News

Tinubu Enlists Firefighting Truck Into Presidential Convoy

Published

2 years ago

June 15, 2023

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has enlisted a rapid firefighting mini truck into his convoy, the first in the history of the Nigerian Presidency.

Controller General of the Federal Fire Service FFS, Engr. Abdulganiyu Jaji disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja when the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade paid a maiden visit to the Service’s headquarters.

He said the Service has also procured 15 rapid firefighting mini trucks to navigate crowded terrains which were hitherto inaccessible to the larger firefighting appliances.

While he recalled that the ministry recently commissioned Nigeria’s first Metropolitan Fire Station located in Kubwa, Abuja, Engr. Jaji said 12 other Metropolitan Fire Stations are at various stages of completion.

On the achievements of the service, the CGF said; “We recently completed and commissioned the first Fire House props in West Africa located inside the National Fire Academy Sheda.

“Procurement of 15 Ford Built Rapid Intervention Vehicles, already delivered to the Service awaiting commissioning and deployment.

“Approval of Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to include the Service Rapid Intervention Vehicle in his motorcade. This is the first in the history of Nigeria.

“Other firsts include celebration of the International Firefighter’s day.

“Approval of a large expanse of land for the building of the Service National Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, FCT”, he added.

Jaji said the service is however confronted with the challenges of inadequate manpower, attack on fire fighters, housing needs for personnel, firefighting infrastructural gap and budgetary constraint, among others.

On her part, Dr Akinlade called on State Governments to take advantage of the fact that firefighting is in the Concurrent List to help build and equip more fire stations.

She also stressed the need for better training and motivation of firefighters, saying the hazards associated with the job, entails that the men on ground are fully motivated to discharge their mandate.

She said; “Your mandate is very important to Nigeria as a whole. I don’t know of anything more frightening by fire. It is destructive and quick to do so but yet when you are called, you move in immediately. Therefore, I say well done.”

It is therefore important that citizens of Nigeria know and are assured that fire will not ravage them. But peradventure there is a fire outbreak, that the FFS will be able to put out the fire before lives and property are lost.

“Building codes are not usually obeyed and when there is fire, big trucks cannot go through. So these mini trucks can go through such areas but 15 are not enough. That cannot even serve the FCT alone. We need more. Therefore, funding, housing, training and everything that can build up the morale of firemen have to be taken into account.

“We call on the state governments to please support the FFS and play their roles as well because fire fighting is on the Concurrent List. I have seen highly trained officers and men but the challenge is that the facilities are overstretched. This is why the states must come in too”.
VANGUARD

News

Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

12 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

News

Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

12 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

“The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.

News

JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

Published

14 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.