Author: Musa Bello

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has commiserated with the family, members of Hausa film industry and Kwara State government over the passing of a veteran actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf recalled that late Pategi’s character in _Samanja Mazan Fama_ series represented discipline, resilience and moral standards for socio-cultural and national development. He therefore, challenged all the stakeholders in the Hausa film industry to emulate late Samanja’s virtues of national unity, religious and cultural promotions towards fostering peace and tranquility in…

The Yusuf Maitama Sule University Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano State, has condemned alleged persistent neglect of the institution by the state government. The ASUU branch Chairman, Dr Suraj Suleiman, and its Secretary, Dr Mansur Saeed, in a joint statement on Sunday in Kano, expressed sadness over the devastating condition of the institution. “Consequent to the series of submissions to the state government on its members’ demands and strategic denial of its request for an audience with the Visitor (Gov. Abba Yusuf), the branch resolves to publicly cry out over the devastating condition of the…

The governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s election, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the entire process. Addressing the media in Lokoja on Sunday, Melaye characterized the election as a sham, citing concerns about manual accreditation, non-use of BVAS, and the availability of prepared result sheets before the polls commenced. “There was no election, accreditation was done manually, BVAS not used, prepared result sheets were available before election.” “INEC must cancel the election. We have evidence to back up. INEC has manifested gross incompetence;…

The Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has demolished 11,705 shanty colonies across Abuja city, from January to October. The department also generated N2.5 billion and created 13,873 direct and indirect jobs within the period, says Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, FCTA. Galadima, who disclosed this during a media briefing on the activities of the department in Abuja on Sunday, explained that the shanties and illegal developments were demolished in conjunction with the Ministerial Enforcement Task Force Team. He identified the affected areas as Kabusa, Kasuwan dare, Galadimawa junction, Mabushi scavenger colony…

The Mi-Yetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has called for adequate budgetary allocation to boost the livestock economy. Baba Ngelzarma, National President of the association, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. Ngelzarma said it was disturbing that the nation spent more than 1.7 billion dollars annually on milk importation due to poor attention given to the livestock sub-sector. He said that there was no budgetary allocation for livestock while agronomy always gained priority attention annually in terms of robust budget. “The livestock sector has not and never…

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says 189,452 children in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states did not receive certain vaccines as at December 2022, referring to them as zero-dose children. This is as Nigeria makes up 2.2 million zero dose of the 48 million children around the globe who did not receive a single regular dose. The Health Specialist, UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, Dr Danjuma Nehemiah, disclosed this on Sunday in Sokoto during a two-day Media Dialogue on Routine Immunisation and the Zero-Dose campaign. The dialogue was organised by UNICEF, in collaboration with the primary healthcare development agencies of Kebbi, Sokoto…

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, has advised Gov Dauda Lawal of Zamfara to focus on his job of governing the northwestern states and leave him alone. Matawalle gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja. He was reacting to some allegations by Dauda concerning his tenure as governor of the state. The allegations bordered on mismanagement of resources, heavy debts and non-payment of examination and school fees for students at home and abroad, among others. READ ALSO: Off-circle elections: Edwin Clark urges INEC to investigate alleged irregularities “I think the…

One hundred-and-forty inmates on death row are awaiting execution in Kano State. Spokesman of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Kano State Command, Mr Musbahu Kofar-Nassarawa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kano that those on death row are of both genders. “Kano Correctional Centre has no hangman because it is a Medium Security Custodial Centre,’’ Kofar-Nassarawa said. READ ALSO: Kogi Electoral Malpractice: INEC suspends election in 9 RAs He noted that governors in the state had failed to either sign death warrants or to commute the sentences of those on death row to life imprisonment. “Some…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended election in nine Registration Area (RAs) in Kogi over of incidences of electoral malpractices. The commission confirmed this in a statement issued by the National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Haruna, on Saturday. Haruna said that INEC received reports from its officials in Kogi on incidences of electoral malpractices, particularly the incident of result sheets completed before voting. “Reports indicate that the incidents occurred in Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi and Okene Local Government Areas. The most serious incidents occurred in Ogori/Magongo, affecting nine of 10 Registration Areas.…

Security operatives on Saturday Nov 11, reportedly arrested James Onoja, the council chairman of Igalamela Local Government Area in Kogi State for possessing ammunition and a huge amount of cash. The ammunitions and money were believed to be intended for election-related activities. The discovered money and ammunition were reportedly concealed in multiple ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags. A video circulating online shows the suspects, including the council chairman, seated on the ground near an army checkpoint. READ ALSO: Arsenal Get 1,000th goal at Emirates Stadium With a Win Over Burnley In the footage, the individuals express regret and plead for forgiveness. The Police…

Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi has inaugurated the N3.8 billion rehabilitation of Yauri township roads project in Yauri Local Government Area of the state. Idris, while inaugurating the roads on Saturday also announced the rehabilitation of Warra township roads in Ngaski Local government Area worth N1.8 billion. He said,” Of all the local government areas of the state, Warra roads are the only ones not rehabilitated which the government found necessary to take action.” Idris also said that roads in Zuru Emirate would be next in line of rehabilitation. He added that negotiations were being finalised between the state government…

The Police in Katsina state, have neutralised a notorious suspected kidnapper, Nazifi Ibrahim, 22, of Unguwar Tsamiya village, Faskari Local Government Area of the state. This is contained in a statement issued by the police spokesman, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Katsina. Aliyu added that the police also recovered a large cache of ammunition during the operation. He said that “On Nov. 11, 2023, at about 03.30hrs, based on a tip-off, some suspected kidnappers wielding dangerous weapons such as AK 47 rifles, invaded a farm situated at the outskirt of Yankara village. “Upon receipt…

A man, identified as Umoru Iduh, was reportedly shot dead at the Agala-Ogane polling unit in the Anyigba metropolis in Dekina LGA of Kogi East for attempting to snatch and destroy electoral materials. According to reports, Iduh was gunned down around 10 am, when the voting was about to commence at the said polling unit in the area. It was said that the deceased approached the polling unit and forcefully took BVAS and smashed it on the ground in his bid to destroy them and stop voting at the polling unit. READ ALSO: Grandmother, Two Others Arrested for Allegedly Abusing…

The Niger State Child Rights Agency and the police, have arrested a grandmother and two accomplices in Minna for allegedly physically abusing an eight-year-old girl. The arrested grandmother, Safiya Azumi, residing in Daru Salam community, Kpakungun area of Minna, was said to be in the habit of beating the little girl and locking her inside a room to starve her for several days. The acting director general of the agency, Mallam Suleiman Shehu, was alerted by neighbours about the situation on Friday, November 10, and he mobilized some staff to rescue the victim. The girl was rescued with several dislocations…

The hometown of Dino Melaye, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ayetoro Gbede, reportedly witnessed a low turnout of voters in the Saturday, November 11th Kogi State governorship election. Polling units in Open Space before ECWA church, Okebukun, Ayetoro, and Open space opposite Marktot Oil and Gas, Aniekpe quarters According to the Nation, electoral officials were waiting for voters to turn out to cast their ballots, at polling units in Open Space before ECWA church, Okebukun, Ayetoro, and Open space opposite Marktot Oil and Gas, Aniekpe quarters . Likewise at Melaye polling unit 004, Iluafon quarters, Ayetoro, INEC officials were…

Alhaji Muritala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Candidate, for Saturday’s Kogi governorship election, has expressed confidence of victory in the election. Ajaka said this when he spoke with newsmen shortly after he cast his vote at the polling unit 005 in his Ida county home. ” INEC has tried in conducting this off circle governorship election in Kogi, but not with some challenges in some places. “We are only worried with the reports we are getting from our agents in three local government areas, Adavi, Okehi and Okene, where results sheets are reportedly missing. READ ALSO: Sokoto State takes…

Sokoto State government began the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and antimalarial drugs at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Sokoto on Saturday. It also fumigated the camps to stave off malaria. The exercise was inaugurated by the deputy governor, Alhaji Idris Gobir at Ramin Kura IDP camp in Sokoto North Local Government Area. Gobir urged residents of IDP camps to accept their situation as divinely determined and assured that government was working to ensure that they returned to their respective settlements to engage in normal livelihood activities. READ ALSO: Imo election: Security operatives foil attempt to abduct INEC officials,…

Reports of vote buying have emerged from several polling units in the ongoing governorship election in Kogi State. Despite the deployment of officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to the state to address such issues, instances of vote buying were witnessed. According to reports, many voters were discussing how they had been promised 5,000 if they voted for a particular political party. According to Daily Trust, women at Angwa Pawa area of Lokoja were called to a corner and given a certain amount even before they…

Kano State Government has reaffirmed its dedication to work closely with the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), to uplift women’s status to international standard. The State Commissioner of Women, Children and Disabled, Hajiya Aisha Lawan-Saji, made the pledge while receiving the executives of Kano NAWOJ in her office.She said the collaboration between the ministry and NAWOJ became necessary, especially as partners in progress, hence the need to work together to achieve the desired objectives. According to her, the strength of female journalists should not be under rated, due to their contributions to the development of the entire nation. She…

Asiko Energy has commenced its Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) autogas adoption and utilisation trial in Kano State to accelerate fuel transition and deepen gas penetration in the country. Mr Felix Ekundayo, the Managing Director of Asiko Energy, disclosed in a statement on Saturday in Lagos. Ekundayo said that Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano, who unveiled the project commended the commencement of the autogas trial in the state. The Emir, who was represented by Ma’ikagama Kano, Alhaji Bello Wudil, said the people of the ancient city of Kano would key into the autogas trial because it is an…