President Muhammadu Buhari wants Nigerians to use the season of goodwill and joy to renew their faith in the ability of the present administration to make a lasting difference in their lives. He made the remark on Thursday in his message of the nation on the occasion of this year’s Christmas celebrations in various parts of the country. The President who acknowledged that the country was facing various challenges noted that they were beyond the simplistic options being debated. He, however, gave an assurance that the Federal Government would remain focused on following the complex, multi-dimensional route to reduce the incidents of insecurity to the barest minimum. President Buhari stressed the need for people to live and move freely without let or hindrance, noting that security was also crucial for the growth of the economy. He said the worthy values of the Christmas season such as joy, peace, hope, love, goodwill, and imminent salvation, were very much needed at this time to overcome the challenges facing the country. President Buhari added that the social intervention measures and other economic policies of the government have begun to yield positive results, even at modest rates. He congratulated Nigerians, especially the Christians, and urged them to celebrate while observing all the non-pharmaceutical measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Read the full text of the President’s message to the nation below: PRESIDENT BUHARI’S 2020 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO NIGERIANS I felicitate with our Christian brothers and sisters in particular and all Nigerians in general on this joyous occasion of Christmas 2020, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. In Christendom, the Christmas season represents joy, peace, hope, love, goodwill, and imminent salvation. These worthy values which Jesus’ Advent symbolise, are very much needed in our country at this time when we are confronted with diverse challenges like the rising spate of armed banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, economic recession and an upsurge of COVID-19 infections. I wish to, therefore, enjoin fellow compatriots to appropriate the hope that comes with Christmas and reinvest trust in this administration’s determination and unwavering commitment to restore peace, security and prosperity to our dear country. Under my watch, the Federal Government will continue to provide the needed support within available resources to the gallant members of our armed forces and security agencies as they confront threats to our citizens. While I commend them for their efforts so far, I urge them to do more to checkmate increasing incidents of security threats especially in the northern parts of the country as well as the entire nation in varying degrees. Their display of tact, camaraderie, and expertise that led to the recent return of abducted schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, will remain a milestone in the annals of the country. For me, providing security for all residents in the country remains an article of faith. It formed a vital segment of this Administration’s three-point agenda right from inception, and we must follow through with it. I cannot in good conscience shirk this cardinal responsibility to secure lives and property. I feel pained each time a breach of peace and security occurs in any part of the nation. I am even more distressed when our youths, especially schoolchildren, are the targets and victims of mindless and malevolent elements in the society. As a parent, I share the emotional torture and agony parents and guardians go through whenever their children and wards fall into the cruel hands of these enemies of decency and good society. I plead with fellow compatriots to give our military and other security agencies more time, cooperation, and support by volunteering credible intelligence/information on activities of armed bandits, insurgents, and other criminal elements within their communities in order to put an end to this blight on our security landscape. To be sure, the problems are beyond the simplistic options being bandied around. We shall remain focused on following the complex, multi-dimensional route to reducing the incidents of insecurity to the barest minimum. Our people must be free to live and move without let or hindrance. This is crucial not only to enthroning an atmosphere of calm and social cohesion but for the economy to grow. Let us use this season of goodwill and joy to renew our faith in the ability of this administration to make a lasting difference in the lives of our hard-working people. Our Social Intervention measures and other economic policies are already yielding positive results even at modest rates. We shall deliberately target our youths so that they will not fall into the trap of unpatriotic elements to foment social disobedience leading to avoidable loss of lives and property. Let me reiterate that while the right to peaceful association and protest is guaranteed under our laws, this administration will not fold its arms and watch protests however well-intended, degenerate into wanton killings of law enforcement and other security personnel, as well as destruction of private and national assets. It is gladdening to note that the various schemes and components of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) are being implemented faithfully to support micro-small businesses. I am particularly delighted that artisans, small-time transporters, traders, and farmers are the main beneficiaries as we continue to provide safety nets to the most vulnerable members of our society as well as business owners to mitigate the harsh economic environment occasioned by COVID-19. In spite of dwindling national revenue worsened by the pandemic, we will do all that is required to fully implement the 2021 Budget of Economic Recovery and Resilience. We are optimistic that all things being equal, we should be able to exit recession in the shortest possible time. There is every indication that our country is already experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infection. As we celebrate Christmas with families and friends, I urge all citizens and residents to adhere strictly to the non-pharmaceutical prevention guidelines of regular hand-washing, wearing masks, and social/physical distancing with a view to mitigating the spread of

A nine-year-old girl, Nuroh Nasir, has bagged the Faith Unites Muslims Charity Initiatives (FUMCI)’s Children Award for Excellence in Qur’an Recitation and Islamic Practice 2020. The sixth edition of the annual competition, themed ‘Recipe for the making of Godly children’, was held in Lagos with the support of the Rt. Hon. Adeyemi Sabit Ikuforiji Foundation. It had contestants drawn from the five divisions of Lagos State, competing for prizes in Adab, Salat, Fiqh, Qur’an, Hadeeth. Nuroh, who represented Ketu, Alapere in Ikosi-Isheri local council, had won the 2019 edition of the competition and was awarded N100, 000 and other consolation prizes. Speaking during the prize presentation to winners, Amir of FUMCI, Ustadh AbdulMuiz Zubayr, commended all the contestants for their brilliance and their parents for exposing them to Islamic knowledge. In his lecture, the Mudir, Darul-Naim Schools, Sheikh AbdulMajeed Imran Eleha, urged Muslims to select religious and morally upright spouses in order to raise pious children.

The Bayelsa State Assembly has again approved a request by Governor Douye Diri , to obtain another loan of N 3. 5bn loan. The request was contained in a letter forwarded to the legislative arm by Diri, which was read on the floor of the House, in Yenagoa , during plenary on Wednesday . The Assembly had in March approved a request by the governor to obtain a loan of N 2. 9bn loan to buy official vehicles for top government functionaries while in November, he was also given approval to obtain another loan of N 17bn from multiple sources to pay the states counterpart funds for the Sustainable Development Goals , oil palm project and funding of state financing gap over a temporary credit facility . According to the latest letter, the Diri administration is seeking for a fresh N 3. 5bn loan to enable the state meet its counterpart funding obligations in order to access Universal Basic Education funds . Moving the motion for the approval of the governor ’ s request , the Leader of the House, Monday Bubou – Obolo , explained that the N 3. 5bn was 50 per cent of a total N 7bn targeted to fund educational infrastructure in the state. He claimed that out of the N 7bn, the UBE was demanding for Bayelsa ’ s 50 per cent counterpart fund to enable it access the total sum meant for the state. Bubou -Obolo , who represents Southern Ijaw Constituency 2, said , “ This N 3. 5bn is a counterpart contribution. What this simply means is that, the UBE headquarters is giving Bayelsa N 3. 5bn, but before we can get that fund , they are also telling us to provide N 3. 5bn and they will add their own to make it N 7bn. “ All that money will be used to build schools . At the moment , the state government cannot immediately provide those funds. So , we ( the House ) have to approve it for the bank to give the loan. ” The 24- member House under the speakership of Abraham Ingobere , unanimously approved the loan request .

Civil Servants in Benue State are to celebrate Christmas without salary. Giving the reason for nonpayment of December salary to its civil servants , the State Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism, Mrs Ngunan Adingi, said the government ’ s accounts have been garnished following court orders . Adingi, who briefed journalists on Thursday at the Benue Peoples House , Makurdi , lamented that the order by the court has grounded government activities. She explained that the order to garnish government accounts were secured in different courts in Nasarawa and Abuja . The Commissioner said , “ Some aggrieved nonindigenes working in the state who were redeployed to their states in 2007 under the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, took the State Government to court to protest the action . “ Consequently in 2008, the court in the case between Juliana Igweka and 95 others vs SUBEB and Attorney General of Benue State , declared that the affected persons be reinstated in the civil service , ” adding that counsels to the applicants , in turn, went back to court asking for monetary compensation, which was not part of the original judgment . ,“ But when the applicants failed to get the courts to do their wish in the state, they went to different courts in Nasarawa and Federal Capital Territory to secure garnishee orders on all accounts of the state which was served yesterday ( Friday) , thereby crippling all government activities , including payment of salaries. ” Shedding light on the order , the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Michael Gus, described the judgment as fraudulent, saying the courts lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter . Gusa noted that the State Government had initiated processes to set aside the garnishee orders as soon as possible , stressing that government would also approach the National Judicial Council for necessary action against the judges involved .