News

2023: Governor Lalong Presents N139.3 Billion Naira Budget Estimates

Published

3 years ago

November 11, 2022

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The Plateau State Governor Dr. Simon Bako Lalong has presented a proposed N139.3 billion budget for the 2023 financial year to the Plateau State House of Assembly today 11th of November 2022.

Laying the Appropriation Bill before the Plateau State House of Assembly, the Governor said the budget consists of Seventy-Seven Billion, Six Hundred and Fifty Million, Six Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Thirty Naira, Eight-Five Kobo (N77,650,642,030.85) only as recurrent expenditure representing 55.72% of the total budget, and Sixty-One Billion, Seven Hundred and Six Million, Five Hundred and Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira, Fifty-Three Kobo (N61,706,502,949.53) as the capital component which represents 44.27% of the total budget.

He said the budget shows an increase of Thirty-Two Billion, Six Hundred and Forty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira, Twenty-Six Kobo (N32,649,877,338.26) from 2022 approved budget.

The Governor said the 2023 budget estimate tagged “Budget of Infrastructural Consolidation and Transition” will focus on completing major projects of the Rescue Administration and ensuring that government machinery continues to operate in the most efficient and productive manner.

He said “Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, you will recall that having completed many inherited and abandoned projects from previous administrations, this Government initiated many projects many of which have been completed. Among them are the Legacy Projects comprising of world standard schools and hospitals spread across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State. Although the Legacy Project suffered a setback as a result of the failure of the previous contractor to deliver the project within agreed timelines, I am happy to say that the project having been terminated has been re-awarded to a new contractor and advance payment made. The Contractor is to complete the project for commissioning before the end of this administration”.

Other projects which are being completed and will soon be commissioned according to the Governor include the Plateau High Court of Justice Complex which is more than 95 percent completed and currently being furnished. Also, the British American Junction Flyover and Dualisation to Lamingo Road Junction will be completed and commissioned before the lifespan of this administration.

The General Hospital Mabudi, Langtang South Local Government and General Hospital Kwall, Kanke Local Government are equally being furnished and will soon be commissioned. Similarly, the completed Shendam internal roads and bridges as well as the Angwan Dadi – Kalong Bridge (the longest bridge in Plateau State) will also be commissioned soon. Others include the Potato Value Chain Processing Centres in Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Water Works among others.

Lalong said the Rescue Administration will continue to operate in a prudent, accountable, and transparent manner in line with the commitment to give value for money and improve the lives of the citizens.

While urging the Assembly to give the proposed budget desired attention, the Governor said he has already directed all heads of MDAs to fully cooperate and make themselves available for the defense of the budget as well as provide necessary details that may be required.

In his speech, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Sanda said the House will give the budget all necessary attention in order to ensure its passage into law for the good of the citizens.

He added that the accelerated passage of the Budget after the legislative process will also demonstrate their continued partnership with the executive in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people.

Sanda advised heads of MDAs to cooperate with the House by appearing promptly to defend their estimates.

Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Tyoden, Deputy Speaker House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Idris Wase, Member Representing Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam Federal Constituency Yusuf Gagdi, APC State Chairman Hon. Rufus Bature was among the dignitaries that graced the budget presentation.

Related Topics:2023 N139.3 billion budget

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Hackers are abusing unpatched Windows security flaws to hack into organizations

Published

1 hour ago

April 17, 2026

Preport

Hackers have broken into at least one organization using Windows vulnerabilities published online by a disgruntled security researcher over the last two weeks, according to a cybersecurity firm.

On Friday, cybersecurity company Huntress said in a series of posts on X that its researchers have seen hackers taking advantage of three Windows security flaws, dubbed BlueHammer, UnDefend, and RedSun.

It’s unclear who the target of this attack is, and who the hackers are.

BlueHammer is the only bug among the three vulnerabilities being exploited that Microsoft has patched so far. A fix for BlueHammer was rolled out earlier this week.

It appears that the hackers are exploiting the bugs by using exploit code that the security researcher published online.

Earlier this month, a researcher who goes by Chaotic Eclipse published on their blog what they said was code to exploit an unpatched vulnerability in Windows. The researcher alluded to some conflict with Microsoft as the motivation behind publishing the code.

“I was not bluffing Microsoft and I’m doing it again,” they wrote. “Huge thanks to MSRC leadership for making this possible,” they added, referring to Microsoft’s Security Response Center, the company’s team that investigates cyberattacks and handles reports of vulnerabilities.

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Days later, Chaotic Eclipse published UnDefend, and then earlier this week published RedSun. The researcher published code to exploit all three vulnerabilities on their GitHub page.

All three vulnerabilities affect the Microsoft-made antivirus Windows Defender, allowing a hacker to gain high-level or administrator access to an affected Windows computer.

TechCunch could not reach Chaotic Eclipse for comment.

In response to a series of specific questions, Microsoft’s communications director Ben Hope said in a statement that the company supports “coordinated vulnerability disclosure, a widely adopted industry practice that helps ensure issues are carefully investigated and addressed before public disclosure, supporting both customer protection and the security research community.”

This is a case of what the cybersecurity industry calls “full disclosure.” When researchers find a flaw, they can report it to the affected software maker to help them fix it. At that point, usually the company acknowledges receipt, and if the vulnerability is legitimate, the company works to patch it. Often, the company and researchers agree on a timeline that establishes when the researcher can publicly explain their findings.

Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, that communication breaks down and researchers publicly disclose details of the bug. In some cases, in part to prove the existence or severity of a flaw, researchers go a step further and publish “proof-of concept” code capable of abusing that bug.

When that happens, cybercriminals, government hackers, and others can then take the code and use it for their attacks, which prompts cybersecurity defenders to rush to deal with the fallout.

“With these being so easily available now, and already weaponized for easy use, for better or for worse I think that ultimately puts us in another tug-of-war match between defenders and cybercriminals,” John Hammond, one of the researchers at Huntress who has been tracking the case, told TechCrunch.

“Scenarios like these cause us to race with our adversaries; defenders frantically try to protect against ill-intended actors who rapidly take advantage of these exploits… especially now as it is just ready-made attacker tooling,” said Hammond.

Business

Lagos Police Arrest 23 Suspected Cultists, Recover Firearms in Statewide Raids

Published

1 hour ago

April 17, 2026

Preport

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The Lagos State Police Command has recorded significant breakthroughs through coordinated and simultaneous operations targeting cultism and illegal arms proliferation across Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Okoko, Ilasan, Ogba, and Iju areas of the State.

The operations resulted in the arrest of twenty-three suspected cultists, recovery of five (5) firearms and other incriminating exhibits.

During the operation in Ikorodu, four suspects were arrested following credible intelligence linking them to cult-related activities. Preliminary findings indicate links to the Buccaneers Confraternity (Sea Lords).

In Lagos Island, nine suspected cultists were arrested during a raid on a criminal hideout. In Ilasan, five suspects in connection with a cult-related killing of one Emmanuel Obioson were arrested. In Okoko, one suspect with ties to the Eiye Confraternity was intercepted in possession of a firearm.

Similarly, in Ogba and Iju areas, the operations led to the arrest of four (4) suspects involved in illegal cult gatherings, assault, and other related violent crimes. Weapons used in the attacks were recovered, and victims are currently receiving medical attention.

The suspects are: Shina Wale ‘m’ 36yrs, Kehinde Kareem ‘m’ 18yrs, Mohammed Aileru ‘m’ 18yrs, Bada Mujeeb ‘m’ 18yrs, Salam Kosoko ‘m’ 30yrs, Yusuf Anjorin ‘m’ 19yrs, Quadri Abubakar ‘m’ 21yrs, Lateef Salako ‘m’ 18yrs, Fawaz Bello ‘m’ 30yrs, Oyesola Olalekan ‘m’ age 36yrs, Ubaka Justice ‘m’ age 36yrs, Emmanuel Obekpa ‘m’ age 36yrs, Sodiq Ademola ‘m’ age 36yrs, Balogun Taofeek ‘m’ 33yrs, Azeez Owolabi ‘m’ age 28yrs, Meshack Obini ‘m’ age 24yrs, Fabulous John ‘m’ age 25yrs, Promise Israel ‘m’ age 28yrs, Bright Aniedi ‘m’ age 27yrs, Familola Fikayo David ‘m’ age 24yrs, Akeem Olamilekan ‘m’ aka Magali age 43yrs, Muiz Oyedele ‘m’ age 20yrs, Hamzat Sadiq ‘n’ age 19yrs

The exhibits include: Five (5) locally made pistols, one (1) toy pistol, fifteen (15) live cartridges, three (3) expended cartridges, one (1) Police camouflage face cap, one (1) Army camouflage face cap, one (1) jack knife with the pouch.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, reiterates the Command’s unwavering commitment to eradicating cultism and violent crimes.
He urges members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the Police with timely and credible information through the Command emergency lines: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, 08039344870, and 09168630929.

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