Thirteen Officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) who partook in the Initial Air Traffic Control Officers’ Course 1/2018 graduated as Air Traffic Control Officers.
In his speech at the graduation ceremony, the Commandant Air Traffic Services Training Centre (ATSTC) AVM Haruna Umar Mohammed said, the Initial Air Traffic Control Officers Course was conceived and initiated with the primary purpose of imparting in selected Nigerian Air Force officers, the basic skills and knowledge required to function effectively as Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) as well as to obtain both military and civil ATC licenses for the purpose of providing Air Traffic Services to both military and civil air operations in Nigeria.
The IATCO Course is a 6 months’ intensive ATC training programme aimed at preparing young NAF officers to become ATCOs during which the student officers were required to pass a course of instruction in relevant theoretical subjects as well as undergo several practical sessions to build their capacity.
The programme is further designed to groom the officers to meet the high standard required in the provision of air traffic services to both military and civil air operations in Nigeria.
“There is no doubt that the intended learning objectives of the course have been fully realized. The students offers are now better equipped and positioned to contribute effectively to air operations in the NAF and the nation in general” he stated.
The Special guest of honour at the ceremony, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Training Command Air Vice Marshal Zubair Suleiman Mohammed in his addressed said it was gratifying to note that the NAF is making concerted effort towards the continuous development of this great institution into a hub of excellence in Air Traffic Services, human capacity development, not only for the benefit of the NAF but indeed for the nation as a whole
“The need for quality Air Traffic Services personnel in an air operations environment cannot be overemphasized. Training as we all know has remained a major agent of transformation over time; no wonder it is one of the key drivers of the Chief of the Air Staff’s Vision which is ‘To reposition the NAF into a highly professional and disciplined force through capacity building initiative for effective, efficient and timely employment of air power in response to the Nigeria National Security imperative’.
“It is evident from the quality of the graduands today that ATSTC is working to actualize the Chief’s vision through the hard work, dedication, and commitment of its staff. I believe that the knowledge imparted unto the graduands of this Course will go a long way towards improving safety and efficiency in our operational units”.
He, therefore, implored the Centre not to rest on its oars but to continuously strive towards improving the course curriculum and making it more relevant to our environment.
“For the graduands, today marks another important day in your lives and a significant milestone in your career. I know the past 6 months have been tedious with several assignments, tests and practical sessions. All these were aimed at giving you the requisite foundation to enable you to discharge your duties as ATCOs.
“I am pleased to inform you that coordination towards your movement to the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria is in progress. Accordingly, I must emphasize that this is just a foundation that you will be required to build upon through further reading and continuously applying yourselves to assigned responsibilities.
“The field experience that you will subsequently have would no doubt be an indispensable resource for building on the foundation you have acquired at the long run. Therefore, as you step into the aviation world proper, take good advantage of the opportunities open to you and work with your instructors both civil and military as well as your seniors in the field with a view to building your capacity, acquiring more experience to develop yourself further.
“Assuredly, there is a world of opportunities out there for you in your chosen specialty. I, therefore, enjoin you to seize the opportunities available to make a positive impact in the Service and make your families proud.
“You must, therefore, do your best to contribute your quota to the upliftment of air operations in view of our current internal security challenges. As you depart from here, endeavor to be good ambassadors of the Centre and the NAF as a whole through your professionalism and exemplary conduct. Also remember that you can only justify the training you have received here by the quality of your output wherever you go.
“I urge you to strive to make your good better and your better best; continuous improvement should be your watchword. I would also like to commend the Comdt ATSTC and his staff for their dedication and commitment to the success of this Course”.
The Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board today Monday said it would begin registration of intending pilgrims for 2019 pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia in all the 23 local government areas of the state on Wednesday, November 21.
The Overseer of the Board, Hussaini Tsoho–Ikara, made the disclosure on at a press conference in Kaduna.
The board overseer called on prospective pilgrims to present themselves physically, during the exercise because no registration would be by proxy.
He also warned that intending female pilgrims would only be registered when they come along with male guardians (Mahram), in line with Saudi Arabian government’s regulations.
He also warned the committees set up for the registration, to adhere strictly to the registration guidelines.
The overseer called on all intending pilgrims to pick their guarantors before being registered, in order to avoid pilgrims absconding in the Holy Land.
He added that the guarantor must either be a Jumuat Mosque Imam, a District Head or a Civil Servant, not below Grade Level 12.
According to the guidelines, new pilgrims will be given priority during the registration exercise.
He warned that pregnant women and old people with nobody to accompany them will not be registered.
He said old-timers, who had performed the hajj in the last four years, must pay additional 2,000 Saudi Riyals or its equivalent.
“This must be paid before being registered, in line with Saudi Arabia authority’s new guidelines,” he said.
Intending pilgrims are to pay a minimum N800,000 and maximum of N1.5 million as deposits in a designated bank account.
NAN
Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the killing of four persons by suspected armed robbers and kidnappers along the Abuja- Kaduna Expressway on Sunday.
Apart from the four that were pronounced dead, the police said five others sustained fatal gunshot injuries.
Among the dead was Prof. Halima Idris of the University of Abuja and a former Katsina State Education Commissioner.
The Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Manir Yakubu, 23 Commissioners from the state and a former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, were among dignitaries that attended the burial.
Our correspondent gathered that the travelers were attacked at about 6:30pm on Sunday around Gidan Busa Village located at Jere and Katari village along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.
A source said the bandits, many in numbers, killed army and police officers during the attacks, which lasted several hours.
“They mounted a roadblock, stopped motorists and shot sporadically while several others were abducted,” the source said.
He added,
“The army officer traveling with his daughter was killed on the spot while his orderly sustained injury.”
Confirming the incident, the police said four persons were killed in the attack, while five others were injured.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mukhtar Aliyu, a Superintendent of Police, in a statement, said,
“The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to inform the public that on 22/07/2018 at about 06:30 pm, a distress call was received that a group of unidentified armed men blocked the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway by Gidan Busa Village and opened fire indiscriminately on any vehicle on sight.
“In a swift response, teams of policemen stormed the scene where the bandits were dislodged but sadly they had already killed four commuters and injured five others in their dastardly act. Normalcy has been restored on the road with commuters moving safely without molestation.
“The Police Command uses this medium to reassure the public that we are committed, even now than before, to protect lives and properties of Nigerians, irrespective of time, venue and circumstance.
“In this regard, we call on the general public to volunteer information to security agencies to assist us in ridding our communities of such violent miscreants who have constituted a threat to our peaceful coexistence.”
Super Eagles forward, Victor Moses was only 11 years old when both of his parents, his dad, Austin, a pastor, and mother, Josephine, were killed in a riot in Kaduna State in 2001.
Religious riots between the Muslim majority and Christian minority had divided Nigeria, and Moses' father, who had his own church, was a target.
Moses was hidden by his uncle for a week after the murder before he was flown to England for his own safety to seek asylum.
He arrived in South London and knew no one and was placed with foster parents.
Moses' youth team ID. He was 13 at this time.
Moses defied the odds as an orphan, going on to become one of the national team's most important players and a constant feature in Chelsea Football Club. Many children who have been victims of such devastating circumstances have not been so lucky.
Since the time the player lost his parents to the cold hands of death, about 17 years ago, religious and tribal riots continue to taint the giant of Africa status Nigeria likes to pride herself on.
As he chased dreams of going far with the Super Eagles in the ongoing Russia 2018 World Cup, thousands of other children suffered the same fate as he did- and worse. No fewer than 100 innocent persons - young, old, men, women, children - were gruesomely butchered in their sleep in Plateau State.
A distressed parent at the site of a Plateau killing.
The attacks, various reports say, were as a result of ceaseless farmers and herdsmen clash. President Buhari has repeatedly said these clashes have been going on for years, long before he democratically assumed the position as the number one citizen in the country.
But what remains the fate of families of victims and those with nowhere to run to? Security forces in the country are yet to provide assuring answers to wanton killings.
Buhari has only condemned the killings in statements and embarked on condolence visits to affected communities, even though he has dismissed public notions that he was seemingly silent on the herdsmen's atrocities because he "looks like one of them" as being an injustice on his person.
The killings need to stop, the government needs to provide a lasting solution and stop compounding the woes of already disadvantaged citizens.
As it was with Victor Moses, the Nigerian dream shouldn't be made more difficult for children by allowing mindless killings of their parents to continue unchecked. Unfortunately, not many of them will be fortunate enough get to escape to greener pastures as he did.
At least one student died while other 55 other students of Government Girls Secondary School, Kawo, in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State were hospitalized at General Hospital, Kawo, over cholera outbreak the hit their school.
Confirming the development to newsmen during his assessment of the situation to the school, on Monday, Commissioner for Education in the state, Jafaru Sani said, the situation had been put under control.
According to him, 55 students of the school were admitted at the general hospital, 15 already discharged while 40 others were still on admission.
He said,
“The situation is under control. When we heard about the report, I called the commissioner for health and human service who immediately ordered the authority of Kaduna North local government to deploy health workers to the school immediately.
“The ministry of health has also made provision for a make shift control centre within the school in case of any other case for the diagnosis if the need arises”, he also added
Earlier, Officials of the Red Cross Nigeria, who were at the school in collaboration with other emergency organisations to put the situation under control, said 42 students affected were having diarrhea and vomiting as a result of unhygienic environment.
The officials of state’s Ministry of Health and Principal of the school, who were on ground, however, declined to comment on the issue.
But, Deputy Director, Disease Control Centre, Ibrahim Suleiman, told Daily Sun that he could only confirm 39 who have been evacuated from their hostels to the hospital.
According to Suleiman,
“We have 39 cases on admission due to diarrhea and vomit. We are yet to confirm the real cause but there are a lot of contamination around the water source the students are using which may be a serious contributory factor.
“Apart from these 39 students on admission, we are also investigating another 89 cases apart from diarrhea and vomiting.”
A parent, simply identified as Ibrahim, confirmed to Daily Sun that the well, which is the only water source for the students, was littered with excreta because the overhead tank in the school was not working thereby making it difficult for the students to use the toilet facility in the school.
“My daughter was affected. The school hygiene was too poor. There is excreta around the well where these children are getting water from”, he added.
This is coming even as the state government was trying to revamp educational sector of the state with concentration on boarding schools across the state aiming at providing qualitative education for Kaduna children.
Voters in Rigasa area of Igabi Local Government of Kaduna State have hailed the use of the electronic voting system in the ongoing local government election in the state.
Those who voted told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the process was easier and faster.
NAN reports that verification of voters began at about 9:00am at the two polling units in LGEA Rigasa Primary School, Lokoja road, where voters cast their vote immediately after verification.
NAN also reports that election results were printed out to show the electorate that there were no record of votes before the exercise.
Malama Hussaina Maiadashi who voted at polling unit 020 Daura Road, said she was happy with the voting process, saying it was easier than previous elections.
“To be honest this year’s election is better, as you can see I just arrived and within few minutes I am done with both verification and voting”, she said.
Another voter, Mallam Abdullahi Bawa, who also cast his vote at Daura road said the EVM was easy to use and transparent.
Tahir Umar, an electorate, who voted at Miyetti Allah polling unit 017 said:
“Voting is very simple and fast but the turn up is not encouraging because some people are not aware of the commencement of the elections ”
Also, an electorate who voted at Zagezage polling unit 016 thanked God for a peaceful voting exercise, adding that the voting machine was user-friendly.
NAN reported that there was a `\low turn out of female voters in the area.
The Kaduna State Local Government elections are ongoing across the northern state. Daily Sun is on ground to provide live updates and highlights as the event occurs.
Voting has commenced. 767 voters are expected to cast their votes here according to voters list.
Voting follows immediately after accreditation.
Accreditation just began at Angwan Sarki 07.
The EVM has just been replaced at Angwan Sarki polling unit where Governor El-Rufai is expected to vote, even though voting is yet to commence as at 11:39 a.m.
A total of 31 political parties have announced their decision to boycott the Local Councils’ election in Kaduna State holding on May 12.
The parties under the aegis of Coalition of Political Parties in Kaduna State, made their stand known at a press conference on Friday in Kaduna.
Newsmen report that the coalition hinged their decision on the alleged violation of the Constitution and Electoral by the state electoral body in the process leading to the polls.
Umar Ibrahim and Mohammed Wada, Chairman and Secretary of the coalition, said the State Independent Electoral Commission had ignored vital provisions of the law, which would negate the integrity of the polls.
“It is on record that the State Independent Electoral Commission has deliberately refused to make use of the INEC card reader machine for authentication of voters during the election, display the voters register at polling units for voters to confirm their names and eligibility to vote.
They added that the commission had also failed to
“display the names of aspirants to the public for a minimum period of 10 days in accordance with the extant laws.”
The coalition further raised security concern, saying that action of some key political actors in the built up to the election may lead to crisis and deprive voters the chance to exercise their civic duties.
“It is pertinent therefore, that the Kaduna State Coalition of Political Parties in the interest of peace and safety of lives and properties of our candidates and the general public, that we have decided to boycott the forthcoming local government election.
“We therefore urge the general public to remain calm and pursue their legitimate businesses, while we use this medium to appeal to our members to remain prayerful in their various places.
“As law abiding citizens we will continue to pursue all elements of illegality and violation of the electoral laws at the appropriate court of law.”
Although officials of the electoral commission were not immediately available for comment on the development, the main opposition party in the state said it was not part of the decision.
Mr Hassan Hyet, the State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said at another press conference, that the party had noted keenly the fears of the coalition, but it will still participate fully in the election.
According to him, boycotting the election is not the best option now.
“The PDP is not part of the decision to boycott the election, we are fully ready to participate in the election, however all the fears raised in the position of the coalition are noted,” the chairman stated.
“We as a party are not part of this, and we call on all our supporters to come out,” Hyet added.
Source
NAN
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