News
Defence Minister Recommends Military Training For Every Nigerian
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, has said every Nigerian should undergo military training to gain a better understanding of the hardship, discipline and sacrifices involved in protecting the country.
Musa made the remarks while speaking on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami, where he discussed the demands of military service and the challenges faced by personnel deployed to secure the country.
According to the minister, military training would expose Nigerians to the physical and mental demands of service, including hunger, exhaustion, long periods without sleep and the need to continue working despite extreme fatigue.
“Every Nigerian should be able to go through military training. It will give you a different perspective about life. You will now understand what it means to stay hungry and what it means to work in days without sleep,” Musa said.
He added that such experience would help citizens understand the endurance required of soldiers operating in difficult conditions.
“It will show you what endurance means when you walk kilometres and you are tired but you still need to keep on going.
“You have not eaten; you have not taken one because of the nature of the thing and because you are doing it to protect,” he said.
Musa linked the experience of military personnel to the sacrifice involved in protecting the lives and property of other citizens.
“And that’s exactly what the military men are doing, putting their lives at stake for their country to move around,” he said.
The Defence Minister also appealed to Nigerians to have greater appreciation for soldiers, noting that military personnel are members of families who leave their loved ones behind while serving in difficult environments.
He said criticism of the military should take into account the conditions under which troops operate and the sacrifices they make to keep the country secure.
“Everybody wants peace, and that is important, so we want them to understand soldiers are fathers, brothers and sisters of people.
“They’ve families they’ve left behind, staying in the weather, rain, dust, night or day, staying there to ensure the country is secured,” Musa said.
The minister’s comments come amid Nigeria’s continuing security challenges, including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
He also discussed broader counter-insurgency efforts during the podcast, including the need for stronger domestic capacity to produce military equipment.
Musa further attributed increased infiltration along some of Nigeria’s borders to developments involving Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, which withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
He said Nigeria was also strengthening bilateral security relationships with neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, as part of efforts to secure the country’s southern borders.
News
Ondo Ponmo Sellers’ Association President Collapses In Court
A business. woman, identified as the President of the Ponmo Sellers’ Association in Ondo State, reportedly collapsed in court during her arraignment in Akure on Tuesday following her arrest over the alleged discovery of human faeces at her ponmo processing centre.
The incident comes days after the Chairman of Akure South Local Government Area, Hon. Gbenga Fasua, ordered the immediate closure of a popular ponmo supply store on Igboliki Street in Akure following an environmental sanitation inspection that reportedly uncovered two buckets containing human faeces on the premises.
The discovery was made during the October edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise conducted on Saturday, when Fasua led a monitoring team through Oke Aro, Iro and Igboliki streets to assess residents’ and businesses’ compliance with environmental sanitation regulations.
According to information from the inspection, the ponmo business had reportedly operated in the area for more than 21 years.
The operator, who was present during the inspection, reportedly identified herself as the President of the Ponmo Sellers’ Association in Ondo State.
Following the discovery, Fasua ordered the immediate closure of the premises and directed the disposal of all ponmo products at the shop.
He also ordered that the operator be prosecuted in accordance with applicable local and state environmental laws.
The businesswoman was subsequently arrested and brought before a court in Akure on Tuesday for arraignment.
She reportedly collapsed during the court proceedings.
News
2027: Tinubu Will Defeat Opposition On Achievements – Alausa
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure a second term in 2027, insisting that his administration’s achievements will earn him another mandate.
Alausa, who was recently appointed Director of Education Sector Mobilisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, also accused opposition parties of lacking clear policy alternatives for Nigerians.
He made the remarks while describing the opposition’s criticism of the Tinubu administration as driven by envy rather than constructive engagement.
“Whatever nonsense these people (opposition) are talking about is out of sheer envy. They can’t deliver, they have been tested, they have no clue of what to do for Nigerians,” Alausa said.
“This president is giving Nigerians tangible benefits. Let’s be objective, that is what we have said and I am very unapologetic about this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win his second term squarely based on his achievements.”
The minister argued that Tinubu had introduced changes across different sectors of the economy and deserved re-election based on his administration’s record.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transformed every sector of this country and he deserves to be re-elected come January 16, 2027, based on his accomplishments,” he said.
Alausa urged Nigerians not to be swayed by opposition parties, accusing them of promoting division instead of presenting a clear programme for national development.
“And please, let’s not listen to the opposition parties, they don’t have any clear agenda for this country. They are just there to cause division amongst us,” he added.
Defending the administration’s record in education, Alausa cited its engagement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), saying the Federal Government had fulfilled its agreement with the union.
He also said the government was working to ensure that students completed four-year university programmes within the stipulated period.
The minister further pointed to the absence of an ASUU strike since Tinubu assumed office as evidence of improved relations between the Federal Government and university lecturers.
International News
Europe On Alert After Supermarket Freezers Hit By Cyber-Attacks In 10 Countries
A spate of cyber-attacks that hit supermarket chains across at least 10 European countries on Monday has prompted European Union officials to warn of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain.
Supermarkets have reported problems in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Sweden, and the significant increase in freezer temperatures has forced retailers to discard food.
Temperatures in chains across Europe reportedly rose as high as 50C (122F).
No-one has yet admitted carrying out the cyber-attacks.
Supermarket chains said the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers in some of their shops soared as high as 50C
The European Union has raised concerns about the attacks, which come three weeks after a cyber-attack disrupted as many as 700 French grocery stores, causing food losses estimated at tens of millions of euros.
The security of refrigeration systems as well as other devices that can be monitored remotely has heightened concerns about government-backed hybrid attacks.
The EU’s food and agriculture commissioner, Christophe Hansen, said the bloc was taking the incidents very seriously and warned of further disruption in the future.
Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier was careful not to attribute blame, but said: “These incidents of course show once again how cyber-attacks can disrupt essential services and affect citizens’ daily lives.”
“These are not isolated incidents and of course we have to be collectively resilient and prepared for such cyber incidents.”
-
News2 years ago
CBN Debunks Fake Circular on New ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 Notes
-
Health & Wellness1 year agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
Opinion2 years agoChampioning the People’s Voice: Obasa’s Dedication to Grassroots Representation By Dave Agboola⁰
-
International News7 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business7 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Business7 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price
-
Trending News1 year agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
