…Commends UNODC for partnership

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has stated his administration is poised to transform the correctional centres to being reformative in nature rather than destructive.

Dr. Tunji- Ojo made this call when the Country Representative, UNODC in Nigeria, Dr. Oliver Stolpe visited him  in his office.

Speaking, the Minister reiterated the need to partner with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in upgrading the status of the Correctional Service.

“It is important we implement the inmate audit project as soon as we can. Implementing the inmate audit is key towards actualising our desire and plan for correctional service,” he said.

Dr. Tunji-Ojo, said he is poised to transform the  Correctional Centres, to become correctional and reformative in nature and not destructive.

“These people are vulnerable because they don’t have freedom of choice. Correctional centres take the freedom of movement but retain your dignity as a citizen and as a human being. So while we want to retain the dignity of people; while we are restricting their access in terms of movement and interactions; we must also make sure that we don’t condemn them. We must make sure they are reformed from correctional centres to correctional homes”.

He expressed gratitude to UNODC for their interventions.

“You are a worthy partner, you supported us in all our plans and endeavors towards making the correctional service a better one. Thank you for the efforts you are making in terms of funding and of course your contribution technically.

“I do not want to leave as Minister of Interior with regrets in terms of correctional reforms; I want to leave, knowing that I did my best by giving life to the most vulnerable and that I did my best to ensure that the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President finds a suitable place in the correctional centres and correctional service in general.”

Earlier, the UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Oliver Stolpe said he was in the Ministry to update the Minister on the ongoing projects and to get his ideas towards the success of the projects.

It should be noted that addressing overcrowding and poor prison conditions which threaten human rights is a priority to UNODC.

Operatives of 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State have arrested five illegal oil bunkering suspects.

This was as the troop of the Division also uncovered five 45,000 capacity reservoirs ladened with approximately 225,000 liters of crude in the thick forest of the community.

The army made this discovery and arrest at Odagwa Community in Etche Local Government Area of the state.

Conducting journalists around the forest for the achievement, the Commanding Officer, 29 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Ishaya Manga, revealed that the troops achieved the feat through the combination of technology and human intelligence.

Manga, who represented the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian, Port Harcourt, Major General Jamal Abdusallam, vowed that the troops would not rest until illegal oil bunkering and other crime perpetrated within their Area of Operation are brought to a standstill.

He further noted that apart from the huge amount of stolen crude oil discovered, several other cooking pots were uncovered and destroyed by the operatives.

Manga said: “In continuation of our operation to rid 6 Division area of illegal oil bunkering and other forms of criminality which began in February organised by the division. It is against this backdrop that the troops of 6 Division were directed to identify, locate and destroy all illegal refineries within the 6 Division area of responsibility.

“We use two approaches to our discoveries, one of the approaches is drones, but it is not everything that the drone can sight, so we deployed our second approach which is human intelligence and that is what we’ve been using so far and it has been yielding tremendous results.”

While emphasising that the operations of the criminals were negatively impacting the social economic activities of the state, he explained that each of the uncovered reservioirs contained about 45,000 liters of the product.

He said: “This is economic sabotage against the federal government, impacting negatively on the social economic activities, as well as the health of the citizens and that is why we are here. We would continue to do our best to ensure that all illegal refineries in this area are destroyed.

“Apart from these reservoirs, there are other cooking pots at various locations not far from here which would be completely destroyed.

“In this general area of Odagwa, our troops have discovered about five reservoirs filled with about 45,000 liters of illegal crude oil and there are other empty reservoirs discovered by the troops, the operation is ongoing and we will continue to make further discoveries. As soon as the discoveries are made, the public would be informed.”

While commending the law-abiding citizens for their cooperation in their fight against illegal oil bunkering in the state, he warned economic saboteurs in the state to steer clear of government’s infrastructure.

“I also want to send a message to those oil bunkerers to desist from these forms of criminality because it is against the law, this is sabotage against the federal government, Rivers State government and the community where this heinous crime is being carried out.

“So far we have arrested five suspects and those arrested would be taken to the division where they would be referred to the relevant authorities for prosecution,” he mentioned.

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has disclosed that his principal, President Bola Tinubu, subsidised the 2024 Hajj with N90 billion.

He stated this when he represented Tinubu to flag off the inaugural airlift of the 2024 Hajj exercise from Nigeria to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.

Shettima urged the intending pilgrims to pray for peace, unity, and progress in the country, urging the intending pilgrims to abide by all rules and regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and urged them to avoid any illicit act capable of affecting the integrity of their Hajj.

“Mr president has been committed to this year’s Hajji due to the economic situation, he has also contributed the sum of N90 billion to subsidise this year’s Hajj exercise to have a smooth and successful exercise.

”You may recall that this year, we had a major challenge in announcing the final hajj fare for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage due to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates.

”President Bola Tinubu also works round the clock to control the downward spiral of our local currency to bring relief to our pilgrims and other Nigerians.

”A move that eventually succeeded in lowering the fare. The President approved the release of N90 billion to subsidised the cost of pilgrimage for this year’s hajj.”

He said that the government of Renewed Hope led by Tinubu attaches immense importance to religious pilgrimage due to the role it plays in transforming behavioral and social vices of the believers beyond performing the pilgrimage.

Earlier in his remarks, the Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, said this year’s Hajji signifies a sacred journey for thousands of devoted pilgrims who embarked on a spiritual voyage to the Holy Land.

He explained further that Hajj is a time to honoured tradition that holds great significance for Muslims around the world.

“It is a journey of faith, devotion, and unity where believers come together to fulfill one of the five pillars of Islam, the pilgrimage to Mecca is a profound experience that fosters a sense of community, humility, and spiritual renewal,” he said

The governor urged the people that they should remember the significance of this sacred ritual, adding that Hajji remained a testament to the unity of Muslim Ummah, transcending geographical boundaries and cultural differences.

“It is a time for reflection, prayer, and seeking forgiveness, as well as an opportunity for personal growth and self-discovery,” he added.

He commended the Federal Government, National Hajji Commission, and those that were involved for their commitment to the successful exercise.

Idris noted with satisfaction that Kebbi was the first state to remit 2024 Hajj fare in Nigeria, adding the intending pilgrims from Kebbi were given special treatment by the present administration to comfort them toward a successful Hajj exercise.

The governor said his administration had spent N900 for infrastructural development of the Hajj Camp in Birnin Kebbi to make it more conducive for the intending pilgrims

In his remarks, the NAHCON National Chairman, Alhaji Jalai Ahmad Arabi, thanked the President and Kebbi governor for their support and cooperation towards the success of this year’s Hajji exercise.