice and unmistakable terms.”
President Buhari appreciates the electorate in Ondo State for comporting themselves decently and in order, and for exhibiting conduct that indicates that the country is making progress in its electoral behavior.
He also gives kudos to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for organizing credible, free and fair election, and to security agencies which ensured that orderliness was enthroned and maintained.
The President urges Gov Akeredolu to be humble and magnanimous in victory, and serve the people of Ondo State even better than how he did in the first term, noting: “when you serve with heart and might, the people respond in like manner, and we can easily get to where we are headed as a country.”
The need to have robust cyber security laws have always been in the mind of the policy makers in the country. As the world keep evolving and the security breaches and threats in the virtual world keep getting more sophisticated, the need to have an updated cyber security laws have become more imminent and imperative. Having this in mind, Information Technology experts, cyber security firms and industry stakeholders would be having a deep conversation on the need to push the extant cyber security laws to be in tandem with the global current realities now that organisations would be investing massively in the IT infrastructure.
Having said this, Chioma Iwuagwu, the Managing Director of CyberDome and Eyal Titinger, a Partner at CyberDome will be speaking at the forthcoming international conference on Cybersecurity holding at the NAF Conference centre.
Speaking on the importance of National Cybersecurity, Chioma Iwuagwu opined “National CERTs / CSOCs need to become autonomous and proactive players in controlling and securing their digital sovereignty. This does not mean that organizations or individuals can abandon or even loosen their “local” cyber security layers; it just means that nations need to build an orthogonal security layer, on top of the existing “local” security layers.”
In line with Chioma’s position, Eyal added that “The proliferations of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), along with the exponential growth of the attack surface and cyber threats, are forcing nations to become active players in the cyber security game. Since 2010, many countries are experiencing a paradigm shift; governments can no longer suffice in protecting only their IT infrastructure; they need to regulate and oversee the cyber security on a nationwide perspective. Thus, governments, throughout the world, have established offices (such as agencies, authorities, committees) to oversee their overall cyber security preparedness and are deploying or expanding national CERT/s.”
On digital sovereignty, Eyal added that “In a nutshell, CyberSecurity will be such a system should be a robust, scalable and comprehensive platform, enabling governments to fulfil their digital sovereignty; it should proactively collect intelligence, provide an overall situation awareness, screen and secure national infrastructure, critical services and assets, and ensure the business continuity, the welfare and lives within the nation’s boundaries.”
“With the magnitude of tolls resulting from sophisticated cyber-attacks, governments could not avoid moving forward and get involved in their homeland cyber security. Nevertheless, the level of insights is progressing slowly, typically lagging behind the evolution of technology and threats. Governments’ involvement started with the attempt to regulate only nationwide critical infrastructure; soon after, government realized that second tier critical sector should also be addressed. Today it’s apparent that the whole cyber globe is actually connected and that is what we should be addressing at the conference”, Eyal quipped.
The event is being organised and sponsored by the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybercrime which will be held at NAF Conference centre, Kado from 12th to 14th October, 2020. Themed “The Growth Of Digital Technology And The Challenge Of Cybercrime: Urgent Need To Safeguard The Future Of Nigeria” will be addressing the growing trends in cybercrime and the need to protect critical infrastructures in the country.
Before, the corporate space used to be an all men affair, it used to be a hard nut to crack for a woman to get to the top. Years ago, positions like Managing Director, Board Members and Chief Executive Officers were exclusive club for the men, especially in the financial sector! These have changed with the advancement of the women in modern day corporate space. One of the few women that have demonstrated resiliency, patience and finesse is Funmi Omo, the Managing Director Enterprise Life Insurance, Nigeria. This is one of the foremost insurance organisations in the country with investments worth billions.
Speaking on her strides and journey to the top, Funmi took to her social media page to regale women and the youths on the need to be patient, focused and persistent in their quest for success. Funmi has been recognised as one of the top 100 women CEOs in Africa by Reset Global People, a UN and Ghanaian Presidency initiative.
She said “When I joined African Alliance Insurance Plc almost 3 decades ago, I was a young professional determined to make a mark in the industry. 25 years later, I became the first female CEO in a company that I joined as a young intern.”
“Over the course of the period I served as MD of African Alliance Insurance, I have worked with several wonderful people that have become family. We have laughed together, strived together, and achieved together. The company has built me to what I am today, and to a large extent, influenced my decision to launch my foundation, the Funmi Omo Initiative, and my work supporting young female undergraduates through the university”, she added.
On patient Funmi added “As the proverb goes, there is time for everything under the sun. Today, I am happy to announce that I have joined a new family, Enterprise Life Group, as its Managing Director, Life Insurance, in Nigeria. It is the dawn of a new day, as we strive to create something unique in the industry.”
On challenges that she has passed through, she said that though doors have been shot on her and that is part of life, the ability to be focused is imperative. She appreciated those that assisted, encouraged and made her not to give up over these years. In her final words she opined that “It is a bittersweet moment for me: closing one door and opening another. I know that challenges lie ahead, but what is more important is this: when you are with family, you can surmount anything. Thank you to all who have supported me through my career journey.”
Funmi OmoStatus is reachable and she is the first Managing Director, Enterprise Life Insurance, Nigeria and also the Founder of Omo Initiative. The Funmi Omo Initiative endows brilliant, young women from disadvantaged homes with scholarships to steer them through university
Funmilayo Omo or “FO” as she is popularly called, is an experienced insurance professional with over 25 years of experience, and an advocate for youth leadership. Funmi is credited as the first Managing Director in African Alliance Insurance Plc to champion and successfully execute the rebranding and digital transformation of the company since its inception in 1960, a process she kickstarted less than two years of her tenure as the CEO.
From a concept considered to be an excessive and unnecessary spend just a few short years ago, Machine Learning (ML) has grown to have a significant impact not only on people’s daily lives, but also on the ability of enterprise IT to innovate – provided organisations ask the right questions to select the most appropriate Machine Learning systems, says Andrea Tucker, Head of Research and Development, e4.
“Since it is a long term investment, as long as an organisation has clearly stated upfront why they are embarking on their ML journey and what problems they’re looking to solve, it will be possible to compare the capabilities of a solution against what it needs to solve for.”
She notes that by using Machine Learning, enterprises are now able to better understand and process their data much faster using modern tools with established algorithms. “Potential outputs of a successful ML strategy can be powerful and measurable marketing campaigns or more efficient operations or logistics. Firms want to be able to utilise their valuable data, but not at a cost that is greater than its inherent value and Machine Learning allows for this, with the added benefits of more consistent decision making and streamlined operations.”
Tucker says it is critical to ensure a problem is clearly articulated from the outset rather than attempting to retrofit a vendor or solution to an organisational challenge. “It is also important in the South African context to determine whether a ML system has been successfully applied to this environment. We have unique challenges and experiences that need to be catered for.”
The sheer volume and ongoing proliferation of data available means that organisations are now able to track the exact relationship between two seemingly unrelated things and predict a possible outcome. “Being able to answer these questions can benefit billions of people around the globe. If it is now possible to track causal factors that cause cancer, we can make more informed decisions around how to live our lives and can be a part of a long term solution simply by creating more data to feed into a ML solution to continue to improve the decision making process,” she says.
In addition to being used as part and parcel of scenario-planning tools during the Covid-19 pandemic, Tucker says Machine Learning will continue to be deployed in almost every industry vertical as its many applications and benefits become more widely appreciated. “As new verticals are created, so too are the opportunities for ML. Ten years ago ‘wearable devices’ were things in movies, and now these can predict heart attacks. Within healthcare, retail and financial services there are millions, if not billions, of data points created on a daily basis and ML can be used effectively to drive specific behaviour or provide a competitive advantage.”
In this interview, the Chief Executive Officer of Silex Secure Lab Limited, Nsikak Joseph Nelson talks about the information technology (IT) ecosystem in Abuja, how the company has been able to develop home made solutions that have enables organisations to scale up their businesses in Abuja and Northern Region. He also talks about the need for government to create an enabling environment through policies that would encourage indigenous software development firms. Anthony Nwosu captures this in an exclusive interview.
Tell us more about Silex Secure Lab Limited?
SILEX SECURE LAB LIMITED is a leading Nigerian IT company duly registered in 2014 with its office in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. Silex Secure Lab offers services in Cyber Security, Software development, Programming, Data analytics, Cloud computing, Animation, Website development, Fintech, business processes and solutions. We blend Business and Internet Intelligence by developing innovative cyber investigative, encrypted communications and business solutions that are targeted at enabling our clients operate more efficiently.
Over the years, we have offered our services to Nigerian Government Agencies, Private companies and individuals. As a CSR company, we have trained over 200 web developers in Abuja, the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Jos and other cities.
As an IT firm based in Abuja, how has it been appreciating your services in the Northern region?
It has been pretty good and you know this is the Federal Capital City where a lot of people including governmental and corporate organizations think the best IT companies are in Lagos, but you won’t blame them. A lot of Information Technology (IT) firms in this area have their existing customers most of them have been focusing on governmental project, while others are servicing the informal sector however you look at it, we have got a lot of clients whom we have served and appreciate us for rendering exceptional services and giving them value for their money in a simple and effective way. We strongly believe that the IT ecosystem is robust and there is no need heading to Lagos for IT solutions.
Do you have these solutions and software developed in-house?
All our software solutions are developed in-house. From UI/UX to front end, backend and Mobile Apps are done in-house; as a matter of fact, we have a vibrant and energetic team comprising of developers, UI/UX designers, Cyber security experts, Mobile App working on various innovative solutions and products. As a software development & a cyber security company, we totally understand the importance of intellectual property especially with the uniqueness of the products we develop. So as an organisation, we ensure we develop and build capacity around these areas in line with the global best practices. We deliver these solutions to our clients and we are proud that we developed them in-house and they have been working efficiently.
How efficient is your Self Tracer software and do you think that government facilities can deploy them for security purposes?
As guardians and parents are busy today, we understand that they need to keep a tab on their wards and kids so we developed such a solution. Our self-Tracer apps is so special to us, we developed this app basically for parental control but as time evolved, we saw the need of extending the services to corporate organisations and government agencies. Talking of effectiveness, the app is so effective, the sole purpose is to monitor the movement of yourself and family especially in this current security situation, there is need for self-tracing and when there is an emergency with a click on the apps you can notify your family member or anyone you add on hotspot on your current location and if for any reason your phone is turned-off and SIM card is changed, Once the phone is turned back on the apps will notify the admin through the cloud-based system.
Again, this can be fully effective for law enforcement agency for tracking of asset and monitoring communication against insider threat. Other components of the app include Internet Filter, communication filter on social media etc, Website Blocker, GPS Tracking, Remote Control. But again, there is always a privacy to talk about which, in developing this app, we also took into consideration.
Again, this can be fully effective for law enforcement agency for tracking of asset and monitoring communication against insider threat. Other components of the app include Internet Filter, communication filter on social media etc, Website Blocker, GPS Tracking, Remote Control. But again, there is always a privacy to talk about which, in developing this app, we also took into consideration.
As Nigerians are more into mobility, what is the unique feature of your phone encryption technology and how can you work hand in hand with Telcos?
Wow! Our end-to-end encryption is one of the best things that has happened to Silex Secure and one of the local products in Africa cyber security arena. What we have done as a company is not all about call encryption but more of a state-of-the-art mobile security solution. Some of the amazing features are listed on; http://silexscrypt.com.ng/. Let us take a look at Secure File sharing, one of the key features of the app, which guides against data leak in organisations, you know as at now any information that comes to your phone can be easily shared to others, I mean important documents but we made it in such a way that the original owner of the data has the right to grant permission to a recipient of the file and if permission isn’t granted from the owner, that file can’t be shared, so in a way the originator of the file has full control on who gets access to the file.
Our primary goal of making an encrypted solution for mobile user is to provide Total Privacy and absolute security to mobile users which also applies to calls and also solves the problem of leaked conversations which is often so common in our society today, at least we have seen and read on the news on how High profile, politicians and celebrities and business executives’ private conversations are leaked to the public domain, including personal information, business transactions etc. Working with telecoms provider will be a welcome development we can provide this service as an exclusive product to subscriber.
You develop software in house; can we know what you have developed and where you have deployed?
Yes, we have developed innovative Mobile Apps projects. We currently features a number of projects, but let’s look at just a few: The Towing Apps; this is the easiest and most convenient way to request for a Tow Truck; Just Tap and Tow! Once you set your pickup location, select a Tow Truck of your choice to help you when you need a Tow Truck to rescue you or you just need help with a flat battery or flat tire. Another one is the “Barber Apps” this app is designed for salons. The Salon.ng is a mobile platform for barbers and clients, modernizing the barbershop experience. With Salon.ng you can turn on your apps location, send a request within your location, a close barber sees the request, accepts the request and moves to your location to cut your hair.
We aslo have the “eCounsel Apps”: the eCOUNSEL is an online platform set up to revolutionize the way legal service is accessed. The world of work is evolving and to thrive in this new reality, we are focused on using data and technology as a tool to make legal help more easily accessible by all Nigerians. Then we looked at the cooking gas supply chain ecosystem and built a solution around that space. We called it “Gas Apps”. This is an On-demand gas/fuel/diesel delivery service that delivers fuel to vehicles and diesel for generators and gas for cooking cylinders in any location. This service could come in handy in case of emergency where perhaps a person is stranded on the highway or at home or work. It works in a similar pattern like Uber & bolt Apps.
What about solutions built around intelligence and information gathering, now that we are trying to deepen our security apparatus in the country?
We have designed the OSINT SOLUTIONS that offer direct solutions to the questions around intelligence and information gathering for security agencies. This is a Social Media Intelligence and OSINT products that makes use of and transforms public data such as Social Media and Deep & Dark Web into valuable intelligence. Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) platforms support collection and analysis of relevant and targeted information relating to criminal and political open sources. This tool has wide benefits for a number of industries, including; Government and Defence Intelligence agencies, Law Enforcement, Commercial Risk Management companies, and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). We also have developed an End-to-Encryption Solutions.
Through our flagship “Invest in Technology” Initiative, which gives people the opportunity to invest in innovative solutions targeted at various sectors, some of our commercial apps are open for outright sales or investment, i.e. for people who are willing to invest their funds in smart technological solutions like ours. Most of our application are being deployed to Private companies, Public sectors, individual and multinational companies.
Do you think that the government is doing enough to ensure that indigenous IT firms like yours scale?
Well, for us as a company, we look beyond government knowing that government can’t meet everyone’s demand. However, government has a major role to play in policy making, provision of infrastructure & patronage and open access to local companies. But this is where we are now, At Silexsecure we build most of our products for international Market not depending on Nigerian government to do business. That is the beauty of Technology. Policy wise not much is being done, intervention funds nothing much is done and in terms of palliative, not much is done either.
Take for example, during this lockdown most of our developers were working remotely, we had to make sure we provide alternative sources of power like Generator and Solar Power for our developer so as to meet projects schedules. Again, you should understand the impact of that to our business if most of our developers staying in various places have access to power and good internet, we won’t spend so much on running cost as a company.
Capacity building and training are the things you do. Can we know how this has been?
Capacity building can’t be over emphasised. As a company, we have done tremendously well in that aspect, we started by training Students in Nigerian universities narrowing down to Government agencies and Law enforcement agencies. Right now, we are doing tailored training based on the products we develop. So we feel training should be attached to a product. Take for an example, Our OSINT project enables us set up training in the area of intelligence and information gathering for security agencies. While we are still accommodating student in Cyber Security, which is a core area of specialization, overall remark has been very impressive, the testimonials are there for people to see.
What are we to expect from you this last quarter?
This is mind blowing, you should expect more innovative solutions from us. As a company we are diving deep to international markets. Right now I am sure sooner or later we will tell you of our ground-breaking technology in the international scene. But be rest assured that we are making Nigerians proud, we are focusing more on Artificial Intelligence which will majorly be used by Defence and military operations, community policing and the AVIATION Sector. So, there is more to expect from us.
Do you think that the Covid 19 will make Nigerian firms to deploy robust IT solution for greater productivity?
This is the time for everyone to think deep. I am sure you have read of innovative and robust solutions that have been developed by various companies in Nigeria within the lock down, though productivity has increased since a lot of companies like ours adopted personal and meaningful products. Imagine all technology companies in Nigeria having their products, I mean personal products not client product knowing fully the impact of this to the economy. But I must tell you productivity in the technology space is very high right now. We have seen clients who have spent so much on freelance platforms, outsourcing jobs to Indian guys, come to us, people really want to take control of most of the product they are developing so on that note I could say Covid-19 is a blessing in disguise. So, I think personally, this is when African countries should really overtake the west.
What are the challenges that you face as an IT firm?
They are the normal challenges that every growing businesses face in Nigeria such as poor Infrastructure, non-existent Government policies/ Enabling Environment, Competition. Though we can’t assume to be a monopoly in a capitalist setting but a bit of protectionist policies matter. Also, Market Access-Intra Africa Trade, Access to capital and Finding the Right developers or skilled I.T personnel to help us scale.
If you are to advice government on IT, what would be your take?
It is a straightforward thing, I would say, that they should encourage local technology and setup an innovative centre where they can easily access local software and purchase some of these great technological solutions for local consumption and deployment. They should also fund local companies to meet government demands. invest in idea, build a better frame work for funding local technology. And lastly, proper policy frame work to guide local content.
“THE WORLD OF WORK IS EVOLVING AND TO THRIVE IN THIS NEW REALITY, WE ARE FOCUSED ON USING DATA AND TECHNOLOGY AS A TOOL TO MAKE LEGAL HELP MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE BY ALL NIGERIANS. THEN WE LOOKED AT THE SUPPLY CHAIN ECOSYSTEM AND BUILT A SOLUTION AROUND THAT SPACE. WE CALLED IT “GAS APP”. THIS IS AN ON-DEMAND GAS/FUEL/DIESEL DELIVERY SERVICE THAT DELIVERS FUEL TO VEHICLES AND DIESEL FOR GENERATORS AND GAS FOR COOKING CYLINDERS IN ANY LOCATION. THIS SERVICE COULD COME IN HANDY IN CASE OF EMERGENCY WHERE PERHAPS A PERSON IS STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY OR AT HOME OR WORK. IT WORKS IN A SIMILAR PATTERN LIKE UBER & BOLT APPS.”
The commitment of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to stop the use of unregistered SIM cards to perpetrate cybercrime and other criminal activities in the country is yielding results. The Commission, through concerted enforcement efforts with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), as well as the Department of State Services (DSS), has secured court convictions for SIM card related offences.
The seven convicts were all charged and convicted at the Grade 1 Area Court Nyanya, Abuja and the Senior Magistrate Court, Kano for offences bordering on violation of SIM registration laws in the country on September 4, 2020 and September 24, 2020 respectively.
The offenders, Bako Joseph Boy, Umar Kabiru Abdullahi, Lawal Sani, Shamsuddin Aliyu, George Eze, Ayuba Ishak, and Kabiru Ali were convicted for various SIM card related offences.
Specifically, the first convict Bako Joseph Boy was charged with the sale of SIM cards outside controlled environment, while the other six were arraigned on the charge of the sale of fraudulently registered SIM cards.
The offences were contrary to section 517 of the Criminal Code Act; Section 65 (1) of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003 and Section 65 (2) of the NCC Act, 2003 and punishable under the same Act.
The suspects, who pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against them were subsequently convicted as charged and sentenced to two months imprisonment with an option to pay a fine of N15,000 and six months imprisonment or the option of fine in the sum of N20,000.
The arrest of the suspects followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NCC, NSCDC and DSS to strengthen inter-agency collaboration towards curbing the criminal act of registering and selling of pre-registered SIM cards in the country.
The use of pre-registered SIM cards gives cover for unwholesome activities like kidnapping, call masking, threat to lives, bullying, armed robbery, identity theft financial crimes and SIM swap fraud, among others.
The general public is encouraged to stop the sale, purchase and use of pre-registered SIM cards as it constitutes a punishable offence under the law.
In the finest spirit of democratic, citizen-centred and community policing, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has today, 11th October, 2020, dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) across the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they hitherto existed.
The IGP, while noting that the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people, observes that by this dissolution, all officers and men of the now defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad are being redeployed with immediate effect.
The IGP notes that the Force is not oblivious of the ever present need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country which was before now the core mandate of the erstwhile Squad. He assures that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS would cause has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to prevent a re-occurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS, a Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public.
In addition, the Force is constituting an Investigation Team which shall include Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Bodies to work with the Police in investigating alleged cases of human rights violations. The measure, the IGP believes, will enhance transparency and accountability in police services as well as providing a system of deterrence for erring police officers whose action clearly violates the rights of the citizenry.
The IGP appreciates and commends all citizens particularly those who genuinely express their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organized, patriotic and civil manner. He reaffirms the determination of the Force to bequeath to the country a Police Force and System that is professional in service delivery and most importantly, accountable to the people.
DCP FRANK MBA FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FORCE HEADQUARTERS ABUJA
Am I the only one that thinks that Gym wears are fast becoming the official uniform for Saturday mornings in Lagos? Surely I’m not the only one! Just step out of the house anytime from 6am or peep through your window and you’ll see everybody fully kitted either for some weight loss and cardio exercises?
People are now more health-conscious than ever before and it’s really good. It helps us take care of some avoidable conditions in our old age that typically leads to unnecessary death. What’s more? As part of the perks, if you are a young man you get six packs to show the world as a result of your discipline, of course, there’s those who are also using it to hunt down the carnally minded sisters up and down. For the ladies, you probably get the body of your dream-the slim looking shape you have been obsessed with from reading those photoshopped magazines.
Interestingly, we even set goals and daily targets for how we want to exercise, what healthy foods to eat in order to complement it. A lot of work goes into exercising unto good health and a fit body, however, the question is how much effort goes into making our soul healthy and making our spirit fit? Afterall the scripture says “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8)
Nice-looking body, the six-packs, the lovely shape and the healthy heart as far as God is concerned are nothing more than a little profit compared to what godliness could profit us. While godliness may sound like one big spiritual grammar, it simply means God-likeness (being like God). The efforts we make at being like Christ have profits for us both in this world and in the world to come unlike the profits that physical exercise has to offer all of which will end in this world.
Therefore, it’s time to begin to ask ourselves critical questions. There are 1,189 chapters in the scripture. If you decide to read 2 chapters one in the morning and one in the evening everyday consistently, by the end of 2 years you would have covered the entire bible. The audio bible is 90 hours (from Genesis to Revelation). If you commit 20 minutes everyday to listen to audio bible and just 10 minutes to pray everyday, in 270 days (9 months) you would have listened to the entire scripture and prayed for 450 hours (Approximately 19 days). That’s about 5% of the whole year spent praying already. I promise you your life cannot remain the same.
The truth is that there is a deliberate attempt by the enemy to distract us from spiritual things by constantly distracting us through the strategy of magnifying earthly things to have more value but we must resist this temptation by making deliberate decisions to engage in spiritual activities as much as we are engaging in the physical.
May God open our eyes so that we are able to rise above this deceit of the devil and become an overcomer in this end time in Jesus name.
