Category: Weekend Treat

  • Tambuwal’s most cherished ambition

    Tambuwal’s most cherished ambition

    By Oladapo Sofowora

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is not a rookie in the Nigerian political terrain. He is one of the leading lights in the nation’s political class. Despite his youthfulness, he has served the nation in different capacities playing an excellent role as a seasoned democrat, who believes in the unity of Nigeria. Under his watch as speaker of the House of Representatives in 2011-2015, he commanded immense respect. Anytime he speaks, he is given rapt attention. He is intelligent, brilliant, blessed with great human relation skills, and also a man of many interesting parts.

    The Governor of Sokoto has proved himself to possess distinguishable qualities that make a good leader. Despite throwing his hat in the ring to contest for the presidency at the 2019 general elections under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, losing the ticket to former Vice president Atiku Abubakar, he is not relenting on his quest to fulfill one of his childhood dreams. Those close to him have often disclosed that all his life, he has always believed and stayed true to his dreams. His close associates often averred that if there is one thing left for him to achieve in his political career, it’s to clinch the Aso-rock top job as the President of Nigeria. “At a time when the country is on the precipice, the searchlight should be beamed on individuals who can give the nation positive vibes. Therefore, ahead of the 2023 general elections, I am sure he will contest again. Although he has not made his intention known but from his body language and political moves he is likely to join the race of those who succeed President Buhari in 2023.” A source close to him disclosed.

    Tambuwal is embedded with the innate skills to take very urgent decisions and solve impending issues confronting the nation. Under his governance, Sokoto state has witnessed tremendous development. With his age, he has been confronted by hardships brought on us by the destructive actions of former leaders, the highly cerebral seasoned politician is prepared to create a perfect environment to turn the situation around by get it to work for his generation and those yet unborn. He is devoid of religious and cultural bigotry and mixes freely with all sundry.

    His foray into the murky waters of politics has seen him moving from the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) back to the ANPP to PDP and then to APC and back to PDP. His fans maintain that despite his moving from one party to the other he never dumped his beliefs in the ideology of one Nigeria. According to them, the moves essentially got him close to more people from the different parts of Nigeria and prepared him for the roles ahead.

     

  • Innocent Ike confounds critics with new move

    Innocent Ike confounds critics with new move

    By Oladapo Sofowora

    Against all odds, Innocent C. Ike, the acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, is succeeding beyond the imagination of his enemies. To the chagrin of naysayers, the best graduating accounting student of the 1988 set of the University of Lagos, has raised the bar high at a time when many thought he was going to fail due to the effects of the Covid-19 virus and its impact on the world economy and businesses.

    Innocent’s appointment came at a period when the Bank needed someone that would step into the shoes of former MD now Senator representing Lagos East, Tokunbo Abiru, who resigned his position to obey the clarion call of his people.

    After taking over, he bonded well with staff from all levels. He continued the repositioning journey of his predecessor unabated in the bank by making sure that all channels of the online transaction were functioning excellently, paying special attention to the information technology section of the bank to enable customers to make and experience seamless transactions without needing to visit the banking hall to avoid clustering together in a bid to curb the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus. With all the parameters put in place by the former Executive Director (Technology & Services), the bank recorded a massive turnover in revenue.

    To further prove his critics wrong, on May 11, 2021, under his watch, Polaris Bank launched an innovation regarded as Vulte, the best omnichannel platform accessible with the same credentials and consistent user experience on both web and mobile platforms in banking history within Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

     

  • Ifeanyi Ubah backs Omotayo  Abayomi’s ambition

    Ifeanyi Ubah backs Omotayo Abayomi’s ambition

    Senator Ifeanyi Ubah might be confident of defeating APGA, PDP, and APC at the Anambra state governorship election but that’s not all he has his eyes on. The billionaire politician is also looking at making a grand entry into the Lagos political scene.

    The Capital Oil boss has thrown his political and financial weight behind young and vibrant Lagos politician, Omotayo Abayomi. According to sources, Ubah has identified with Omotayo, who is vying for a political office in the Ifako Ijaiye area of Lagos under the Young Progressives Party (YPP). It was further revealed that Ubah had been meeting with Omotayo after he won the primaries to contest for the seat of the councilor representing Ward B of the Ifako Ijaiye Local Government. Omotayo is  a certified synthetic turf entrepreneur and Microsoft excel expert.

     

  • Deputy Governor Onoja’s sterling qualities

    Deputy Governor Onoja’s sterling qualities

    By Oladapo Sofowora

     

    Armed with a humane demeanor and uncommon poise, one would wonder how a man of valour, poise, and aura like Kogi State Deputy Governor, Edward David Onoja got involved with politics presumed to be a dirty game. Questions that often arise will be what is this man looking for in politics owing to his background as a boardroom guru, successful banker, and technocrat. On several occasions, he has said his incursion into active politics is divine coupled with his love for humanity. For Onoja, humanity comes first and those close to him have often confirmed that one thing the Igala man loathes is the sight of those around him in dire need of anything as he strives to put smiles on people’s faces. This and many more, we gathered, pushed him into full-fledged politics after his union days at the University of Jos.

    Onoja’s name will go down in history as a man who is all about progress, loyalty, support, calculative, sincerity, love, and passion. During the first tenure of his principal, Governor Yahaya Bello, Onoja – as the Chief of Staff – was regarded as the proverbial multipurpose swiss knife and support system of the regime. He ensured that no lapses occurred, with his vast knowledge in board room politics, he ensured projects were supervised with an eye for quality. He also ensured that appointees key into the vision and mission of the governor to remodel Kogi, unifying everybody with the common goal of making Kogi State great.

    Many were amazed at his emergence after the impeachment of ex-Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba. Onoja’s loyalty and trust have earned him so much that his principal can go to sleep and the government will function smoothly. He is a workaholic blessed with native intelligence. Lately, he was singled out and targeted with several campaigns of calumny and unfounded claims on the media space. Each time his detractor runs out of concept in their pull him down campaign, they resolve to create unrest, putting unverified information to mislead the public and also try to create a dichotomy between him and his boss.

     

  • Senator Daisy Danjuma looks forward to 70

    Senator Daisy Danjuma looks forward to 70

    When you think of a woman who would always defend children against the invasion of the proverbial hungry hawk, Senator Daisy Danjuma comes to the mind most especially for the role she played in the protection of children as the Chairman ECOWAS Parliament’s Women and Children’s Rights Committee and Senate Committee Chairman on Women Affairs and Youth Development at the senate. She was fierce, outspoken, intelligent, and glamorous.

    In a few months, she will turn 65, it can be said that being advanced in age has not taken a toll on her beauty as she is gliding to the septuagenarian club with such impeccable finesse.

    Interestingly, Danjuma, the Executive Vice Chairman, South Atlantic Petroleum, who still commands deep respect from young and old, tells whoever cares to listen that she is still in tune with the modern trends in the fashion world. She is a showstopper any day, any time. Danjuma, a Law graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, began her career as a State Counsel in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice (Department of Public Prosecutions).

    Her numerous political followers and her admirers are quite worried about why she has recoiled into her shell leaving the social scene. She rarely attends social events again even before COVID-19, and she has slowed down on her public appearance. Sources said she is taking things easy. ‘She has attended enough social events in the past it’s time to retire and channel that energy on some other productive things. She spends more time at her home facing business and other things. She might celebrate her 69th birthday in August. If she does not because of the pandemic, she will be throwing a grand soiree when she clocks 70 next year. She is not silent, she just channeled her energy into other things.’

  • Wale Tinubu still grateful at 54

    Wale Tinubu still grateful at 54

    By Oladapo Sofowora

    Jubril Adewale Tinubu’s sojourn into entrepreneurship, building a multi-billion dollars business conglomerate, is worthy of a biopic. At a relatively young age of 27, he had doggedly settled with a steely resolve to rule his world later in life. Call it an audacious ambition you are still spot on. Therefore, having conquered his greatest fears, while on the threshold of leaving the family law firm that had begun to give him fame, he, together with trusted and tested friends, set up Ocean and Oil, Oando, which has now grown to be a conglomerate.

    Interestingly, he will surely reminisce on this slice of his inspiring journey in life tomorrow June 26, 2021, when he will turn 54. We gathered that family, friends, and business associates, who all know his humble beginnings, could not agree less with him when he announced that he would rather mark the day glorifying God for all he has done for him instead of throwing an elaborate party.

    In the past years, another side of his life that has enjoyed interesting discourses is his philanthropy. In today’s Nigeria, when you think of a philanthropist, his name will pop up so deservedly.

    In 2019, he, alongside some prominent Nigerians, visited the IDP camp in Maiduguri, Borno State to attend to the needs of some of the casualties of terrorism.

    Recently, he also donated books to 15 universities and two national libraries across Nigeria. Speaking on the initiative, he said it was aimed at educating students and the public on the country’s an oil & gas sector, a sector that remains the largest contributor to the country’s forex earnings. In addition to giving back to society, Tinubu, also a devout Muslim, recently donated hundreds of millions of Naira towards the building of a mosque in Abuja. For this and more, friends, close associates as well as well-wishers will surely have nice words to say about him tomorrow as he marks his birthday.

  • Rabiu Olowo celebrates

    Rabiu Olowo celebrates

    By Oladapo Sofowora

     

    For Dr. Rabiu Onaolapo Olowo, living his dreams at a very young age is in fulfilment of destiny. While growing up, he aspired to become an accounting and finance giant with a business conglomerate that will consult for top firms across the world. It did not take long for providence to grant him his heart as he achieved a feat most of his peers would not have achieved in donkey years. It never came easy but with hard work and consistency, armed with the intelligence of the biblical King Solomon and the grace of King David, he was able to climb the ladder of success up high within a short time.

    With less attention, the highly cerebral graduate of Accounting from Kogi-State University loves to let his achievement speak more volumes of him. The tennis lover, who holds a Ph.D. in Forensic Accounting & Auditing loves to give back by sharing his God-given knowledge with others. With his burning passion for academics, he heavily supports research & learning by offering his services at the Lagos State University as an Associate Lecturer/Adjunct Professor and Executive in Residence where he teaches finance and accounting pro bono.

    On June 14, the Lagos Mainland politician celebrated his 36th birthday devoid of unnecessary attention. Ranked as one of the youngest and brightest commissioners in the Babajide Sanwoolu’s cabinet, his staff, friends, and well-wishers were full of excitement to celebrate and share in his pot of joy. In his office, several gifts, birthday cards, and gigantic cake trooping in as he was serenaded with birthday songs.

  • 12 unmistakable signs his love for you has burnt out

    12 unmistakable signs his love for you has burnt out

    By Ekaete Bassey

    Author of the popular novel “Act like a lady, think like a man” Steve Harvey “said: “A man’s love is expressed in three forms: he declares his rights for you in public, protects, and takes care of you.”

    However, a part of this saying can be doubted because in our time, not all women need to be provided for or protected by men.

    What they in fact need is love.

    Unfortunately, sometimes women tend to see love when it’s not really there.

    Sometimes a woman can feel that something is wrong without having to hear it from her partner.

    Here are 12 unmistakable signs a man’s strong feelings of love and adoration for a loved one has burnt out completely:

    · Ignores you

    It’s like you don’t exist anymore. He completely begins to live a life of his own.

    Before, anything he or you did was a mutual decision. And now, you don’t even know that he’s planning on doing anything.

    When you are around, he gets all weird, and he pretends he’s alone.

    Even if he needs something like: “Did you iron my shirt?” he won’t ask you. He’ll go and find it and if it’s not ironed, he will do it himself.

    · Lack of communication

    One of the biggest signs he doesn’t love you anymore is a lack of communication. This is not like ignoring you.

    This is much more serious and on a deeper level. When he loses interest in you, he will cut you off. He will lose the need to communicate with you in any way. Whether it’s body language communication, verbal or just eye contact; he will break off all of these.

    · Criticism of appearance

    A philosopher once said: “A person will like everything, even the flaws, of their beloved, but will be annoyed at the perfection of those whom he does not love.” For a truly loving man, you are always beautiful, even with messy hair and even in your oversized nightgown. He will not notice that you have gained a couple of extra pounds after birth if you do not say it yourself.

    But if your man constantly tells you to go to the gym or hints that you need plastic surgery, do not rush to indulge him. It is most likely that it’s not your appearance that doesn’t suit him but you yourself. And even if you lose weight, he will find other faults in you.

    · Discussing your shortcomings with friends

    No one is perfect but truly loving people focus on the advantages of their partners instead of focusing on the flaws.

    If your partner publicly humiliates you and laughs at your failures, do not expect anything good from such a relationship. Such a partner doesn’t respect you, and a strong and reliable union is impossible without respect. By criticizing you with other people, he unconsciously tries to prove to others (and himself) that it’s your fault that he stopped loving you.

    · His attitude towards your habits

    Loving men, as a rule, endure all their partners annoying or strange habits like eating from his plate, occupying the bathroom for hours while chatting with their girlfriends, filling the wardrobe with unnecessary stuffs, singing same songs all day and so on and remain silent or react with humor.

    But if your man is constantly scrutinizing every little thing you do and making negative comments about your behaviour, it means that the only feeling he has left is irritation instead of love.

    · Lack of attentiveness to your stories

    Scientists have proved that a man is able to listen to a woman attentively for only 6 minutes

    Yet, if a man sees that something is very important to you, he will make an effort to listen to you attentively, even if this topic is completely uninteresting to him. When he loves you, he won’t leave you without attention. But if he keeps changing the topic or runs away using different excuses whenever you try to talk, most likely, your worries do not bother him.

    Accordingly, he is not going to participate in the resolution of any issues that may come up during the relationship.

    · His attitude toward your emotions

    Men absolutely cannot stand women’s tears. And recently, a scientific explanation has been found: it turns out that female tears contain special volatile substances that lower the level of testosterone in the blood of men which leads to a decrease in sexual desire.

    In fact, when you cry, the only thing a man wants to do is run away and not see it. But if he loves you, he will pull himself together and do everything he can to try to comfort you even if the reason you’re crying seems trivial to him. He will calm down only when you start smiling again. However, if he doesn’t love you, then your tears will be just one more reason to get angry at you .

    · Flirtatiousness

    Flirting is very good for relationships. This is a great tool to revive feelings and overcome routine when you have been together for a long time. Text messages, intriguing hints, playful photos; all these helps rekindle mutual interest, as in the first days of the relationship.

    Of course, it is very important that both partners actively respond to each other’s advances.

    However, if you have already sent 10 erotic selfies in different poses to your partner and he still hasn’t been coming up with new lines, rather his reaction is zero, stop doing it. Or consider what could be causing your partner to ignore your advances.

    · His reaction to your requests

    For a loving man, the requests and wishes of his beloved (not friends or distant relatives) will always take first place.

    In fact, men like to help women as this gives them the opportunity to demonstrate how cool, strong, and responsible they are.

    Of course, there are situations when a man cannot help, for example, he does not know how to repair a tap, he certainly should not leave you alone to deal with this problem but call the plumber, instead.

    However, if the most innocent request, like asking for help changing a light bulb, is perceived with annoyance and as just “yet another unbearable task,” the relationship is worth reconsidering. Is it possible that your man is helping some other woman and with greater enthusiasm?

    · Jealousy

    It turns out that even monkeys are able to feel jealous of their partners around other males. Jealousy arose in the course of evolution as a way to maintain the integrity of the couple. A man is wired so that subconsciously he wants to declare his rights to a woman and to be the only “owner” of her beauty.

    Therefore, it is quite natural that your man starts to get nervous when someone pays attention to you. But people, of course, are not monkeys, and bouts of excessive jealousy will only harm the relationship.

    But when a man is absolutely indifferent to the signs of attention that other men show his lady, this is an alarming sign. He no longer wants to fight for her and doesn’t want to try to become better to stay the best for her.

    · Protection from danger

    The need to protect their loved ones is also the basis for men while the need to be protected is the basis for women. And although modern men no longer have to protect the weaker sex from predators and wild tribes, there are still dangers in our troubled world.

    Therefore, it is pretty natural that a loving man becomes worried when his second half comes back from work late or is alone in an unfamiliar place. If he cannot be around, then he’ll at least call her and make sure she’s fine. By protecting a woman from threats, whether real or imaginary ones, a man feels like a superhero.

    Therefore, if you do not get protection and support from a man in difficult situations, such as having to walk home alone at night, getting lost in an unfamiliar city or getting yelled at by your boss, this is a very bad sign. Your chosen one is either a coward or simply doesn’t like you.

    · Gentle words and expressing feelings

    The language of love consists of tender words, touches, hugs, and kisses. When we call a partner names like “sweetheart,” “darling,” or “dear,” we create a special intimate atmosphere. The choice of affectionate names occurs unconsciously and shows how one partner relates to the other, who dominates the relationship, and how well they are balanced.

    By the way, men need all this lovey-dovey stuff just as much as women do. Researchers have proven that married couples – husbands who often kiss and hug with their wives feel 3 times happier in a marriage than those who don’t.

    So if your man frowns every time you try to hug him and call “sweetheart,” the reason is not his natural male rigidity. As sad as it may sound, his feelings have probably faded away.

  • How false killer herdsmen alarm caused panic in Lagos community

    How false killer herdsmen alarm caused panic in Lagos community

    In the wake of reports of alleged herdsmen attacks in a Lagos community, KUNLE AKINRINADE visited the community and reports that it was a false alarm.

    Not a few Lagos residents felt disturbed a few days ago when a story filtered out that some herdsmen had invaded Odo-Egiri community in Eredo area of Epe Local Government, with widespread apprehension that the attack could spread to other parts of the state.

    In the report published by a section of the media, it was said that farming activities in the community had stopped, following herdsmen’s invasion of farmlands.

    The herders were also said to have attacked farmers, forcing them to flee from the community.

    The herdsmen, who were said to have migrated from Igangan in Oyo State, reportedly settled on the large expanse on Iganke farmland owned by the Ali Moibi-Balogun family and were already erecting their structures on the land.

    The disturbing news followed a petition to the state government and police authorities by one Ali Moibi-Balogun family, which sought the intervention of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reclaim the farmland from the herdsmen.

    In the letter, dated May 10, 2021 and signed by its counsel, Adeyemi Adegbite, the family said that it resorted to the letter after the police station in Noforija in Epe had allegedly labelled the family members suspects after they complained that their farmland had been invaded by herdsmen and that they were already threatening to wreak more havoc within the community.

    “We hereby urge your Excellency to deploy your very good office to intervene in this matter, cause a very discreet investigation to be conducted, and ensure that our society is not turned into a lawless one where might is right and power can be hijacked by a few powerful and privileged individuals or group of individuals to the detriment of the common and law-abiding citizens.”

    The family explained further that they inherited a large expanse of land housing Iganke farmland from their forebears in accordance with Yoruba custom.

    They noted that they had been exercising “rights of possession and ownership over the expanse of land without hindrance or challenge from any person, persons, or quarters whatsoever.”

    However, when The Nation visited the community a few days after, residents explained that no herdsmen invaded the community or attacked anyone in it.

    Respondents, including community leaders, told our correspondent that the purported herdsmen invasion was nothing but scare tactics.

    “When we heard that some herdsmen had invaded this community, a lot of people panicked, but I laughed when I heard the report during a newspaper review programme on the radio.

    “I couldn’t help but just laugh because there was nothing like that at all,” said a community leader, Yusuf Afolabi.

    He added: “What really happened was that some of the people who are laying claim to a parcel of land in the community raised the alarm to dislodge the occupants of the land who had given a part of it to a cattle breeder operating a ranch on two plots of land.

    “The herder is a Yoruba man from Kwara State. He is not a Fulani and did not fight with anyone in this community and no one had any issues with him.

    “Therefore, the allegation that herders dislodged from Igangan in Oyo State invaded our community and attacked farmers is nothing but fake.

    “I am a farmer too and I have been going about my farming activities without herder confronting me.”

    Like Afolabi, Muraina Abdullahi, a resident, said some land speculators contesting ownership of the said land were behind the report.

    He said: “The man is Yoruba and not Fulani. The cattle were given to him by a community leader living outside this community to breed with agreed compensation with cattle.

    “The man is operating a ranch on two plots of land with his wife and children and never for once had issues with us. But some persons contesting ownership of the land with another family suddenly twisted the story to ensure that the Yoruba cattle breeder is chased away or evacuated from the land by security agents so they can take over the land.

    “Ask other residents around, they will tell you the same thing I am telling you now. Or, better still, visit the man’s ranch and hear from him directly.

    A farmer in the community, Akanbi Adewale, also described the report of herdsmen invasion and attacks as false.

    “It’s just a hoax by some land speculators to dislodge others from the land they are contesting with another family.

    “I am a farmer and I have never been attacked by any roving herder, because there is none here.

    “The man they are labelling as Fulani herdsman is even a Yoruba cattle breeder who does not engage in grazing. Rather, he operates from a ranch he built on the land where he lives with his wife and children.”

    The cattle breeder, Saliu Imoru, his wife, and children were sighted by our correspondent on the land on which they built some thatched houses.

    Imoru said: “I am a native of Ilorin, not a Fulani. I am from Afon in Basa Local Government Area of Kwara State and did not come from Igangan.

    “We bought this land from a traditional ruler in Badoore.

    “There used to be another ranch in this area, but the owners have since left the community and I am the only one here now.

    “I am duly registered as a cattle breeder in the state, and my documents are with authorities in Alausa, Ikeja.

    “We have been living in fear since we heard that some people claimed we are Fulani herdsmen. We usually run at the sight of strangers on this land.”

    It was said that policemen from both the Area Command at Elemooro and state police headquarters had visited the land for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

    Contacted, the police spokesman, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said it was not true that herdsmen invaded or attacked the community and its residents.

    He said: ”I have contacted the Divisional Police Officer(DPO)  in charge of the division overseeing the area, and he said there was nothing like herdsmen attacks or invasion in the community.

    “I think that some persons fighting over land matters are the ones behind the false alarm of herdsmen attack in the community.”

    Odo-Egiri community described as untrue the report that Fulani herdsmen invaded the community, urging the state government to carry out a diligent investigation on the matter.

    In a letter they wrote to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the community said there was no iota of truth in the media report that some Fulani herdsmen had attacked some residents on their farmlands.

    The letter dated May 19, 2021, written on behalf of the community by their lawyer, Tunde Jinadu, reads in part: ”On Thursday May 6, 2021, the Baale of the community (Odo-Egiri) got a report from two members of Ali Moibi Balogun Family that their family head told them that they saw a Fulani man with cows on their portion of the community land, and that he was already erecting structures on the land.

    “The Baale, being indisposed, directed one of the community chiefs to confirm the information from the family head.

    “On getting to the family head, he said they had resolved the matter with the family who were claiming their portion of land at Iganke.

    “The two chiefs got to the land and saw a man with his wife and children, a few cows settled on two plots of land and we’re being fed on the same spot.”

    The community noted that the cattle breeder was subsequently invited to the Baale’s palace and advised to vacate the land, or breed his cattle in open space or market in view of the insecurity pervading the country.

    “Surprisingly, in the evening of the same day, the Baale saw different stories in the social media that Fulani herdsmen fleeing from Sunday Igboho had settled in Odo-Egiri community farmland at Iganke, causing mayhem and shooting sporadically at people in the community.

    “We strongly believe that there was no such shooting by herdsmen in the community or any persons at all.

    “An investigation would also reveal to your good office that there is no presence of Fulani herdsmen in Odo-Egiri community.

    “The claim by the Ali Moibi Balogun Family that their residence was attacked by herdsmen would be revealed by intelligent investigation as a lie in its entirety.”

    The letter added that the farmland in Odo-Egiri community belongs to the community with the supervision of the Baale and other accredited representatives of the cardinal families in Odo-Egiri, noting that “the community gives a portion of the farmlands to persons that want to cultivate farms on the land. However, there are respective portions that some families have been farming on and are recognised by the community, which was what led to the petition written by a family that was contesting ownership of the land with another family.”

  • I made N70,000 daily supplying bread to bandits, abducted varsity students, says suspect

    I made N70,000 daily supplying bread to bandits, abducted varsity students, says suspect

    By Ebele BONIFACE

    A syndicate allegedly supplying drugs, bread and other food items to bandits operating in Zaria, Kaduna State and its environs has been smashed by operatives of the FIB Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT).

    An alleged member of the syndicate, who admitted to making about N150,000 weekly from supplying bread to the bandits, said his income from the venture rose sharply at a point to N70,000 a day while some university students abducted in Kaduna were in their custody.

    A police source, who said the suspects would be charged with criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, revealed that the syndicate was busted by the team of FIB-IRT at the Rigachikun base after supplying bread to the bandits in their hideout in the forest at about 5pm on June 8, based on reliable information.

    Among the arrested suspects were Abubakar Ibrahim a.k.a Abu Rewire of Kuregu village in Wasasa Zaria; Auwal Abubakar of Zaria City; Hassan Magaji of Galadimawa village and Ibrahim Kabiru a.k.a. Abba of Galadimawa village.

    On interrogation, the suspects confessed to being the ones supplying bread to the bandits at Galadimawa, Damari, Kidandan and Awala camps in Birnin Gwari and Giwa local government areas, Kaduna State.

    The suspects were said to have led the detectives to their factory where 150 loaves of bread were recovered.

    In his confessional statement, Auwal Abubakar, was said to have admitted that the syndicate was giving information to bandits on account of which they carried out kidnapping and cattle rustling in the Zaria axis.

    Hassan, a native of Galadimawa village who is married with two wives and three children, said: “I started the bakery business in 2018. Before then, I was an okada (commercial motorcycle) rider, but I was always losing them to bandits who sometimes ambushed us.

    “Some time ago, one of my relatives, Mustafa Magaji, came to our area and taught me how to operate a bakery, and with the little money I had saved, I started the business.

    “I started with about N21,000 and now make about N400,000 a month. The boom in my business began when I started supplying bread to bandits.

    “I was born and brought up here in Galadimawa, and I know most of our young men who decided to become bandits.

    “Initially I was going around the area to sell bread in small quantities. That was when I met one Mohammed from Galadimawa.

    “The community has a good relationship with them because they do not attack us. Initially, they were raiding our villages, but some of our community heads made them understand that we were not the cause of their problem; that we are poor villagers also struggling to survive. That was why they stopped attacking us and most of them started coming out to mix with the villagers.

    “I normally stay close to the part of the forest where they are camped. It was during one of such movement in 2019 that I met Mohammed and he bought 10 loaves of bread and took my phone number. I sold the bread for N200 each instead of the regular market price, which was N170.  The next day, he called me, saying that the bread was so sweet and asked me to bring 20 more loaves.

    “The day I took the 20 loaves to him, I saw him with three others and they told me that they would like to be buying in larger quantities, but I told them that I did not have enough cash. We agreed that they would pay the entire money before I bake.

    “They started with N20,000 worth of bread and gradually increased it to N50,000 a day. After removing the cost of the ingredients, I make as much as N150,000 in a week.

    “We had a meeting point close to their hideout in the forest, but I was not allowed to enter the bush. It is not even accessible by car, so I had to stop there and share the bread to those that contributed money.

    “They never threatened me because I minded my business. They know that people are avoiding them; that was why they normally encouraged me by paying for the bread before I baked it. So, I do not know about their kidnap business; I only sell my bread and leave.

    “It was my workers that were arrested by the police while they were on their way to delivering bread, and they brought them to my factory.”

    Hassan said he observed that whenever the bandits kidnapped a lot of people like they did some university students in Kaduna, the quantity of bread they bought would increase.

    “During that period, I supplied up to N70,000 worth of bread every day till recently when it dropped to about N50,000,” he said.

    Since December last year, armed men have attacked many schools and universities in the Northwest, abducting more than 700 students. Among those abducted were about 20 students of Greenfield University in Kaduna kidnapped on April 20, about one month after attackers stormed a forestry college in the same city, seizing dozens of students.

    The abducted students of the university spent as many as 40 days before they were released after their parents had paid heavy sums as ransoms.

    Hassan, however, said there was not much he had done with the money other than marrying a woman “I had always loved. And I was able to save money to take care of my two wives.”

    Another suspect, Abubakar from Galadimawa, said: “I am married with a daughter. I only attended Arabic school. I am a farmer, and while we are waiting for the crops to grow, I normally look for other sources of making money for my family.

    “I started working for Magaji about three months ago. I am paid N500 and a loaf of bread every day.  My job is to join and bake the bread and also sell them in the various communities.

    “Most of our bread was sold to bandits. I know that they are bandits. Everyone knows them. I did not fear that they would kidnap me because we minded our business.

    “They don’t cover their faces. We know their villages. The only thing is that they now live in the forest.

    “They have no families. It is only some of their commanders that are married with children.

    “I do not know that it is a crime to sell. I am only selling my wares and nothing more. I am aware that they are kidnapping people up and down, but since I did not participate in it, I never cared to know whether what they were doing was right or not.

    “There was never any need for me to worry. It was at the police station that they told me that I was encouraging them by giving them food.”

    He said the only way to stop banditry was for the government to give them what they want. “They are so many in the bush, and the more you kill them, the more they recruit.

    “I did not join them because of my family. My relatives had warned me that one day, the army would bomb the place and I would die.”

    The third suspect, Ibrahim, a 17-year-old indigene of Galadimawa, said: “I dropped out of Galadimawa Primary School. My parents are farmers and they made me join them in the farm instead of sending me to school.

    “I have been saving money to buy a motorcycle to start a commercial motorcycle business, but I could not save enough money.  Luckily, I got a job at Magaji local bakery about a year ago.

    “I am paid N500 and a loaf of bread daily. Sometimes I would sell the bread instead of eating it.

    “Part of my job is to sell it in the neighbouring communities every day. The bandits are our best customers. Instead of trekking around and begging people to buy bread, we just deliver everything to them and go home.

    “I am not a bandit because if I try it, my father will hunt me down and hand me over to the police. He has warned me that those bandits kill innocent people, which is wrong.

    “I know a lot of them who have since relocated into the forest. They only come out when they have money; to look for girls and visit their families.”