Kogi to deploy Agric Extension Workers to Farms

Kogi Agricultural Development Project (ADP) says agricultural extension workers will soon be deployed to rural communities across the state to assist farmers with extension services to boost their productivity.

Mr James Ogunmola, General Manager of the ADP, said this at a meeting of Core Delivery Team (CDT) of the State Partnership for Agriculture (SPA) in Lokoja on Wednesday.

The meeting was organised by Synergos Nigeria, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Ogunmola said that the extension workers, who were recently trained, were primed for deployment to various communities to assist the farmers.

UBA Foundation launches Read Africa in Liberia

Bola Atta flanked by pupils of C. William Brumskine elementary school, Monrovia

In pursuance of its mission to uplift the lives of the communities in which the United bank for Africa (Plc) operates, UBA Foundation's initiative, Read Africa is visiting schools in African countries to encourage young children embrace the culture of reading.

Read Africa is an initiative of UBA Foundation geared at rekindling the dwindling reading culture amongst African youths. 

Conceived and introduced in 2011, by the Foundation, the project involves the provision of recommended Literature for junior and senior secondary school students across the African continent.

Relief as Kogi Doctors Suspend Strike

Federal Medical Centre Lokoja

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Kogi has suspended its 18-day old strike to enable government meet up with her demands.

The Chairman of the association, Godwin Tijani, said this in a statement issued after its Ordinary General Meeting, OGM, in Lokoja on Thursday.

Mr. Tijani explained that members agreed to suspend the strike because the state government has met about 70 per cent of their demands and promised to address other outstanding issues before September.

Case against Austin Okai to Continue, Court Rules

Austin Okai

The Federal High Court, sitting in Lokoja, on Wednesday ruled it will proceed in a cybercrime and other related charges brought by the Kogi State government against a popular social blogger, Comrade Austin Usman Okai.

The decision was taken by a federal judge despite a wrong filing of proceedings pointed out by the defense attorney.  

Justice Ndahi Auta handed down the controversial ruling and adjourned hearing till October 12.  By doing so, he was accepting the line of the state government to unilaterally fling behind bars the voice of opposition elements in the state, particularly such prominent ones as those of Mr. Okai whose crime is that he advocates the payment of workers’ salaries and pensions and good governance.

IGALA Groups Demand Naval Base to Ward Off Aggression from Biafran Agitators

Linguistic map of Nigeria showing the Igala-Igbo proximity

TEXT OF THE WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE IGALA SOCIAL-CULTURAL GROUPS ON THE AGITATION FOR THE DECLARATION OF THE STATE OF BIAFRA AND THE WRONGFUL INCLUSION OF IGALA NATION IN THEIR BIAFRAN MAP, WEDNESDAY,  JUNE 14TH 2017, AT NUJ PRESS CENTRE, LOKOJA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA.

PROTOCOL:

Our attention has been drawn to the publication on pages 5, 6 and 7 of the Daily Trust Newspaper of Sunday June 4th , 2017 on  the renewed agitation for the declaration of Biafra and the wrongful inclusion of Igala Nation in the said agitations including the Biafran map. We have also reviewed the different reactions to this call for the State of Biafra across the various geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

The Igala nation which found itself in the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of the Niger River Basin was a renowned kingdom in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its vast political, economic and social influences cut across most States in the current Federal Republic of Nigeria. In our days of glory, the Igala kingdom ruled most parts of the geopolitical area being described in the agitation for the State of Biafra and beyond.

Dino and Bello: Sodom Preaching to Gomorrah

Gov Bello and Sen. Dino

By Michael Achile Umameh

In Kogi State, democracy has collapsed into tyranny and authoritarianism. 

Sen. Dino Melaye and Gov. Yahaya Bello are the self-serving and sterile heroes of this decay. The 

ongoing irrational and irresponsible altercation between Dino and Bello, leading to a reported death of five innocent students is the height of a betrayal of our collective trust. 

Now they have fresh blood on their hands. 

President Buhari, Please save Igala land from insecurity

An Open Letter to President Muhammad Buhari by Ufedo Foundation of Nigeria

President Muhammad Buhari

Dear Mr President,

INSECURITY IN IGALA LAND (KOGI EAST) 

AND CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE 

We wish to call your urgent and immediate attention to the current spate of crime, killings and mayhem in Igala land. The hit squad has a tripod of FULANI HERDSMEN, KIDNAPPERS and MURDEROUS THUGS as anchors.

TRIPOD 1:  MENACE OF HERDSMEN:

Until very recently, the Igala people and Fulani herdsmen lived peaceably but gone seems to be those days following the multiple acts of war and mayhem being unleashed daily on innocent farmers and law-abiding citizens in their villages, homes and farm lands. 

For instance within the space of Mid-2015 to now, Igala land has witnessed several incidences of killings as a result of herdsmen violence in several areas including Ebeje where 8 people were killed and farms set ablaze, Agbada/Agojeju where 19 people were slaughtered, Edede – 2 persons were killed, 6 people killed in Oganenigu, 3 people killed in Ojapata, 5 people killed in Ojuwo Anawo. All these happened in Dekina Local Government Area.