The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Form your cabinet with capable people, Shehu Sani tells Buhari

    The immediate past senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to pick members of his cabinet immediately and form his cabinet with capable, competent and patriotic persons.

    But he warned against the neglect of any zone or state in getting key appointments under any pretext that they did not vote for him or did not vote for the ruling party.

    The senator applauded the President’s decision not to consult governors on the choice of his ministers.

    He noted that governors do not forward the names of competent people except those of their loyalists.

    Sani addressed reporters at the weekend in Minna, the Niger State capital, after he delivered a keynote address at a one-day youth awareness forum, tagged: Niger Open Forum, organised by The Blue Revolutionaries (TBR).

    “Experience has shown that governors do not send names of competent people, they send their loyalists and they send people who are not going to say anything to them and who are not going to outshine them.

    “Unfortunately, the governors do not own up to failures of the kinds of people they send. So, the President should form a cabinet of people who are capable, competent and patriotic.

    Read Also: Tribunal adjourns hearing on Shehu Sani/Uba Sani suit till Thursday

    “The report that I am hearing that he is going to appoint his ministers based on merit and not recommendation from the governor is quite commendable. This is because he has a legacy to leave behind. This is because when things go wrong, it is about Muhammadu Buhari; if it goes right, it is about Muhammadu Buhari.

    “I am happy with that decision because if no governor consults the President before appointing his commissioners, then there should be no compulsion for the President to consult any governor before appointing his ministers,” he said.

    The senator urged President Buhari not to delay the appointment of his ministers and other key positions.

    He added that there is need for him to get to work immediately.

    “I think he should not repeat the mistake of 2015. The most important thing for him now is to pick his cabinet immediately and hit the ground running. There should be no excuses again over failure to perform in the sense that he now has all the ample opportunity,” Sani said.

    Urging the President not exclude any part of the country in his key appointments because they did not vote for him or did not vote for the ruling party, Sani said: “If you exclude the Eastern or the Southsouth part of the country, or even the Northcentral because they did not vote for you, you are simply feeding the anarchy, feeding the secessionists, feeding the merchants of crisis in this country.

    “It is expected that when you win an election, you are for everybody. We have a pattern in this country where people are excluded and marginalised out of government on the basis that their ethnic or religious group did not vote for the government in power. That is very dangerous to do.”

  • Lawan’s SA on New Media resigns

    THE Special Assistant (SA) on New Media to Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Mr. Olu Onemola, has resigned his appointment.

    In a statement by the Special Assistant (SA) to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mohammed Isa, said Onemola was also the SA on Social Media to former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    The resignation, according to the statement, is contained in a letter Onemola addressed to Lawan.

    It said Onemola thanked Lawan for the offer to continue to serve and promote the work of the ninth Senate, “which I’m sure is borne out your patriotic desire to serve the Nigerian people”.

    Read Also: Breaking: Lawan drops Adedayo as Media Adviser

    The statement added: “However, at this time, given my antecedents and the controversy this has generated, I would respectfully like to be excused from taking up this national assignment.

    “It is my hope that whoever does fill this role will build upon what we have started in terms of opening up the activities of the Nigerian Senate to the public.”

    The Senate President, the statement added, has since approved the resignation and wished Onemola all the best in his future endeavours.

  • Naval photographer wins global film script award

    A Nigerian Navy (NN) Petty Officer (PO) Dauda Abdulkareem has won the Calcutta Cult Film (CICFF) award.

    Abdulkareem, who is the official photographer to the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, stands a chance to have his book, titled: Grandfather’s Address, getting sponsored or adapted into a Hollywood and Bollywood thriller, if chosen at the glamorous international film festival in Calcutta City, India, later this year.

    The literary piece centres around an ex-convict in Nigeria, who reunites with his former girlfriend, now a counter-terrorism expert, for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and they work to stop a bloody religious war being orchestrated by a powerful politician.

    Set in Nigeria, the story is about a university student-turned-criminal, Jarlo, who is framed by his fellow gang members and sent to prison.

    Upon his release, Jarlo reunites with his former girlfriend, Zainab, now a counter-terrorism expert with the FBI. But as he attempts to get back on his feet, he soon finds himself at the centre of a bloody religious clash between Muslims and Christians.

    To make matters worse, Jarlo also uncovers evidence that Zainab’s father, the powerful Senator Sharif, instigated it, killed many innocent people along the way.

    Read Also: Man ‘impersonates’ Naval officer

    Jarlo, therefore, leads a team to quash the violence but he is soon overpowered. Now captured and under threat of execution, Jarlo must hatch a desperate plan to thwart his captors and bring Senator Sharif to justice without endangering his relationship with Zainab …or he loses all that matters to him.

    An elated Abdulkareem told The Nation the award would also earn him an opportunity to meet Hollywood and Bollywood top shots who can pick up their scripts for movies.

    “Calcutta International Cult Film Festival monthly shortlists 20 officially selected films and movie scripts for various categories for the CICFF certificate.

    “The best of each month’s category will then compete with all the others at the end of the year where the best in each of the categories receives the prestigious Golden Fox Award and will be screened in the presence of a live audience.

    “The participants will have excellent opportunities to have their scripts picked by movie producers from Hollywood and Bollywood, exchange ideas, ideologies and cultural innuendoes. The winners will have a chance to meet with the audience and participate in a Q and A after the screening.

    “The next edition will take place in January 2020 at the film and cultural centre in Kolkata, India,” he said.

    The CICFF award is the second for Abdulkareem, whose first novel, African Cowboys, won the 2011 Readers Favourite Award Contest in the United States of America (U.S).

    “I believe the dynamic characters, major suspense and gritty action in Grandfather’s Address will appeal to a very wide audience,” he said.

  • Two held for alleged rape of 10-year-old

    The Bauchi State Command has confirmed the arrest of two suspects for allegedly raping a 10- year- old girl.

    Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer,

    DSP Kamal Abubakar, said the suspects, Bashar Haruna, 25 and a 55 year old man, Isah Sule, allegedly raped the girl, whose name was simply given as Fatima, a primary four pupil, at different occasion.

    He said the Police received the information of the crime on 16th June, 2019 and swung into action which led to the arrest of the duo.

    Abubakar said: “I can confirm to you that the incident is true. On 16th June, 2019 at about 13:55pm, we received the information from a complainant, one Abubakar Haruna, of Sabuwar Kasuwa area of Bauchi metropolis, that on said date at about 10am, he left his shop back to his house.

    “On reaching his house, he found out that his younger brother, Bashar Haruna, Male, 25 and one Fatima, his niece, were looking suspicious.

    “Upon interrogation, he discovered that the said Bashar, allegedly  raped his niece, Fatima.”

    The PPRO said that upon receipt of the report, the Police swung into action and arrested the said Bashar.

    He said that further investigation led to the arrest of one Isah Sule, Male, 55 of Sabuwar Kasuwa, “whom the girl had also alleged severally raped her. He was traced and arrested.”

    Read Also: Rape: I’ll expose my abuser at the right time – Ifu Ennada

    He stated that the case is under investigation after which the suspects will be charged to court.

    Also, narrating the incident to newsmen, Fatima’s guardian, Muazu Haruna, who described himself as her elder brother, alleged the suspects used to lure the girl into the act by giving her N100 when she passes through the area they reside in the Sabuwar Kasuwa market.

    He said the suspects were exposed on June 16 when he was called by good Samaritans on phone who informed him that one of the suspects was allegedly caught in the act with Fatima.

    After being spoken to, she revealed that Isa raped her about 10 times, Bashar 2 times and the fleeing suspect Jibrin had allegedly done it three times on several days.

    He said he reported the suspects to nearby police divisional office at Dutsen Tanshi who arrested them and ordered that medical tests be conducted on the girl to examine her health status.

    Muazu also uncovered that the 55- year- old suspect sells metal beds at Sabuwar Kasuwa market, adding that other suspect, Bashar, 27, is an uncle to the girl while the third suspect one Jibrin is still at large.

    By David Adenuga, Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Command has confirmed the arrest of two suspects for allegedly raping a 10- year- old girl.

    Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer,

    DSP Kamal Abubakar, said the suspects, Bashar Haruna, 25 and a 55 year old man, Isah Sule, allegedly raped the girl, whose name was simply given as Fatima, a primary four pupil, at different occasion.

    He said the Police received the information of the crime on 16th June, 2019 and swung into action which led to the arrest of the duo.

    Abubakar said: “I can confirm to you that the incident is true. On 16th June, 2019 at about 13:55pm, we received the information from a complainant, one Abubakar Haruna, of Sabuwar Kasuwa area of Bauchi metropolis, that on said date at about 10am, he left his shop back to his house.

    “On reaching his house, he found out that his younger brother, Bashar Haruna, Male, 25 and one Fatima, his niece, were looking suspicious.

    “Upon interrogation, he discovered that the said Bashar, allegedly  raped his niece, Fatima.”

    Read Also: ‘UNIBEN student was raped before committing suicide’

    The PPRO said that upon receipt of the report, the Police swung into action and arrested the said Bashar.

    He said that further investigation led to the arrest of one Isah Sule, Male, 55 of Sabuwar Kasuwa, “whom the girl had also alleged severally raped her. He was traced and arrested.”

    He stated that the case is under investigation after which the suspects will be charged to court.

    Also, narrating the incident to newsmen, Fatima’s guardian, Muazu Haruna, who described himself as her elder brother, alleged the suspects used to lure the girl into the act by giving her N100 when she passes through the area they reside in the Sabuwar Kasuwa market.

    He said the suspects were exposed on June 16 when he was called by good Samaritans on phone who informed him that one of the suspects was allegedly caught in the act with Fatima.

    After being spoken to, she revealed that Isa raped her about 10 times, Bashar 2 times and the fleeing suspect Jibrin had allegedly done it three times on several days.

    He said he reported the suspects to nearby police divisional office at Dutsen Tanshi who arrested them and ordered that medical tests be conducted on the girl to examine her health status.

    Muazu also uncovered that the 55- year- old suspect sells metal beds at Sabuwar Kasuwa market, adding that other suspect, Bashar, 27, is an uncle to the girl while the third suspect one Jibrin is still at large.

  • Buhari commissions erosion and flooding project in Kebbi

    In an effort to find a lasting solution to the problem of erosion and flooding across the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his administration’s commitment to addressing environmental challenges across the country.

    The president disclosed this in a message while commissioning erosion and flooding control project in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

    President Muhammad Buhari explained that the calamity of erosion and flooding is crippling the socio-economic development of the rural communities.

    Read Also: Buhari commissions state-of-the-art Yemi Osinbajo Primary School

    Earlier in his remarks, Musa Awalu, the representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund office, Abuja, pointed out that its office has spent over five billion naira in controlling erosion and flooding in the state.

    The contract, which was awarded in 2017 was aimed at controlling the erosion and flooding in two rice fields in Bendu and Aljannara communities in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Meanwhile, the benefitting communities expressed happiness over the projects.

  • NAHCON constitutes task force on visa violation

    As part of measures to halt the occurrence of some pilgrims over-staying their visa permit while on Hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria-NAHCON has established a task force with the directive of being pre-emptive of culprits. Membership was drawn from various security agencies and NAHCON staff.

    Similarly, the commission has also concluded a three-day induction training and inauguration of staff committees charged with the responsibility of monitoring service providers of Nigerian pilgrims in both Makkah and Madinah.

    While inaugurating the committees in Abuja, NAHCON Chairman, Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar Muhammad, admonished members on some issues necessary for the comfort of pilgrims. These include allocating rooms and getting them ready before arrival of pilgrims; that they must not be allowed to stay for long in hotel reception upon arrival. Similarly, there must not be overcrowding in rooms and pilgrims must not be served unwholesome meals or fruits.

    Read Also: Fact Check: Does Plateau have the lowest Hajj Fare apart from Adamawa in the north?

    He also enjoined the committees to ensure that there was no breach of contract on the part of any service provider, and where such occurs, the providers must be sanctioned appropriately. He drew their attention to the matters of accommodation security, sanitation, provision of toiletries and constant changing of beddings.

    The chairman urged members of the respective committees to always discharge their duties diligently and not to compromise the pilgrims’ well-being.

    Committees inaugurated included feeding and accommodation in Makka and Madinah, hand luggage monitoring, tents and Masha’er, Turadudiyya (Transportation), among others.

     

  • Niger tasked to re-introduce monthly environmental sanitation

    Media practitioners in Niger State have called on the state government to re-introduce and enforce the monthly environmental sanitation programme across the state.

    The Niger State government has stopped the monthly environmental programme for more than five years.

    The re-introduction of the sanitation programme, according to the journalists, would increase effective sanitation and hygiene practices in the state.

    This was part of the resolutions taken by the journalists at the end of a three-day media roundtable meeting on enhancing participation of media organisations in urban WASH issues organised by the Niger State Water Board and USAID Effective Water Sanitation and Hygiene Services (E-WASH) in Minna.

    Read Also: We’ll ask people whether to return monthly sanitation exercise, says Sanwo-Olu

    The state government was urged to mandate private business owners, especially restaurants, shopping malls, filling stations to build places of convenience as part of their corporate social responsibility.

    The need for the state government to build conveniences in strategic public places as part of the bid in discouraging open defecation was also emphasised.

    The media was charged to expand coverage of WASH activities and partner with the state water board in the introduction of Water Sanitation And Hygiene (WASH) clubs in schools to encourage hand-washing, building places of convenience.

     

  • AGRA to double the income of 20m small farmers in Africa

    THE Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) says it is aiming to double the income of 20 million small farmers in Africa.

    This, the agricultural body said, would be done by supporting local farmers in boosting rice production and other mandate crops during the 2019 farming season.

    AGRA’s Country Manager, Dr Kehinde Makinde, stated this during a meeting between his team and the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Minna.

    AGRA, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation as well as the Rockefeller Foundation, deals with improving agricultural products and supporting local farm owners and labour in Africa.

    Read Also: Africa’s food market to hit $1tr by 2030

    Makinde, who was represented by the State Associate Programme Officer, Mr Godswill Aguiyi, said AGRA would also work at reducing food insecurity by 50 per cent in 20 countries and ensure that at least 15 countries are on a path toward sustainable and climate-friendly green agriculture.

    The country manager further said the body would strengthen the capacity of the ministry of agriculture and rural development in order to be able to increase income and improve food security of small holder farmers to enhanced programme delivery.

    He said the support is through the Partnership Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) component under AGRA.

    In his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Ibrahim Garba Musa, pledged the state government’s commitment to the implementation of the programme.

     

  • Masari, Safana bag heroes award in Katsina

    KATSINA State governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and the Executive Director, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, RUWASA, Alhaji Aminu Dayyabu Safana, were among top recipients of the ‘Living Hero’ award, organised by a Lagos-based NGO, Citizen’s Rights and Leadership Awareness Initiative, for those who distinguished themselves in leadership qualities and exemplary performances in governance in the past four years.

    Other awardees at the event which was staged in Katsina yesterday included AFDIN Group of Companies, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Lawal Buhari Daura.

    Read Also: Masari swears in SSG, 7 Perm Secs

    Speaking shortly after receiving the award, the governor thanked the organisers, saying the honour had affirmed that his performance in governance has truly alleviated the plight of the citizens.

    He said, ”We are here for service delivery and doing what we are supposed to do. Providing leadership in difficult times is always a challenging one; we are determined to tackle insecurity, economic and political challenges as well as implementing polices that will enhance both the state and the nation.”

    He further solicited the support and cooperation of the citizenry and security agencies to tackle security challenges in the state, adding that “Security is everyone’s business, so all hands must be on deck to address the challenge.”

    The Country Coordinator of Citizen’s Right and Leadership Awareness Initiative, Ambassador Oladipo Musibau, while presenting the award to Masari and other recipients, said the governor has, in the last four years, worked tirelessly to turn Katsina State into a smart city.

    “Selecting Governor Masari for the award was easy as his track records of exemplary performance towered above his peers. Other awardees were also selected based on their outstanding performances in different fields.

    He hailed the RUWASA boss, whom he called ”Mr. Water”, for transforming Katsina’s rural communities by ensuring adequate water supply and sanitation.

     

  • We’re ready for insurgents, bandits – Airforce chief

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashal Sadique Abubakar, yesterday, in Kano, said the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) is well-equipped to further combat insurgency and banditry with the re-activation of three L-39ZA aircraft which include NAF352, NAF354 and NAF364.

    The NAF boss, who spoke during handover ceremony of the reactivated L-39ZA aircraft by Czech-based company, Aero Vodochody Aerospace, at the 403  NAF Training School, Kano, said additional six of such aircraft would also be re-activated before the end of 2019.

    According to him, “I think the impact the re-activation of these aircraft is going to make should go beyond even training the officers here. It is like sending a signal to Nigerians that the president and Commander-In-Chief, Muhammadu Buhari, is highly committed  to ensuring that all that is required for us to be able to address some of the fundamental issues of internal security facing Nigeria is being addressed.

    “That is why I think that it is not just a message to the school, but a message to Nigerians and I think the federal government is committed.

    “We have brought in three grounded fighter aircraft that are now out, ready to be used. We need to train pilots to be able to have combat pilots that will go out to address these challenges. It is here in Kano that we do the basic training and we cannot achieve that, if we don’t have sufficient number of aircraft.

    Read Also: Ex-Air Force chief gets 21-year jail term for N136m contract fraud

    “Remember also that some of these aircraft that you see here, we have utilised them in the North-East and that is why one of them that you see over there is painted in desert camouflage.”

    He noted that “the re-activation of these aircraft means saving money and building capacity,” adding that “our engineers and technicians participated right from the beginning. They put the aircraft together with our technical partners from the Czech Republic and they have been very professional because these are aircraft manufactured in Czech Republic.

    He added that “this handing over ceremony marks a positive turning point in our efforts to ensure that the NAF is able to sustain jet training of our potential pilots in this school.”

    He expressed gratitude to the president for giving priority attention “to our efforts to maintain our current platforms and equipment as well as the support given to the Nigerian Air Force to acquire new platforms such as the A-29 Super Tucano, JF-17 aircraft as well as additional Mi-35M and Agusta A-109 Power hels.”

    In his address, the Ambassador of Czech Republic in Nigeria, Marek Skolil, traced the bilaterial relationship between Czech and Nigeria in 1961, pointing out that the country has always been a top ally of Nigeria even during the civil war.

    “For 33 years of service here in Nigeria, this aircraft has proved to be rugged, reliable and pilot-friendly platform, used for the training of several generations of Nigeria Air Force pilots,” he said.

    In his welcome address, the Commander of 403 NAF Flying Training School, Mr. Nnamdi Ananaba, said the engineers and technicians of the Aero Vodochody Company spent four months in the school re-activating the three aircraft.