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22 Brigade Emerges Winner Of Inter-brigade Competition In Kogi

Published

8 months ago

April 12, 2025

The Nigerian Army, Ilorin, has emerged victorious in the highly competitive 2 Division Inter-Brigade Corporal and Below competition, held at the 12 Brigade headquarters in Charimaigumeri Barracks, Lokoja.

The participating brigades include 4 Brigade Benin, 12 Brigade Lokoja, 22 Armoured Brigade Ilorin, 32 Artillery Brigade Akure, 42 Engineer Brigade Ede and 2 Division Garrison Ibadan.

The 5-day competition, which began on Monday, April 7, was designed to enhance combat proficiency, leadership skills, and teamwork among soldiers.

Announcing the result at the closing ceremony on Friday, the Chief Judge of the Competition, Col. Adeniyi Adebayo, said 22 Brigade emerged first position with cumulative points of 430; while 12 Brigade came second with 400 points; and 42 Engineer Brigade clinched third position with 380 points.

The 32 Brigade got fourth position with 360; 4 Brigade came fifth with 350 points, while 2 Division. Garrison clinched sixth position with 330 points and was awarded the Wooden Spoon.

In his closing remarks, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, NA, Maj. -Gen. Obinna Onubogu, who was the Special Guest of Honour, commended the participants for their passion, doggedness, dexterity, skills and professionalism.

He said, “The glamorous outing is in no doubt a culmination of hard work, discipline and resourcefulness put in at various levels of preparation by the various contingents. Most importantly, purposeful training, which is the bedrock of military professionalism, was the catalyst to what we have witnessed during the competition.

“With this, let me remind all that we must continue to train ourselves so that we can develop the required capability in our troops to handle every challenge thrown at them by the security environment.

“Therefore, the just concluded competition is not only timely but key in improving the combat readiness of our soldiers within 2 Division AOR. It behooves on all of us not to rest on our oars, but start preparing for future competitions.”

The GOC assured that the Division would continue to pursue its training schedules in order to perfect on current Tactics, Techniques and Procedures and acquire new ones with a view to realizing the COAS Command Philosophy.

“To Consolidate the Transformation of the Nigerian Army Towards Bequeathing a Well-Motivated and Combat-Ready Force that can Effectively Discharge its Constitutional Responsibilities within a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment”, he said.

He promised that the areas of observed weaknesses would be strengthened and those areas of strength would be consolidated.

The GOC appreciated the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede, for his continued support to the Division in the provision of adequate resources for all training activities.

“My appreciation also goes to the Chief Judge and his team for a job well done. I sincerely commend the host formation 12 Brigade, and organizers for successfully organizing and conducting this year’s 2 Div. Inter-Division Corporals and Below Competition.

“To all our invited guests, your presence and support are appreciated. We thank you for honoring our invitation,” the GOC said.

Earlier, the Commander 12 Bde, Brig. -Gen. Kasim Sidi said the competition has prepared corporals and below for more challenging responsibilities.

He commended the soldiers for their inspiring display of courage, teamwork, resilience and military professionalism, qualities that defined not only exceptional soldiers but extraordinary individuals.

“This competition was not just about winning trophies or earning bragging rights. It was about sharpening our skills, strengthening our bonds, and reinforcing the culture of excellence that defines the Nigerian Army.

“What we have witnessed here is a reminder that every soldier, regardless of rank, has a critical role to play in operational success.

“You faced gruelling challenges, pushed past limits, and showcased the power of teamwork and perseverance. Carry this spirit forward, it is the foundation of greatness”, he said

The commander appreciated the GOC for his visionary leadership and continued commitment to building a force that is not only combat-ready but also grounded in discipline and professionalism.

He noted that the competition has boosted the COAS Command Philosophy: “To Consolidate the Transformation of the Nigerian Army Towards Bequeathing a Well-Motivated and Combat-Ready Force that can Effectively Discharge its Constitutional Responsibilities within a Joint and Multi-Agency Environment.”

“This competition has brought us one step closer to that goal. As we depart to our various locations, I leave you with this adage ‘Strength does not come from winning, your struggles develop your strength.

“You have all grown stronger here. Go forth with pride, knowing you have honoured your teams, formations and the Division. May the lessons learned here continue to guide our training and operational engagements,” the commander said.

News

27-year-old Man Dies Inside Deep Well In Ogbomoso

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The corpse of a 27-year-old man identified as Alagbe Gbemisoye has been recovered from a deep well at Ire-Akari, Adeniran area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

His body was retrieved by officials of the Oyo State Fire Service after passersby alerted them to the incident.

The circumstances that led to the deceased falling into the well were still unclear as of the time of filing this report.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Fire Reforms and Chairman, Fire Services, Moroof Akinwande, said his men were alerted by a running caller and Mr Ajayi Olayemi.

“Fire personnel led by CFM Oladejo promptly deployed to the scene. On arrival, it was discovered that a man of about 27 years old, named Alagbe Gbemisoye, had fallen into a deep well. His body was recovered and handed over to the DPO, Owode Police Station,” he said.

Akinwande urged the public to always observe safety precautions in their daily activities and emphasised the importance of having fire extinguishers in their homes to prevent fire incidents.

News

Bauchi Records 75 Homicide Cases, 28 Kidnapping Cases, Others – Official

Published

8 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The Bauchi state Ministry of Justice says it recorded nothing less than 75 homicide cases, 28 kidnapping cases and 86 cases of rape in the 2024-2025 legal year.

Barr. Hassan Usman (SAN), the Bauchi state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, stated this in Bauchi on Tuesday during the commencement of the 2025-2026 legal year ceremony.

“In criminal cases from January to date, we received a total of 91 robbery cases, as against last year which was 83 and we received 75 homicide cases.

“We were served with motions for bails and other motions totalling about 256 and we received about 86 rape cases and 28 kidnapping cases.

“In total, we received a total number of 592 criminal cases and out of this number, 97 have been disposed of, 15 were discharged through legal advice, 454 are pending,” said the Commissioner.

According to him, given the high volume of cases recorded, the Ministry developed strategies to fast-track prosecutions in line with the administration of criminal justice law that emphasised speedy trials by setting timelines of filing charges in court and proceeding.

While explaining that Gov. Bala Mohammed approved the release of N7.8 million for the purchase of law and other practice books for their library, Usman added that Mohammed also approved the release of monthly funds to settle all outstanding judgement debts owed by the state government.

He appreciated the governor for his benevolence, unwavering commitment and exceptional support for the Ministry of Justice in the state.

Earlier speaking, Justice Rabi Umar, the State’s Chief Judge, lamented the recurrent practice of arraigning suspects in court without proper preliminary investigations.

She added that in many cases, efforts to gather evidence were only initiated after the trial had begun.

“This backward approach to criminal prosecution significantly delays the process and undermines the delivery of justice.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, we continue to see such practices, which contributed to the overwhelming backlog of cases in our courts and ultimately eroded public confidence in the Justice System.

“To resolve this and other identified lapses, a Committee was set up to review the Bauchi state Administration of Criminal Justice Law and come up with a Draft Law that will stand the test of time,” she said.

She however, affirmed that any lawyer that didn’t adhere to the prescribed dress code for legal practitioners in the state would not be permitted to appear in court, adding that such a disregard for professional decorum undermined the prestige and global respect that the legal profession commands.

In his speech, governor Mohammed said that the three arms of government in the state had been working harmoniously and in synergy without compromising their constitutional autonomy.

Represented by his deputy, Alh. Auwal Jatau, Mohammed said that he has been giving the two other arms of government the necessary support and cooperation to ensure that they all operated optimally without any hindrance.

News

HIV: 29,874 Bauchi Residents Under Treatment, 650 Infants Recover From Infection – Commissioner

Published

9 hours ago

December 2, 2025

Editor

The Bauchi State Government has said that it is currently treating a total of 29,874 people living with HIV with Antiretroviral treatment across the state.

Dr. Sani Mohammed Danbam, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this while speaking at a press conference jointly held with partners to commemorate the 2025 World Aids Day.

According to him, HIV affects the most vulnerable in society: the poor, the uneducated, the marginalized, women, and children.

He said AIDS remains incurable, but no longer has to be a death sentence.

Speaking on the HIV situation in the State, Danbam said, “as of today, a total of 29,874 people living with HIV are receiving (Antiretroviral Therapy) ART and the State has scaled up to 863 HTS/PMTCT facilities, where the general population and pregnant women receive free HIV services.

“This year, we have successfully placed 2,246 newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals on antiretroviral treatment, and over 650 HIV-exposed infants have achieved 100% early infant diagnosis and remain free from HIV infection.”

This year’s theme for World Aids Day: ‘Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response’, Danbam said is to reflect the challenges caused by recent funding cuts and other setbacks, and “it reminds us of the need to build a stronger, more resilient and rights-focused approach as we work toward ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”

Also, the Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Diene Keita, noted that in spite of advancements in medical technologies and public policies, progress made over decades was increasingly jeopardised, with prevention gains eroding as essential services struggled to reach people at elevated risk.

Represented by Deborah Tabara, Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst & State Programme Officer, UNFPA Bauchi, stressed that severe cuts in international aid were destabilising HIV prevention efforts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions relied on donor-supported programmes to access accurate information, prevention tools and essential community-based support.

According to Keita, almost 2.5 million people have lost access to lifesaving Pre-exposure Prophylaxis due to shrinking resources, with countries recording half of last year’s new HIV infections experiencing the harshest consequences from dwindling funding.

Tackling gender inequality, violence and stigma in healthcare systems and societies more broadly will be instrumental in reducing factors that put people at risk of HIV. Integrating HIV services into routine sexual and reproductive healthcare, including family planning and maternal health, would make them more readily available to many women and girls.

“At this crossroads in the AIDS response, UNFPA continues to support countries in sustaining and improving HIV prevention, particularly for adolescent girls, young women and key populations, along with providing treatment and related services.

“The combined efforts of governments, international organisations, activists and communities have led to remarkable progress on HIV, saving nearly 27 million lives to date. Now, we need to come together and finish what we know works and what we know is possible – an AIDS-free future for all.”