By Suleiman Yakubu

Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has attended a symposium in Washington, DC, United States of America, aimed at ending insecurity and violent conflict in Africa.
The event was put together by the African Centre of the United States Institute of Peace to discuss issues bordering on conflicts and insecurity with a view to finding lasting solutions to the menace that has continued to ravage the Northern Region, in particular.
The symposium, with a focus on 'Drivers of Insecurity and Opportunities for Stabilisation', would consider ways of preventing conflict, mitigate, and adopt non-violent strategies for engaging armed groups, among others.
In a press statement by Governor Bago's Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the governor highlighted reasons for instability in Northern Nigeria and current approaches to address insecurity, using some countries as case studies.
The high points of the event were contributions, observations, and recommendations for short-, mid-, and long-term ways of preventing violence, while opportunities for disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration of armed groups were also identified.

By Suleiman Yakubu

About 281 police constables from Niger State Command who were recently promoted by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to the rank of corporal have been decorated with their new rank by the state commissioner of police, CP Ebenezer Shawulu Danmamman, at the Command Headquarters in Minna.
The promoted personnel were among the 10,581 recently promoted by the IGP across the police formations in the country, including inspectors, rank and files, who were moved to their next ranks.
The CP was assisted at the decoration ceremony by DCP Aminu Garba, in charge of administration, and DCP Falade Michael, in charge of operations.
The commissioner congratulated the beneficiaries while decorating them, noting that the good conduct exhibited by them made them qualified for the promotion and not dismissal.
CP Danmamman urged the beneficiaries to keep their records clean, be disciplined, dedicated, and committed to their responsibilities, and work hard for their next promotion.
He, however, asserted that their decoration with the new rank was a mark of honour and wished them the best in their careers.
Mr. Ebenezer Danmamman further charged the married and those preparing to get married to be more responsible, warning that anyone found wanting will have his rank reduced.
speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries Corporal Zaka Obey appreciated the IGP, the state commissioner of police, and the command management team for finding them worthy of the promotion and promised not to fail in the discharge of their new responsibility.