Government trains 800 repentant Boko Haram members in vocational skills

The office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Gabriel Olonishakin is currently training over 800 members of the Boko Haram terrorist group in different vocational training skills.

Alhaji Sani Sidi, Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who was at the public hearing on a bill seeking to establish the North East Development Commission (NEDC) at the Senate, said the repentant Boko Haram insurgents have been registered in a programme tagged, “Safe Corridor initiative”.

According to him, the programme was conceived to provide a leeway for repentant members of the sect to help them return to a normal life.‎ Meanwhile, the Senate announced yesterday that it would pass the North East Development Commission Bill on May 25.

The Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, confirmed this at the public hearing organised to ‎gather views from the public about the bill, and he stated that the main objective of creating the commission was to produce a platform through which Nigeria could generate funds to rebuild communities destroyed by insurgents.

Sidi stressed while responding to a request on amnesty package for the sect that “It is not correct that the Federal Government does not have a plan for repentant sect members. The government has set up the safe corridor programme. I do know that over 800 sect members have been registered in it.

“They have exited the Boko Haram through the programme, in line with international best practice. They are currently involved in various skills acquisition programmes, which is being handled by the military. It is being monitored by the Chief of Defence Staff”.

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg...

Pope not involved in Colombian peace deal- Vatican

Pope Francis Pope Francis has turned down a request to play a role in the peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group. The Vatican in a statement issued on Wednesday in in Vatican City said that an invitation was sent to his Holiness in early August to appoint a representative to participate in the committee that selected the judges for the talks. The statement said that though Pope Francis supported the peace process, he, however, reiterated that he would not get involved in Colombian peace deal. It said that Pope was praying for the enlightenment of the hearts and minds of those who were called to promote the common good of the Colombian nation. A deal was announced last week, putting an end to five decades of internal conflict between government forces and the FARC rebels. The agreement, which needed to be ratified through a referendum in Oct. 2, would entail setting up a special court to grant amnesties or pu...

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...

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