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Tag: Ilorin

  • Thugs attack Osinbajo’s convoy in Ilorin

    Political thugs suspected to have sympathies for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday allegedly attacked the convoy of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

    The attack is said to have culminated in life-threatening gunshots, which left at least two supporters of the APC injured.

    Many others allegedly got seriously injured while running for their lives.

    But a police source revealed the incident, which happened around Isale-Koko, Ilorin suburb, occurred when the Vice President’s convoy had left the area.

    When contacted, spokesperson of the state police command Ajayi Okasanmi could not confirm the incident.

    Reacting on the development APC governorship candidate in the state Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq condemned “the brazen attack today in Ilorin on the convoy of the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo by armed PDP thugs.”

    In a statement by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, Abdulrazaq said: “The vice president was at Isale Aluko suburb of Ilorin on a door-to-door campaign when some dare-devil gunmen opened fire at his convoy which included thousands of APC members and supporters.

    “In what is a reminiscence of the Offa robbery, this attack is the height of recklessness on the part of these street urchins who have long been empowered and armed by the discredited dynasty to terrorise our community and anyone who has contrary views to their amala politics.

    Read Also: I have not resigned, says Osinbajo

    “Coming just a day after two of our supporters were killed in Ojoku in the convoy of our senatorial candidate Architect Lola Ashiru, this is becoming too much and the madness must stop.

    “Going into an election with these thugs clearly on the loose is an existential threat not just to all of us challenging the misrule in our state but to the entire people of the state and their properties.

    “We call for immediate arrest and prosecution of these thugs. We also demand investigations to reveal those who gave the orders for these deadly attacks.

    “We call for all measures to be taken to ensure safety of lives and properties and sanctity of the ballot box in Kwara and beyond.

    “No one’s political interest should be at the expense of human lives and their properties.

    “We insist that a political contest is a contest of ideas and no one must be allowed to cow or kill others in the process.”

  • Absence of defence counsel stalls Offa robbery case

    Absence of defence counsel Mathias Emeribe yesterday stalled the continuation of hearing of the Offa robbery suspects at the Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.

    The case had been adjourned till February 19 and 20 for continuation of examination of witnesses by the prosecution.

    The accused, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salaudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran were in court yesterday.

    Prosecution counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole told the court that Mr. Emeribe called and sent text message to him on what he described as “life threatening experience on the road” and suggested adjournment, which the court reluctantly agreed with.

    Justice Halima Saleeman expressed disappointment about the absence of the defence counsel.

    She said the prosecution counsel should have asked for details of the “life threatening experience” of the defence counsel.

    “Does it mean that he won’t step out of his room till after the national elections? I can’t fathom this excuse and explanation, for someone to sit in the comfort of his house and be sending text messages. This court is only interested in timely dispensation of the matter and any delay can put the court in jeopardy,” the judge said.

    She, thereafter, adjourned hearing till March 14 and 15.

    Addressing reporters after the sitting, Prof. Egbewole said the defence counsel called him on Sunday and also sent a text message to him on Tuesday that he could not be in court, suggesting a date after the elections.

    He said: “This is just to show on the part of the prosecution that we’ve arranged our witnesses because we have them here from Plateau and Zamfara states, to ensure that the matter proceeds. But here we are.”

     

  • Buhari leads ‘Berlin Wall must fall’ mission to Kwara

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) leaders were in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, yesterday. Their mission was to perfect plans for the fall of what they called “The Berlin Wall”.

    They urged the people to free themselves from the stranglehold of a political figure, who, according to them, has done nothing to reciprocate their support.

    It was at the presidential campaign rally led by President Muhammadu Buhari, who restated his administration commitment to bringing those who abuse trust before the law. The rally held at the Metropolitan Square in Ilorin.

    He added that funds recovered from looters would be reinvested into the infrastructural development.

    The President said. “We are going to continue to take those who abuse trust before the law; collect what they have stolen and reinvest them in infrastructure.

    “I assure you that the undertaking we made in 2015 in the three major issues All Progressives Congress (APC) believes in (security, economy and fight against corruption), we have not failed.

    “Wherever I go I repeat myself on these issues so as to remind you where this country was before we came in, where we are in now and what we are able to do with the resources that are at our disposal. The people of the Northeast, as far as security is concerned, are major witnesses of our performance.

    “On the economy, we thank God the three previous rainy seasons were good. We made fertiliser available and reduced the prices it used to be. People are now back to the farm and nobody regretted it. We have been able to ensure food security and people are living respectable lives; in fighting corruption, we are not going to give up.”

    APC stalwart and Co-Chairman of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said that Kwarans had over the years, been held captive by one man.

    He said: “This is celebration of Kwara state’s freedom. It’s being long they have been swindling your collective patrimony… We are not here for conspiracy. We are not here to quarrel with the Saraki dynasty as Gbemisola Saraki is with us.

    “She is a scion of the Sarakis. We are here to reject overlord. We are here to say ‘no’ to Bukola’s enslavement. He is a betrayer. We are chastising Bukola Saraki. This is the celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This is the celebration of the end of oligarchy; the emperor that has been existing for years.”

    Adams Oshiohmole told the crowd of supporters that the end of the Saraki dynasty had come.

    He presented the party’s flag to the APC governorship candidate AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

    The APC National Chairman said: “For Bukola, it is finished. I cannot wait till Saturday for Kwara people to celebrate their new found freedom. Also, it will be a day for Kwara people and for Nigerian politicians that the evil that their political son has done to their political father has befallen him.

    “Suffice to say that for 16 years Bukola has underdeveloped Kwara and has controlled governor more than the master controls his cook. He has reduced Kwarans to mere beggars in their own political and economic life.

    “The confession of Bukola Saraki after his defection from APC exposes him as a selfish politician. To him, politics is about juicy jobs. That is why I am happy to be here to see the actual translation of ‘enough is enough’.

    “Everything that has a beginning must have an end. It is the day the people that have been at the receiving make up their minds to confront the oppressors that the oppression is over. That is the case of Kwara and the case of Bukola. I join you the people of Kwara to celebrate your new found freedom.”

    Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed said: “During the November 17, 2018 by-election, I said our party has broken the Berlin Wall of Kwara politics. I said then that we will repeat the same thing during the 2019 elections.

    “The elections are now here. It is time to retire those who have held the state down and make our people and our state very poor. They have been deceiving the people. They have been blaming the Federal Government for their failure.

    “When they can’t pay workers’ salaries, they blame the Federal Government; when they cannot provide road they blame the Federal Government; voting them is giving them licence to continue to loot.

    “They say the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has not done anything in Kwara State. Tell them it is a big lie.”

    He reeled out the major infrastructural achievements of the government in the state.

    The state chairman of the party, Bashir Bolarinwa said the state under the Saraki oligarchy had been underdeveloped, saying “as a first generation state our infrastructure and institutions do not depict our status. We, unfortunately, are behind other states created much later.

    “It is a pity. We prayed, we hoped and made a decision that we are indeed tired of this group of reincarnate of the biblical Pharaoh. But Kwarans have decided that our own Pharaoh must let Kwara go.

    “Today’s rally is a culmination of our collective resolve of people to declare and let it resonate clearly that ‘enough is enough’ indeed.

    “After all, the tenet of democracy is that the people decide who should govern them. Since the people have oto ge, let enough be enough. They should pack and go. I appeal to you all to heed our clarion call of Oto ge (enough is enough)”.

  • Nigeria, judiciary passing through trying times – Kwara CJ

    …. Swears-in 36 judicial officers

    Kwara state Chief Judge, Justice Sulyman Kawu on Monday said that Nigeria and indeed the judiciary are currently passing through trying times.

    The Justice Kawu said this in Ilorin, the state capital shortly after swearing-in 35 new magistrates and one Area Court judge.

    The CJ urged the newly sworn-in judicial officers to shun ethnic, religious or filial considerations in the discharge of their duties.

    Said he: “Elections are coming and politics is heavy in the air. You must at all times live above board, shun corruption like a plague, exhibit courage and be independent-minded in all that you do without being arrogant.

    As, magistrates and judge, you must steer away from the political arena so that the dust of the fray will not becloud your perception of the facts and issues placed before you for adjudication.

    “It is only by so doing that justice will not only be done but will be seen to have been truly done.”

    Justice Kawu added that “today’s ceremony marks a new chapter in the history of the state judiciary. First, the number of magistrates and Area Court judge just sworn-in today constitute the largest number of officers to be recruited into the lower bench of the state judiciary in one single exercise.

    “Another reason why today’s event is unique is that the newly sworn-in magistrates are the first set of officers in the history of the state judiciary to be appointed as legal research assistants, in which capacity they have spent over four years on attachment to High Court judges and chief magistrates, charged with the responsibility of
    conducting legal research works and writing opinions on legal issues.

    “After being appointed as magistrates, they served four-month pupilage under seasoned senior magistrates. I am confident and delighted to say that this set of magistrates have been sufficiently trained, mentored and are therefore the most prepared to take up the responsibility of adjudication in the lower courts.

    “Today’s oath-taking ceremony is indeed a weighty and binding covenant between you and your God, to do justice to all manner of people without fear or favour, ill will or affection, for which you shall be called to render account on the day of judgment. I, therefore, urge you to be scrupulous in the discharge of your duties.”

  • Women, youth stage rally for Buhari’s reelection in Kwara

    Scores of All Progressives Congress (APC) women and youth recently staged a peaceful rally in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection.

    The rally started around 9.30 am around the popular Post Office Round about in the metropolis and ended at the campaign office of a former APC governorship aspirant Isiak Kawu Modibbo in Sango area.

    The procession affected human and vehicular traffic on the popular Muritala Mohammed way, as vehicles were forced to move at snail pace.

    The rally was organised by Making A Different (MAD) for Kwara and Kawu Modibbo Group.

    In his remark at the event, the state APC Chairman Hon Bashir Bolarinwa urged aggrieved members of the party to forget their grievances and work for the success of the party at polls.

    Represented by his vice chairman Abdullahi Samari said “don’t sell your permanent voters’ cards to them. Your PVC is your power. If they bring money collect the money. After all it is our money. But don’t vote them.”

    Hon Bolarinwa urged other aspirants of the party to emulate the gesture of Isiak Kawu Modibbo.

    Speaking on behalf of the groups, wife of Mallam Modibbo Saadat said: “We are here today to mobilise youth and women in support of President Muhammadu Buhari is doing. He has been doing a great job in the country and we need to show people what he has been doing.

    “The crowd that accompanied us from Post Office to this place is amazing. It is an assurance that Kwarans are ready for the reelection of President Buhari.

    “We are also using this medium to empower some of our members. Kwara State is different from other states. We have been suffering for so long. People need to be empowered, that is why we are giving out some items to some people today.

    “We resolved to show our members a specimen of what a voter’s card looks like so that they know how. In other words, we are embarking on voters’ education, so that they know how to vote on election.

    “Kwarans are ready. We don’t need any message for them and it has started. We will not stop until election days.”

    A youth leader, Abdulkarim Popoola, said the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice Prof Yemi Osinbajo is guaranteed.

    “We are here to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari for his walking over in the forthcoming presidential election; because we are very sure that in Kwara state we are going to deliver for the state for him,” Popoola said.

    “We are also assuring the whole world that President Buhari is coming back again. Four plus for is equaled to eight. That is the reason we organised this rally.”

  • Buhari campaign train hits Kwara Feb 4

    The campaign train of President Muhammadu Buhari will berth in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital next month.
    The event slated for February 4th this year is part of President Buhari’s ongoing reelection campaign across the country,

    “We are pleased to announce that Mr President will arrive Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on 4 February in furtherance of his energetic reelection campaigns. The president will be accompanied by several party bigwigs, including the National Chairman, governors and ministers, among other officials,” Kwara state All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship and the state coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdurazaq has said in the statement.

    Read Also: Buhari campaign train arrives Maiduguri

    He added that “like you all did during the recent launch of the TraderMoni by the Vice President, we are again calling on all Kwarans of good conscience to come out in millions to welcome Mr President to the state in appreciation of his numerous of gestures to the people of our state. These include roads, irrigation projects and several appointments.“

  • Ilorin stands still as APC’s Abdulrahman leads pro-Buhari rally

    Thousands of Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) members and supporters yesterday locked down Ilorin, the state capital, as the party’s governorship candidate, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, led other candidates to mobilise voters ahead of the general elections.

    During the rally, thousands of residents lined the streets and rode in a long motorcade and heavy trucks to convey the APC campaigners amid shouts of O To Ge (Enough Is Enough), the party’s campaign slogan in the state.

    The rally was also dominated by shouts of Sai Buhari.

    The campaign train took off from Fate end of the state capital and criss-crossed the densely populated areas, like Pata Market, Gambari, Okelele, Abayawo, Omoda and peaked at Pakata, where the party’s candidates took turns to address the masses.

    “We are committed to end the tyranny in our state. O To Ge! We will ensure workers are paid their dues at the right time. A government that cannot account for trillions of naira of public funds cannot expect to be trusted again,” Abdulrazaq told the rally.

    The APC candidate also laughed off a recent claim by Senate President Bukola Saraki that APC planned to make Kwara a part of the Southwest.

    He dismissed the claim as the antic of drowning politicians hanging no straw to hang on to.

    “If West means Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, but Bukola took Kwara to the West in 2015 when Asiwaju Tinubu was leader of the APC,” AbdulRazaq said.

    He added: “Their desperate attempt to incite the public against us has failed. Every student of history understands the role my father, A. G. F. Abdulrazaq (SAN), played in 1955 to convince the Willinks Commission on Minorities that Ilorin belonged to the Northern Region. Where was Saraki in those years? Where is his sense of history?”

    Also, Leader of the APC in the state, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday described the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that APC is planning to annex the state to Southwest as a tissue of lies.

    At the kick-off of the PDP governorship campaign at Bode-Saadu in Moro Local Government Area on Tuesday, Senate President Bukola Saraki alleged that desperate politicians and their local collaborators were planning to annex the state to the Southwest.

    But Mohammed, who is also the Information and Culture Minister, explained that “in this season of politics, everything goes”.

    The minister spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, at a women sensitisation forum for the forthcoming 2019 elections.

    The event was organised by the women wing of the APC in the state.

    He said: “Our problem is not ethnicity; it is not religion; it is not gender. These elections will not be determined on the basis of ethnicity, religion or gender. The main issues here have to do with how our state has been governed in the past 50 years, 40 of which have been dominated by a single family.

    “What has happened to the commonwealth, which has been cornered by a single dynasty at the expense of the people? Where are the roads and other infrastructure to justify the huge resources that have accrued to the state? If you follow a path for so long and it leads you nowhere, won’t you try another path? These are the issues.”

  • Ilorin students group gives awards

    The Ilorin Emirate Students’ Union (IESU) has held her first awards.

    The event was attended by  dignitaries, such as the Magaji of Bijooro, Alhaji Toyin Shuaib, who represented the Emir of Ilorin, and reputable academics across various  institutions.

    The Director of Centre for Ilorin Studies, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Dr Abdulganiyu Jawondo, urged the students to put in more effort towards the development of their union.

    Jawondo advised the students to face their studies in their various institutions, as “Northern Nigeria, a part of which is Ilorin, is a place of prosperity.”

    The keynote speaker, Dr Hassanat Abubakar, a lecturer with the Department of Arabic, UNILORIN, underscored the role of peace and security to unity.

    “To have internal and external peace, and security is to be in total submission to Allah, to be good to one’s neighbours, and to be positive at all times,” she said.

    IESU President, Comrade Issa Habeebullah, expressed his happiness with the success of the event.

    “I am so happy that the programme has gone as planned. I urge all Ilorin Emirate Students to be positive in all their doings,” he said.

    Awards were presented to important dignitaries, such as Alhaji Abdulmumeen Sanni Jawondo,  and Salman Jawondo, a lawyer, in recognition of their support to the association.

    At the event were IESU presidents from the various institutions, including Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Federal University of Technology, (FUT) Minna; Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria; Bayero University, Kano (BUK); Federal Polytechnic, Bida; and Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.

  • Ilorin Amusement Park now‘amusing park’

    SIR: The Ilorin Amusement Park situated along the Unity-Taiwo axis used to be a rendezvous for all manner of merriments, enjoyments and entertainments. Established in the 80’s/90’s, it was unarguably a heritage that Ilorin, and by extension, Kwara State could always boast of come rain come shine. Saying this institution received a huge patronage which means an increase in the state’s revenue is needless as it was an open secret.

    Usually, my festive period, just like that of many other kiddies, was incomplete without a visit to this park. Indeed, it was a place to behold. I can recall vividly that whenever I went for Ileya in my hometown, Kwara, I always aspired to visit the park. The gate fee then used to be around N50. It was in this park my trajectory of learning how to ride a bicycle started as they were always in multitude for whoever wished to rent. The playground also used to receive me in audience as I found many kiddies like me catching fun therein. In fact, after gaining entrance into the park, I wouldn’t come out until we were coerced to do. This is to show how interesting the amusement park used to be.

    Were the late eminent sons of Ilorin like Mohammed Lawal, AbdulkareemAdisa, Tunde Idiagbon, Olusola Saraki and many others to wake up from their resting points, the sorry state of the park would jolt them. Today, the amusement park has been turned into a parking lots, toilet and dumpsite of sorts. How a tourist and recreation centre they left functioning well and fine transmogrified into a deserted area and forest so soon will amaze these men of yore. In fact, were they to wake up today, they will express doubt in the reality of that place being used as a park hitherto as it has now turned out to be a bush.

    Indeed, if there is any legacy of the current leadership in Kwara, it is the continuation of the ugly trend of looking the other way – ably spearheaded by BukolaSaraki – whenever attention was called to the state of quagmire of state-owned structures. Nothing is cheery about the state-owned structures in Kwara. From schools, to hospitals, to the courts, ministries, down to our agencies and many more, all are simply begging for a complete overhaul. You may disagree. All you need to do is to go to our Fire Service.

    The pathetic thing, however, is that our governor-general and governor have been looking the other way. The more they are reminded of the decaying state of our structures, the quicker they are to make comparison with Lagos, a state that has left Kwara behind in terms of infrastructural development   and overall development though created in the same year. Pray, what have we done to deserve this?

     

    • Abdullah Abdulganiy,

    Lagos.

  • Bet agents lament low patronage

    Bet agents in Ilorin on Tuesday have lamented low patronage by customers in their betting shops.

    Some agents told the News Agency of Nigeria, that there was a drastic fall in the number of customers flocking their shops for sports betting.

    Mr Segun Adekunle, who owns a Bet9ja shop at Sango area of Ilorin, said there was low turnout of customers compared to few months ago.

    ”Customers are no more coming. We don’t experience long queue like before. No much sales anywhere because only few people come in to stake games,” he said.

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    Another Bet9ja agent in Taiwo,Ilorin, Mr Dayo Moses said the few people coming only went for low amount.

    ”Nobody is ready to stake high. They rather stake with N100, unlike before when people stake with amount as high as N5, 000 for games,” he said.

    A Nairabet agent, Taofeek Suleiman of Fate,Ilorin said his shop was no more filled up like before.

    ”We used to control crowd before now inside my shop as everybody struggled to play games. The situation now is discouraging as everywhere is scanty,” he said.

    A Betting agent, Mr Folorunsho Alabi, attributed the low patronage to the just concluded festive period and downturn in the economic situation in the country.