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10,000 New Recruits Ready For Deployment February 2025 — Police

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The Nigeria Police Force has revealed that the 10,000 newly recruited constables and specialists, currently undergoing training, will be deployed in February 2025.

As part of the Federal Government’s community policing initiative, the recruits will be assigned to their states of origin.

The recruitment process, conducted by the Police Service Commission, was initially met with controversy. In June, the commission released the list of successful applicants, but the police, under Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, rejected it, citing allegations of corruption and seeking a fresh recruitment process.

The PSC stood by the integrity of the process, leading to a standoff. However, in July, the police accepted the list, and the recruits began their training.

With training underway, the February 2025 deployment will mark the culmination of this recruitment cycle, bolstering community policing efforts nationwide.

Speaking in an interview (with The Punch) on Tuesday, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the recruits’ training was being conducted in 16 police training institutions across the country.

He added that the training commenced on August 10, 2024, for the General Duty cadre, adding that the exercise would last for six months.

Adejobi said the specialist cadre training will commence on 28 September 2024.

He said, “The training is currently being conducted in 16 police training institutions spread across the federation. The training commenced on 10 August 2024 for the General Duty cadre and would last for six months. The specialist cadre will commence training on September 28, 2024.

“This implies that come February 2025, all the successfully trained recruits (both General Duty and Specialist) will be absorbed into mainstream policing and deployed to their various states of origin in line with the community policing scheme of the Federal Government.”

Adejobi also said the ongoing training for the newly recruited constables is guided and conducted through the implementation of a new and robust Training Plan and Curriculum.

He added, “The training plan and curriculum provide for three learning phases, the Basic Training Course, Intermediate Training Course and the Practical Police Duty Course.

“These phases will emphasise the rudiments, fundamentals, core principles and concepts of contemporary policing, suitable for a dynamic society such as our dear country, Nigeria.

“The courses being taught encompass core areas, such as practical beat duty policing, police professional studies, including suspects’ handling and detention, criminal law, emotional intelligence, distress and complaints handling, police ethics and code of conduct, public relations and community policing, fundamental human rights, gender education, firearms handling and shooting range practice, unarmed combat, use of English and French languages, ICT, forensics, general liberal and field studies, amongst others.

“Recruits will also be exposed to relevant areas of law as it relates to policing. These include knowledge of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; Nigeria Police Act, 2020; Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Evidence Act, 2011 (as amended); Cybercrime Prevention Act, 2015; Electoral Act 2022, etc.”

BIG STORY

Police Eliminate Four ‘Kidnappers’, Recover N3m Ransom In Kebbi

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The Kebbi police command has reported that its operatives killed four suspected kidnappers and rescued a victim in Suru LGA of the state.

According to a statement issued on Saturday, Nafi’u Abubakar, the command spokesperson, confirmed that the police also seized N3 million in ransom.

“On Feb. 14, at about 1:45pm; armed men suspected to be kidnappers invaded Gobiraje Village in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi and kidnapped one Umaru Bawa, 60,” the statement reads.

“Upon receiving the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Suru, swiftly mobilized a team of policemen and vigilantes to the scene, traced the suspects to Tundafari forest in Dakingari axis, and engaged them in a gun battle.

“Consequently, four of the kidnappers were neutralised, one arrested with fatal injuries, while others escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.”

The spokesperson also mentioned that Bello Sani, the Kebbi police commissioner, praised the officers’ determination and professionalism in Suru, assuring that the fight against state crimes would continue.

The police commissioner urged residents to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station without delay.

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BIG STORY

Jay-Z, Diddy’s Accuser Drops Sexual Assault Lawsuit

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A woman who had accused hip-hop icons Sean “Diddy” Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 decided to drop her civil lawsuit on Friday, according to court records.

In December, Jay-Z — whose real name is Shawn Carter — was accused of raping the girl along with Combs at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2000.

A document filed with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York stated that the accuser “hereby gives notice that the above-captioned action is voluntarily dismissed, with prejudice” — indicating that the lawsuit cannot be refiled.

It was not immediately clear if the stars had reached a settlement with the woman, who has not been identified.

But 55-year-old billionaire Jay-Z welcomed the closure of the case, which he slammed as “frivolous, fictitious and appalling.”

“This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” he said in a statement.

“I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”

The complaint said Combs and Carter — who is married to pop superstar Beyonce — took turns assaulting the plaintiff as another celebrity stood by and watched.

“Many others were present at the after party, but did nothing to stop the assault,” it went on.

“Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein. Both perpetrators must face justice.”

Combs, also 55, has separately been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering.

“Federal prosecutors allege that he sexually abused women and coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.

He has denied all charges, and his criminal trial is currently slated to begin on May 5.

 

Credit: AFP

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First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Calls For Innovative Health Financing In Africa, Says “Foreign Aid Unsustainable”

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Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady, has stated that Africa needs to develop creative financing strategies tailored to its distinct challenges in order to build a strong healthcare system.

A statement released on Friday by Busola Kukoyi, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the First Lady, revealed that Oluremi made these comments during a high-level meeting on domestic health financing, organized by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda at the 38th African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Oluremi emphasized that without guaranteed access to essential healthcare for Africans, the continent’s efforts to achieve economic growth will remain unfulfilled.

“Africa cannot continue to rely solely on donor funding and foreign aid, which, although helpful, are often unpredictable and unsustainable,” the statement reads.

Instead, we must develop innovative financing strategies tailored to our unique challenges and circumstances.

“Given the increasing funding gap for health on the continent, I urge us all to come together and commit to advocating for increased national health budgets.”

The First Lady noted that, in light of recent policy changes in the US, Africa must seek local and sustainable solutions to fill its funding gap.

On January 20, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Trump also froze funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which supports most health institutions in Africa.

With this freeze, the World Health Organisation (WHO) projects a significant rise in health crises across the continent.

However, the President’s wife stressed the need for effective resource mobilization and use to ensure short, medium, and long-term impacts, stating that the health of the people is key to the continent’s prosperity.

“In line with the Abuja Declaration, our governments should allocate at least 15% of their budgetary allocations to health,” Oluremi said.

“We must also support innovative financing mechanisms and explore sustainable models, such as expanding health insurance coverage, health endowment funds, and investments from the African diaspora.

“Accountability and transparency must be ensured, as funds allocated to health must be used efficiently and effectively.”

The event saw the participation of presidents and heads of state from several African countries, including Rwanda, Ethiopia, Botswana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, and Barbados, as well as donor agencies and funding partners, discussing global and regional approaches to domestic health financing in Africa.

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