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Tag: Bida

  • Victims of Niger market fire get relief materials

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has distributed relief materials worth millions of naira to about 862 victims of Minna and Bida market fire disasters.

    The Bida and Minna fire disasters occurred in February 2018 and January 2019 where traders lost millions to the fire incidents.

    The relief materials distributed include roofing sheets, cements, ceiling boards and nails.

    The flag off distribution for Bida market fire was done in Bida local government area while the relief materials for Minna market fire were distributed to the victims at the Abdulkadir Kure ultra- modern market Minna.

    READ ALSO: NEMA distributes materials to bandit attack victims in Kwara

    The NEMA Head of Operation in Charge of Niger and Kwara, Mrs. Lydia Wagami, said the federal government was concerned on the effect of the fire to the government the people which is the reason for the relief materials.

    “The relief materials show the Federal government is concerned about the plight of the shop owners who lost their goods, hence government provides relief materials to cushion the effects of the disaster,” she said.

    The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Etsu Nupe, who received the relief materials on behalf of the victims for distribution, commended the gesture and called on government to support the victims with cash as capital for their businesses.

    He added that the government has planned to reconstruct the market to make it more befitting for business activities to strive.

    The victims whose shops were burnt down in the Minna Market during the distribution appreciated the federal government for the gesture.

    They said it will go a long way to help them in getting their business up.

    One of the most affected victims, Mr. Chima Sylva, thanked the federal government for the relief materials and said that the gesture will assist him to roof his shops that were burnt.

    Malam Mustapha Mohammed commended the Federal government and said that the intervention would cushion the effects of the disaster.

  • CBN revokes nine micro-finance banks’ licences

    The National Association of Micro Finance Banks on Monday said that nine out of the 34 micro finance banks in Niger have lost their operational banking licences.

    Mr Sado Daniel, North Central Secretary of the association made the remark in Bida while inaugurating a micro-finance bank established by the Federal Polytechnic, Bida.

    “These micro-finance banks lost their licences because they fell short during the regulation exercise carried out by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),’’ he said.

    He said that non adherence to corporate governance contributed to the collapse of the banks, urging the management and staff members of the new bank to adhere strictly to the rules establishing it.

    “Banks do not die, people kill them; please do not kill the Federal Polytechnic Bida Micro-Finance Bank; ensure you adhere strictly to the rules of the game,’’ he said.

    Similarly, Hajia Hajara Mohammed, a representative of the CBN in Minna, said that insider abuse was another huge factor that contributed to the failure of micro-finance banks across the country.

    Mohammed urged business people to stop diverting loans collected from banks to other purposes such as marriage among other things different from what the loan was meant for.

    Read Also: Supreme Court condemns APC, Appeal Court handling of Rivers congresses

    According to her, “until we stop using business money and loans to get married and buy clothes, businesses in the country will not progress.’’
    She called on the people to work toward ensuring that all loans collected were paid back to enable them to benefit more.

    “If you don’t return your loans there is no way you will benefit from loans being made available by the Federal Government through the CBN,’’ she said.

    Earlier, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, the Rector of the polytechnic, said that the micro-finance bank was established with a capital base of N20 million adding that it would be increased to N50 million by the year 2019.

    Dzukogi, who is also Chairman, Board of Directors of the micro-finance bank, said the bank would make banking easy for students and staff members of the polytechnic.

    He also said that the measure would ease the cashless policy being planned by the CBN.

  • NiMet predicts nationwide thunderstorms, rains for Saturday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted that thunderstorms and rainfalls would prevail over most parts of the country on Saturday.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Friday, predicted prospects of thunderstorm and moderate rains over the central states in the morning hours.

    It also predicted scattered thunderstorm over Abuja, Lafia, Jos, Minna, Bida, Ilorin and Lokoja during afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 25 to 30 and 16 to 24 degrees Celsius.

    The agency predicted thunderstorms over the northern cities with cloudy morning over Maiduguri, Dutse, Nguru, Potiskum and Adamawa axis.

    Read Also: NiMet predicts thunderstorms, rains for Wednesday

    It further predicted that northwestern cities would be cloudy while thunderstorm was envisaged over the northeastern part with day and night temperatures of 27 to 32 and 20 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, thunderstorms and moderate rains over the southern region in the morning with light rains over southwest inland.

    “Thunderstorms are envisaged over southeast inland and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the afternoon and evening hours with day and Night temperatures of 27 to 31 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively,” NiMet predicted.

  • Black Saturday at Bida

    •      ‘How students, drivers clash started’

    One of those involved in the dispute that led to Saturday’s bloody clash between commercial bus drivers and students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida (BIDA POLY) in Niger State, Sadiq Ahmad, has relived how it all started. He blamed the destruction in the town on hoodlums, who, he said, hijacked the students’ protest. MAHMUD ABDULSALAM reports.

    Bida is a quiet Nupe province in Niger State. But last Saturday, it was the epicentre of bloodshed when students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida (BIDA Poly) and some members of the school’s host community clashed. Three persons, including a student died; many others were injured.

    The fracas, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, started following an argument between some students and a commercial bus driver at the Etsu Yahaya Abubakar Motor Park. The students, it was learnt, travelled to Bida from Minna, the Niger State capital, on Saturday evening. The argument degenerated into a skirmish, with  some drivers wounding the students.

    When others on campus heard what happened, they trooped out, smashing vehicles’windscreens and destroying shops and properties at the motor park. The protesters barricaded all access roads to the institution.

    The drivers’union fought back, with clubs, iron rods, machetes and daggers.

    Sadiq Ahmad, one of the five students involved in the dispute with the drivers, blamed it all on the drivers.

    Sadiq, who sustained a fracture on his leg, denied that students were responsible for the destruction of properties. He said some motor park thugs hijacked the protest to unleash mayhem in the town.

    He said: “We went to the park peacefully to demand the money we had paid as fare from Minna to Bida, since the driver did not take us to our hostels as agreed before we left Minna. Mid-way into the negotiation, an argument ensued. A member of the transport workers’ union at the park slapped a student, saying he was rude. We reacted and they pounced on the rest of us. Some of our colleagues were injured. This is what led to the fight.

    “The fight spilled over to the town and students quickly fled for safety when the drivers brought out deadly weapons. We did not destroy anything in the town. Touts around the motor park used the opportunity to loot shops and vandalise property.”

    A worker at the park, Zakari Yanda, confirmed that the dispute started when the driver broke his agreement with the students.

    Yanda said: “The quarrel was between a driver of a Sharon Bus and five students. We learnt that the driver asked the students to disembark from the bus against the agreement reached with them. Then, an argument ensued.The students were adamant, insisting that bus driver must convey them to their off-campus hostels as agreed before departing Minna.

    “When the driver refused to do so, the students demanded the refund of their fare since the driver breached the agreement. But, colleagues of the driver and some youths in the town asked the driver not to refund their fare. The students were assaulted on the spot and they left.”

    It was gathered that students mobilised themselves to the park on Sunday morning to fight back.

    A woman-trader at the park, Mrs Rebecca Salisu, who witnessed the skirmish, said: “We were frightened how the warring parties pounced on one another. When they started to exchange punches and hit one another with dangerous items, we fled. Some properties were vandalised. Several persons were injured during the fight. For hours, the entire town was enveloped in chaos.”

    She said the fracas could have been prevented if some drivers did not support their colleagues to assult the students.

    A Students Union Government (SUG) official, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, rejected the claim that the president and some students, led the  protest to the motor park.

    He said the drivers had, on many occasions, dealt with students, noting that the students could no longer tolerate the drivers’ brutality.

    The union official accused the drivers of causing the violence, noting that the students who visited the park went for settlement, but were attacked by the drivers.

    A student said the protesters “boldly challenged” the drivers to send a “strong message”to those who attack students at will.

    He said: “It beggars belief that harmless students will be treated cruelly by people of Bida town. We reacted violently because we were pushed to the wall. I was among the students manhandled and thoroughly beaten at the park. If nobody came to our defence, then nobody should blame us for the revenge we sought.”

    The deployment of a team of soldiers, riot policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) forestalled further bloodshed and destruction of properties.

    A student, Mubarak Alhassan, with a bandaged face, was stabbed multiple times in the head. He said he could have been lynched by the drivers, if not for some elders in the town who rescued him. He said the drivers used planks, clubs and iron rods on him and other students who were fleeing for safety.

    The security operatives arrested some people. It was learnt that students fled their off-campus hostels for fear of being arrested. The injured are at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Bida.

    CAMPUSLIFE spoke with the Rector, Dr Abubakar Dzukugi, who expressed concern over the destruction.

    He praised the security agencies for their intervention, saying: “Efforts will be intensified to calm frayed nerves. I appeal to students and the commercial drivers to allow peace to return. Violence must not be used to settle simple disagreement. It only escalates tension. Students and members of their host community should learn to co-habit and live harmoniously.”

    Dzukugi said a seven-man committee had been constituted to investigate the violence, noting that it would determine how to prevent a reoccurence.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abubakar Muhammad, said investigation was on to unravel the cause of the mayhem. Culprits would face the law, he said.

    He said security personnel would remain in the town for now, appealing to residents and students to eschew violence.

    At the time of this report, charred motorcycles, bonfire ashes and vandalised vehicles littered some strategic places in the town.

  • NiMet predicts cloudy skies, heavy rains on Friday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the Central states of the country on Friday

    It also said there were high chances of thunderstorms over Abuja, Lafia, Kaduna, Jos, Bida and Makurdi in the morning hours.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Thursday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 25 to 37 and 16 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that thunderstorms were likely over Lokoja, Bauchi, Mambila plateau and Jos later in the day.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy skies over the inland cities with chances of thunderstorms and moderate rains over Awka, Enugu, Akure, Benin, Ado-Ekiti, Abeokuta and Osogbo.

    It further predicted prospective thunderstorms and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the morning.

    It said there were greater chances of heavy rains over the region later in the day with day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 35 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience cloudy conditions throughout the forecast period with thunderstorm activities over Sokoto, Gusau, Katsina, Kano and Yelwa in the morning hours.

    “Northern states will also have day and night temperatures in the ranges of 36 to 43 and 24 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively throughout the forecast period.

    “Cloudy conditions are expected over some selected cities with prospects of thunderstorm activities and moderate rains in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicts.

    NAN

  • NiMet predicts cloudy skies, rain showers on Wednesday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the central states of the country on Wednesday morning with chances of localised rain showers over Abuja, Minna, Bida, Ilorin, Lokoja, Mambilla and Jalingo axis.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Tuesday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 33 to 41 and 25 to 28 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that places like Yola, Jos, Kaduna and Makurdi axis were expected to be under the influence of localised thunderstorms during afternoon and evening hours.

    The agency predicted that the southern States would experience cloudy conditions with chances of isolated thunderstorms over Ogoja, Ikom, Obudu and environs in the morning hours.

    It also predicted isolated thunderstorms over the southwest and coastal axis during the afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 32 to 35 and 21 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern States will experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions in the morning hours with chances of localised thunderstorm over Maiduguri and Kebbi axis.

    “Northern States are expected to have day and night temperatures in the range of 43 to 43 and 26 to 30 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “With moisture as far as the extreme north, thunderstorms are probable across the country within the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicts.

    NAN

     

  • Corruption can’t be wiped out anywhere – Oyegun

    The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said Tuesday that it was practically impossible to completely wipe out corruption from any society, but said the Buhari government will ensure that corruption is degraded to the extent where it will no longer have impact on the nation’s economy.

    Chief Oyegun who spoke when he received the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida who came to inform him of the decision to confer on him the Polytechnic Fellow also said that uncharitable Nigerians will not give the government credit for degrading the Boko Haram insurgency which no longer has the capacity to hoist its flag anywhere in the country.

    Oyegun will be honoured alongside Governors Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state, Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar at the institution’s combined convocation ceremony scheduled for March 28, 2018.

    Oyegun said even though there still challenges facing the nation, the Buhari government has taken drastic measure to address some of the ills facing the country, pointing out that while corruption is fighting back, it is no longer business as usual in the country.

    He said the country was in such a situation that it needed a man of courage to establish stability in the country and create an enabling environment for the economy to thrive, stressing that inspire of the challenges, the APC government headed by President Muhammadu Buhari has delivered in its promises.

    Chief Oyegun said the current government has been able to tame the Boko Haram insurgency to the extent that they no longer has the capacity to occupy any part of the country, but only attack soft targets.

    Oyegun said: “It is the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, a leadership that has been impossible for the opponents to distract or to derail that has made some of the things done so far possible. Yes, there are still challenges. As you rightly said, we took over in very difficult circumstances and one fundamental problem was the collapse of the price of oil in the international oil market.

    “The condition was such that we needed an extra ordinary man of courage to be able to lead the country out of the crisis that we inherited, to the increasing stability of economy and the progress that this nation is clearly beginning to attain. So, I consider that I am receiving this award on behalf of the President and government of this nation who has performed such tremendous miracle in reviving the Nigerian economy in a situation of declining resources.

    “We know how the fight against corruption is going on and that corruption is fighting back. It is not a problem you solve with the flip of a switch because corruption is very rich, it is very wealth and elitist and it is fighting back. But the President has a single mind about taming that scourge and tame it we will. 

    “We know now that corruption today is not as it was before. You can no longer take money from the government coffer and distribute to politicians and the rest of them. That alone is already a benefit and all the leakages have all been blocked. 

    “Nobody is saying that corruption has been wiped out because there is no country in the world where corruption has been wiped out, but it is being tackled in Nigeria and will degraded to the extent that it will no longer be a threat to the national economy or become an acceptable way of lodging business.

    “Boko Haram is tamed, but uncharitable people will go and say there are still explosions and killings. As at yesterday, there was still explosion in tenUnited States of America. 

    “Those crazy isolated incidents are aimed at soft targets. When a person is crazy and aiming at soft target, it is only God and inspiration that can stop such people. But what is clear is that Boko Haram has been totally degraded to the extent that it does not occupy any inch of Nigerian territory where it can raise its flag.

    “A lot of facilities are being out on ground especially the modern railway system that is going to be the bedrock of development in this country. You cannot carry meaningful development on trucks on the High way. 

    “It has to be carried on a modern railway system and the President has made that a priority and today we can say that on the implementation plan it now, is 5000 kilometer of modern standard gauge of railway line cutting across the entire length and breadth of this country.”

    Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Dr. Abubakar Dzukogi said the Polytechnic decided to honour the APC National Chairman because of his achievement in leading the party to a major victory in the 2015 election, and putting in place a government that achieved a lot in repositioning the country.

    Describing Oyegun as a master strategist and a silent achiever, the Rector said the achievement of the Buhari government in repositioning the country, especially in the area of security and agriculture among others was worth commending.

    Read Also: Kalu to Buhari: probe Obasanjo to prove your anti-corruption war

  • IFAD distributes N8.6m rice processing equipment to farmers

    IFAD distributes N8.6m rice processing equipment to farmers

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD ) – Value Chain Development Programme ( VCDP ) on Tuesday distributed rice processing equipment worth N8.6 million to five women farmers groups in Niger.

    The State Programme Coordinator ( SPC ), Dr. Mathew Ahmed, while distributing the equipment to the farmers in Minna on Tuesday, said the measure would go a long way in creating jobs.

    According to him, it will also ensure that local rice farmers produce the crop in line with international best practices.

    “We are here today to distribute rice processing machines to our farmers to enable them produce rice that will compete favourably with the foreign rice.

    “Many of the foreign rice we eat today in Nigeria are not better than our local rice because they are expired but our local rice is fresh.

    Read also: Edo, Delta, Cross River fish farmers get equipment

    “Some of the foreign rice we eat constitute health hazards, hence the need for VCDP to ensure food security,’’ he said.

    The equipment distributed included five rice de-stoners, 10 rice parboilers, and 46 manual sprayers.

    The coordinator said IFAD-VCDP would subsidise the cost of the equipment.

    He explained that the groups selected from the five participating local government areas in the VCDP applied for the equipment.

    The local governments include Bida, Wushishi, Kontagora, Shiroro and Katcha.

    He said that aside training the farmers in mechanised farming in the value chain, the programme also trained them in using first-bottom approach to parboil rice.

    “We are presently working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC ) and Standards Organisation of Nigeria ( SON ) to make sure that our farmers adhere to international best practices that will make their product accepted across the globe,’’ he said.

    He said that there were 13,000 farmers participating in rice and cassava value chain in the state.

    In her remarks, Dr Amina Bello, wife of the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello commended IFAD-VCDP, saying that it had added value to the state’s agriculture drive.

    She was represented by Mrs Kaltume Rufai, the Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

    Bello urged the beneficiaries to utilise the equipment to ensure success of the programme.

    Responding on behalf of one of the beneficiary groups,  Hajiya Hadiza Yunusa, Chairman, Nufawamasu Gumi Rice Producers Association, Bida said that before the coming of IFAD-VCDP the colour of their rice was not attractive and contained impurities.

    Yunusa said that the VCDP had trained them on modern ways of cultivating, processing and marketing rice.

    “Now we sell our rice and cassava to other West African countries, our customers even book in advance,’’ Yunusa said.

    NAN

  • Thunderstorms, cloudy weather to prevail on Wednesday – NiMet

    Thunderstorms, cloudy weather to prevail on Wednesday – NiMet

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted morning thunderstorms over the Central states on Wednesday with isolated thunderstorms over Bauchi, Jos, Kaduna, Mambila Plateau, Bida, Ilorin, Lafia and Abuja later in the day.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office (CFO) on Tuesday in Abuja also predicted day and night temperatures of 26 to 30 and 16 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    The agency predicted that Southern states would experience cloudy conditions over the southwestern cities with prospects of isolated rains over the Southeast during the morning hours.

    It also predicted prospects of rains over the region in the afternoon and evening hours with day and night temperatures of 27 to 30 and 21 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience morning cloudy conditions over Sokoto, Yelwa and Gusau with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Katsina, Kano and the Northeastern region.

    “During the afternoon period, Northeast and parts of Northwest Sokoto, Kebbi and Kano will experience isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon with day and night temperatures of 29 to 30 and 21 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

    “Increased atmospheric instability leading to buildup of weather systems over the Country is expected to enhance rainfall activities within the next 24 hours,’’ NiMet predicted.

     

  • Muslims, sustain your good acts after Ramadan – Etsu Nupe

    Muslims, sustain your good acts after Ramadan – Etsu Nupe

    The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has urged Muslims to sustain their good acts and behaviour beyond the one-month period of the Ramadan fast.

    He made the call while addressing his subjects who visited him in his Wadata Palace on Saturday in Bida, Niger.

    He said “we should strive to maintain our God-fearing acts which we exhibited during the fasting period.

    “As Muslims, we must strive to maintain all the good deeds we showed during the fasting period and shun the evil and devilish acts we abstained from during the Holy month.

    “Such good behaviours include abstaining from adultery, cheating, stealing, alcoholism, drug abuse and other secret sins.

    “I pray that almighty Allah accepts our prayers and the Ramadan fast and urge the Muslim Ummah never to return to abominable acts after the fast.”

    The monarch said it was only with the fear of Allah that Muslims would meet their needs and enjoy their possessions on earth.

    He appealed to well-to-do Muslims in the country to assist the less privileged with food items and other basic needs.

    He also urged Muslims to always pray for national peace and progress and tolerate one another for sustained unity in the country.

    He noted that the two major religions in the country preached peace, unity and love, stressing that without peace and unity, socio-economic development would continue to elude any society devoid of it.

    The royal father called on leaders at all levels to lead the people with the fear of God, saying “leaders should always remember that they would all account for their deeds on the day of reckoning.”