The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bauchi

  • Mu’azu as PENCOM chairman, wrong

    Mu’azu as PENCOM chairman, wrong

    SIR: If the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is truly committed to fighting corruption which is an endemic disease that has eaten up every facet of Nigerian society, crippled our economy, impoverised our citizens and deprived our nation of sustainable development, then the recent appointment of former Bauchi State governor Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu as chairman of Nigeria Pension Commission (PENCOM) is a most puzzling appointment indeed.

    There is no point going over the antecedents of the former governor of Bauchi State.

    But the truth of the matter is that when Malam Isa Yuguda took over as governor of Bauchi State on May 29, 2007, the new government instituted a Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice Bitrus Sanga to bring to light what happened under the stewardship of Mu’azu between 1999 to 2007. The commission gave ample opportunity to the former governor as required by law to defend himself and his government but instead opted to go on self exile and remained in Dubai for over three years.

    And what did the commission come up with? The commission found out that the former governor misappropriated the sum of over N20.8 billion within eight years as the chief executive of the state. For this, it indicted and banned the former governor from holding public office for a period of 10 years.

    Now the pertinent question is why President Jonathan would choose to have this individual in his government.

    If I may refresh our collective memory, in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital at the flag-off of his campaign tour, President Jonathan promised Nigerians that “if elected, his administration will not sweep any crime under carpet no matter how big or small”.

    He said further that “there will be no scared cows”. For a President who made such declaration publicly to have in his team a man accused of defrauding his state shows that he was merely mouthing anti-corruption war just to please gullible Nigerians. It is ridiculous that despite the avalanche of well-placed and notable sons and daughters of Bauchi State, it is Adamu Mu’azu that the President found worthy to head the pension agency. The implication of the appointment of Mu’azu is that the President is saying that the work done by the Judicial commission of inquiry and its pronouncement on the former governor is of no consequence.

     

    •John Akevi

    Bauchi

  • Robbery suspect killed in Bauchi

    Robbery suspect killed in Bauchi

    THE police in Bauchi State have killed a robbery suspect and arrested four others, the spokesman, Haruna Mohammed, told reporters yesterday.

    He said the police recovered arms in Toro and Ganjuwa local governments.

    Mohammed said the command smashed a notorious robbery syndicate, which has been terrorising travellers.

    The police spokesman said four other suspects were giving information, leading to the arrest of more suspects.

    Weapons recovered included two fabricated scorpion rifles, two fully loaded locally-made pistols.

    The suspects have confessed that they killed a traditional title holder, Maidawa Habli , in a suburb of Bauchi.

    The suspects also confessed that they were behind the threats to villagers whom they asked to deposit money.

    Haruna said the command recovered over 105 stolen cows, sheep as well as goats, and called on residents, who lost their domestic animals, to contact the Township Police Division.

  • Yuguda is Obasayero of Oyo Empire

    Yuguda is Obasayero of Oyo Empire

    Whatever yardstick one uses to assess Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, the conclusion is that he is a man whose consistency in anything he does produces remarkable results. While many achieve greatness through inheritance, Yuguda’s achievements in life are a product of sound vision, hard-work, dedication, and above all, the fear of God.

    In appreciation of these sterling qualities, Bauchi State was literarily grounded last Saturday, as the cross-section of residents and indigenes stormed the ancient town of Oyo to witness the historic conferment of a chieftaincy title on the governor by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi. Yuguda was installed as Obasayero of Oyo Empire. His four wives were also installed with chieftaincy titles as well.

    The chieftaincy title covers not only all Yoruba speaking States in the country, but extends to other countries such as Benin Republic, which form part of the old Oyo Empire.

    Among eminent personalities that attended the event were the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, his wife, Florence, former Governor of the State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, Speaker, State House of Assembly, Alhaja Monsurat Sunmonu, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Akin Olujinmi,   as well as traditional rulers from Oyo and Osun States. The Sultan of Sokoto, Emirs of Kano, Lafia, and  Katsina  were ably represented at the occasion.

    The Alaafin said that the Obasayero (the upholder of the world) of Oyo Empire is number seven on the principal list of traditional chieftaincy titles in Oyo Empire, noting that it is a very significant title. At page 61 in the classical book-The History of The Yoruba written by Reverend Samuel Johnson, first published in 1911, the roles of Obasayero was further enunciated.

    He added that the last holder of the title was the Late Chief Babashola Rhodes SAN, an eminent Lagos lawyer, adding that the last chieftaincy title he conferred was in 2008, when Aare Afe Babalola was conferred with Aare Bamofin of Yoruba land, which buttresses the fact that Alaafin rarely confers chieftaincy titles and whenever he does, it is only to somebody that justifiably merits the position.

    The paramount ruler observed that with all certainty, Governor Isa Yuguda is a complete re-incarnation of his forebear, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

    “Like Balewa that was also popularly known as ‘Balewa the good’ and the man with the golden voice coupled with his performances that were outstandingly brilliant  to the extent that the British press described him as disarmingly patient and reasonable. The striking resemblance with the late Prime Minister gives  me every confidence  to believe that Mallam Isa Yuguda will continue to ascend higher heights and live to old age insha Allah,” he said.

    Continuing, he added: “Yuguda is today being admitted into the pantheon of Yoruba political mystery on personal merit and recognition of what he represents as the Executive Governor of Bauchi State in Northern Nigeria. The historical linkages between Yorubaland and Hausa/Fulani land are multi-dimensional and inter-penetrating. Bauchi especially, occupies a special place in the sense that a good number of Yoruba people have made it their home. Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Prime Minister of Nigeria better known also as the Right Honourable Gentleman and whose political mantle, has fallen on Alhaji Isa Yuguda, re-defined relationship between Bauchi and Yorubaland.

    “His personal physician and confidant was Dr. Moses Olukoye Majekodunmi, and his trusted friend and confidant was Sir. Adetokunbo Ademola, the son of Oba Ademola, the Alake of Egbaland who mentored me. I lived with him in the Royal Palace at Ake, Abeokuta at a tender age and was also with him on exile to Osogbo, after the Egba Women Riot of 1948. What we are doing today is a confirmation of our kindred spirit and age-old diplomatic relationship between us.’’

    Describing the conferment of traditional chieftaincy title on Yuguda as a reflection of a beautiful handshake across the Niger, Alaafin  noted that it is his pleasure on behalf of the people of Oyo Empire ‘to honour a truly self-made man, a patriot, a tireless and hardworking man, a statesman, a courageous and dedicated man, a philanthropic accomplished at home and abroad, a caring and kind  leader known for his candour and high intellect, with the prestigious title of Obasayero of Oyo Empire and his amiable and adorable wives as Hajiya Aisha Yuguda (Yeyeloyin Obasayero), Hajiya Mariam Yuguda (Yeyeniwura Obasayero), Hajiya Abiodun Hauwa Yuguda (Yeye Obasayero), and Hajiya Nafisat Yuguda (Yeyedunni Obasayero) .’’

    Responding, Yuguda said that as a government ‘we are of the view that Nigeria must continue to survive as a united, sovereign, indivisible nation living in peace and economic prosperity. As a practical demonstration of this stand, our government has abolished contract appointment for Nigerians from other states. All Nigerians irrespective of their states of origin are now given permanent appointment in Bauchi State. Furthermore, we have offered political appointments ranging from Personal Assistants to Advisers to fifty Nigerians from other states across the country.’

    While appreciating the roles of traditional rulers not only as custodians of culture and tradition, but also in the maintenance of law and order especially at the grassroots, Yuguda hinted that the state government has been providing traditional rulers in the state the necessary support to perform their duties effectively.

    He said government has created additional districts and village areas to ensure effective coverage of the State by traditional administration. “As a holder of your (Alaafin) traditional title, I want to assure you of my unalloyed loyalty and cooperation. I would always strive to give you constructive and honest advice whenever the need arises. May God continues to give your Imperial Majesty good health, more wisdom and long life on the throne of your fore-fathers to continue to lead your people with sense of justice, fairness and courage,’’ he assured.

  • Yuguda inaugurates 24 blocks of classrooms in Bauchi

    Yuguda inaugurates 24 blocks of classrooms in Bauchi

  • Bauchi Police recover widow’s N6.5m Suv

    The Bauchi State Police Command has recovered a N6.5 million Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) which was stolen from the home of a widow, Mrs Adah Gboyi, at her Ring Road, Tudun Wada home in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

    The recovery followed tight security across the state by Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan.

    The police chief had introduced several measures to reduce crimes.

    The SUV, a 2010 model black Toyota Highlander SUV with registration number (Lagos) LND 950 BJ, was recovered with an AK 47 rifle, a locally-made pistol, 55 rounds of 7.62 milimetre live ammunition, five cartridges and a magazine.

    Addressing reporters in Bauchi, police spokesman, Haruna Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said: “At 11.30 hours on October 8, we received a report that at 20.30 hours (8.30pm) on October 5, a gang of five armed robbers attacked Mrs. Adah Gboyi.”

    He said the robbers tied Mrs. Gboyi in the presence of her children before they stole the car.

    Mohammed added: “On October 9, based on intelligence report, the command’s Special Squad, partnering those attached to Ali Kwarra – a famous private crime fighting outfit – ambushed the robbers at Zaranda, on the outskirts of the state capital.”

    During a gun battle between the police and the hoodlums, one of the robbers was killed while others abandoned the car with the weapons and escaped with gunshot wounds.

    Mrs. Gboyi said: “There was an outage and my generator was on. So, as I moved to the dining section of the parlour and was speaking on phone, the robbers sneaked in.

    “One of them came to me, pointing a pistol to my head and asked after my son, who was not in the house at the time.

    “They met other members of my family in the sitting room and ordered my children and everybody else to lie down. The robbers asked for money and my car keys. One of them went into my bedroom, ransacked it and took away my car keys. They rushed out and started the car while others ransacked the house, searching for money and other valuables.”

    The widow could not remember how much cash and howmany other valuables the robbers took from the family.

    Mrs. Gboyi hailed the police for recovering her car and thanked God for sparing the life of members of her family.

    Ladan urged the public, especially workers of various health facilities, to report their patients with suspicious wounds to security agents for appropriate action.

  • Bauchi’s, telecoms firm’s counsel to address tax tribunal Sept 11

    The Northeast Zone of the Tax Appeal Tribunal has fixed September 11 for counsel to the Bauchi State Government and LM Ericsson, Lagos, a telecommunications service provider, to address it in a case filed by the state government.

    The Bauchi State Government, through its Internal Revenue Board, is asking for N427,627,849:61, being the tax it said accrued to the state from the service provider.

    The Tax Appeal Tribunal, presided over by Justice Suleman Audu and assisted by Halima Saa’diya Mohammed, Sunday Idam Isu, Chief Ngozi I. Amaliri, and Aliyu Abbas Bello, heard that LM Ericsson refused to pay N427.6 million to the state.

    The money was said to be the tax owed by the company from 1998 to 2008.

    During cross-examination, LM Ericsson’s Human Resources Manager, Miss Omoniyi Adejoro, led by a lawyer, Olumide Bidemi Daniel, told the tribunal that the company had no workers, representative or office in Bauchi State during the period.

    Miss Adejoro also said the firm could not have incurred any personal income tax within the period.

    She, however, agreed that “though I am not in charge of the company’s financial transactions, (but) as a Human Resources Manager, I am in a position to know where the firm’s workers reside and what they do officially”.

    The manager denied that LM Ericsson or its representative was in Bauchi for official duties on behalf of the company. The company also presented documentary evidence to support its claims of not being indebted or evading tax to Bauchi State Government.

    But a tax consultant to the state government Mr Oluseyi Aderemi Adegoke said LM Ericsson was in the state and transacted businesses within the period.

    But he did not support his claims with documentary evidence that his organisation carried out an investigation on the service provider, as demanded by Daniel and the tribunal.

    Adegoke could also not answer questions put to him by the counsel to LM Ericsson.

    The bewildered tribunal members asked the consultant to submit his evidence at the next hearing on September 11.

    Also, the tribunal has ordered the Maiduguri International Hotel to pay N19,706,459 to the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS).

    It said the money is the revenue the hotel was owing the Federal Government from 2005 to 2006.

    In a case filed by the FIRS through its counsel, Ali Alhashim, the revenue collecting agency claimed that the hotel failed to file returns of its income tax, education tax and value added tax (VAT) for the period, despite the service on it of assessment notices and demand notes.

    The FIRS averred that by the virtue of the provisions of Section 8 of the FIRS Establishment Act 2007, it was empowered to recover revenue accruing to the coffers of the Federal Government.

    Counsel for the hotel, Yakubu Mamza, argued that the FIRS could not assess his client during the period because the hotel was razed by fire.

    The lawyer urged the tribunal to dismiss the appeal. Tribunal Chairman Suleiman Audu said it was clear, based on the evidence before the tribunal, that the respondent had not been remitting the taxes for the period in dispute.

    He said: “It is evident from Paragraph 3 of the respondent witness’ statement on oath that the hotel was gutted by fire on April 8, 2011. This was more than four years after all the taxes in question were long overdue. This is the subject-matter of this suit. Four years is long enough for it to pay these taxes.

    “From the evidence before us, the appellant has established that the respondent has not been remitting company tax, education tax and value added tax for the period under review. We have not had any evidence contrary to this. We, therefore, hold that the respondent is liable to the appellant in the sum claimed.”

     

  • Two killed in Bauchi bank robbery

    Police Inspector and one other person were killed yesterday in a foiled bank robbery in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, The Nation learnt.

    A source in Bauchi told our reporter that 15 gunmen attacked the bank at Alkaleri.

    The hoodlums reportedly started shooting on arriving at the bank. It was learnt that the security operatives on duty fired back.

    But the gunmen were said to have successfully entered the banking hall, though they could not break the vault before security men chased them away.

    “So, the robbers did not steal a kobo from the bank,” the source said.

    It was also learnt that “during the exchange of gunfire, a Police Inspectorwas killed. Also, one of the robbers was killed”.

    The source added: “A robber was captured alive and he led security men to their hideout. Five AK 47 rifles, eight magazines, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), a forged police identity card and two telephone handsets, were recovered.”

    It was also learnt that the captured “suspected robber has been assisting security operatives with investigation into the robbery”.

    Police spokesman, Hassan Auyo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said: “Police

    Commissioner Mohammed Ladan will brief the media on the incident later.”

    Also, at a checkpoint in Darazo Local Government Area, soldiers killed two passengers in a Vectra commercial car.

     

  • NSCDC arrest 14 vandals in Bauchi

    NSCDC arrest 14 vandals in Bauchi

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said on Friday that it had arrested 14 suspected NNPC pipeline vandals in different parts of Bauchi State.

    Alhaji Shuayb Jibril, the Commander, NSCDC Bauchi State Command, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the vandals were arrested in the last six months in various local government areas.

    He said that Alkaleri, Toro, Bauchi and Kirfi local government areas were some of the places the suspects carried out their activities.

    He said that two of the suspects were arrested in Bara village of Kirfi Local Government Area where 28 jerry cans of 25 litres of petroleum products were confiscated from them.

    He said the vandals were apprehended while they were scooping fuel from pipes which they allegedly broke, adding that the jerry cans and four unregistered motorcycles were confiscated from them.

    He appealed to members of the public, especially community leaders, to always furnish the command with information on the activities of vandals.

    Jibril also appealed to the state government to look into the command’s request for the relocation of its headquarters. “We have to continue appealing for relocation. The place we occupy now is not suitable for our kind of operation.” We are really desperate to move out of this place,” he said.

     

  • Lobi Stars have nothing to fear in Bauchi- Iorfa

    Lobi Stars have nothing to fear in Bauchi- Iorfa

    Ahead of their Glo Premier League Week 20 clash against Wikki Tourists in Bauchi on Wednesday, Lobi Stars’ Technical Director, Dominic Iorfa believes his wards have nothing to be afraid of when they step out at the Tafawa Balewa Stadium for the crucial league tie.

    Speaking shortly before his teams departure for Bauchi, Iorfa was optimistic that the tie would be devoid of tension but would rather be played in the atmosphere of peace.

    Bauchi is not only a home to Lobi Stars, but we have the highest support base in the city. They backed us both in our domestic (for a whole season) and continental campaigns earlier this season.

    “We shall come with respect and discipline while we pray for fair officiating as Wikki enjoyed in Katsina about two weeks ago,” Iorfa stated.

    The ex-Super Eagles striker however exuded confidence that Lobi’s second stanza outing would be far better than the first as they search for important points both home and away.

    Lobi are 12th with 26 points from 19 games.

     

  • Bauchi lawmaker on suspension for one year

    The Bauchi State House of Assembly yesterday said it had not received a State High Court order to reinstate Mrs Rifkatu Samson Danna, the member representing Bogoro Constituency, who has been on suspension in the past one year.

    The Bauchi lawmakers had slammed an indefinite suspension on the only female member for opposing the relocation of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area headquarters from Tafawa Balewa to Bununu.

    The Assembly’s action was overturned on May 30 by the Bauchi High Court, presided over by the State Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Zango.

    In compliance with the court’s judgment, Mrs. Danna went to the Assembly but was told by the Clerk, Mr. Bala Abdullahi, that he had not received the court order.

    A mild drama followed as the Clerk, who was in his office two minutes before Mrs Danna walked into the Assembly complex, vanished with his deputy and secretary.

    This compelled the Bogoro representative to contact him on his cell phone.

    Mrs Danna, who said she “felt frustrated and insulted as a representative of Bogoro constituency”, was informed that the other lawmakers had relocated to the home of Speaker Yahaya Mohammed Miya at the Government Reservation Area (GRA).

    But Mrs. Danna was not allowed into the Speaker’s home. His security detail and domestic workers told her the “the Speaker is not at home”.

    It was, however, learnt that Miya and other members held a session in his house.

    Mrs. Danna’s efforts to contact the Speaker on phone were unsuccessful.

    According to her, “all his telephone lines that I know have been switched off”.

    Counsel to the lawmaker, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), told The Nation on phone that “she has informed me and I will contact the counsel to the Speaker and Bauchi Assembly before I know what to do next”.

    The Assembly’s Director of Information, Lamaran Abdu Chinade told reporters that Governor Isa Yuguda invited the lawmakers to the inauguration of a community radio in Bununu village”.