The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Hadejia

  • NIRSAL acquires 10,000 hectares for wheat farming in Jigawa

    In a bid to boost wheat farming activities, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has acquired 10,000 hectares of land in Jigawa.

    The NIRSAL National Coordinator, Wheat Project, Mr Olu Anyo, made the disclosure during land preparation for the project at Hago village in Hadejia.

    According to Anyo, the move will boost wheat farming activities in the state and the country for food sufficiency and also increase farmers’ income.

    He said that the organisation had earmarked N285,000 for cultivation of each hectare, saying that the money would be paid to the farmers in form of farm inputs and not cash.

    The NIRSAL boss said that part of the organisation’s mandate was mobilizing funds for agribusiness.

    “We mobilize finances for Nigerian Agribusiness by using credit guarantees to address the risk of default.

    “We also reduce the cost of borrowing by agricultural producers from commercial banks,’’ Anyo said.

    Read Also: ‘Agric mechanization will help feed our growing population’

    In his speech, the state Wheat Project Coordinator, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, said the cultivation area would cover Ringim, Miga and Hadejia Local Government Areas.

    He said that 100 tractors had been acquired for clearing the land along the Hadejia valley.

    The NIRSAL was launched in 2011.

    It was incorporated in 2013 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a dynamic, holistic 500 million U.S. dollar public-private initiative to define, measure, price and share agribusiness-related credit risks.

    The goal of NIRSAL is to trigger an agricultural industrialization process through increased production and processing of the greater part of what is produced to boost economic earnings across the value chain.

  • Seven die, three injured in Jigawa auto crash

    Seven persons on Wednesday lost their lives in an auto crash along Hadejia to Kaugama road in Jigawa.

    Mr Angus Ibezim, Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state, who confirmed the incident, told our reporter that four others sustained various degrees of injury.

    He said the accident, which involved a Cetroen car and tanker vehicle, occurred at about 7 a.m, and was caused by excessive speeding and poor visibility caused by rainfall.

    Ibezim said the victims are cattle dealers and were on their way to Gaidam town in Yobe State when the accident occurred.

    According to him, the car, which is supposed to carry eight persons, was conveying 11 passengers.

    “The FRSC is therefore advising motorists to desist from speeding, overloading and driving when visibility is not clear, particularly as the rainy season has set in,” he added.

    Ibezim further said that the corps recovered N1,216,870 million, six mobile phones, clothes and lamp belonging to the deceased, saying that the recovered money and items would be handed over to their relations.

  • Fire kills triplets, brother in Jigawa

    Fire kills triplets, brother in Jigawa

    A fire outbreak has killed Triplets and their brother in Hadejia town, Jigawa, according to the Spokesman of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, Mr  Adamu Shehu.

    Shehu told the reporters on Monday that the fire was caused by a spark from an electric appliance.

    He gave the names of the triplets as Hassan Sale, Hussain Sale and Muhusin Sale, and their elder brother, Aliyu Sale, all of the same family.

    He said the incident occurred on Jan. 20 at about 10:45 p.m.

    Read Also: Fire kills 83-year-old woman, 40 cows destroyed in Jigawa

    “On Jan. 20, at about 10:45 p.m, there was a fire disaster at the residence of one Alhaji Sale Tela of Tudun Tanda quarters in Hadejia town.

    “The fire caused the death of triplets and their younger brother namely: Hassan Sale, Hussaini Sale, Muhsin Sale aged 5 and Aliyu Sale aged 2.

    “It also consumed property worth of thousands of Naira.

    “The causative agent we suspect is an electric spark from a water boiler,” the spokesman said.

    He advised the public to exercise caution while handling electrical appliances, particularly during the Harmattan so as forestall fire outbreak.

    NAN

  • Durbar fiesta at Kaduna centenary

    Durbar fiesta at Kaduna centenary

    One thousand decorated horses and a herd of adorned camels were part of the spectacle as Kaduna marked its 100th anniversary.

    It is a day of royalty, trumpets and decorated horses and camels. But the more Kaduna State residents witness the durbar the more they want to see it again. That was the case at the weekend when about 3,000 colourfully decorated horses and camels came out of the stables of 11 influential emirates in Northern Nigeria.

    It was a grand ‘Durbar’ in honour of Kaduna city and its people on the occasion of its centenary celebration. Royalty and culture were on display to the amusement and delight of dignitaries and thousands who converged on the popular Murtala Muhammed Square, Kaduna for the occasion.

    The durbar is a popular culture in Northern Nigeria dating back hundreds of years to the time when the Emirates (states) in the region used horses in warfare. It is a fiesta for special occasions in such Emirates as Katsina, Borno, Kano, Zazzau, Keffi, Bauchi and Bida, among others.

    The last time a grand durbar like the one display at the weekend was seen was 40 years ago during the Festival of Arts and Culture, popularly known as (FESTAC) 77. On that occasion, Emirates from across the North participated in the traditional horse event. Elderly people like the present Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris who participated in the 1977 FESTAC Durbar can tell the story better.

    Prior to the FESTAC 77, durbar was a display of war strength with each town, district, and the nobility contributing a regiment to the defense of the Emirate. Once or twice a year, the Emirate’s military chiefs invited the various regiments for a durbar (military parade) for the Emir and his chiefs. During the parade, regiments would showcase their horsemanship, their preparedness for war, and their loyalty to the Emirate.

    Today, Durbar has become a festival in honour of visiting heads of state and even event to commemorate the two great Muslim festivals, Eid-el Fitri at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and Eid-el Kabir.

    The centenary event saw traditional rulers of Borno, Kano, Zazzau, Katsina, Gombe, Bida, Zazzau, Bauchi, Hadejia, Misau and Keffi among others leading teams of horse riding warriors and displaying their different cultures.

    The traditional music played with drums and trumpets to accompany the durbar was rythymical, with gunshots in the air.

    The colourful centenary celebrations, according to Kaduna State government, was to showcase the rich history of the city, as the capital city of the Northern Nigeria, the rich cultural heritage of the North and to open up sources of revenue for all the state governments through promotion of tourism and boost the economy of the Northern states.

    Kaduna became the capital of the northern protectorate in 1914, when the colonial Governor General, Lord Fredrick Lugard relocated the capital from Zungeru, Niger State, to Kaduna.

    The city served as the capital of the northern region before the creation of states and has remained the political capital of the north even with the creation of states.

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai said, “Kaduna is a Borno city because the state’s first indigenous governor was Shettima Kashim Ibrahim who was also a title holder in Borno State.

    “And we chose the present Shehu of Borno to lead today’s durbar because coincidentally, his grandfather led the first durbar in 1956 while his father led the FESTAC durbar in 1977. Also, the incumbent Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, rode on the 1977 FESTAC durbar when he was much a younger Emir. This history was related to us by our royal Father, the Emir of Zazzau”, the Governor said.

    Aside the Emirs who led Durbar, other important personalities like the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno, Governor Aminu Bello Masari, Deputy Governors of Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau as well as Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and a host of others, captain of industries graced the occasion, while President Muhammadu Buhari was represented by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alh Muhammad Bello.

    The President said Kaduna is the melting point of Nigeria’s politics, saying it had played a significant role in the region as well as Nigeria, adding that, the city was destined to play significant role in the development of Northern region and Nigeria at large.

    Buhari stressed that, celebrating the 100 years of Kaduna’s existence as a political capital is by no means a child’s, thus his happiness that the celebration is happening under a progressive government .

    He said, “I have noted with admiration that the state has achieved alot under Governor Nasir Ahmed Elrufai who is a progressive governor as he has started implementing the vision he wants to see the state attain in the next 100 years”.

    The President reiterated the determination of his administration to solve the power problem bedevilling the nation, saying, once this is done, many industries in Kaduna that are in comatose will be back as well as other states in the country.

    El-rufai remarked that the state occupies an important position in Nigeria, saying, apart from being one of the oldest cities in the country it was the pioneer administrative headquarters in the Northern Nigeria.

    To this end, after 100 years of being a state  it has become imperative to celebrate the greatness it had attained with the view of laying a solid foundation for the future.

    According to the state governor, they have a duty to do so for posterity,pointing out, the centenary celebration will therefore showcase the rich history of Kaduna as well as showcase it’s rich cultural heritage of the region.

    He said the event will promote tourism, boost the economy of the Northern states and promote unity.

    “It is a great pleasure and honour to be hosting our guests to Kaduna’s Centenary Celebration. We know Kaduna can be better and we are determined to regain its glory,” he said.

    “We pay tribute to those who made this city, and we honour the resilience of its residents. We must make the next century one of peace, harmony and prosperity.”

    “Thus, we celebrate the first 100 years of Kaduna, not because they have been perfect. We celebrate, not because there have not been regrettable incidents in this city. We celebrate because the promise of Kaduna endures.

    “We celebrate because its residents are resilient. We celebrate because there is a future, a chance to reclaim the glory, break new ground and make Kaduna an example of diversity and integration, a dynamo of progress and a model of development.

    “We celebrate because the stains

    and losses of the past are not our destiny. We celebrate because we know that we can be better, and Kaduna is ready to be great again”, he said.

  • Toad sellers make brisk business in Jigawa

    Toad sellers make brisk business in Jigawa

    Toad sellers are recording high sales in Hadejia, Jigawa, due to the growing demand of the aquatic animals, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.

    Toad is an amphibian animal with a drier and less smooth skin that lives on land but breeds in water. It is a frog family with long back legs for jumping.

    Toads are of different species and not all are eatable or good for human consumption, as some of it produced dangerous poison.

    Althouh it is not on the popular menu in the north, but it is in high demand in some communities in central and southern parts of the country.

    A NAN check at the Hadejia market showed that toad sellers were making brisk businesses due to a significant increase in the demand for the animals.

    A big stick, which contains about 20 toads, was being sold for N1, 000 and a small size-stick with 10 toads attracts N450.

    Traders at the market described the trade as lucrative in view of the growing market.

    Alhaji Haruna Shuaibu, a dealer, said that he was making good sales due to the rise in the demand of toads.

    Shuaibu explained that the demand had surpassed the supply, adding that the animals were very rare in the dry season.

    “Toad trade is good; it attracted many people due to its lucrative nature.

    “Buyers are coming to the market from other states to buy.

    “They preferred dried toads, but some buy fresh ones,” he said.

    According to him, traders at the market transport hundreds of sticks of toads to other parts of the country on weekly basis.

    Zakari Hadi, a toad hunter, said that he was making between N2, 000 and N3, 000 from the sales of toads, adding that this enables him to meet his basic financial needs.

    Hadi said that he used nets to trap and catch the toads, adding that the animals were available at ponds in the area.

    He explained that toads are of different species, which were categorised into those that are poisonous and those that are edible.

    He said toad hunting was hectic because it requires skills to enable one identify the type of toad to catch.

    “We catch toads in waters and sometimes we dig them out from the mud on the river bank.

    “The toads are arranged on a stick and spread in the open for days to dry,” he added.

    Another trader, Mr Sam Akiboh, said that he used to come to the market from Benue to buy toads.

    Akiboh said it was in high demand in his area due to its good taste  and low  price.

    “I make about N20, 000 gains from the sales of toads weekly”.

    Miss Phoebe John and Gabriel Tondo, who corroborated Akiboh, said they made good savings from toad’s trade.

    They called on the government to adopt measures to encourage toad farming.

    NAN reports that the Jigawa Government had in 2000 introduced commercial toad farming but the programme was abandoned by the successive administration.

    The programme was designed to accelerate toad production for export, provided job opportunities and boost state’s revenue base.
    Hadejia was selected as a pilot producing area due to the abundance of fish, toads and other aquatic species found in Hadejia River.

     

  • Association identifies lands for date palm cultivation in Jigawa

    The Association of Date Palm Growers in Jigawa says it has identified over 15 parcels of land that are suitable for date palm cultivation in the state.

    The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Abubakar Yakubu, said this on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.
    He said that the identified lands were in Hadejia, Kazaure, Ringim, KafinHausa, Dutse, Gumel, Gwaram and Birninkudu Local Government Areas of the state.
    Yakubu said that the lands were suitable for date palm growing because of their wet nature.
    “These lands we identified are very good and suitable for the production of date palm because they are wet lands.
    “In short, when date palm is growing on them, you don’t need to water it and we considered this as cost saving.
    “And we identified over 15 of such lands in some local government areas of the state; we are hoping to find more,’’ he said.

    Yakubu, therefore, called for the intervention of the federal and state governments in efforts to develop such lands in order to boost date palm production in the state.He also urged the federal and state governments to include date palm growers in their agricultural development programmes, so as to provoke mass production of the fruit.

    Yakubu stressed that the government support for date palm growers would encourage production and exportation of date palm fruits.He said that this would further improve the socio-economic lives of people, particularly the residents of the areas where the date palm was grown.
    He said that the government’s intervention would also enable date palm producers to learn modern techniques and skills to boost their activities.
    “Since the two governments promised to develop agriculture, we therefore call for the expansion of their agricultural support programmes to include date palm production.
    “Such support is essential to enable us to produce in large quantity and export,’’ he said.
    Yakubu also called for the training of the date palm producers in modern preservation techniques to encourage the production of “hygienic fruit’’.
    He, however, commended the Dutse Date Palm Sub-Station of National Institute for Palm Oil Research (NIPOR) for supporting the date palm growers in the neighbourhood with improved seedlings and other inputs so as to boost their productivity.

    NAN reports that date palm is widely grown in Jigawa, while its capital, Dutse, which is known for different species of date palm, has a large population of date palm growers.