The Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) has donated relief materials to 1,610 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

Muhammed Mukaddas, the Executive Secretary of the agency, who disclosed this yesterday in Kaduna, said Katura and Rubu communities in the local council were worst affected in the attack by gunmen.

He listed the items donated to include 50 bags of rice, 50 bags of Garri, five bags of sugar, five bags of salt, 30 blankets, 50 mats, five cartons of baby diapers, and 10 cartons of sanitary pads.

The secretary said the agency had confirmed that during the attack, two persons died, 46 houses were burnt and 100 cows were stolen.

He called on the people of the community to be vigilant and report suspicious movements to relevant authorities.

Receiving the items on behalf of the victims, Daniel Ayuba, Vice-Chairman Kajuru Local Government Area, commended the agency for the donation.

Ayuba assured the government that the items would get to all the affected people.

He called on the state government to improve security in the area as the attacks had become incessant.

Those displaced from their homes as a result of the attacks are taking refuge at Marabar Kajuru Primary School in the Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

The communities were attacked on January 4 and 5.

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has directed the immediate lifting of the ban on the use of motorcycles in the state.

Buni, who gave the order at Nguru at the Emir’s palace, however, said the order is restricted to zones B and C areas of the state.

The Nation recalls that restriction on the use of motorcycles in the state has been on since 2012 due to the deteriorating security problem created by Boko Haram insurgents.

Our correspondent reports that the governor’s directive was greeted with jubilation across the two zones in the state.

In another development, the Sickle Cell Disease Eradication Initiative, a community-based Organisation (CBO), said it has concluded arrangements to provide medical support to over 600 sickle cell patients registered in Damaturu, the state capital.

The organisation’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aliyu Mohammad, told reporters in Damaturu yesterday that the support included sourcing for blood donations for sickle cell patients and organising skills acquisition training for patients and their caregivers.

Mohammad said the initiative had entered into a partnership with the Central Blood Bank at Yobe Specialist Hospital to set aside blood mainly for sickle cell patients.

He added that “recently, we sourced for a donation of about 30 bags of blood from Shehu Sule College of Nursing and Midwifery, Damaturu.

“This donation and others to come later will be kept at the blood bank to meet the frequent demand for transfusion by sickle cell patients. 80 per cent of the patients we registered undergo blood donations regularly and about 75 of them are less-privileged,” the CEO said.

Mohammad, who identified a shortage of funds as a major impediment to the actualisation of the organisation’s objectives, said if its request for collaboration with the Northeast Development Commission became successful, it would expand its operations.

Most motorists in Jos have expressed concern about the emergence of long queues at various filling stations as fuel scarcity hits Jos-Bukuru metropolis.

Some of the motorists, who spoke with reporters yesterday in Jos, also alleged that some petrol marketers increased the price of petrol.

It was gathered that the few filling stations dispensing, the product is being sold for between N170 and N200 per litre.

Operators of the black market have taken advantage of the scarcity to increase the price of the product from N1, 000 to N1, 300 per four-litre gallon.

However, the product is being sold at the approved price of N162 at the NNPC mega station located around the Dogon Karfe area of Jos, but not without a long queue.

Mr Pam Chomo, a commercial driver, decried that the scarcity of the essential commodity.

Chomo said the rationale for the scarcity could not be ascertained, but alleged that the trend could be associated with the government’s planned increase in the price of petrol.

“Most filling stations, except the NNPC mega station, sell the petrol below N170,’’ he said.

Mr Joseph Dung, a farmer, said: “The government must address the situation because it has negatively affected other spheres of human endeavours.”

But Mr John Jeff, a civil servant, described the scarcity as “artificial” and blamed the unfortunate trend on the independent marketers who are bent on making a profit at all costs.

Jeff alleged that the marketers were hoarding old stocks in anticipation of an increase in the price of the essential commodity in the coming months.

Plateau State Government had warned that it would shut down and auction any fuel station in the state found to be hoarding petrol products.

The Kano State government spent over N800m on the renovation of dilapidated structures of government schools in 2021, Commissioner for Education, Mohammad Sunusi Kiru, disclosed on yesterday.

Briefing newsmen on activities of the ministry, Kiru noted that the free and compulsory education policy embarked on by Kano State is yielding positive results, adding that the number of pupils enrolled in basic education has increased tremendously.

The Commissioner informed that the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration has established new information technology centre for girls at Na’isa and Modern Tsangaya School at Kanwa village in Madobi Local Government Area.

He added that 26 percent of this year’s approved budget was allocated to the education sector to improve development in the sector.

“This is a clear demonstration of the commitment of the governor to improving the education sector,” Kiru said.

Kiru disclosed that Kano State has over 1,300 secondary schools and over 7,000 primary schools. He hinted that the government is working tirelessly in the aspect of training and retraining of teachers and other staff of the ministry towards ensuring that the stated goals are met.

The commissioner appealed to parents and guardians to reciprocate government’s gesture by ensuring that their children are always punctual in school.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has announced the appointment of an interim commissioner, Mustapha Muhamoud currently Commissioner for Rural Development, to replace late Dr Rabe Nasir to temporarily oversee the affairs of the State’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations pending the appointment of a substantive commissioner.

A press release signed by the Director Press to the Secretary to the Government of the State, Abdullahi Aliyu Yar’adua and made available to newsmen in Katsina, stated that Masari gave the approval of the serving commissioner to supervise the ministry, pending the appointment of a new substantive commissioner.

The statement read: “The Secretary to the Government of the State, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, said that the decision was sequel to the sad death of the erstwhile Commissioner of the Ministry, Late Dr. Rabe Nasir.”

Dr. Rabe Nasir was strangled to death in his house by yet to be identified assassins.

Neighbours at his residence had raised the alarm about his death, following suspicion about his whereabouts.

Commissioner of Police Sanusi Bubba while addressing newsmen at the residence has promised to provide details once investigations were concluded.

Plateau State governor, Simon Bako Lalong, has felicitated with Minister for Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, as she marks her 63rd birthday.

Governor Lalong described the minister as a leader whose passion for women and children has motivated her over the years to work towards ensuring that their wellbeing is addressed and their rights protected.

Lalong said, “Dame Tallen has also shown that she is a politician with passion for development of not only Plateau State, but Nigeria as a whole, as she has used her opportunities to advance the cause of the people.”

While wishing her a memorable celebration, Governor Lalong expressed his determination to continue to collaborate with her towards attracting more Federal presence in the State and also ensuring that the people of Plateau State are carried along in the scheme of things.

Lalong, in a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, also urged the Minister to continue her drive towards ensuring that gender violence and violence against children, men and women is addressed, to provide a conducive environment for them to thrive and realise their dreams.

The Plateau State Government has ordered the sealing of any filling station found hoarding fuel in the state.

This measure is occasioned by the imminent scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol in the Tin city, occasioned by the long queues of motorists at filling stations in anticipation of possible price increase.

The directive was contained in a press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Danladi A. Atu. It mandated a task force to seal up any petrol filling stations found hoarding the product.

The statement read: “Government has observed with great concern the activities of some Filling Stations hoarding Petroleum Products with the view to create artificial scarcity, thereby causing untold hardship to commuters and other users of fuel commodities.

Consequent upon this, the Management Committee on Road Traffic Administration and Vehicle Inspectors has been mandated to go round all filling stations to ensure that this act is forestalled.

The task force is equally directed to seal-off any filling station found to be hoarding the products and auction same, please.”

The Nation reports that for some days, filling stations in Jos have been witnessing long queues of motorists over possible withdrawal of fuel subsidy as filling stations resorted to hoarding.

A gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alfred Dapal, has promised to unite citizens of the state as a foundation for meaningful development.

The aspirant, who made the vow when he paid a solidarity visit to the party’s executive at its secretariat in Jos, lamented that the lingering insecurity in state calls for urgent solution.

While addressing party executives and stakeholders during the visit, Alfred Damiel Dapal said he has realised that it will be difficult for a state governor to succeed without the unity of the people.

“There is nothing you can do without unity, we must put our heads together as people of Plateau State and take our destiny in our hands. When we are united, it becomes easy for us to achieve whatever goal we set for ourselves.”

He noted that the people are facing challenges in every sector of their lives and these challenges can be easily resolved with unity.

“You noticed that under this regime, people are leaving Plateau State because of lingering security challenges, hence I decided to contest with the aim to rescue Plateau and make it viable and safe for everyone.

“The world is going digital, Plateau remains analogue. We are talking of Covid-19; the state cannot initiate a home-grown solution. As a leader, you have to come out of your comfort zone and work for the people. You must provide solutions to security challenges. The prevailing economic downturn must be resolved.

“The agricultural drive that is not working well, you have to be there. Our medical care is in shamble, you have to get it right. Plateau has to be a medical tourist destination in this country.”

In a separate visit, another governorship aspirant Hon Timothy Golu said he will be fair to all citizens of the state if he becomes governor.

In his address, Hon Timothy Golu said, “I’m out to restore true democratic governance on the Plateau because that is what is basically lacking under the present administration.

According to him, “True democratic governance stopped with the administration of David Jonah Jang, since the present administration took over in 2015, there is no more justice, there is no rule of law; impunity became the order of the day.

“That is what I am coming to correct. I will return the state to the path of progress, equity and justice”

Hon Golu who also spoke on electoral reform expressed dismay over  President Muhammadu Buhari refusing to sign the Electoral Bill, saying President Buhari himself is a beneficiary of electoral reforms of past administrations.