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Tag: Abdullahi Adamu

  • Nigeria cultivates only 40% of its arable land – Sen. Adamu

    Nigeria cultivates only 40% of its arable land – Sen. Adamu

    Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, says that only 40 per cent of Nigeria’s arable land is under cultivation.

    Adamu, who said this in an interview on Monday in Abuja, called for increased investments in agriculture, as the situation had elicited serious concern.

    He said that one good thing that the recent economic recession had done to Nigeria was that people from all walks of life were now going into agriculture.

    On some reports that foreigners had taken over farming in the country, the senator said that the Nigerian economy was a free and open economy.

    “We need large-scale farming to increase our agricultural output if we are talking about food security.

    “Yes, we have been fed by peasant farmers, smallholder farmers in this country for quite a long time,’’ he said.

    Adamu noted that one of the reasons why the country had not been able to attain food security was because smallholder farmers had certain limitations, including how to use the little funds at their disposal in a pragmatic way.

    “The smallholder farmer also has limits regarding the land he owns, how much money he requires to invest on it and the equipment he needs to some extent,” he said.

    Adamu said that as a country, Nigeria had decided to transit from smallholder farming to medium or large scale farming activities.

    He said that most farmers had some waiting period for them to mature, in terms of attaining all the requirements for large scale farming.

    “In the interim, if foreign investors can come in, on terms that are acceptable by government through policy, there is nothing wrong with it,” he said.

    On reports of kidnapping of farmers in the northern part of the country, Adamu said: “I don’t know if that is completely true or correct.

    “I accept the fact that there has been some degree of exposure of insecurity in farms across the country.

    “It is not something that is just in the northern part of Nigeria, but what I do know is that government is striving to check the development.

    “I know government has taken very specific steps to combat it,’’ he added.

    The lawmaker said that government was deploying security outfits to farms, while that the Ministry of Interior was training young men and women to provide security in farms.

    “We cannot be everywhere but at least, for a start, we cover substantially some of the farms where we know huge investments have been made, or where we know there is a menace of disruption of farm activities by these men of the terror world.

    “Government is trying to make sure that the farms have some level of security. It is a national phenomenon and we are seeing it in that light: We are taking the steps that are absolutely necessary to contain the menace,” he said.

    While assessing the Anchor Borrowers Programme ( ABP ) of the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), Adamu said that unfortunately, the programme was not quite going round all the 36 states.

    The Anchor Borrowers Programme is designed to create a linkage between companies that are involved in processing of key agricultural commodities and smallholder farmers, among other things.

    Adamu said there was concentration of ABP projects in certain parts of the country, while some areas have yet to benefit from the programme.

    “Like anything in the world, everything has teething problems in the beginning; we can forgive the concentration in one part of the country to the detriment of the other part.

    “The good excuse we have is that the programme is just beginning and it has recorded some successes by the grace of God.

    “The CBN is anchoring the ABP projects through its various intervention funds and this is doing a lot of good to us,” he said.

    NAN

  • NSCDC records 337 cases between July, September in Jigawa

    NSCDC records 337 cases between July, September in Jigawa

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Jigawa Command, on Thursday said it had recorded 337 cases between July and September.

    The Spokesman of the command, Mr Abdullahi Adamu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the cases included 91 criminal and 246 civil.

    Adamu said that the criminal cases comprised theft 39; burglary 11; nine breach of trust; misuse of controlled drugs eight; seven vandalism; six rape and rape related offences; five cases of gross indecency; two cases of gross misconduct, two fraud cases and two assault cases.

    He also said that the command had successfully secured conviction in 58 out of the 91 criminal cases, while 24 were still pending.

    He said nine others had been transferred to relevant agencies for proper investigation and possible prosecution.

    The spokesman said the 246 civil cases handled by the corps within the period included 171 debt recovery; 26 interpersonal disputes; 24 breach of contractual agreement; nine family disputes; seven tenancy disputes; seven land/farm disputes and two communal disputes.

    According to him, all the civil cases were settled out of court by the command’s Dispute and Conflict Resolution (DCR) Unit.

    Adamu, who attributed the successes recorded to the commitment of officers and men of the command as well as cooperation of residents of the state, called for more support and cooperation from the public so as to enable the corps to effectively discharge its functions.

    NAN reports that the corps had in the first and second quarters of 2017 recorded 276 and 143 cases in the state, respectively.

  • Sergeant dies as police arrest 34 for kidnapping, murder, rape

    Sergeant dies as police arrest 34 for kidnapping, murder, rape

    The police yesterday paraded 34 suspects for their alleged involvement in kidnapping, robbery, murder, and rape.

    The suspects, who belong to four gangs, were paraded in Diko Police station, Niger State, by the Force Spokesman Jimoh Moshood.

    A police Sergeant, Shettima Abdullahi, was killed  yesterday at a roadblock mounted by hoodlums.

    Some of the suspects paraded are Hussaini Mohammed, also known as General Sambisa, gang leader; Adamu Hussaini, Bala Mohammed, Shagari Musa, Hassan Hashimu, Ibrahim Badamasi, Babangida Hamza, Yau Auta, Umaru Abubakar, Karo Ladan, Buhari Abubakar, Alanshira Abubakar, Aziru Tasiu, Ibrahim Musa and Ishamu Saidu.

    Others are Sani Aliyu, Shuaibu Abubakar, Bashir Abubakar, Nasiru Sani, Zayanu Sani, Isa Salisu, Hafiz Jibrin, Kabiru Sani, Abdullahi Adamu, Barau Masaudu, Ibrahim Hassan, Aliyu Chede, Bello Abdullahi, Isa Abdullahi, Nasiru Adamu, and Idris Dauda.

    A police source, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “Sergeant Abdullahi was the driver in our team. We were trying to trail the hideouts and flashpoints of some of the kidnappers and one of the kidnappers in our custody mentioned that some of his gang members were in Zaria.

    “We took off in the night to raid their hideout and make some arrest. On our way back, we ran into a blockage by some hoodlums around Jaji area of Kaduna State.

    “It happened around 12 am. We had to open fire and in the process, we killed five of them but they succeeded in killing one of our men who happened to be our driver.”

    The Nation was shown the vehicle the sergeant died in. The white 18-seater vehicle, marked AZ139BWR, still had bullet holes and blood stains of the late Abdullahi.

    His body has been deposited in the mortuary in Kaduna.

    Mosood said some of the suspects in military outfit, specialised in killing military personnel and other security men.

    The gangs, described as deadly, he said, have killed 11 policemen.

    He said: “The latest of their victim is Sergeant Shettima Abdullahi, who was killed during the raid by  a special team deployed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris to curb crime on Abuja, Kaduna, Kogi and Niger roads.

    “Eight vehicles, arms and ammunition, chisel, hammer, cutlasses, plier, over 50 phones belonging to their victims, television, desktop and laptop computer, and other lethal weapons were recovered from them.

    “The success was made possible following operation Absolute Sanity.  At a single swoop, 34 kidnappers were arrested by our men. Some of them specialised in operating in military uniform. When you see them on the highway, you will think they are personnel of the military but they are not.

    “They use military uniform to stop people forcefully and kidnap some of their victims.

    ‘’The IG commiserated with the family of Sergeant Abdullahi, who died during the early hours of today (yesterday) during an exchange of firearms with some of the kidnappers.”

  • Wadada begins consultations, visits Nasarawa legislators

    Wadada begins consultations, visits Nasarawa legislators

    Alhaji Ahmed Wadada, a two-term PDP member of the House of Representatives, who recently defected to the APC, has begun consultations toward contesting the Nasarawa governorship seat in 2019.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wadada took his preliminary consultations to the Nasarawa House of Assembly on Tuesday in Lafia, where he formally informed the legislators of his ambition.

    “My visit is to fraternize with members and inform the House of my intention to contest the state’s governorship seat come 2019,” he said.

    While soliciting their support, he commended the legislators for their cordial working relationship with the executive arm, saying that it had sped up development and quality governance.

    Wadada appealed to Nasarawa residents to respect constituted authority and embrace peace irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliation.

    Responding, the Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, said that the floor was open for aspirants to test their popularity, stressing that no one had been anointed by any group.

    “The House will support any credible candidate capable of bringing the much desired development; at the right time, we shall sit down, examine the options, and make our stance known,” he said.

    He urged the aspirant to play by the rules in the interest of peace and national development.

    NAN reports that Wadada, a businessman, contested the Nasarawa South senatorial seat in the 2015 general, losing narrowly to then incumbent and former Nasarawa Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, by a very narrow margin.

  • Impeachment: Ex-Nasarawa governor warns against plunging state into crisis

    Impeachment: Ex-Nasarawa governor warns against plunging state into crisis

    •Says lawmakers should beware of baits from fifth columnists

    The First Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, foresees a prolonged crisis arising from the plot by some members of the State Assembly to impeach Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

    He has therefore cautioned them to have a rethink and avoid being conned by fifth columnists who do not wish the state well.

    Adamu, in a letter to the Assembly asked its members to remember that the state, which was created on October 1, 1996, is not immune from the political upheavals being witnessed in some parts of the country.

    He drew their attention to a saying of   former US President, John F. Kennedy that “It is not all the time that you do what you can do.” He added  : “ those of us who made so much sacrifices to get our young state created did not bargain for this unfortunate path you are about to take our people through.

    “You are all aware that after our struggle to get Nasarawa State created, I was privileged to lead our dear state as its first executive governor from 1999 to 2007.  I have worked with some of you and for the period we worked together, we had very fruitful working relationship, given that our ultimate goal has been the betterment of the millions of citizens of the state. I am of the view, therefore, that putting our young state through this tortuous road will do more harm than good for our people.”

    He said that given the heterogeneous nature of the state and the recent   sectarian upheavals there, nothing should be done to further rubbish the image of the state.

    “Permit me to remind you that we in this young state cannot afford the   luxury that people in states that were created 30, 40 or more years ago would afford. I    therefore wish to appeal to our sense of reason, to reflect and ponder deeply over the ultimate   implications of taking our young state through an unpredictable path,” he said.

    “As the popular saying   goes, ‘Discretion is the better part of valour’. While you ponder on these few words of mine, I   also urge all of you to listen to the voices of those who elected you. All of us in high and low   positions of leadership in the state owe it to our people to do all we can to save our dear state   from an ill wind that blows no one any good.  You are advised!”

    The former governor said although the 1999 Constitution gives powers to the lawmakers to serve as checks to the Executive, such must be wielded with restraint.

    He added: “While the Constitution empowers you in the Legislative arm of government to serve as a check on the excesses of the Executive arm, such powers must be exercised with restraint and caution particularly where exercising those powers may be detrimental to the overall well being of the state and its people.

    “My dear compatriots, the political atmosphere is indeed heated and tense as we approach the 2015 general elections. You must realise that a lot of the things happening have a bearing on the coming elections both at state and at the federal level. Your action must therefore be measured at all times and guided by only what is of interest to our dear state and its people.”

    He appealed to all to work across party divides “and put our state first, we can overcome the differences that may exist and work to turn the fortunes of Nasarawa state for the better. Having known and worked closely with Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, I can attest to his imperfections as we all are as human beings. I, however, believe these shortcomings can be addressed if the executive and legislature close ranks and dialogue with open minds, with a view to understanding each other and ironing out the perceived differences.”

    Adamu said he wrote the letter out of genuine concern for the development of the state and not based on partisanship. He clarified that the letter was written in the overriding interest of the state rather than opportunism.

    “Fellow compatriots, I am compelled to write this letter to you as a last resort. Those who know   me well or have followed my political history will agree that I have never been an opportunist.

  • ASUP strike shuts out two million students

    ASUP strike shuts out two million students

    The eight-month old strike of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has forced over two million students out of school, the National Secretary of ASUP, Nda Umar, has said.

    He spoke yesterday at a rally organised by the Federal Polytechnic, Bida chapter of the union. The rally was at the palace of the Chairman of Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers and Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

    Umar told the royal father that the union chose to press home their demand through the traditional leaders in the country following government refusal to meet their demands. .

    Umar told the monarch that the union has a 13-point demand, which was reduced to four by the Supervising Minister of Education Nyeson Wike to four.

    He said the union suspended its strike last March following the intervention of some respected personalities.

    The union leader said their demands were for selfish reason, explaining that they were after proper funding of polytechnics.

    He said government’s failure to listen to the union’s demand has left its members with no option than to go on strike.

    The Etsu Nupe, who was represented by the Sheshi Katcha, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, promised to take up their grievances.

    He said: “We will be pushing and defending your demands.”

     

  • ‘PDP must give presidential ticket to the North in 2015’ – Senator Abdullahi Adamu

    How would you explain the general perception that the legislature in Nigeria tends to tow the line of government to the detriment of the collective interest of the people?

    Well, it is an unfortunate phenomenon; part of it induced by public opinion in their understanding of what is happening; some induced by the act of the parliamentarians themselves.

    You may have an issue which is on the front burner of public opinion, but maybe, the reality and the crux of debate is such that does not seem to be in tune with what the public wants.

    Sometimes it may happen and I say it is for the legislators to try and get an understanding of the public in that kind of situation.

    But every Parliament worth its name is supposed to be the voice of the people.

    You cannot claim to represent people and then your opinion is different from that of the people you represent.

    But the executive arm holds the official instrument of state, and there are moments when there are disagreements over issues where the Parliament says they were not consulted; may be their views were not sought by the executive, and maybe it is an executive bill and they decide to go their separate ways on the debate, and the executive might not be happy.

    The only thing is where there is a misfortune that the executive is not working in tandem with the interest of the public.

    Take the oil subsidy as an example, the President got the voice very clearly and had to review the position that they said he took.

    So it is sometimes a counterpart kind of thing, it must be driven by goodwill, sincerity and good faith; nobody is seeking to undo the other.

    We are supposed to complement one another along the line.

    What has been your experience as a Senator since you were elected last year?

    One has been through some level of apprenticeship because no matter your background, no matter past experiences, once you get into new callings, you must learn the ropes to understand how things are done.

    But the most fundamental thing is the parliamentary tradition and practice; if you don’t get to be in tune with them, you will be surprised that you may not be able to make the kind of mark you ordinarily will desire to make.

    So, for us, those of us who are first timers, it’s been a period of learning and we are learning, but notwithstanding that, we have been able to make contributions where the situation permitted and I feel that one could have done more but in a house with about 108 equals, under the supervision of one person, each time there is a debate, you count your stars if you want to make a contribution and the eyes of the president are able to see your desire and your hand before you are given the permission to make contributions.

    Sometimes, you get identified, sometimes you may not, because not every person will get to talk on one issue.

    It’s been a very worthy experience for me.

    I have made new friends and I have seen that this 7th Senate is the richest that the country has had in this dispensation, in terms of experience and party background.

    There are (former) military and civilian governors; Senior Advocates, captains of industry.

    So there is quite a good mix of persons, and for me today, I thank God that I am there; we are learning.

    Would you say that your inability to contribute at one time or another may have hampered your effective performance?

    It is a normal thing in every Parliament. There is a person in the House of Representatives they call the Speaker; I am a Senator, the Senate President is the chair, he presides over every session.

    Once there is an issue or a motion that is being debated or an issue of public interest comes before the hallowed chamber that you want to talk about, there are others who also want to talk about them.

    But there are situations when you do want to make a contribution on a particular issue and you are not lucky to be identified by the presiding officer and what happened to you today may as well happen to another Senator tomorrow.

    Well, it is the culture of parliamentary practice but it is very exciting.

    What is your view on the creation of states?

    To be honest with you, I was part of the agitation for the creation of Nasarawa state.

    I thank God we got it and I thank God that we were able to realise an ambition which we believe held the promise for actualising our dream as a people in the context of the Nigerian family.

    But governors in some states are unable to pay salaries.

    So the question now is, will we do the right thing?

    I am a Senator, I don’t want to pre-empt the National Assembly because we have an ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, they are coming out and I don’t want to pre-empt what we should do or should not do.

    But, I believe very strongly that we need to take a more serious look into the growing agitation.

    I headed Nasarawa State when we were at the rock bottom of the ladder of revenue allocation in this country.

    When I became governor, Nasarawa was mobilising under half a million naira internally generated revenue, the records are there.

    Under one million naira and I had a work force of over 10, 000 civil servants.

    We inherited foreign loan of between N20 to N22 billion Naira; from our days in Benue/Plateau State to the days in Plateau State to Nasarawa.

    We were able to do what we did to stay afloat. But with what is going on today, with the threat (of total dependence on oil); we have some level of peace in the Niger Delta but everybody now is virtually being held hostage because they have oil and Nigeria is limping on that one foot called oil and gas; everybody is being held hostage and if tomorrow the militants strike and production goes down, we are in trouble.

    I don’t see the country being held hostage more than that and that again is reason for me supporting any serious look at agriculture. So it is not for me to say yes there should be or there should be no states, but I can only give an analogy of the situation at hand.

    On state police, some people have argued for and others against. On which side of the divide do you stand and why?

    Well, I don’t know, but I think the issue is now becoming an issue for blackmail, so I don’t want to discuss it.

    We have now tilted off reason, it is now blackmail. If you say you want state police, you are labelled whatever; if you say you don’t want state police, you are labelled. It has been reduced to that and I don’t belong to that school of thought.

    Internal party wrangling within the PDP has the potential of dimming the fortunes of the party in the nearest future and some upcoming parties are seen to be cashing on the situation.How do you react to this?

    I will work for PDP to the tail end. I will not forget, at the formative stage of the National Party of Nigeria, I had the opportunity of serving at the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution and when the parties were being formed we were the young set and, to the elder statesmen then, we were the errand boys, but we were involved, effectively.

    And I remember writing a letter to Mallam Aminu Kano because I was more inclined; it was my first calling and I was more inclined to going for PRP (Peoples Redemption Party).

    That was my natural inclination.

    My parents were NPN to the root, my parents, grandparents were traditional rulers and I had difficulty shaking off what’s in me, but at the same time as a politician in the making, my attraction was towards Aminu Kano, his brand of politics.

    I was at the meeting and I personally felt he was insulted when he was asked to become the Publicity Secretary of NPN.

    I later went to Kano to see him; he was campaigning in some villages; you know Belgore, when you pass through Saminaka from Jos, near the tributary of Kogin Kano, a large fishing community, he said my prayer for you is that you should go and continue to be with them (NPN) and stay there like the rock of Gibraltar. I will never forget that.

    So, I will tell you that with PDP I am there until either death do us part or Nigerian political development do us part. But as long as I am in PDP, I am PDP inside out, I will continue to work for PDP irrespective of the problems that we encounter.

    Even if the party veers off the course you were committed to…

    The problems yes, the noise you hear yes, it is part of it; I call it the sound of democracy.

    But my only appeal is that the leadership of the party should not self-destruct, we must not destroy the party from our own doings or misdeeds; we must not contribute to its failure.

    Before we talk of discipline, we must see discipline from the highest level of the party, down because there is no point you talk of discipline, and you are not disciplined yourself, it does not make sense.

    The leadership of the party must help in the inculcation of the spirit of leadership, they must be people of their words, they must set examples.

    I believe that the present set of national officers (of PDP) intends good and we will make it possible for them to do good for the party.

    We will wait there is a lot of noise in Nasarawa State, a lot of noise in Akwa-Ibom, Maiduguri, Borno, in Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara states everywhere you go.

    So, but for me it is a natural phenomenon for political parties but sometimes we take all these things too far.

    When we see parties doing wrong, we tolerate them to do wrong but when some other party does wrong somewhere else you punish, it doesn’t make for good followership.

    So my hope and prayer is that the leadership will help by doing good to ensure that there is discipline in the party and that we do not self-destruct.

    But me, you can count on me, I have just done a programme today I am doing so to promote PDP and because before we stood election; those of us who did stand elections we had manifesto and did what we said during the campaigns.

    We “work our talk” that’s the key.

    Recently, the state executive of the PDP held a reconciliation meeting…

    As far as I am concerned, there is no state executive in PDP. I went to the national headquarters and told them.

    I stand with the concerned group because they saw me as an elder; they came to share their thoughts about the party with me and I did share their thoughts, and I do understand where they are coming from and where they want to take the party to.

    I share in their emotion and sentiments; I share in the sacrifices they make for promoting PDP and I share with them about their concern for the failure of PDP in the state.

    I will work with them until somebody tells me or shows me why I shouldn’t.

    If I hear a superior argument, I will bow, but until then, I am working with them and we will hoist the PDP flag.

    Some former governors are agitating for Governor Kwankwaso to be the next President. If PDP gives the ticket to the North in 2015, will you support him?

    That is not a fair question; has Kwankwaso said he wants to be President?

    But PDP has no choice than to give the North (in 2015); I want to believe in that. Kwankwaso is more than a friend to me, Kwankwaso is my brother, we started with PDP together, we were governors together, he had some misfortune midway in his governorship, he didn’t win his second election he became a minister of defense, he has been elected again in Kano after eight years he is back in the saddle, and he is doing a good job.

    But if he comes out to say he want to be president, let’s wait and see, if he say so; I don’t cross bridges until I reach them.

    I believe that everybody is saying the same thing (North president for 2015); I believe that the north should have a crack at it again.

    I believe that, it is no sin. We have a right to it like everybody has. Of course, the real thing is, we deserve to have it again.

    You take it or leave it; for political fortunes or misfortunes; the country is divided; it is North and South, because these are the bare facts; it’s either North or South.