A Non-Governmental Organisation, ‘Eco-Citizen Ogoni ‘Initiative, has launched an Eco Volunteer Portal to register 560,000 youth volunteers for the takeoff of the planting of 560million Mangrove trees in Ogoniland, Rivers State.

Launching the portal in Port Harcourt on Tuesday as part of activities to mark the International Youth Day, 2025, the Coordinator of ECOI in Ogoni, Nature Dumale, said the youths would be recruited as part of the Global Green Marshalls and would be expected to conclude the project in 2035.

Dumale stated, “The groundbreaking digital platform, the Eco-Volunteers Portal, is designed to mobilise and equip 560,000 Ogoni youth as Global Green Goal Marshalls.

“Aligned with this year’s global theme, ‘Local Youth Action for the SDGs and Beyond,’ the platform is a powerful symbol of youth-led transformation at the grassroots, showcasing how Ogoni youth are not only responding to the climate crisis, but reimagining development through community-based action, digital innovation, and regenerative impact”.

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He explained that the portal represented a hub for green innovation, civic engagement, and youth-led systems transformation in Ogoniland and beyond, adding that it would activate a bold new architecture for SDG localisation, turning ecological restoration into real economic opportunity.

Dumale further said the 560,000 trained Eco-Volunteers would be deployed in 56 wards in the four local government areas of Ogoni, and that the initiative would catalyse over 500,000 green-blue economy jobs in sectors like clean energy, regenerative agriculture, aquaculture, sustainable transport, eco-enterprise, and circular economy innovation.

He noted that the portal would deliver climate-smart, community-led development aligned with SDGs 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 15.

According to him, “Through real-time dashboards, peer-led learning labs, fellowship placements, mission tracking, and a youth-centred opportunity marketplace, the platform positions Ogoni’s young people as designers and defenders of a just, regenerative future.

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“This portal is our response to history and our bridge to the future. It affirms the role of Ogoni youth not just as volunteers, but as visionaries. They are not waiting for opportunity to arrive, they are building it, one mangrove, one enterprise, one mission at a time.”

He said the portal also signalled a new model for planetary cooperation, rooted in the Global South, adding that with linkages to Africa-wide green youth movements and diaspora innovation networks, it would create a digital commons where local stories could scale global impact.

Dumale continued, “The Eco-Volunteers Portal comes at a critical time in Nigeria’s environmental journey, aligning with national climate adaptation goals and the broader vision for a just energy transition.

“It builds on the momentum of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, while charting a youth-driven pathway to sustainable peace, jobs, and justice”.

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In her remarks, Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, Deputy Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, said: “We must move from remediation to regeneration — and that starts with empowering young people at the frontline.”

“This initiative represents a critical shift from extractive development to ecological stewardship. It is not just Ogoni’s future at stake — it is Nigeria’s promise to its youth and its ecosystems.”

Also speaking, Global Director of the ECO2RUPPERS Africa Initiative, Victor Wilkinson Agih, said, “This is more than a portal. It is a platform for intergenerational equity and distributed leadership.

“From the restoration of degraded ecosystems to the reinvention of livelihoods, this model shows what is possible when youth are not just included, but trusted, trained, and resourced to lead.”

The key features of the platform were listed as digital onboarding of 560,000 Eco-Volunteers; green-blue skills training and micro-credentialing; a project mission dashboard to coordinate SDG action in real time; youth-led enterprise support via funding links and circular marketplaces; and inter-ward and diaspora collaboration tools, including challenge campaigns and fellowships.

The Police Command in Oyo State has promoted 159 Inspectors to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police in honour of their dedication to duty and exemplary performance.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, CSP Adewale Osifeso, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan.

Osifeso stated that the promotion underscored Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun’s commitment to recognising exceptional performance and dedication among officers.

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According to him, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Femi Haruna, praised the officers’ remarkable courage, professional excellence, and dedication to duty during the decoration ceremony.

The CP highlighted the significance of an organised reward system within the police force, which aims to motivate officers to consistently pursue excellence in their service to the community.

“The promotion you have received today signifies not only the recognition of your hard work and commitment but also serves as a reminder to uphold these values in your ongoing career as law enforcement officers,” the CP said.

He urged them to continue to maintain the highest levels of professionalism and integrity as they take on their new roles.

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Osifeso said that the decorated officers thanked the Commissioner of Police for the recognition and reaffirmed their dedication to duty and upholding the force’s principles.

According to him, the command remains resolute in its commitment to promoting professionalism, rewarding exemplary performance, and celebrating the accomplishments of its personnel.

He said that doing so would enhance public trust and safety within the community.

Some of the officers promoted include ASP Eriarehmhien Ayishat, ASP Coker Bunmi, and ASP Tina Osuoza.

NAN

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to strengthen interagency coordination and deepen community engagement as key pillars of the revised National Counter-Terrorism Strategy 2025.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the final validation exercise for the draft strategy, National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, said the updated framework was designed to improve collaboration among security agencies and foster public participation in preventing and responding to terrorism.

“The review of the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy represents a reaffirmation of our whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to counter-terrorism. It emphasises prevention alongside response, strengthens interagency coordination, and embeds resilience, inclusivity, and community engagement at the core of our security architecture,” Laka said.

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He explained that the review process, which began in February 2025, went through multiple stages of consultation, including workshops, committee reviews, and stakeholder engagements involving ministries, departments and agencies, civil society groups, academia, and international partners.

According to Laka, the validation workshop was intended to ensure that the strategy was “clear, realistic, and implementable” while reflecting national priorities and meeting international standards.

“We are here to confirm that every section of the strategy addresses the evolving threats we face and that it is a document we can all take ownership of,” he added.

Laka thanked all stakeholders for their dedication and collaborative input, noting that the strategy would proceed to editing and publication after validation.

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Speaking, the Director Policy and Strategy NCTC, Commodore Ahmad Madawaki, said the strategy is anchored on two main pillars, the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.

“The whole-of-government ensures that our counterterrorism efforts are coordinated, comprehensive, and effective.

“The whole-of-society, on the other hand, engages communities, civil society organisations, and the private sector in building trust, promoting social cohesion, and countering extremist narratives, ” he said.

Madawaki noted that the review incorporates good practices, gender inclusivity, and human rights, with input from UN Women and other stakeholders, to ensure the strategy is “inclusive, threat-responsive, and aligned with international best practices.”

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He stressed that all ministries, departments, and agencies must understand their roles in implementing the strategy once it is launched, adding that grassroots involvement is critical.

“We recognise the importance of grassroots involvement, and the Centre will ensure that state and local governments are actively engaged in the review process, especially in the final phases,” he said.

Madawaki also called for continued international support, saying, “Terrorism is a global phenomenon that requires international cooperation and support. The impact of the work that you do here today will resonate beyond the walls of this room.”