Three members of the Edo State Security Network were on Thursday night, shot dead by unknown gunmen in Okhun Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

The hoodlums numbering over 10 according to eyewitnesses invaded the community and shot the victims who were on duty.

Some of the eyewitnesses said the attack is connected with leadership tussle in the community, while others suspected it to be cult reprisal attack.

Also, a member of the Emergency Social Safety Net, who introduced himself simply as ‘commander Small Baba, confirmed the incident in a viral video.

Commander Small Baba said, “today (Thursday night), we got an information that some hoodlums were shooting sporadically in Okhun Community.

“We swung into action immediately upon receiving the information. But we were attacked by the hoodlums. They killed three of my men in the process.

“I was also shot by the hoodlums, but I managed to escape”, Small Baba, who sustained wound on his right hand said.

It would be recalled that two persons were recently killed in Okhun Community which later snowballed into a cult war in Benin as now fewer than 10 persons lost their lives during the war.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved the payment of N375,455,000.00 for both fresh and subsequent scholarships and bursary awards.

A statement signed by the Lagos State Scholarship Board fund said it was designated to alleviate the financial burdens faced by Lagosians pursuing higher education across the country.

The Executive Secretary, Lagos State Scholarship Board, Mr Abdur-Rahman Lekki, added that Sanwo-Olu was committed to advancing education within Lagos State.

He said, “The governor’s vision is to make education accessible, affordable, and sustainable, which is evident through the timely disbursement of these funds.”

While explaining the breakdown of the allocation, Lekki revealed that N164,500,000.00 had been earmarked for the 2021/2022 Fresh Scholarship Award for Undergraduate, Masters & Ph.D. (Batch B), 2021/2022 Subsequent Scholarship Award for Undergraduate & PhD, and 2022/2023 Subsequent Scholarship Award for Undergraduate & PhD recipients as well as the 2022/2023 Governor’s Discretionary Awards.

He said, “Furthermore, an allocation of N210,955,000.00 has been approved for the 2021/2022 Fresh Bursary Award for Undergraduates and Law School (Batch B), 2021/2022 Subsequent Bursary Award for Undergraduates, and 2022/2023 Subsequent Bursary Award for Undergraduates.”

Lekki also said that applications for the Year 2022/2023 Fresh Scholarship and Bursary Awards were completed, saying Academic and Indigenship Verification Processes were set to commence.

It read, “Students are encouraged to regularly check their emails for updates.”

A housewife living in Oke Akute Area, Iba, Osun State, identified simply as Adijat, shot by some yet-to-be-identified persons, died on Thursday at an undisclosed hospital in Iree, where she was being treated of gunshots wound.

According to sources in Iba, the woman was shot while she was taking her bath at her residence around 10pm on Tuesday.

Adijat, a Fulani by tribe, who was nursing a three month-old baby before her death, was rushed to a private hospital in Iree, where she had been on admission since Tuesday.

A resident of Iba, who craved anonymity, while commenting, said the incident caused panic in Iree, adding that the victim died in the early hours of Thursday.

He further said, “The reason, why they shot her was unclear to the residents. She was shot by unknown people around 10pm on Tuesday. She was in the bathroom when they attacked her.

“She was rushed to a private hospital in Iree that Tuesday evening, but she died around 5am today. I saw some police and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at the scene of the crime. A day after she was shot. We are all scared.”

When contacted, the spokesperson of NSCDC in Osun, Kehinde Adeleke, said operatives of the command visited the scene, noting that other security agencies were also involved.

Authorities in Orange County in New York say at least one person was killed and not less than 48 children were wounded when a bus carrying students to a band camp event flipped over.

According to Daniel Minerva, vice president of operations and COO of Empress EMS, which was involved in the reaction, three pupils were critically injured, CNN reported on Thursday.

Mr Minerva stated the individual who died was thrown out of the vehicle but did not elaborate.

A spokesman for Farmingdale High School in Long Island confirmed to CNN that the bus was taking students to a music event for band camp.

According to the school, the bus was going to Greeley, Pennsylvania.

“We were informed that there had been an accident with Bus 1 en route to Greeley, PA, for band camp,” Farmingdale High School spokesperson Jake Mendlinger told CNN.

Mr Mendlinger added, “Police and emergency responders are on the scene, as well as district administration.”

In a statement by the Farmingdale School District issued Thursday afternoon, the bus was one of six travelling to a band camp event in Pennsylvania.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday departed New York after attending the 78th session of high-level meetings of the UN General Assembly.

While in New York, the president participated in some of the high-level events, including a bilateral meeting.

Mr Tinubu, who arrived in New York on Sunday, was among the leaders that adopted the political declaration to accelerate the 17 goals on Monday at the SDG summit.

Before the opening session, Mr Tinubu met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss economic and regional ties.

On Tuesday, the president attended the opening of the UN General Debate in the company of the foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar and the permanent representative of Nigeria to the UN, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande and the chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Mr Tinubu later delivered Nigeria’s statement to world leaders, affirming democratic governance as the best guarantor of the sovereign will and well-being of the people, saying military coups are wrong.

In his inaugural speech on behalf of Nigeria and Africa, he said Nigeria’s accord with the objectives and guiding principles of the world body: peace, security, human rights and development.

Mr Tinubu, as ECOWAS chair, solicited help to re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region.

On Wednesday, he met with some Nigerians in the U.S. for a town hall meeting, urging them to return home.

After interacting with the Nigerians, he met with the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, where he noted that African nations would start to take appropriate actions against actors that illicitly siphon and smuggle out the continent’s vast mineral resources.

The Nigerian leader told the UN chief that human rights are used to deter actions against such actors that smuggle out African resources and bring in Western-made weapons.

On Thursday, he rang the bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ), becoming the first African President to do so.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Imo says it returned N1.3 million and other personal effects to families of victims of a road crash on Wednesday.

FRSC’s unit head for the Ngor-Okpala council area, Angela Fagbemide, handed over the items at the corps divisional office in the council area on Thursday.

Two 18-seater buses loaded with passengers on Wednesday collided along the Ngor-Okpala axis of the Owerri-Aba expressway, leaving three persons dead and others wounded.

Ms Fagbemide said cash of N1.2 million was returned to one of the victims while N47,500 was returned to another.

According to her, valuables, including international travel documents, certificates and a bag containing footwear and clothes, were also returned.

“It was a case of high impact head-on collision, as one of the bus drivers veered off his lane and blocked the approach of the other driver coming from an opposite direction, leading to the collision. Our men rushed 11 victims to a nearby hospital, where two persons were confirmed dead,” Ms Fagbemide explained.

She added, “Two others are still receiving treatment at the hospital whereas the families of the others have transferred them to hospitals closer to where they reside. Seven persons were rushed to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, and are receiving treatment. Some with minor injuries have been discharged.”

The FRSC official advised motorists to obey driving rules to avoid accidents, especially as the year ends and its accompanying festivities approach.

A family member of one of the victims, Chiamaka Emerenwa, thanked the FRSC for the support given to the victims.

A Kaduna High Court judge, Justice Dairus Khobo, on Thursday, sentenced a 19-year-old teenager, Peterson Enoch, to 12 months imprisonment over offences bordering on internet fraud.

The convict, a resident of Millennium City, Kaduna, was dragged before the court by the state Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

In his judgment, Khobo found the defendant guilty of the charge preferred against him.

The judge sentenced Enoch to 12 months in a correctional centre, with an option of a fine of N100,000.

He also ordered the forfeiture of the iPhone 12 and Infinix S5 phone recovered from the convict at the time of the arrest to the Federal Government, and to restitute $1,000 to his victim, Kingsley Matthew.

Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, P. C. Onyeneho, said that Enoch was one of the suspects arrested at Malali in Kaduna, on August 25, following actionable intelligence about the activities of persons suspected to be fraudsters.

“Upon arrest, one iPhone 12 and Infinix S5 phone were recovered from Enoch and when the phone was analysed, several fraudulent documents were printed from his emails.

“Checks on his profile revealed that Enoch had impersonated one Sandra James and swindled the complainant of $1,000 using fictitious emails,” the prosecutor added.

The defendant had pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Federal Road Safety Corps said a total of 5,700 crashes occurred within the first half of the year 2023.

FRSC also noted that the crashes claimed 2,850 lives as against 6,627 crashes that occurred in 2022 within the same period leaving 3,375 dead.

The Corps said that there is a 14 per cent reduction in crashes when compared with that of last year while there is a 15 per cent reduction as well in the number of those who died from these accidents.

It also said that 16,716 were recorded as being injured and rescued from accidents within this period as against 19,440 rescued in 2022, leaving behind a 14 per cent reduction.

The FRSC disclosed this in a statement released by the Corps Public Education Officer, ACM Bisi Kazeem, at the FRSC headquarters in Abuja.

The statement partly read, “In what could be tagged a successful outing in the operational front during the first six months of the year 2023, the Federal Road Safety Corps has recorded a decline in the total number of road traffic crashes, the total number of injuries and fatalities as well, when compared with the same period in 2022.

“According to the FRSC road traffic crash dashboard, within the period under consideration, the Corps recorded a total of 5,700 road traffic crashes as against 6,627 in the same period in the year 2022, representing a 14 per cent decrease.

“In the same vein, from January to June 2023, the Corps also achieved a 14 per cent reduction in the number of people rescued with injuries, having rescued a total of 16,716 in 2023 against 19,440 injured victims in the first half of the year 2022.

“On the number of people killed, the Corps also recorded a significant reduction within the operational period.

According to the crash data report, in the first six months of the year 2023, the Corps recorded a total of 2,850 fatalities as against 3,375 in the same period in 2022, representing a 15.5 per cent reduction.

“The Corps Marshal attributed this modest achievement to a number of strategies and innovations in enforcement activities, improved presence and visibility, public enlightenment and partners’ engagement.

“While charging drivers to desist from bad driving behaviours, Corps Marshal Dauda Ali Biu re-emphasised the commitment of the Corps towards achieving its corporate mandate of sanitising the highways and entrenching safety on the nation over 200,000 kilometers road network.”

Libya’s floods, which killed thousands in the city of Derna, also displaced more than 43,000 people, the International Organisation for Migration said Thursday.

A tsunami-sized flash flood broke through two ageing river dams upstream from the city after heavy rains lashed the area on September 10.

It razed entire neighbourhoods, sweeping untold thousands into the Mediterranean Sea.

The official death toll stands at more than 3,300 – but the eventual count is expected to be far higher, with international aid groups giving estimates of up to 10,000 people missing.

“An estimated 43,059 individuals have been displaced by the floods in northeastern Libya,” the IOM said, adding that a “lack of water supply is reportedly driving many displaced out of Derna” to other areas.

“Urgent needs include food, drinking water and mental health and psychosocial support,” it said.

Mobile and internet services were restored Thursday after a two-day disruption, following protests Monday that saw angry residents blame the authorities for the high death toll.

The national telecom company said communications were down as a result of “a rupture in the optical fibre” link to Derna, but some internet users and analysts charged there had been a deliberate “blackout”.

Earlier this week, the United Nations warned that disease outbreaks could bring “a second devastating crisis” to the flood-hit areas.

Local officials, aid agencies and the World Health Organization “are concerned about the risk of disease outbreak, particularly from contaminated water and the lack of sanitation”, the UN said.

Libya’s disease control centre warned that mains water in the disaster zone is polluted and called on residents not to use it.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Capital Territory Command, has arrested five suspected vandals and cable thieves for unlawful possession of communication cables.

The suspects are Sulieman Abdulamin (30) from Kagaro Local Government Area of Kaduna State; Musa Yakubu (37) from Gwagwalada Area Council of FCT; Celestine Nelson (29) from Kagaro LGA of Adamawa State; Oluwatosin Henry (27) from Ondo West LGA of Ondo State; and Okolawen Femi (25) from Akoko South LGA of Ondo State.

According to the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, on Thursday, the corps arrested two persons at Pai, in Kwali Area Council, in possession of 16 jerrycans of petroleum products suspected to be crude oil, adding that an investigation is ongoing to ascertain the source of the products and possibly, identify the man behind the mask.

Two other persons who were suspected of having vandalised the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company armoured cables at the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, were also arrested.

Another suspect who went and dislodged a flat-screen television at Maitama District Hospital was also arrested by officers of the Command.

Speaking during the parade, Odumosu stated,

“In the course of carrying out this noble assignment, the Command arrest suspects on daily basis based on its usual proactive approach to work. Suspected vandals and other criminals are apprehended on daily basis with their exhibits in their hands.

“At the end of the investigations, the suspects will be prosecuted, as the command is not willing to compromise its effort to totally and absolutely eliminate all forms of vandalism and criminality within the metropolis.”

Marking the 2023 International Day of Peace with the theme ‘Action for Peace: Our Ambition for the Global Goals’, Odumosu said.

“Today is a call to action that recognises our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace.

“Fostering peace contributes to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will create a culture of peace for all.”

An Ibadan-based lawyer, Mutalubi Adebayo, SAN, has given Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, a 10-day ultimatum to pay arrears of allowances owed retired and serving judges in the state or face legal action.

Adebayo, in a statement dated Thursday, September 21, signed by himself, and obtained by our correspondent in Osogbo, said that should Adeleke refuse to yield to the request, by September 30, legal action to compel him to pay up would commence in a court of competent jurisdiction on October 3.

The lawyer, who confirmed being the author of the statement in a message to our correspondent, also noted that besides the arrears of outstanding allowances, he would also claim interest and aggravated damages in respect of the unpaid entitlements.

Adebayo’s statement further read in parts,

“This serves as a notice to the Governor, the Government and the Judicial Service Commission of Osun State of Nigeria that if all the arrears of allowances being owed all the Judicial Officers in the state (both serving and retired) from the tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola till date are not liquidated on or before the 30th day of September 2023, I, JCI Senator Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, SAN, shall on the 3rd day of October 2023 commence legal action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the full amount of the said unpaid allowances from the Government of Osun State and its Judicial Service Commission.

“Take further notice that I will also claim interest and aggravated damages in respect of those unpaid allowances because the acts of the Government of Osun State in refusing to pay same over the years amount to sheer callousness, recklessness, disregard for rule of law, indecent and unfair.”

However, the spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed, had yet to react to the statement as of the time of filing the report.

Four yet-to-be-identified victims of an automobile accident were rescued by operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on Thursday.

The incident occurred in the Salau junction area of the Lekki-Ajah expressway.

In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofeek, and made available to Punch Metro, the accident occurred as a result of overspeeding on the expressway.

However, the intervention of LASTMA personnel alongside the husband of one of the victims led to the rescue of the victims who were rushed to a nearby hospital in Lekki-Ajah, Taofeek said.

The statement noted that the two vehicles involved in the accident were handed over to policemen at Ilasan Police Station, Lekki-Ajah Expressway.

Some of the identified registration numbers of the cars involved in the accident are SMK297GD and, LSR105HW.

The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority urged commercial drivers to avoid overspeeding on the expressway.

The statement partly read,

“Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) today rescued a woman with her 2 children going to school including the driver of a Sienna bus involved in a serious accident around Ajah area of Lagos.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the serious accident was a result of overspeeding which resulted in loss of control that caused the accident.

“LASTMA Ekundayo confirmed further that all rescued four accident victims were rushed to a nearby hospital by the husband of the rescued woman after he was contacted with the help of LASTMA officials at the accident scene.

“He disclosed that the two vehicles involved in the accident were handed over to policemen from Ilasan Police Station by Jakande along Lekki-Ajah Expressway who were equally at the accident scene.

“The General Manager of LASTMA Mr Bolaji Oreagba, however, called on drivers (private and commercial) to always minimise their speed whenever they are driving on expressway,” the statement said.

No less than 1,572,000 residents of Edo State have benefited from the Free Bus Ride Scheme by the state government, which was part of the palliative programme to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

The Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Chris Nehikhare, made this known while addressing journalists in Benin, Edo state capital.

Nehikhare said 1,494,000 citizens benefited from the free intra-city bus ride while 33,000 benefited from the free inter-city bus ride, bringing the total beneficiaries of the bus palliative to 1, 527,000.

He noted that since the removal of fuel subsidy, the cost of living has gone high and life has become difficult for Nigerians, adding that “the free bus ride initiated by the Obaseki-led administration has reduced the suffering of Edo people. Spending on transportation has reduced.

“This free bus ride has become popular among Edo people. It is helping them save their transport money since the service commenced on the 11th of this month. We have had 1,494,000 passengers within Benin City, while 33,000 have benefited from the inter-city. 1,527,000 Edo people have been directly touched by these initiatives.

“We are pleased by the appreciation we have received from Edo people since the programme commenced.”

Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State has granted amnesty to four repentant cultists.

The Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Salisu Umar, made this known on Wednesday while addressing the repentant cult members.

Umar urged the students of the institution to renounce their membership in cults.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the former cultists renounced their membership in secret cult groups at a renunciation programme organised by the management of the polytechnic in Auchi, Edo.

“Renouncing cultism means abandoning reckless lifestyle and evil ways because no good thing comes from the devil.

“Auchi Polytechnic in a bid to establish zero tolerance for cultism has organised this renunciation programme.

“This renunciation programme is a kind of amnesty to enable staff and students who are cultists to renounce membership in such cults.

“After the renunciation programme, any staff or students who get involved in any cult-related activities will face appropriate penalties and punishment,’’ the rector said.

The fight against cultism, he said, was a collective one.

“Churches and mosques are not left out in the fight against cultism; they should also establish strong youth departments and programmes where youths can be mentored regularly,” Umar added.

There was a fire incident on Wednesday evening at Ibis Royal Hotel, Airport Road, in Ajao Estate, Lagos.

The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the state governor, Jubril Gawat, made this known via his X handle.

According to him, the fire, which was reported at 4.50pm, was curtailed by operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to prevent further damage.

He added that no injury nor death was recorded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Wednesday, called for the expansion of the UN Security Council and reform of the right of veto granted to its permanent members.

Mr Zelensky spoke in his first in-person address around the iconic horseshoe table in a meeting in the Security Council chamber at the UN General Assembly in New York.

“Regardless of who you are, the current UN system still makes you less influential than the veto power possessed by a few and misused by one: Russia. That is to the detriment of all other UN Members,” Mr Zelensky told the Security Council.

World leaders and foreign ministers attending the annual debate at the UN General Assembly packed into the Security Council chamber for the meeting.

The meeting focused on upholding the UN Charter through effective multilateralism in the context of the war in Ukraine, now entering its 20th month.

“We should recognise that the UN finds itself in a deadlock on the matters of aggression. Humankind no longer pins its hopes on the UN when it comes to the defence of the sovereign borders of nations,” Mr Zelensky told the council.

The Ukrainian president said he was confident that the charter could work effectively for the sake of peace and security globally.

“However, for this to happen, the years-long discussions and projects on UN reform must be translated into a viable process of UN reform. And it should not be only about representation here in the Security Council. The use of veto power that is what requires reform,” added Mr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president explained that the right to veto “should not serve those who are obsessed with hatred and war” and that the General Assembly – which comprises all UN Member States – “should be given real power to overcome the veto.”

Mr Zelensky said he welcomed proposals to expand the Security Council to reflect current realities.

Fifteen countries sit on the council, five of which – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – are permanent members with the right to veto any resolution or decision.Ten non-permanent members are elected to serve for two-year terms.

“Ukraine considers it unjust when billions of people do not have their permanent representation in the Security Council,” Mr Zelensky argued.

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres underlined full commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity in his remarks to the meeting.

“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law, is aggravating geopolitical tensions and divisions. It is threatening regional stability, increasing the nuclear threat and creating deep fissures in our increasingly multipolar world,” Mr Guterres noted.

He added, “All this comes at a time when cooperation and compromise for multilateral solutions are needed more than ever to tackle challenges from the climate crisis to unprecedented levels of inequality to disruptive technologies.”

Mr Guterres said that the UN had been clear in condemning the war, which began on 24 February. He recalled that the General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution demanding that Russia leave Ukraine and another rejecting its efforts to annex Ukrainian territory.

The secretary general also outlined the brutal toll of the conflict, including relentless attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and the tens of thousands killed or injured. He outlined the shocking human rights violations, and millions now in need of aid and protection.

“This war is already causing limitless suffering. Its continuation risks further perilous escalation. There is no alternative to dialogue, diplomacy, and a just peace,” he warned.

The Zamfara council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has confirmed the murder of Hamisu Danjibga, a Voice of Nigeria (VON) correspondent. The death was announced on Wednesday.

A statement by the NUJ secretary, Ibrahim Ahmad, said the deceased’s body was dumped in a soakaway.

“The discovery of his corpse was a result of an unpleasant odour observed by children of an Islamic school behind his house in the evening of Wednesday, September 20, 2023,” said the NUJ statement.

“After breaking the soakaway, the dead body was confirmed to be that of Danjibga by his family and some neighbours.”

Mr Danjibga had been missing for three days before his corpse was found.Sources said the family was initially contacted to pay N1 million for his release.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested a suspect.

The NUJ extended its condolences to the deceased’s family and VON.

It urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the journalist’s death and bring the perpetrators to book.

The deceased had been buried in Gusau, according to Islamic injunctions.

Governor Abba Yusuf has rejected the governorship election petition tribunal judgment that voided his election and declared his opponent the winner.

The tribunal on Wednesday declared Nasiru Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress as the rightful winner of the March 18 governorship election.

Mr Yusuf, who contested on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), described the tribunal’s verdict as “unfair” and “a miscarriage of justice.”

He vowed to appeal against the judgement and urged his supporters to remain calm.

“I call on our people to remain calm. We will appeal the judgement, and we are sure justice will be done,” said the disgruntled Kano governor.

“Let our people be reassured that we will do everything possible to retain this widely acclaimed mandate.”

The managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, says that the agency is working towards creating job opportunities for youths in the region.

Mr Ogbuku said this while addressing the chairman of the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) and convener of Niger Delta Young Professionals, Moses Siasia and members of his team during a meeting in his office in Port Harcourt.

Mr Ogbuku said NDDC had been repositioned to bring about the much-needed growth and development to inspire hope in the region.

“The NDDC is now largely focusing on sustainable partnerships in manpower and infrastructural development, with a short, medium and long-term plan,” Mr Ogbuku explained.

The NDDC boss said the commission floated an initiative tagged ‘Project Hope’ as part of its strategic arrangement to create job opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta.

Mr Ogbuku explained that the project would focus on agriculture and tech hubs for young people, with the deliberate aim of providing sustainable means of livelihood for them.

“We have a new way of thinking and a new way of doing things. We are moving away from the past because times are changing, and we need to catch up,” said the NDDC chief.

“Our deliberate and strategic plans are geared towards sustainable development. We are committed to ensure that we build the capacity of our youths in areas that they can have comparative advantage.”

He added, “We have set up what we call ‘Project Hope’. This initiative is focused on tech hubs and agriculture. It will take our youths out of poverty and help to create sustainable livelihoods. They will be their own bosses and also employers of labour,” Mr Ogbuku stated.

The NDDC boss explained further that the commission is building a database of youths in the region to aid its planning and manpower development.

He also mentioned that the comprehensive database would enable the NDDC to appropriate its empowerment scheme.

On innovative plans to change its operations, Mr Ogbuku said the commission had engaged KPMG to develop an Internal Corporate Governance System.

While decrying the number of abandoned projects in the region, he said the commission was partnering with state governments in the Niger Delta, individuals and institutions to maximise its developmental agenda.

“The partnership will enhance the quick delivery of critical infrastructure in the region,” he added.

The police command in Delta has killed four gang members who specialised in kidnapping.

The spokesman for the command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Wednesday in Warri.

Mr Edafe said command operatives killed the hoodlums on Monday during a patrol on the Jesse/ Igueleba Road.

He said the armed gang members sighted the patrol vehicle from their hideout, deflated its front tyre and engaged the patrol team in a gun duel.

Mr Edafe said the state commissioner of police, Wale Abass, had deployed operatives of the special anti-kidnapping and cybercrime squad to the area.

“Consequently, on September 18, during a joint patrol on Jesse – Igueleba Road, the team encountered a gang of armed bandits who laid ambush to attack and kidnap unsuspecting motorists.

“The hoodlums fired at the front tyre of the lead pickup van, thus, demobilising the vehicle.

“They were swiftly engaged in a gun duel by the police team. The armed bandits eventually succumbed to the superior firepower of the policemen,” he said.

According to the spokesman, the police team pursued the bandits into a deep forest, where they were killed.

The police spokesman said one Ak-47 rifle with 20 rounds of live ammunition, two locally-made cut-to-size guns and cartridges were recovered from them.