The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Adamawa

  • By-election in Adamawa: CPC expels candidate

    The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Nasarawo/Binyeri constituency, Adamawa, on Saturday announced the expulsion of its candidate for the May 11 House of Assembly by-election, Malam Ibrahim Umar.

    Alhaji Musa Kamale,, the state Chairman of the CPC Publicity Sub-committee on Merger with other Political Parties, also announced the indefinite suspension of the party Chairman in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri.

    Kamale said in Yola that Umar was expelled for unwholesome party activity, while Waziri was suspended for his alleged role in the emergence of an opposition party member as the party candidate for the election.

    The chairman also tendered the letters of expulsion and suspension of the affected persons signed by the National Secretary of the party, Mr Buba Galadima.

    He said the decision which was taken at the National Executive Committee meeting of the party on April 30, also informed the state Deputy Chairman, Mr Njidda Danboyi, as acting Chairman.

    Waziri confirmed receipt of his suspension letter, saying that as a loyal party member, he accepted the suspension in good faith.

    He, however, said he would wait for the outcome of the ongoing investigation on the allegation against him.

    On his part, Umar said he had no comment on his expulsion as he had yet to receive the letter.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Wednesday, the party announced the withdrawal of its candidate for the by-election.

    It thereafter directed its supporters to vote for the candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr Mathias Yohanna, in the spirit of ongoing merger talks with other political parties.

    The party claimed that Umar was a PDP member sponsored with the connivance of some CPC officials to emerge as candidate of the party.

    The Nasarawo/Binyeri by-election arose because of the death of the member representing the constituency in Adamawa Assembly, Alhaji Ahmad Gangwaso, in January.

  • Police foil attack on Mubi North LG chairman

     arrest one suspect

    The police on Tuesday night in Mubi, Adamawa foiled an attempt to attack Alhaji Sahabo Jauro, the Chairman of Mubi North Local Government (LG) in the state.

    The Adamawa Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mohammed Ibrahim, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Yola.

    Ibrahim said the gunmen, who stormed the chairman’s residence at around 8 p.m, were repelled by the policemen on duty.

    “The policemen on duty shot and injured one of the gunmen, and he was later arrested while the others escaped,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the latest attack was the second time gunmen would attack the chairman’s residence.

    In the previous attack, which took place about seven months ago, four visitors were killed by gunmen who also robbed guests of the chairman.

  • Gunmen kill female cop, free 3 detainees in Adamawa

    The Chairman of Mayo-Belwa Local Government Area of Adamawa, Malam Mohammed Bako, said that a female police constable was killed while three persons in detention were released by gunmen who attacked the Mayo-Belwa Police Station on Thursday night.

    Bako made the disclosure on Friday while touring the scene of attack, saying that the gunmen used Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) in the attack.

    “A female police constable, Rahila Azoko, was killed while a policeman was injured during the assault on the Divisional Police Station.

    `Three civilians, including a security man, were also injured in the attack on banks.’’

    Bako pointed out that apart from the two banks and the police station, no other place was attacked by the gunmen who succeeded in burning two police vans at the police station.

    “No prison was attacked. As you can see, even the police station was not burnt. The banks were not robbed. Calm has returned to the area,’’ Bako said.

    The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that security has been beefed up in the town.

    Police anti-bomb squad was seen at the premises of one of the banks, evacuating unexploded devices left behind by the attackers.

    The attack is coming some weeks after men of the State Security Service discovered RPGs and ammunitions in the bush around the area.

  • Jonathan approves N5.7bn for victims of 2011 post-election violence

    President Goodluck  Jonathan has approved the release of a total sum of N5,747,694,780.00 to nine states of the federation for direct disbursement to those who suffered losses of properties, means of livelihood and places of worship in the post election violence of 2011.

    Special Adviser (Media) to the President, Dr Reuben Abati said in a statement that the approval was based on the submission of the Sheik Ahmed Lemu’s panel and its adoption by the Federal Executive Council.

    Following the post election violence and civil disturbances in some states after the April 2011 elections, President Jonathan set up a Panel of Enquiry headed by Sheik Ahmed Lemu to among other things, identify the spread and extent of losses suffered across the country.

     The Federal Ministry of Lands and Housing was later  mandated to assess the reported losses and damage to properties in all affected states.

    Consequently, President Jonathan has approved the release of funds to nine of the 14 affected states as follows:

    1.      Bauchi                 –        N1,574,879,000.00

    2.    Sokoto                 –        N55,888,506.00

    3.    Zamfara               –        N93,253,485.00

    4.    Niger                    –        N433,375,875.00

    5.     Jigawa                 –        N208,667,634.00

    6.    Katsina                –        N1,973,209,440.00

    7.     Kano                    –        N944,827,000.00

    8.    Adamawa            –        N420,089,840.00

    9.    Akwa Ibom          –        N43,504,000.00

    Total                –        N5,747,694,780.00

    President Jonathan has also directed that an Implementation Committee for the disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries in  the nine states be constituted as follows:

    1.      Executive Governor  or Deputy Governor        –        Chairman

    2.    Representative of State Government                –        Member

    3.    Secretary of the Sheik Lemu Panel                   –        Member

    4.    Representative of the OSGF                              –        Member

    5.     Representative of the FMLH&UD                    –        Member

    Inspection and assessment of damages and losses suffered are yet to be carried out in Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna and Nasarawa states as modalities and further instructions for the exercise are still being expected from the state governments.

    Funds to cover the losses sustained by victims of the post election violence in theses five states will be approved and released at the conclusion of the assessment exercise.

  • Attack: Police tightens security in Yola

    Attack: Police tightens security in Yola

    Following Friday’s attack in Ganye in Adamawa, which led to the death of 25 persons, the police in the state had tightened security in Yola, the state capital.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yola reports that various check points have emerged on major streets of the state capital leading to traffic gridlock.

    When contacted on the development, the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Mohammed Ibrahim, said the measure was a proactive one.

    Ibrahim said, “You saw what happened in Ganye; we don’t want to take any chances.

    “We need the public support and understanding to ensure security of lives and properties.”

    NAN reports that so far no fewer than nine out of the 21 local government areas of the state had been attacked within the last one year.

  • Customs seizes rice, goods in Adamawa

    Smugglers of rice have lost millions of naira following the seizure of goods, such as rice and vegetable by the Customs anti-smuggling operatives in Jemita, Yola, Adamawa State.

    The leader of the anti-smuggling team, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Hassan Shallangwa, said improved logistics, robust welfare by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) and increasing willingness of Nigerians to give information to operatives contributed to the success recorded by the Customs.

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, adding that it was based on a tip off that his team was able swoop on the two large wooden boats that were fully loaded with rice, sugar and jerry-cans of vegetable oil being smuggling through Damare waterside, Jemita-Yola.

    He said with intelligent network across the country and co-operation of communities, it has become increasingly unwise for any business man or woman to embark on smuggling that will end in loss of wealth and possible jail term.

  • 25 prisoners die in Adamawa attack

    25 prisoners die in Adamawa attack

    … 127 escape

    The police on Sunday confirmed that 25 persons were killed during an attack on Ganye Town, the headquarters of Ganye Local Government Area in Adamawa State by gunmen on Friday.

    The Nigerian Prison Service also confirmed the killing of the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Ganye Prison, Malam Baba Musa, and the release of 127 prison inmates.

    The Public Relations Office of the Adamawa State Police Command, Mohammed Ibrahim, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola that among those killed by the gunmen was a policeman.

    “At least 13 places were attacked, including the Divisional Police Station, DPO’s house, prison, beer parlour, bank, library and courts,” he stated.

    Ibrahim said the police could not contain the rampaging gunmen because they were armed with sophisticated weapons.

    The Prison Comptroller in the state, Mr. Andrew Barka, said the 127 prisoners released by the gunmen escaped during the attack, corroborating the killing of the deputy comptroller.

    “We lost a deputy comptroller, Baba Musa, in the attack and some parts of the prison were also destroyed.’’

    Ibrahim said that none of the 127 inmates that escaped had been re-arrested

    NAN recalls that the gunmen attacked Ganye, a border town at about 6pm on Friday, in an operation that lasted more than two hours.

     

     

  • Don’t mix religion with politics – Atiku

    Don’t mix religion with politics – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged religious leaders to help the country by separating religion from  politics.

     The former Vice President said, had this been the case few years ago, the nation would have been spared the needless controversies and dissipation of energies that trailed the introduction of Sharia in some parts of the North.

     In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, the former Vice President said though Muslims are free to practice Sharia in line with Islamic injunction, it was important for religious  rulers to ensure that they do not give politicians the leverage to “smuggle religion into our politics.”

     “The interests of our country will be better served if our religious rulers ensure that religion is taken away from politics and by our politicians not dragging politics into religion,” the Turaki Adamawa said.

     Atiku has dismissed allegations that he wants one of his sons to become the Governor of Adamawa State.

     According to the former Vice President, all his children are content to pursue professional lives in their various callings and that he had no business imposing his choices on them.

     He said such allegation could only have come from idle minds and busybodies looking for cheap publicity or finding someone to blame for their political problems.

     

  • Robbers kill choir master in Adamawa

    Suspected armed robbers on Thursday shot dead the choir master of Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) in Girei, headquarters of Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa.

    Some residents of the town told the News Agency of Nigeria that the incident occurred in the morning when the hoodlums, numbering about seven, forced their way into the deceased’s compound.

    The inhabitants said the gunmen had robbed a bakery manager in the compound of N200, 000 before entering the choir master’s residence.

    “They went into the flat of choir master, Marcus Musa and started asking him ‘where is the money.’

    “They shot him when he could not bring the expected money”, one of the residents said.

    The Adamawa Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Ibrahim, confirmed the incident.

    “I have a report from Girei that one person lost his life in a robbery incident,” Ibrahim said.

     

  • Gunmen attack police station, secretariat in Adamawa

    Gunmen attack police station, secretariat in Adamawa

    Unknown gunmen on Thursday attacked and razed the Song divisional police station and local government secretariat in Adamawa, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    A resident of the town told NAN on condition of anonymity that the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday.

    “The police station and part of the one-storey secretariat building were burnt by the gunmen, who also attacked a security check-point on the Song-Yola road,’’ he said.

    The source said that an old woman and a boy were hit by stray bullets in their home near the police station.

    “Dada Audu, an 80-year-old woman with her grandson of about 15 years were hit by bullets and are feared dead,’’ he said.

    Contacted, the Adamawa Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, confirmed the attack but gave no details.

    Ibrahim said he was heading to the location.

    NAN reports that the Song attack came less than a week after a similar attack in Maiha, Hong and Fufore local government areas of the state.