By Suleiman Yakubu

The National President of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Prince Yemisi Adeaga, has commiserated with the Chairman and people of Mokwa Local Government Council in Niger State over the recent boat mishap that claimed many lives and property.
The National President, who spoke through the Niger State Branch Chairman, Alhaji Hamisu Musa Jankaro, when he led the other Governing Board and management of the branch on the visit at the council secretariat, said they were in Mokwa to share the moment of grief with the chairman and the entire people of Mokwa over the tragic incident.
He said the Red Cross deemed it fit to sympathise with them and prayed to God to avert future occurrences of the incident.
Prince Yemisi Adeaga informed the council chairman that the Red Cross Society was a humanitarian organisation that assisted the people to ameliorate their suffering in cases of natural disasters.
The Red Cross National President appealed to the council Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibrin Muregi, to synergize with the community and vigilantes with a view to checking the unnecessary overloading of passengers on a boat.
Also in his remarks during the visit, the state branch secretary of the Red Cross, Mr. Gideon Adamu Paiko, urged the people of Mokwa to take the incident as an act of God, prayed to God to forgive and grant those who lost their lives eternal rest, and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.
Mr. Gideon Adamu Paiko stated that the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon has released excessive water and advised riverine communities to take precautionary measures to avoid losing lives and property.
Also speaking during the visit, the State Health Adviser of the Red Cross, Dr. Yahaya Madaki, warned the people of the area that, henceforth, life jackets should be worn by all passengers travelling on canoes or boats to guard against the loss of lives and property.
Responding, the council chairman, who was represented by the council vice chairman, Alhaji Aliyu Kimbokun, expressed appreciation to the National President of the Nigerian Red Cross, Prince Yemisi Adeaga, and his team for the visit and prayed to God to reward them abundantly.
It will be recalled that about 30 people were reported to have lost their lives when a canoe capsized in the Gbajibo River between Jabba and Kainji Dams in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The victims of the boat mishap, who were mostly women, including pregnant women from Gbajibo, Ekwa, and Yankyade communities, were said to be going to their farms at Gidan Mangoro when the incident occurred.
Over 100 people were said to be on board the ill-fated boat when the incident occurred.

By Suleiman Yakubu

The leadership of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed Commandant Elijah Etim Willie to the Niger State Command of the Corps to take over from Commandant Ahmed Mohammed Dandare, who retired from active service.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state command, Nasir Abubakar, who disclosed this in a statement made available to Newsline, said the approval for his deloployment was to take over from commandant Ahmed Dandare, following his successful retirement as he attained the mandatory 60 years of age.
Speaking during a handing and taking over ceremony held at the Corps command headquarters in Minna on Tuesday, Commandant Ahmed Mohammed Dandare expressed gratitude to the management team of the command for the maximum support and cooperation he enjoyed while piloting the affairs of the command and called on the officers and men in the state to extend the same gesture to the newly deployed commandant.
He, however, apologises to all and sundry for all his shortcomings encountered in the course of carrying out his duties, knowingly or unknowingly.
Meanwhile, the new commandant, Elijah Etim Willie, while addressing the senior management of the corps, reiterated his readiness to work with all and sundry in ensuring a crime-free society and vowed to fish out vandals from their hideouts in the state, saying that his administration will not in any way allow economic sabotage.
Commandant Willie emphasised the Commandant General's mission and vision to move the corps forward in terms of professionalism, promising to uplift the command's activities.
In his statement, Nasir Abdullahi further said that the new commandant previously served as commandant in charge of the commandant general office, as head of critical thinking, research, documentation, and think-tank in the commandant, general's office.