Solomon's Column

MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization., announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, Muhammad Masood, 30, a licensed medical doctor in Pakistan, was formerly employed as a Research Coordinator at a medical clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, under an H-1B Visa. Between January 2020 and March 2020, Masood made several statements to others, including pledging his allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (“ISIS”) and its leader, and expressing his desire to travel to Syria to fight for ISIS. Masood also expressed his desire to conduct “lone wolf” terrorist attacks in the United States. On Feb. 21, 2020, Masood purchased a plane ticket from Chicago, Illinois to Amman, Jordan, and from there planned to travel to Syria. On March 16, 2020, Masood’s travel plans changed because Jordan closed its borders to incoming travel due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Masood

An unspecified number of farmers have been forced out of business by the unending insecurity and prohibitive costs of agricultural inputs in Nigeria. This assertion was made by the immediate past chairman of the Oyo state chapter of the Day old Chicks Association of Nigeria(DOCAN), Alhaji Asimiyu Oyetunde. ''The insecurity in different parts of the country has forced several farmers out of business, they have abandoned their farms. In addition, most of the inputs such as maize and soya beans are very expensive. Prices keep increasing on a daily basis. The poultry industry is worse hit as banks are not ready to give us loans,'' Alhaji Oyetunde. He posited that once the safety of lives and property can be guaranteed, activities in the agriculture sector should come back to life, while appealing to the government to tackle the security challenges decisively.

Nigerians have been advised to identify criminals in their communities as a crucial step towards addressing the unending insecurity in the land. This advice was given on Thursday by the chairman of the Oyo state council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT), Comrade Raji Oladimeji in a chat at the union's state secretariat in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. ''The spate of insecurity in different parts of the country is alarming. We have to go back to the drawing board. That is why we have to appeal to the parents forum to rejig the security apparatus in our various communities. Schools are located within communities. Let us identify those who constitute a nuisance within the community. Let us also be our brother's keeper,'' Comrade Oladimeji stated. The chairman vowed to pursue the advancement of the welfare of union members to a logical conclusion, saying, ''believe in your leaders, our constant discussion and engagement with the Government is yielding re

Consistent prayers and supplications move mountains. Matthew 26 : 36-46 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he

So many weathered it all and joined I and my family in my country home, Igboukwu in Anambra state,Nigeria, where my late wife was laid to rest on the 28th of July, 2022. So, again joined me and my family in the outing service on Sunday, 14th of August, 2022 in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. God proved once more that He is God. He blessed the whole occasion with good weather, security and journey mercies to everyone who attended the occasion. God bless well-wishers, admirers and friends who joined us physically, financially and prayerfully. My whole family and I are very grateful. Signed Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie(Ezeigbo, Ezechukwujiegosioluebube nala,Ibadan and Oyo state. Chairman Non-indigenous Traditional Heads, Oyo state

Note: The provision of health care at PHC level is largely the responsibility of local governments with the support of state ministries of health and within the overall national health policy (Nigeria Constitution, 1999). Quality health is a fundamental right of all citizens. Primary health care (PHC) which is the first level of contact for individuals, the family, and the community to address the main health problems in the community, providing health promotion, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services , are not available to all local governments in Oyo State. Many people in Oyo State are at risk of falling into poverty due to out-of-pocket health spending. of more of their household budget. Primary health care, which is supposed to be the bedrock of the state and health care policy is currently catering to a small number of potential patients. While most PHC facilities are in various states of disrepair, with equipment and infrastructure being either absent or obsolete, the

Igbos across Nigeria have been called upon to be at peace with their neighbors. - This call was made on Sunday by His Royal Highness Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie(Ezeigbo, Ezechukwujiegosioluebube nala, in a reception organized in honor of his late wife, Queen Besty Afulenu Anozie in Ibadan, Oyo state Nigeria, ''My special appeal is for all of us to continue to live in peace with our neighbors. Continue to live in peace and God will bless you in Jesus' name. Amen. We are law-abiding people, we follow the rule of law. Let us continue to honor God and God will bless all of us in Jesus' name. Amen, Eze(Dr.)Anozie prayed.

The government at all levels and people must not waste or bury talents, most especially Persons With Disabilities(PWD). Let us enact anti-discrimination and other disability-specific laws. All stakeholders must get organized on this-governments, parents, international donors, the media, the JONAPWD, Human Rights Groups, philanthropists, among others. It is only through appropriate policy stands that we can raise the hope of the hopeless, mitigate the cause of disabilities and prevent causative factors from increasing the fold of PWDs. Nigeria needs to implement all international instruments to which it is a signatory, on the issue of having due respect for the fundamental human rights of the people. For example, women's rights through the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW), Child Rights and Inclusion Rights of the PWDs through appropriate domestication for ease of local adaptation. We have to walk the talk of the challenges confronti

A large number of law enforcement and security personnel have for long ignored their primary duites and rather become involved wioth happenings in the political sphere in Nigeria. The motivating factor revolves around money, influence and greed, even though the authorities are fully aware of this unfortunate development. Indeed, the chequered mindset of these set of professionals in uniform has resulted in a major set back in the unending battle to put a stop to insecurity in the land. Sadly, over the years, nepotism, favoritism and mediocrity have ensured that unqualified persons infiltrate the law enforcement and security servcies. This is reflected in the avoidable acts of commission and ommission in countless number of engagments whioch have defied all known procedures oif professional practice. Note- The non-state actors at the center of violnet crimes in Nigeria today are all products of those who are obssessed with power. Those-in-Power ought to have a recipe to end the crime