The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abubakar Sani

  • 2019: Major shakeup in FCT as minister appoints interim heads

    … Six political officer holders resign 

     

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has posted some senior officers to oversee some agencies, it was learnt on Wednesday. 

    The development is due to the vacation of positions by some political office holders who are seeking political offices in the forthcoming 2019 general elections. 

    The appointments, the minister said became necessary in order not to leave any vacuum in the operations of the affected Agencies.

    Accordingly, the Chief of Staff, Malam Muhammad Bashir Mai Bornu, is to oversee the activities of the Transportation Secretariat while Dr. Aminu Mohammadu Mai, General Manager of the FCT Hospital Services Management Board, would be in charge of the Health and Human Services Secretariat.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant (Media) to FCT Minister, Abubakar Sani, Mr. Sunny Monedafe, Board Member I, Secondary Education Board, is now to oversee the affairs of the Board while Malam Bashir Muhammad, Director, FCT Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, is to superintend over the Social Development Secretariat.

    Also, Mr. Chika Alexander Nwatu, Special Assistant on Community Relations would continue in that capacity with additional responsibility over Abuja North while Dr. Bala Mohammed Liman, Senior Special Assistant on Finance and Economic Matters would oversee the Education Secretariat.

    Read Also: Flood ravages FCT communities, kills 3

    It would be recalled that the minister had issued a strong directive that they should first resign before going ahead with their political ambitions. 

    This strong directive, which was contained in a circular PS/FCTA/589, dated 38th August, 2018, was made available to Executive Secretary, FCDA, Chief of State to the FCT Minister, Secretaries of Mandate Secretariats and Senior Special Assistants for onward circulation to the entire workforce. 

    It was also made available to all Directors in the FCTA and FCDA, Special Advisers (Community Relations), Special Assistants, Heads of FCT parastatals and agencies. 

    Findings revealed that a lot of political office holders were nursing the ambition to contest for an office in the forthcoming 2019 general elections, but they have not made their intentions publicly known.

    Many are according to sources considering the options before taking final decisions. 

    The circular which was personally signed by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Sir Christian Ohaa, reads in parts: “You may wish to note that in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010, (as amended), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued the Timetable and  Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the 2019 General Elections

    “Consequently, the Honourable Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has directed political appointees and other employees in the Federal Capital Territory Administration who wish to seek elective positions to formerly resign from their current positions to enable them pursue their political  ambitions.”

    It also directed thus: “Those affected are expected to handover all government property in their custody to the Permanent Secretary, upon the submission of their letters of resignation.”

     

  • NSCDC arrest suspected cattle rustler, two vandals in Sokoto

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Sokoto State said it has arrested a suspected cattle rustler, Aliyu Danzuru who terrorized some parts of the state.

    The corps also arrested two suspected electricity cable vandals, Shehu Ibrahim and Abubakar Sani.

    The Commandant of NSCDC in the state, Mr Babangida Dutsinma, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on arrest of the suspects on Monday in Sokoto.

    He said that the arrest of Danzuru who have been on the security watch for long period followed a tip off on March 24.

    The commandant said that Danzuru was popular among notorious bandits and was said to have masterminded numerous cow rustlings in Raba Local Government Area and environs.

    Dutsinma explained that on investigation, Danzuru led the corps to arrest the gang’s arms supplier, one Alhaji Yale, who died after being hospitalised from high blood pressure.

    He said before Yale’s death, four locally made rifles, ammunitions and machetes were recovered from his house.

    The commandant said that the deceased refused to disclose the whereabouts of some AK 47 rifles mentioned by Danzuru.

    He said that Danzuru had named eight other gang members that included Babangida Audu, Amadu Bello, Isa Kusar-Hausawa, Jammu Kusar-Fulani, Basiru Bello, Gyade Dutesen-Kusra, Lawwali Kusar Gobirawa and Salisu Hanci.

    He said all the suspects were residents of various settlements in Raba Local Government Area.
    Dutsinma added that the arrest was made possible by the joint security agencies against kidnappings and cattle rustling in the state.

    The commandant said the two electricity cables vandals, Ibrahim and Sani were also arrested on the same day with electricity cables stolen from installations on Raba-Sokoto road.

    He said investigation on the matter was ongoing.

    He enjoined the people to support security agencies with useful intelligent information in order to track reoccurring criminal activities in Raba areas.

    NAN

    Read Also: NSCDC deploys 50 motorcycles for patrols in Taraba

     

  • ICPC arraigns Whistle Blower over raid on VP Sambo’s residence

    ICPC arraigns Whistle Blower over raid on VP Sambo’s residence

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday arraigned one Abubakar Sani for providing false information to the commission.

    Sani’s information had led to the raid on the residence of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo on June 28, in Kaduna by ICPC and DSS operatives.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since the raid on the property, the ICPC had not said if anything incriminating was found.

    The whistle blower, who was arraigned before Justice Aliyu Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court, is facing two-count charge of providing false information and misleading a public officer while on lawful duty.

    Counsel to the commission, Elijah Akaakohol, said the accused had provided the false information to an official of the commission on June 21, 2017.

    Akaakohol told the court that Sani had claimed to have transported boxes of money in local and foreign currencies from Abuja airport to the house at Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna in 2013, which he suspected to be ill-gotten wealth and still at the house.

    The counsel added that it was based on the claim that the accused “made officers of the commission to carry out a sting operation that turned out to be false.

    “You thereby committed an offence, contrary to, and punishable under section 64 (3) of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000.’’

    Sani is also being charged for making false statement to one Mr Olusegun Adigun, an official of the ICPC while in the course of duty as a public officer, contrary to section 25(1) and punishable under section 25(1b) of the ICPC Act 2000.

    Sani, who appeared before the court without legal representation, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Judge directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till Thursday, Nov. 2, for hearing.

    Before the adjournment, Justice Tukur advised the accused to get a counsel to stand for him at the next adjourned date.

  • Whistle blower in trouble over raid on ex-VP Sambo’s residence 

    Whistle blower in trouble over raid on ex-VP Sambo’s residence 

    …as ICPC arraigns him for false information, remanded in prison

     

    Whistle blower who allegedly gave force information that led to the raid on the Kaduna residence of the former Vice President, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), landed in trouble on Thursday, as court ordered his remand in prison.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday arraigned the whistle blower identified as Abubakar Sani for providing false information to the commission.

    The ICPC said the false information, the Whistle blower provided led to the raid on the residence of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo on June 28 in Kaduna.

    It will be recalled that the ICPC and the officers of the DSS on June 28, 2017 conducted a search on the Kaduna resident of the former Vice President.

    The ICPC, however, did not say if anything incriminating was found or recovered from the former VP’s house during the search.

    The ICPC in a two-count charge arraigned the whistle blower in a Kaduna State High Court, accusing him of allegedly providing false information to the commission that led to the raid.

    A principal Legal officer and counsel to the Commission, Elijah Akaakohol who read out the charge before Justice Aliyu Tukur, presiding Judge of the Kaduna High Court 7, said the accused person sometimes on June 21, 2017 gave a false information to the officer of the commission of ICPC.

    According to him, “that sometime in 2013 you conveyed a huge sums of money both in the Nigerian and other foreign currencies from Abuja Airport to a house in Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna on the directive of a retired Army officer which money you suspected to be ill-gotten wealth and still laying in boxes in that said house at the moment of your report.

    “And of which you made the officer of the commission of the ICPC to carry out a sting operation that turned out to be false.

    “You thereby committed an offence, contrary to, and punishable under section 64 (3) of the corrupt practices and other related offences act 2000.

    The counsel told the court that Abubakar Sani also made a false statement to one Mr. Olusegun Adigun, an official of the Commission in the course of the exercise of his duties as a public officer, contrary to section 25(1) and punishable under section 25(1b) of the ICPC act 2000.

    Sani, who appeared without a legal counsel, however pleaded not guilty of the allegations.

    The presiding judge, directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till Thursday, Nov. 2 for hearing.

    Before the adjournment, Justice Tukur urged the accused person to get a counsel to stand for him at the next hearing of the case.