The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Birnin Magaji

  • Zamfara Assembly extends tenure of LG chairmen

    The Zamfara State House of Assembly on Wednesday extended the tenure of all the 14 local government chairmen in the state by three months.

    The chairmen, whose three-year tenure expired on Jan. 2, would remain in office till April 2, 2019.

    The assembly however removed from office the vice-chairmen of Zurmi, Birnin-Magaji and Gummi Local Governments.

    The extension was confirmed by the Speaker of the house, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, during the house plenary.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the decision followed a request by the state government to that effect.

    Rikiji said the house accepted and ratified the request in line with Section 15, Sub Section 4 of Zamfara State Local Government Law.

    According to him, the law grants the state governor the right to appoint local government administrators with the confirmation of the house.

    Earlier, the House Leader, Alhaji Isah Abdulmumin, who read the state government’s request in a motion, urged the assembly to approve the request, as the tenure of the chairmen had expired on Jan. 2, 2019.

    The lawmaker representing Maru South constituency, Alhaji Abdullahi Dansadau, had opposed the replacement of the three vice-chairmen, asking the assembly to also allow them continue in office.

    NAN

  • Buhari condemns Zamfara killings

    President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the killing of innocent Nigerians in Birnin Magaji and Magami communities in Tsafe and Maradun local government areas of Zamfara, following attacks by suspected bandits.

    The president made the condemnation in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja on Monday.

    According to the President, a major operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, is being considered to restore peace and stability to affected areas.

    “These horrendous acts of violence are crimes against humanity. This violence must stop,” he said.

    While expressing his deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, the government and people of Zamfara, the President also wished those injured a speedy recovery.

    Buhari said he had authorised an assessment trip to Zamfara and Sokoto states by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq, on Christmas and Boxing days.

    Read Also: Buhari greets Nigerians at Christmas

    He reassured residents of states plagued by bandits — Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger and Taraba, that their safety was an enduring commitment of his administration and he would continue to ensure that security agencies worked round the clock to protect local populations.

    The President conveyed his support to the Nigeria Police Force, which had already deployed Special Forces in each of the local governments in Zamfara and the Defence Headquarters’ deployment of a Special Military Intervention Force comprising more than 1,000 personnel.

    He said the security personnel, which were part of measures, among others, to respond to the security challenges in the North Central and North West, would be intensified to flush out the bandits from the affected areas.

    The President commended Nigerians “for the support to our security agencies who have continued to demonstrate dedication, commitment and bravery even in very difficult and complex operations’’.

    The Police Command in Zamfara had on Sunday confirmed that 17 people were killed in an attack on Magami village of Faru District in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara.

    NAN

  • Vaccination : Zamfara targets 3.2 million for Yellow fever

    Vaccination : Zamfara targets 3.2 million for Yellow fever

    Zamfara Government will vaccinate 3.2 million people during the ongoing yellow fever vaccination campaign, the state Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Lawal Liman, has said.

    Liman said in an interview with reporters in Gusau on Monday that the vaccination would be conducted in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

    “We have already concluded the first phase of the exercise which covers four local government areas of Anka, Gusau, Maru and Maradun and we have recorded great success.

    “We are now on the second phase which would cover ten local government areas of Bungudu, Birnin-Magaji, Bakura, Bukkuyum, Gummi, Kaura-Namoda, Shinkafi Talata-Mafara, Tsafe and Zurmi.

    “We started the second phase of this exercise last four days, we have reached about 40 percent coverage now and it would end in the next six days”, he said.

    According to him, the vaccine is for the people from 9 months to 45 years of age.

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    The commissioner therefore urged residents to cooperate with the government for the success of the exercise.

    He said that, “the reports we are receiving from our officials on the fields is indicating that the exercise is moving smoothly, our people are participating across the state, we have been enlightening them through jingles, programmes on radio and television.

    “We are still calling on stakeholders to continue enlightening members of the public on the importance of the vaccine so as to achieve the desired objective,” Liman added.

    He assured that measures had been put in by all stakeholders including development partners “to reach out to the targeted number of people or beyond at the end of the exercise.”

    NAN

  • Policeman, 15 others killed in Zamfara

    The police in Gusau, Zamfara State, have confirmed the killing of 16 persons, including a policeman, by armed bandits in Maru Local Government Area.

    Police spokesman Lawal Abdullahi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that about 150 armed hoodlums riding on motorcycles carried out the act.

    He said the hoodlums had invaded the three villages of Tungar Rakumi, Mallamawa and Kangarawa on Saturday.

    The police spokesman said 12 persons were killed in Tungar Rakumi; the rest were killed in Mallamawa and Kangarawa.

    ‘’The bandits, who are suspected to have carried out the attack to retaliate the killing of three suspected cattle rustlers by the community in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area last week, were armed with AK 47 rifles,’’ Abdullahi said.

    He said the police patrol team in the area fought back and over-powered the hoodlums, who escaped with other members of the gang, who were injured during the encounter.

    The spokesman lamented that the police always faced difficulties in trailing hoodlums in the area due to inaccessible terrain and non-availability of telephone network signals.

    He, however, assured that despite the shortcomings, the police would continue to make the state difficult for criminals to operate in.

    Abdullahi urged the people to always notify the nearest security outfit of any suspicious movement in their areas.