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MULTINATIONAL JOINT TASK FORCE GETS NEW DEPUTY FORCE COMMANDER AS FORCE COMMANDER PAYS OPERATIONAL VISIT TO SECTOR 4 DIFFA NIGER REPUBLIC 

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JOINT TASK FORCE

MULTINATIONAL JOINT TASK FORCE GETS NEW DEPUTY FORCE COMMANDER AS FORCE COMMANDER PAYS OPERATIONAL VISIT TO SECTOR 4 DIFFA NIGER REPUBLIC

JOINT TASK FORCE

1. The newly appointed Deputy Force Commander (DFC) of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Brigadier General Assoualai Blama from Cameroun resumed duty on Friday 02 September 2022 after the outgone DFC, Brigadier General Harouna Assoumane from Niger Republic completed his tenure. The handover ceremony was presided over by the Force Commander (FC) MNJTF Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim. The FC thanked the outgone DFC for his contributions to the MNJTF and wished him a safe journey back to his home country and success in his future endeavours. The new DFC in his remarks thanked the FC for the warm reception accorded him and promised to contribute positively to the success of the MNJTF. He added that though all military staff officers (MSOs) were from the different Troop Contributing Countries of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin Republic, there was the need for all to cooperate to end the insurgency. He pledged to put in his best in fulfilling his duties as the DFC.

2. While welcoming the new DFC to the MNJTF family, he reminded him that it was a great honour and privilege to be appointed the DFC of the MNJTF. Adding that he came highly qualified having had previous experience commanding a formation in the general area. He informed him that 2 major Ops were carried out recently that were quite successful which led to the decimation of the terrorists within the Lake Chad Basin and in part led to the mass surrenders within the Lake Chad Basin. He reminded the new DFC that working in a multinational environment like the MNJTF required patience, discipline, tact and the spirit of cooperation adding that the founding fathers of the MNJTF saw the need for the various countries to come together to tackle the issue of terrorism and criminality working in synergy in the Lake Chad Basin. He further buttressed the point of cooperation as he said it was the key to completely ending the war against terrorism. He wished him a successful tour of duty. As part of his orientation ,the new DFC was given an operational and information brief of the MNJTF while other briefings to acclimatize him to his new role were conducted. A major highlight was the decoration of the new deputy commander with the MNJTF badge signifying his assumption of office as deputy helmsman of the MNJTF.

 

 

JOINT TASK FORCEJOINT TASK FORCE

3. In another development, the FC accompanied by the new DFC and other Staff Officers from HQ MNJTF paid an operational visit to HQ Sector 4 Diffa in Niger Republic on Saturday 03 September 2022. Also in attendance were the new Commander Sector 3 MNJTF ( Nigeria) Brigadier General AE Abubakar, the new Commander 19 Brigade, Brigadier General Orakwe and some of their Staff Officers. A formal introduction of the new DFC, the new Commander Sector 3 and the new Commander 19 Brigade was done and thereafter an operational brief was given by the Commander Sector 4, Colonel Major Mamman Sani Kiao mainly on the recently concluded Operation Lake Sanity and lessons learnt. In his comments, the FC said he came to introduce the new DFC and Commander Sector 3 and to also thank the Sector Comd and his troops for their courage and doggedness in the recently concluded Operation Lake Sanity. He said the Operation was a huge success which has made the Lake Chad area safer, with daily surrenders by the insurgents and many internally displaced persons and refugees returning to their ancestral homes. He said planing for the next operations is on and would involve all stakeholders. He said the time to end this conflict once and for all is now and conditions are right. He called for greater cooperation, discipline and teamwork among the forces of the MNJTF. The FC and his entourage have since returned to his headquarters in Ndjamena,while other Comds have also returned to their locations safely. The visit was hitch free and successful . (See Pictures attached)

BENN Raphaël
Captain
Deputy MPIO
N’Djamena
3th August 2022

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ZENITH BANK REWARDS HACKATHON WINNERS WITH N77.5M CASH PRIZE AT ZENITH TECH FAIR 4.0

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ZENITH BANK REWARDS HACKATHON WINNERS WITH N77.5M CASH PRIZE AT ZENITH TECH FAIR 4.0

 

A total sum of N77.5 million in prize money was won at the end of a keenly contested hackathon session at the Fourth Edition of the Zenith Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 4.0: Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity & Growth Imperatives – The Impact of AI “, which held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The prize money was shared among ten finalists who emerged from the over 1,700 contestants that took part in the hackathon, with JumpnPass, a self-checkout technology solution reshaping the retail landscape in Africa emerging as the overall winner and taking home the grand prize of N25 million. This is in addition to a six-week mentorship and incubation program designed to help them grow and scale effectively, which will run from December 2024 to February 2025.

The first runner-up, CreditChek, a credit and verification service provider which leverages AI and open banking to streamline income and credit history verification for financial institutions, won N20 million and a mentorship programme, while the second runner-up, Salad Africa, a start-up which offers seamless integration of credit products for digital platforms and software companies won N15 million as well as a mentorship programme. Other finalists who took home N2.5million each include Regxta, CashAfrica, Middleman, Messenger, Pocketfood, Famasi Africa, Kitovu.

Earlier during the programme, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, in her welcome address expressed her appreciation to the Founder & Chairman, Dr Jim Ovia, CFR, for birthing the idea that led to the establishment of the Tech Fair initiative 5 years ago, she thanked him for his vision and foresight in utilizing technology to revolutionize the world of business and banking.

Commenting on the Hackathon, she said, “This prestigious annual event was created to empower and nurture young fertile minds. We hope to produce the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk from the Zenith Bank Hackathons in the nearest future. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, 70% of Nigeria’s population are youths which is an economic asset when properly harnessed. This is part of the reason why Zenith Bank is hosting this event to support the development of technology startups. Their success not only fosters innovation and growth in Nigeria, but it also plays a vital role in creating employment opportunities for our youth.” She also stressed on the importance of innovation and embedded finance in ensuring strong and enduring institutions. According to her, “it is paramount that we adapt and adopt technology to stay ahead of the curve. We have seen various cases of companies that failed because of their lack of innovation. It is quite obvious that when companies fail to innovate; they can easily be displaced, so this is not the time to be orthodox, innovation should be a top priority for us.”

In his goodwill message, The Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu called for a global approach to doing business in the country. According to him, “What we need to do is to be able to enhance our product and services in order to compete in the world. We can’t continue to act local, we need to think global. Anything that we’re doing now, we need to be able to know that we are not just serving a local market, we actually want to serve the global market, and that’s why I’m glad that consistently, for the past four years, I have kept up with the Zenith Tech Fair. I am sure 5.0 should be bigger and better than what we have today, but for us as a government, what we need to do is to continue to use platforms like this to reassure you of our readiness to provide an enabling environment for your ideas and innovative solutions.”

Described as a huge success by participants, the Fair featured the launch of the bank’s digital wallet, EazyByZenith, which will help to support the bank’s retail and financial inclusion strategy. The fair also included presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Risk Management, Compliance, Financial Intelligence, Cloud Computing and Communication Technologies, with the keynote address, “Banking Transformation in a Digital World”, delivered by Robin Speculand, a renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist.

The event also featured goodwill messages by Jim Ovia, CFR, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank; His Excellency, Hon. Kashim Shettima, GCON, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (represented by Dr. Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to the Presidency on Economic Matters). Other eminent IT practitioners from top global brands who also made presentations include; Robin Speculand, renowned Strategy & Digital Implementation Specialist; Danilo McGarry, Global Expert on Digital Transformation and AI; Jania Okwechime, Partner, Africa, AI & Data Leader, Deloitte; Rupert Nicolay, Director, Microsoft Worldwide Financial Services.

The panel session had Wole Odeyele, Client Technology Lead for Microsoft Inc. as its host, and featured six discussants including Ada Jabaru, Founder & Director, Nistad Limited; Funke Opeke, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MainOne; Guy Futi, Chief Executive Officer, Orda; Dr Auwal Adam Sa’ad, Founder, ZamzamPay; Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The Zenith Bank startup pitch competition and incubation program seeks to identify and fast-track the growth of high-potential Nigerian startups innovating in key sectors, including Embedded Finance, Cybersecurity, Fintech, HealthTech, Agritech, E-commerce, and more. The program provides an ideal platform for startups to showcase their groundbreaking ideas and gain access to invaluable resources to scale their businesses.

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Business

NEW BPP DG COMMITS TO EFFICIENCY AND STAFF WELFARE FOR IMPACTFUL SERVICE DELIVERY

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NEW BPP DG COMMITS TO EFFICIENCY AND STAFF WELFARE FOR IMPACTFUL SERVICE DELIVERY*

*_…begins review of bureau processes to enhance government procurement systems_*

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, has outlined his vision to drive efficiency, enhance staff welfare, and reinforce the Bureau’s regulatory mandate in alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed hope mandate and his commitment to improving Nigeria’s economy. This was made known during an interactive session with staff of the Bureau at the State House Banquet Hall on November 20, 2024. Dr Adedokun emphasised the urgency of delivering results as well as improving trust in the government procurement system to support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, declaring, “Let us work together to get value for money for Nigeria’s developmental processes and achieve President Tinubu’s mandate of making Nigeria’s economy better.”

Furthermore, in a bid to strengthen operational efficiency, the DG also announced key reforms, including introducing Service Level Agreements for the bureau’s processes ensuring that letters are treated within 3 (three) days, and ensuring reports are completed within 14 (fourteen) days. He also highlighted plans to secure a sustainable budget that would improve the working environment and provide better welfare for staff.

Dr Adedokun firmly stated the Bureau’s resolve to uphold its regulatory integrity under his watch. He warned that officers are prohibited from visiting Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) unless on official assignments stressing the need for officers of the Bureau to stay above board. He further declared that contractors are no longer allowed within the Bureau’s premises to ensure that officers can perform their duties without undue interference and influence.

Calling for a collaborative approach, the DG urged staff to embody the Bureau’s regulatory values by adhering to procurement guidelines, avoiding delays, and striving for excellence. “As a regulator, you must be seen to be guided by the procurement process,” he stated. He assured the team of an open-door policy, encouraging innovative ideas that could propel the Bureau to greater heights.

The session also featured a visit from former DG, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, OFR, FNSE, who led the Bureau from 2009 to 2016. Engr. Ezeh commended President Tinubu for appointing Dr Adedokun and urged staff to provide their full support to the new leadership. He encouraged staff to focus on leaving a legacy of excellence, saying, “Work in a way that you will be celebrated wherever you go in life.”

Senior Directors, including Engr. Nasir Bello and Engr. Isaiah Yesufu reiterated the importance of supporting the DG’s vision while emphasizing adherence to the Bureau’s operational guidelines. Staff also welcomed the session, sharing their perspectives on improving the Bureau’s operations and pledging their support for the new leadership.

In a related development, Dr Adedokun sought collaboration with the Presidential Office of Digital Engagement and Strategy (PODES) led by its Head, Mr O’tega Ogra, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital/New Media, during a courtesy visit to his office on November 21, 2024. The DG emphasized the need to enhance the Bureau’s public engagement and visibility in line with the all-of-government communications approach being espoused by the PODES.

Mr Ogra congratulated Dr Adedokun on his appointment and highlighted the key role BPP plays in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda. O’tega further expressed his commitment to collaborating with the Bureau in amplifying its communication efforts and ensuring Nigerians understand and appreciate its critical role in national governance.

Dr Adedokun’s leadership marks a new chapter for the Bureau of Public Procurement, focused on accountability, efficiency, and impactful service delivery. His vision aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s goals of economic transformation and sustainable development as well as President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

Janet McDickson
Director, Information & Public Relations/Head, Media-BPP

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SECURITY

Human Rights Commission urges Borno govt to probe NGO’s activities

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Human Rights Commission urges Borno govt to probe NGO’s activities

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday advised the Borno State government to evaluate the activities and programs of Medecins Sans Frontieres in the state.

 

The commission made the recommendation in a report presented to the state, which absolved the Nigerian military of complicity in the reported termination of about 10,000 pregnancies in the Northeast.

On December 7, 2022, Reuters published a report alleging that since 2013, the Nigerian military conducted a secret, systematic, and illegal abortion program in the North East, terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls, many of whom had been kidnapped and raped by Islamist militants.

Following the Reuters publication, the NHRC set up a panel, The Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter-Insurgency Operations in North East, chaired by a retired Supreme Court Justice, Justice Abdul Aboki.

Speaking before presenting the report, the Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Hillary Ogbonna, said there is no evidence of illegal abortion programs terminating 10,000 pregnancies by the Nigerian military in the North East.

Ogbonna revealed that whistleblowers testified that a nongovernmental organization, Medecins Sans Frontieres, was involved in a program of abortion in the North East.

He said MSF refused to appear before the panel.

“There is evidence that MSF may have operated a program of illegal abortion in the North East.

“The panel makes this finding based on the testimony of a protected witness and whistleblower, who testified that abortions were conducted by MSF from 2014 to 2015 and continued after the replacement of one Mitchell, a Mexican woman, the head of the psychosocial support program in 2016 introduced to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Health, Borno State,” he said.

He, therefore, said the panel recommended that the “Borno State government undertakes an evaluation of the activities and programs of the MSF in Borno State, including its Psychosocial Support Programme.”

However, Ogbonna clarified that other NGOs did not operate abortions in the North East.

He also observed that the non-appearance of the media agency, Reuters, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) raises questions as to its commitment to the values and principles it has always projected.

“The panel’s investigations and testimonies from military and civilian sources all pointed to the fact that ICRC operates medical facilities in the North East, especially in Maiduguri, contrary to the assertion by the agency.

“In the same vein, the panel notes that despite efforts inviting them to appear before the panel, Medecins Sans Frontiere (MSF) failed to honor multiple invitations,” he said.

Receiving the document, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Borno State, Hauwa A. Abubakar, called on NGOs, UN agencies, and other stakeholders to join efforts to uphold human rights and dignity across the state.

She also emphasized that a unified framework for accountability and justice could offer hope to victims and serve as a model for other regions facing similar crises.

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