THE gathering was an unusual one as it featured only the aged at a venue in the Oke-Afa area of Lagos to celebrate the 51st anniversary of Nigeria’s independence. The event was put together by a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Happy Elderly People, CHEP, under the leadership of Deaconess Lilian Jiringho.

The scene was one of horror. It evoked both empathy and sympathy. The wailing and shouting from sympathisers, passers-by, on-lookers, and volunteers reached the high heavens. Reason being that a tragedy of staggering magnitude had struck, leaving over 10 persons instantly dead and over 20 people badly injured.

The incessant violent conflicts between farmers and castle rearers along the borders of Benue and Nassarawa states, may soon be over as the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, says it has succeeded in bringing relevant stakeholders together to find lasting solutions to the problem and prevent further losses of lives and property in the area.

DIRECTOR General of National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mohammad Sani-Sidi has disclosed of plans to co-opt qualified graduates into the agency in order to complement the existing Emergency Management Volunteer groups in the country.

The people of Uwalagbaegwu Iziogo Ezzainyimagu in Izzi Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, are still grappling with the fallout of the violence that visited the peaceful town, shortly before the April general elections.