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Youth services suffer ‘stealth cut’ of more than £400m, Labour claims

Last week’s budget included a stealth cut to funding for youth services worth more than £400m over the next three years, Labour has claimed.

In his budget speech last Wednesday, Rishi Sunak said: “as we level up public services, we’re also levelling up communities – restoring the pride people feel in the places they call home.

“To do that, we’re providing £560m for youth services, enough to fund up to 300 youth clubs across the country.”

However, the Conservatives had already promised a £500m Youth Investment Fund in 2019; and the National Citizen Service, which provides young people with volunteering opportunities, has received an average of £178m over the past three years, according to Labour analysis.

If the NCS continued to be funded at that level, and the £500m Youth Investment Fund was additional money, that would total more than £1bn over the next three years – almost twice Sunak’s announced figure.

Separately, analysis by the House of Commons library carried out for Labour shows that public spending on services for young people in England has been cut by two-thirds in real terms over the past 10 years.

Shadow minister for young people, Cat Smith, said: “with Conservative cuts year on year, it is no surprise we’ve seen a rise of anti-social behaviour alongside the huge challenge of violent crime and county lines. Youth services prevent serious youth violence that costs taxpayers and ruins young people’s lives.”

“Given how much has been stripped away from youth services over the last decade by the Conservatives, this disguised cut from the government is likely to force many grassroots youth organisations to close.”

As MPs continued to debate the budget in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Labour MPs accused Sunak of failing to make up for more than a decade of austerity – comparing his promise of new “family hubs,” to the more than 500 Sure Start centres scrapped since 2010, for example.

A spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport conceded that the £560m promised by Sunak would include the cost of running the pre-existing NCS, which was set up by David Cameron.

“We are determined to give every child the best start in life and level up opportunity across the country,” they said. “Last week we announced plans to invest £560m to make sure youth services get the support they need. This includes funding the construction or refurbishment of up to 300 youth facilities in the most deprived areas of the country, and supporting the running of the NCS over the next three years.”

The spokesperson also pointed to almost £5bn set aside for helping school pupils catch up with lost learning in the wake of the pandemic – though that is significantly less than was recommended by the government’s own adviser on the issue, , who quit in protest.

Sunak’s third budget included a slew of spending promises, as the Conservatives seek to live up to their promise to “level up” neglected parts of the UK; but he also held out the prospect of tax cuts in the run-up to the next election.

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Police arrest 9 suspects over communal crisis in Kogi

The Police Command in Kogi State has arrested nine suspects in connection with a communal crisis in Itamah area of Kogi.

The crisis occurred after the assassination of the community traditional ruler, Onu Itamah Job Shagari.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday.

The late Chief Job Shagari was on Aug. 12 assassinated by some gunmen who invaded the community.

The traditional ruler’s death had created rift between two families — the Okenyi Abu-Atika and Shagari-Ebijegor, resulting in communal crisis.

But the police said they had arrested nine suspects and they were trailing other suspects.

“What the police are calling for now is for peace to be allowed to reign in Itamah community.

“The destruction done in that community is very unfortunate and uncalled for.

“We want a situation where the aggrieved families should come to round table for dialogue toward finding a lasting solution.

A situation where the community members are involved in an eye for an eye, the whole community will be blind and there won’t be peace there at all,” he said.

Onuoha denied the allegation that the command did not respond to petitions brought before it on arson and hostilities that left some houses and other property razed destroyed.

Mr Akoh Jonah, spokesman of the Okenyi Abu-Atika, claimed that more than 40 houses were burnt during the crisis, alleging that the police arrested 11 members of his family

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Police arrest two suspects with AK-47 rifle in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects with a fabricated AK-47 rifle and ammunition in the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, September 12, 2024. He said the suspects were nabbed by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit while trying to sell the rifle for N580,000.

“The Bauchi State Police Command is unwavering in its efforts to combat the proliferation of small and light arms within the state. In furtherance of this commitment, the Taskforce operatives, led by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit attached to the Command, have successfully apprehended two suspects in possession of a fabricated AK47 rifle and ammunition at Boto Market in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi state,” the statement read.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects, who travelled from Plateau State to Boto market, negotiated the sale of the rifle for N580,000.

“The apprehended suspects are: Abdulgafar Mohammed, male, 18 years old, from Barkin Ladi, Plateau State and Yusuf Isa, male, 25 years old, from the same address.

“A discreet investigation is ongoing, after which the suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

Under the stewardship of the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammad, psc, Anipr, the Command has escalated efforts to locate and apprehend the manufacturers of such weapons, irrespective of their location. Ultimately, the Command aims to assure the public of its dedication to eliminating illegal firearms in the state and urges the citizens to understand that.

“Mankind must put an end to organised crime, or organized crime will put an end to mankind”, and on the “ keyboard of life, let us as citizens always keep a finger on the escape key to survive.”

News

Police arrest 19 year old undergraduate for kidnapping, killing of a female student in Kogi

The Kogi State Police Command has arrested Paul Jeremiah, 20, for the alleged murder of Damilola, a 19-year-old first-year student at the Federal University, Lafia, Kogi State.

SP William Ovie Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed Jeremiah’s arrest on Thursday in Lokoja.

According to him, investigation is underway to determine the details surrounding the incident.

Damilola was reported missing on September 4, 2024.

Reports indicate that Jeremiah and his accomplices initially demanded a ransom of N10 million for her release.

However, after receiving N400,000 from Damilola’s family, Jeremiah, said to be a Kaduna State indigene, was dissatisfied with the amount and subsequently killed Damilola and mutilated her body.

The Police spokesman did not disclose how Jeremiah was apprehended but confirmed that he is currently in custody.