Senators mount Abeokuta Why I slapped agog for pressure to remove journalist Governor over BM –Ambassador PAGE 12 sex crime PAGE 17 PAGE 5 Vol. 1 , No. 6 March 21, 2021 www.nigeriangateway.com N200 ‘We paid spiritualists, vigilantes N14 million to fight bandits’ Again, kidnappers strike in Kaduna By Folaranmi Akorede communities. PAGE 10 Kefas said engagement of the spiritualists he Secretary to Shiroro Local Women Empowerment was carried out on the directive of the Government Council in Niger State, embattled chairman, saying the decision was Adams Kefas, has disclosed that N14 T based on advice by residents in the area. million was paid to spiritualists and vigilantes to He said the advisors told them a lot of fight banditry in the council. Abiodun rolls out N200m communities being attacked by bandits had He made this disclosure just as another gang engaged the services of spiritualists and they of kidnappers were repelled by security forces succeeded in resolving the security at Ikara in Kaduna State. challenges in the communities. Kefas said some of the spiritualists were He said he was initially not told he was brought in from Akare in Wushishi local going to negotiate with spiritualists until he government area in Niger State and others from got there. Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna state. According to him: “It was not until I He spoke while being questioned by the reached the place that I knew I was going to Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik Judicial engage with spiritualists. Commission of Inquiry investigating the “Then I could not do anything other than to suspended chairman of Shiroro local do what I did in assisting my area to government council, Suleiman Dauda Chukuba, overcome the security challenges our people over a petition on alleged misappropriation of were facing on daily basis.” N50m tenement rate. Chairman of the Commission, Justice He said some of the vigilante groups were Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, took a swipe at brought in from Shiroro local government area the chairman for being careless in its extra- while others were brought in from Chikun local budgetary expenses after questioning the government to help combat insecurity in the chairman, who admitted that money was council. spent on vigilantes and spiritualists. Shiroro local government area of Niger state Also, the Kaduna State government said L-R: Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Head of Service, Alhaja Selimot has been the epicentre of insecurity and bandit Ottun and Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Funmi Efuwape, attacks in the state, recording the daily attacks on ...continued on page 3 presenting a sewing machine to one of the beneficiaries at the event ‘How blogging Ogun begins housing fetched me PAGE 13 fame, fortune’ estates in four townPAsGE 3 Nigeria records N9.12trn PAGE 6 in foreign trade –NBS Kings Court...delivered! Dapo Abiodun’s housing scheme...on course March 21, 2021 |3 News March 21, 2021 |2 FG, Ogun, train agric agents Housing: Abiodun to construct estates in four towns to boost food security h e O g u n S t a t e earners in the state. projects was in consonance with planned low and medium cost Government says it has Disclosing this at the weekend, the determination of the Dapo houses in Ota, Ilaro, Sagamu and By Seun Shotunde Tearmarked large portions the State Commissioner for Abiodun-led administration to Ijebu Ode was to ensure equitable of land in Ota, Ilaro, Sagamu and Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi provide 2,500 housing units in the distribution of amenities and The Permanent Secretary, Ijebu Ode to host housing estates Akande, explained that the state in its first term. projects in the three senatorial he Federal Government Federal Ministry of Agriculture says it is partnering with for middle and low income decision to embark on the housing He added that locating the districts of the state. and Rural Development, Mr. Jagunmolu stated further that Tt h e O g u n S t a t e Ernest Umuakhihe, who was the 150 units of two and three Government to organise a represented by the State training programme for bedrooms at Prince Court Estate Extension Coordinator, Dr. Wasiu was commissioned at Kemta, Idi Agricultural Extension Agents in Oyediran, said that the present SPECIAL FOCUS ON the state on best global practices Aba in Abeokuta, while the 500 administration in the country is units of similar description are on- of agricultural production to focused at revitalising agricultural sustain food security and create going at Kobape in the Ogun extension services, to assist Central Senatorial District. employment opportunities. farmers and value-chain actors The Minister of Agriculture He, however, disclosed that the t o w a r d s i m p r o v i n g t h e projects in Ota, Ilaro, Sagamu and SIUN-ABEOKUTA ROAD and Rural Development, Alh. livelihoods of rural populations, Muhammed Nanono who Ijebu Ode will begin after the create jobs, promote sustainable completion of the ongoing disclosed this at the opening agricultural and socio-economic ceremony of the 4-day training housing project at Kobape. We are proud to be associated with development. "We are now putting final held at Ogun State Agricultural E a r l i e r , t h e S t a t e Development Programme, touches to the King's Court Estate, Ogun, the Gateway State, Commissioner for Agriculture, which is currently under OGADEP, office, Idi-Aba, Dr. Adeola Odedina described the Abeokuta, the state capital, said construction, in Abeokuta, the programme as a step in the right state capital. That project is being that the training would extension direction, saying it would enable delivery and increase agricultural managed by the Ogun State farmers get consultancy services Property and Investment production. free of charge from the extension Nanono, who was represented Corporation, OPIC. “Meanwhile, workers. Phase 2 of the Prince Court, by the State Coordinator, Federal Odedina said the state placed a L to R: Chief of Staff to Gov. Abiodun, Alhaji Shuaib Salisu, former Governor of Ogun State, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Akinrogun Segun Osoba, Chief (Mrs) Mustapha, Chief Bode Mustapha, Ex- Governor of Ogun Kemta is at an advanced stage and high premium on extension would be completed later in the Development, Engr. Ganiyu agents and currently running one State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, SUBEB Chairman, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi and Hon Commissioner Oseni, stated that the training was for LG and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Afolabi Afuwape at the formal inauguration of the Osi of year", the Housing Commissioner of the biggest Anchor Borrowers' Egbaland submitted. being conducted across the 36 Programme, under which about States of federation expressing 15,000 people have been linked to regret that the extension system various agricultural opportunities, OMO OGUN ISE YA had declined drastically due to encouraging farmers to leverage Ogun poultry farmers beg Abiodun to intervene on high cost of feeds low funding, policy changes on Agric Extension workers, who By: Seun Shotunde maize and soya beans. Soya beans from N180,000 to feed in the poultry industry limited man power and lack of are currently being trained. Oguntola, who said that youth interest in agric 330,000 per tons and that of which are growing highly He commended the Federal gun State Chapter of although stakeholders in poultry entrepreneurship since it started maize from 90,000 per tons exorbitant the Soya that we Ministry of Agriculture and Rural the Poultry Farmers value chain were not happy 120 years ago. to N490,200 per tons saying buy 180,000 per tons in Development for the training, A s s o c i a t i o n o f with the development also He said "Agricultural O that the increase is now January is now 330,00 about promising that the it would be N i g e r i a , PA N O G , h a s appealed to Governor Dapo extension delivery is the driver of double the former cost double the price, the maize stepped down to other extension attributed increase in the price Abiodun to come to their aid all agricultural policies and "70% of Soya beans and that we use to buy 90,000 per of the creation of the state. agents across the State. of egg to high cost of feeds on the feeds sufficiency. research, without which all effort m a i z e a r e t h e m a j o r tons is now 490,200 double the Speaking on behalf of other The farmers said that the He expressed regret over the in the agricultural ecosystem may components of live stock price" he said trainees, Director of Agriculture, continual increase in the prices skyrocketed rise in the price of not realise its intended goals, Ipokia Local Government, Mr. of maize and soya beans which We implore all motorists to drive with caution and care always by observing all the road signs thereby its importance in rural and Adewunmi Sunday described the are major components of Entrepreneurship: Varsity don calls for review of education syllabuses in Nigeria semi-urban development, food due to the on-going construction on the 42 Kilometre Sagamu-Siun-Abeokuta road. training as apt, particularly at a chicken feeds had led to the and job supplies for the fast- university don, Prof. ...As Chrisland University matriculates 300 students period when Government is high cost of the commodity. growing population, especially in Kayode Adeoye, has making efforts to ensure the State Speaking in an exclusive called for the review of junks" which encumber students University, Abeokuta, to kick-start emerging economies like Nigeria A and will not lead to quality Project Overview: attain a status of being the food interview with Nigerian Gate 2020/2021 academic session.