The Senate on Thursday lamented the infiltration of national parks by criminals.

The red chamber said the “evil elements” lived inside the parks and perpetrated banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling, which resulted in the killing of rangers and commuters.

The upper chamber, therefore, called for the mainstreaming of the National Park Service into the national security architecture in line with the resolution of the 12th National Council on Environment.

It also urged relevant security agencies in the country to be involved in park protection and surveillance, as well as training in firearms and ballistics, surveillance and intelligence information gathering for park rangers.

These were resolutions reached following the consideration of a motion on the need to mainstream the National Parks Service into the Nigeria security architecture, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Umar.

Umar said the country had seven national parks, covering 20,156km, which is about three per cent of Nigeria’s total area and served to protect the country’s diverse flora and fauna by ensuring that the natural ecosystem remained intact.

The lawmaker said, “These national parks are becoming a safe haven for criminal elements within society, who often use parks as a hideout. They come out to attack and return there for safety.

“The National Park Service has insufficient resources, personnel and training to cope with the current security challenges it is facing.”

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has asked the Federal Government to extend the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, to at least, a ten-lane road.

Abiodun made this call when he received the Senate Committee on Works in his office, in Abeokuta, on Thursday.

According to him, the road in question is arguably the busiest in the country. This, coupled with the population explosion, made the expansion of the road from six to ten lanes imperative.

He also said it was important for the Federal Government to consider alternatives like the Sagamu to Ikorodu road as well as the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road.

The governor said, “What is required would be like, at least a ten-lane road pattern, at the minimum. That should be considered by the Federal Government.

“I want to call on you to help us declare an emergency on the state of our federal roads. It is as if, they are non-existent.

“We looked at these roads and we said it is important for people to be able to move between the states and the sub-region that share borders with us.”

Abiodun informed the committee of efforts being put in place by his administration and its Lagos State counterpart at ensuring that the two roads (Sagamu-Ogijo-Ikorodu and Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta) receive immediate attention.

In his response, the Chairman, Senate Committee for Works, Senator Adamu Aliero, said they were in the state to inspect all federal projects, especially road projects.

The Senate on Thursday lamented the infiltration of national parks by criminals.

The red chamber said the “evil elements” lived inside the parks and perpetrated banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling, which resulted in the killing of rangers and commuters.

The upper chamber, therefore, called for the mainstreaming of the National Park Service into the national security architecture in line with the resolution of the 12th National Council on Environment.

It also urged relevant security agencies in the country to be involved in park protection and surveillance, as well as training in firearms and ballistics, surveillance and intelligence information gathering for park rangers.

These were resolutions reached following the consideration of a motion on the need to mainstream the National Parks Service into the Nigeria security architecture, sponsored by Senator Suleiman Umar.

Umar said the country had seven national parks, covering 20,156km, which is about three per cent of Nigeria’s total area and served to protect the country’s diverse flora and fauna by ensuring that the natural ecosystem remained intact.

The lawmaker said, “These national parks are becoming a safe haven for criminal elements within society, who often use parks as a hideout. They come out to attack and return there for safety.

“The National Park Service has insufficient resources, personnel and training to cope with the current security challenges it is facing.”

The indigenes Adamma of Abi local government area of Cross River have appealed to their neighbour in Ndiagu-Amagu in Ikwo local government area in Ebonyi state to reopen roads linking them as well as the markets for easy movement and business transaction.

The roads and the popular Nwangagbo market were closed since 2016 when the crisis erupted between the communities.

The President of the Adamma Youth Association, Mr Sunday Eni made this appeal during a joint sensitization campaign on the need for peaceful co-existence between members of the two communities. The meeting was held at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ochiayim Amagu in Ikwo local government of Ebonyi state under the auspices of Cross River-Ebonyi Youth Development Movement.

Mr Eni explained that both communities have lost businesses worth billions of naira, especially in agriculture.

Since we signed and called for reopening of the transit routes, I will beg that you people should abide and implement the agreement. “Because as I speak the Ebebeye Road and the popular Nwangagbo market, which we traverse and trade together are yet to be opened by Ochiayim Amagu. “Therefore, on behalf of my people as the youth leader, l appeal to you (Ochiayim Amagu) to do so.

We cannot continue to live in fear because peace has finally returned.

“Again, we have lost so much especially in the area of agriculture since this crisis started,” he explained. In his address the President of Cross River-Ebonyi Youth Peace Development Movement, Barr. Paschal Nnaji Nwenyi, assured them of his readiness to bring permanent peace to the area.

“We are committed and totally committed to ending this crisis. I want to assure you we are not going back on our resolutions reached Calabar, we are going to form a viligante in each village that is affected in this crisis.

“Their duty is to supervise, monitor and report any person or group that tries to thwart our communiqué,” he said. Our correspondent who visited the two communities on Thursday observed that normalcy has returned in the area.

The Director ABN TV, Ifeanyi Okali has commiserated with the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu and his family over the death of his parents, Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and his wife who be buried today February 14, 2020.

Okali in a message issued on behalf of the management and staff of ABN TV described the late Kanu, a traditional ruler as a peace loving man who worked tirelessly to unite his people of Afaraukwu Umuahia.

He prayed God to grant the family fortitude to bear the loss and grant the departed a peaceful rest.

The Director ABN TV, Ifeanyi Okali has commiserated with the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu and his family over the death of his parents, Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and his wife who be buried today February 14, 2020.

Okali in a message issued on behalf of the management and staff of ABN TV described the late Kanu, a traditional ruler as a peace loving man who worked tirelessly to unite his people of Afaraukwu Umuahia.

He prayed God to grant the family fortitude to bear the loss and grant the departed a peaceful rest.

A delegate of DIGITAL WORLD FORUM led by the Director of National Broadcast Academy, NBA, went on a Courtesy visit to the School of the 9 year old boy who has calendar dates in his brain, Carol Nursery & Primary School.

Other members of the delegate included Mrs Miriam Timiebi, Mrs Ugo Samuel and Mr David Umoru.

The Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has urged those attending the burial of the traditional ruler of Afaraukwu Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area and the father of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and his wife on February 14 to conduct themselves in orderly manner.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. A.C.B Agbazuere, made available to ABN TV.

The governor while commiserating with the family of the late traditional ruler appealed those attending the burial to show respect to HRH Eze Sir Isreal O. Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Kanu to maintain the prevailing peace in the state.

“Abia State Government, once more, commiserate with the entire family of Late HRH Eze Sir Isreal O. Kanu and the Afaraukwu Community of Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the demise of their traditional ruler and his wife: HRH Eze Sir Isreal O. Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Kanu.

“Government hereby directs that everyone attending the burial of HRH Eze Sir Isreal O. Kanu and his wife in Afaraukwu Umuahia on Friday, 14th February 2020 should, as a matter of necessity, conduct himself or herself in an orderly manner, as a show of respect to the late revered Traditional Ruler and to maintain the prevailing peace in Abia State.

“This, indeed, is a sober moment and must be seen by all as such.

“We pray that the souls of the departed shall rest in the bosom of the Lord,” he said.