Genesis Essien

CEM REPORT, SECURITY | Sequel to the warning from the United States and the United Kingdom of a terror attack, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has ordered a beef up of security within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The IGP, Usman Baba, has also ordered the police command in Abuja to rearrange its security strategy in anticipation of the worst, even as he put Commissioners of Police (CPs) across the States of the federation on standby.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Force Headquarters, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also states that the force will commence a counterterrorism operation and simulation exercise codenamed, “Operation Darkin Gaggawa”.

The statement explains that the operation is in furtherance of the determination of the police authorities to contain the activities of non-state actors and other criminal elements in the FCT and other parts of the country.

“The IGP has announced the immediate commencement of a Counterterrorism Incident Simulation Exercise, codenamed ‘Operation Darkin Gaggawa’, which will hold within the Force Headquarters and the Police Officers’ Wives Association School, opposite the Force Headquarters, Abuja, between Tuesday, 25th and Wednesday, 26th October 2022.

“The NPF, thereby, urges the general public not to panic at the sounds of explosives and gunshots during the exercise.

“The exercise will involve diversion of traffic, use of blank ammunition, and other operational manpower and assets and is designed to improve interoperability and synergy between different units and formations of the force in response to terrorist incidents and other violent crimes.”

Furthermore, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), stated that it will review the threat advisory while assuring citizens and foreign residents of their safety.

“The Nigeria Police Force, hereby, reassures Nigerians and all other residents and visitors in the country that it will effectively review the United States of America Embassy in Abuja’s security advisory, which was issued, widely circulated, and published by the media on October 23rd, 2022, indicating an elevated risk of terror attacks in the country, particularly, in the capital city of Abuja.”

“A review of the advisory is necessary due to the fact that police, as the lead agency in internal security, will not take any threat intelligence, either actionable or not, for granted, thus, there is no cause for alarm as all hands are on deck to collectively nip threats in the bud.”

The statement noted that the police would work with other security agencies to ensure the safety of the citizenry, especially, in FCT.

“The Inspector-General of Police, therefore, reiterates the commitment of his administration to ensuring the safety of lives and property within the country through the effective deployment of tactical and operational assets for effective intelligence gathering and proactive policing. He further reassures Nigerians of a safe and secured country for all.”

The statement reiterated that the IGP had ordered the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, heads of tactical squads domiciled in the FCT, and other State Command CPs to re-strategise security management within their jurisdictions, as the force headquarters would continually avail them with the required support, logistics, and deployments necessary for providing safety to all and sundry in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the FCT minister, in a statement by the Director, Information and Communication, Mohammed Hazat Sule, said yesterday’s security meeting exhaustively discussed the proactive measures taken to sustain the current state of security in the capital city and prevent any breach.

Sule said at the meeting, the minister charged security agencies to do all within their powers to protect FCT residents from being harmed by criminals and other unscrupulous elements and urged FCT residents to remain calm as the security agencies were working assiduously to sustain the state of the law in Abuja.

While assuring FCT residents that all necessary arrangements had been made to safeguard lives and property, the statement said residents and visitors to Abuja should go about their legitimate businesses, as all the security agencies had been fully mobilised to check any form of intrusion into the FCT.

The FCT administration said it had not ordered the closure of any school, and directed the schools that had closed to reopen forthwith. It appealed to residents to cooperate at all times with the security agencies by volunteering useful and timely information that would assist in nipping any form of criminality in the bud.

CEM REPORT, JOBS | The general public is been warned against fake appointment letters issued by fraudsters to unsuspecting desperate job seekers in the country.

The Federal Government issuing the warning urged Nigerians to desist from patronizing unscrupulous groups of people, who have defrauded many unsuspecting young graduates of hard-earned resources.

The warning was issued in a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Civil Service Commission, Alaba Balogun,  on Monday in Abuja

“Federal Civil Service Commission has noted with dismay the circulation of fake appointment letters being issued to unsuspecting desperate job seekers in the society-despite extensive media campaign of the Federal Civil Service Commission against such fraudulent action.

“On this basis, therefore, the Federal Civil Service Commission wishes to reiterate that it is the only body, constitutionally charged with the responsibility of personnel recruitment, promotion, and discipline in the Federal Civil Service.

“To fulfill this mandate, the Commission works in close conjunction with the Office of The Head of Civil Service of The Federation (OHCSF) and the Ministries/Extra Ministerial Departments.

“It is inherently right and proper to infer that drawing from the above-stated mandate of being vested with recruitment/appointment into the Federal Civil Service, the Commission is the only body that is legally recognized to issue letters of appointment into the service.

“To this end, the Commission wishes to emphasize again and; make a clarion call on job seekers, especially young graduates to be wary of professional fraudsters (both on social and conventional media); purporting to be working for the Commission; whose mission is only to extort and make financial gains on their gullibility.

“With all sincerity of purpose, the general public is being warned again, to desist from patronizing this set of unscrupulous group of people. The Commission strongly urges our young graduates to visit the website of the Commission for authentic information and proper direction – www.fedcivilservice.gov.ng

“The Federal Civil Service Commission wishes to seize this opportunity to state that it has instituted robust measures that are continuously being reviewed to curb the ills of fake appointment letters in the service, and will not rest on its oars to achieve this ultimate objective.”

CEM REPORT, EDUCATION | Anchor University has been approved to commence running new programmes, which include Architecture, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Sciences and Law by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to the university Vice-Chancellor, Samuel Oye Bandele, the NUC’s approval followed a successful resource verification exercise recently conducted by the university regulatory body.

‘’The university will immediately start the admission process for all the programmes except for Law which still awaits the verification of the Nigerian Legal Council before commencing admission.”

Bandele added the feat is in line with his enrollment, engagement and enrichment vision for the university, noting that the university is adequately prepared for the new programmes to commence.

He affirmed that the university is poised to offer qualitative education in the new programmes, as it is doing in the existing programmes in fulfilment of the mission of the university to impart the necessary knowledge, attitude and skills that would enable the graduates to become self-reliant practitioners, leaders with godly integrity and researchers with global relevance.

While addressing the key officers of the university, the Vice-Chancellor expressed his gratitude to the Chancellor of the University, W.F. Kumuyi and Esther Kumuyi for their ever-supportive roles which made the approval possible.

He also appreciated the members of the Board of Trustees and Council of the University particularly the chairmen for their tremendous support.

CEM REPORT, HEALTH | The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the general public against a suspected fake Augmentin 625mg tablets in circulation within the country.

The agency notes that the particular fake Augmentin drug bears an inscription written on the label.

“The product failed short of the labelling requirements. No inscription “manufactured by” is written on the label -only the address,” NAFDAC said in a statement.

“Manufacturing and expiry dates do not meet the acceptable format. No MAS scratch number for verification. The logo “gsk” is not properly positioned as on the original. The listed information indicates the product is falsified and counterfeited.”

The agency said it has notified all its formations in the 36 states in the country to carry out surveillance and take the fake drug from circulation within the country.

NAFDAC noted that the genuine Augmentin 625mg has legible product labelling information which includes expiry and manufacturing dates, batch number, and a NAFDAC registration number.

The agency also urged all wholesalers, distributors, and pharmacies to be vigilant and avoid infiltration of the falsified product, adding that medicines should be obtained from authorized and licensed suppliers.

“The products’ authenticity, physical condition, and labels should be carefully checked.”

NAFDAC implores all healthcare providers to ensure vigilance to prevent the administration of falsified products to unsuspecting patients.

NAFDAC also urged the general public in possession of the suspected counterfeit product to discontinue sale or use and submit the stock to its nearest office.

“Healthcare providers and the public should notify the nearest NAFDAC office of any information concerning the distribution, sale, and use of the falsified version of the Augmentin product. Report any suspicion of adverse drug reaction and substandard and falsified medicines to NAFDAC.”

CEM REPORT, FINANCE | Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has liquidated about N7.05 billion to pensioners of NICON Insurance and ex-workers of Delta Steel Company.

The payment is a balance of 56 months from 100 months inherited in the case of NICON Insurance and 46 months of 96 months for Delta Steel company.

According to the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, PTAD, Chioma Ejikeme, the landmark achievement was made possible by the support received from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Committees of the Senate/House of Representative’s oversight pensions, the Budget Office and the commitment and political will of President Muhammadu Buhari who had made payment of pension and retirement benefits a topmost priority of his administration.

“As of today, we have settled a total of over N39 billion of the inherited N95 billion with N3.4 billion of this amount making up one-off payments. These payments are ongoing.”

According to her, the inherited unfunded liabilities for these defunct agencies at inception totalled over N95 billion, adding that they currently have a total monthly pension bill of N2.29 billion as well as an annual bill of N62.07 billion which represented 44 percent of the total monthly/annual pension bill of the parastatal pension department.

She pointed out that in addition to offsetting the liabilities due to NICON Insurance and Delta Steel, the directorate had successfully ensured regular payment of monthly pensions to pensioners without fail.

“I am glad that these efforts are now yielding results, and I must commend our pensioners for their patience and support all these years.”

Ejikeme also said that the agency also made payment of over N8.5 billion as accumulated arrears of pensions and gratuities to pensioners of the Civil Service Pension Department and the Next-of-Kin of deceased pensioners through the Expanded Computation Project, adding that payment is still ongoing.

She announced that PTAD has also gotten approval to onboard ex-workers of Assurance Bank and Nigeria National Shipping Line on monthly payroll, and completed the payment of 126 months of inherited liabilities due to ex-workers of the Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation as well as completed the payment of the 219 months of inherited liabilities to ex-workers of New Nigeria Newspaper Limited.

“With the liquidation of these inherited liabilities, the burden keeps getting lighter, and we will continue to work with all the relevant agencies of government to ensure that all accrued pension arrears are fully liquidated, especially the 63 months of inherited pension liability owed to the ex-workers of NITEL/MTEL and their Next-of-Kin which we will continue with soon.”

She emphasized that PTAD was working tirelessly to ensure that pensioners from the defunct and privatised agencies are paid their retirement and severance benefits as soon as possible.