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Middle Belt Concern Urges Govt. To Return IDPs To Ancestral Homes

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By Ijeoma Popoola

 

A coalition of citizens groups, Middle Belt Concern (MBC), on Thursday called on the Federal Government to do more to stop unlawful killings and displacements in the Middle Belt.

 

The MBC, a coalition of about 80 groups, also urged the government to return all displaced citizens to their ancestral homes.

 

A co- Convener of MBC, Mrs Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, made the call at a media roundtable in Lagos.

 

The roundtable had the theme: “Voice, Vision and Justice: Navigating the Middle Belt’s Future in the Nigerian Federation”.

 

 

She said: “For over a decade, our people in Benue, Southern Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, and across the Middle Belt, have buried their dead and fled their farms.

 

“The killings must stop, the displaced must be restored, and the politics of denial must end.”

 

She said that violence and unlawful killings in the region since 2000 had cost tens of thousands of lives, displaced many and deepened poverty in the area.

 

The co-convener said that citizens displaced by insecurity in the area were crowded into makeshift camps.

 

“They are our mothers, our farmers, our children,” she said, stressing that it was the duty of the state to protect its citizens.

 

“We demand immediate, verifiable action: a credible national count of the displaced, physical securing of ancestral homes, real trauma care and a binding roadmap to restorative justice.”

 

Jonathan-Ichaver said that violence in the Middle Belt should not be described as farmer-herder clashes or communal clashes.

 

“What is happening in the Middle Belt is not a clash. It is not a misunderstanding between neighbours.

 

“It is organised, repeated, and escalating violence that has overrun entire villages, driven millions from their homes,” she said.

 

She also said that the violence made women and children victims of atrocities such as rape and defilement.

 

She called on all Nigerians to collectively seek end to insecurity.

 

Another co-Convener of MBC, Mrs Marie Orgah, urged the government to fish out all sponsors, supporters, and perpetrators of terrorism to deter criminal activities.

 

She said that the government should focus more on justice, care and restoration for victims.

 

Orgah urged the government not to leave any terrorist unpunished, saying that such would embolden them. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

 

Edited by Esenvosa Izah

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Joy Igbokwe Earns Super Falcons Call-Up for Olympic Qualifiers Against Comoros

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Nasarawa Amazons and Falconets midfielder Joy Igbokwe has received a major boost in her young career after earning a call-up to the Super Falcons squad for Nigeria’s 2028 Olympic qualifying fixtures against Comoros.

Sports247 reports that the 20-year-old midfielder has been rewarded for her consistent performances at club and youth international level, with interim Super Falcons head coach Augustine Eguavoen handing her an opportunity to step up to the senior national team.

Read Also: Skates Before Super Falcons: Ajibade’s Unlikely Football Journey

Nigeria are scheduled to face Comoros in the second round of the African qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Comoros are officially designated as the home side for the first leg on Friday, October 9, while the return fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, October 13.

Both matches will take place at the Remo Stars Sports Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, with Comoros unable to host the first leg at home because they do not have a CAF-approved stadium for international fixtures.

Igbokwe’s promotion to the senior national team comes after several impressive campaigns with the Falconets and Nasarawa Amazons. Regarded as a composed midfielder and strong leader on the pitch, she has established herself as an important figure in Nigeria’s youth football structure.

Her journey has included appearances and notable performances at major youth competitions, including the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the WAFU B Girls Cup.

However, Igbokwe missed Nigeria’s recently concluded FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup campaign in Poland after she was unable to secure a visa to travel for the tournament.

At club level, she has also played an important role for Nasarawa Amazons, helping the side win the NWFL FA Cup last season.

Her latest call-up therefore represents an opportunity to make up for the disappointment of missing the U-20 World Cup and begin a new chapter with the senior national team.

Eguavoen’s decision to include the midfielder reflects the coaching staff’s recognition of her development, consistency and leadership qualities over recent seasons.

With Nigeria aiming to progress through the Olympic qualifying campaign, Igbokwe will now have the chance to train alongside some of the country’s most established female footballers and compete for a place in the final matchday squad.

For the young midfielder, the Comoros fixtures could mark the beginning of what promises to be an exciting new chapter in her international career.

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New PDP executives inaugurated in Adamawa

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New leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been inaugurated in Adamawa State.

The new party executives were sworn in on Tuesday during a ceremony held at Mahmud Ribadu Square, Yola, with national party officials urging them to work towards strengthening the party.

The chairman of the National Electoral Committee that supervised the election of the new state executives, Jalo Ganga, stressed that the new executives have full liberty to carry out their responsibilities, as all caretaker committees had been dissolved.

The new chairman of the PDP in Adamawa State is Belmond Dogo, with Yusuf Hamidu as vice-chairman and Shekarau Yerima as deputy chairman, while John Tunor will serve as legal adviser.

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Suzan Zira is the new woman leader; John Musa, organising secretary; Ijudigal Jabani, treasurer; and Inuwa Baba Girei, financial secretary, among others.

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