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IAWPA African Director Metchie commends Tinubu for declaring emergency on food security, says NHFSS would safeguard forests, farms
The African Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA), Ambassador John Metchie, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for declaring state of emergency on food security.
It would be recalled that the President on Thursday, declared a state of emergency on food security and approved that all matters pertaining to food and water availability and affordability, as essential livelihood items, be included within the purview of the National Security Council.
Chief Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents, said President has directed an immediate release of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
According to him, “We will immediately release fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to mitigate the effects of the subsidy removal.
“There will be an organic synergy between the Ministry of Agriculture and the use of water resources to ensure adequate irrigation of farmlands and to guarantee that food is available all years round.”
Reacting to the development in a statement he personally signed on Friday, Metchie who is also the Deputy Commander General of the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service in charge of Technical Services, said President Tinubu has shown by his policies and declarations that he is a grassroots leader who is abreast with the basic needs of the people.
He said that one of the greatest challenges faced by Nigerian citizens currently is shortage of food, caused partly by insecurity in the farms and forests, adding that the President’s intervention in the very important sector, barely two months of his administration shows that Tinubu is serious with his promises to bring relief to the lives of the people.
He particularly hailed the President for saying Nigeria must do away with seasonal farming, saying that a country with more than 200 million people cannot afford to rely on seasonal farming but mechanised farming that is all-year round.
In addition to declaring emergency on food security, Metchie said there is a need to secure forests and farms across the country so that the plans of the President to map out hectares of land for farming and grazing would be realized.
He said- “I was delighted when the President’s spokesman, Chief Dele Alake said that the President’s mandate is to create jobs for the teeming youth population and to achieve between five to ten million more jobs within the value chain, “working with the current 500,000 hectares of arable land and the several hundreds of thousands more farmlands to be developed in the medium term.
“I was also pleased when he said that President Tinubu’s administration understands that food and water are the bedrock of survival and therefore is calling on all Nigerians to partner with government in ensuring the success of this strategic intervention.
“For me, one of the most strategic contributions we can make towards the success of the President’s initiatives on food security is to say that Nigeria needs to do more to secure farmlands so that farmers can move freely to and their farms without molestation. This is where the Nigerian Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS) come in handy.
“It is gratifying that the two chambers of the National Assembly have passed the Bill for the Service. What remains is for the President to give his presidential assent to the Bill so that it can become law. Already, there are thousands of officers and men of the NHFSS working with the Police and other security agencies in the area of surveillance, information and intelligence gathering, as well as apprehension of criminals within farms and forests across the 36 states and the FCT.
“Many states have recognized and integrated the NHFSS into their security system and the testimonies of the great exploits of NHFSS officers and men are gladdening.
“The signing of the Bill by the President into law would legally empower operatives of the Service to become more emboldened to confront all forms of crimes and criminalities that are carried out within the forests including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and insurgency, among others,” Metchie said.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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