Jigawa State have been thrown into mourning, following the death of the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Inuwa Sule Udi. Hon Sulr Udi, representing Ringim constituency at the State House of Assembly, died alongside his driver, Mallam Mascut Ringim, in an auto crash at Zakirai in Gabasawa Local Government Area of Kano, while returning to Dutse from Abuja on Thursday night. The Spokesman of the Udi family, Alhaji Balarabe Mohammed, told newsmen that the orderly to the late deputy speaker survived the accident. He said the late 47-year-old Udi and his driver died on the spot. Udi, according to the family spokesman, left behind four wives, 18 children and grandchildren. He said the remains of the former legislator were buried on Friday in his home town, Ringim, according to Islamic rites. Many people within and around the state attended the burial and paid condolences to the family at his residence in Ringim. Prominent among the sympathisers were the Speaker of the Jigawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dutse, Alhaji Aminu Ringim, who represented Governor Sule Lamido. Others were commissioners, local government chairmen and lawmakers. In a related development, a former Commissioner of Information in the, Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim Dandoka, is dead. Alhaji Dandoka was said to have died during a brief illness at the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano. Meanwhile, residents of Ringim have commended the effort of the Emir of Ringim for attending the funeral, despite his health condition. The mourners described late Inuwa Udi as a humble philanthropists who loved and cared for his people, fearing that his death will create a vacuum that will be difficult to fill in the town.
Tag: Jigawa
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Aliyu, Lamido, three others are patriots – IBB
Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, on Monday described the five northern states governors who are consulting with elders to find solution to the country’s political problems as patriots.
The governors are – Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Alhaji Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto), Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Musa Kwankonso (Kano) and Muritala Nyako (Adamawa).
Rising from a meeting with the governors which also had Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) in attendance, the former military leader said the move by the governors was not only commendable but timely, acknowledging the foresight of the governors in finding solution to the various challenges facing the country through consultations.
The meeting took place at the Presidential Lodge, Minna.
“I want to commend the governors and some of their colleagues. I was very impressed because they have seen the problem of the country as our problem and they have taken the right steps to consult widely in trying to finding solution to some of these problems.
“These governors are real patriots and I am very happy and I told them so,” the former military leader stated.
Four of the five governors on Monday continued their consultations with eminent personalities with a meeting with the two former military leaders in Minna.
They were in Abeokuta last Saturday to meet with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Hilltop residence.
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Rivers’ crisis: Arewa group threatens to retaliate attack on governors
A socio-political group, under the aegis of the Arewa Rapid Response Network (ARRN) has threatened to retaliate the attack on four northern governors at the Port Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday.
In a statement signed by the national coordinator of the ARRN, Mallam Yakubu Ahmed, the group warned the perpetrators against allowing the chain of events in Rivers to snowball into a national crisis capable of truncating the nation’s democracy.
Governors Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano), Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) were attacked by supporters of the Minister of State, Mr. Nyesom Wike. Their host, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, also came under attack.
Eye witnesses said the mob attacked the convoy of Amaechi and the four governors with stones and clubs, smashing the windshield of some of the vehicles, including the coaster bus in which commissioners rode. They were also shouting obscenities at the convoy.
Over 5,000 supporters of Wike, under the aegis of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), armed with placards bearing various inscriptions, moved to the airport as early as 7am, protesting against the governors’ visit.
Wike is the grand patron of GDI.
The Arewa group accused the Presidency of having instigated the attack on the governors, adding that it was a calculated attempt by agents of President Goodluck Jonathan to humiliate the visiting northern state governors.
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JTF kills four ‘terrorists’ in Jigawa
•Recovers ammunition
The Joint Task Force (JTF) during a raid in Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa State has killed three suspected terrorists and recovered assorted arms and ammunition.
A statement yesterday in Kano by the spokesman of 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Capt Ikedichi Iweha, said items recovered during the operation from a house, which harboured the terrorists, included four AK 47 rifles, five magazines, 164 rounds of 7.62 milimetre special ammunitions for AK 47 rifles.
The statement added: “The JTF, on July 16, following an extensive intelligence build-up with a combined team of the JTF and the Nigerian Army of the 3 Brigade in Kano and the Kano State Directorate of the State Service (DSS), conducted a pre-dawn raid at a house occupied by members of the terrorist group in Abunabu village of Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
“You may recall that the JTF had warned, following the declaration of a state of emergency in parts of the Northeast, that some fleeing elements of the terrorist network in the region, following ongoing military action against them, would be seeking refuge in other parts of the country, especially in areas with little security presence.
“Rest assured that the JTF will not rest on its oars at ensuring the safety of the good people of Jigawa State and the states within the area of operational responsibility of the Brigade. To forestall any attempt by terrorists to hibernate in local government areas, the JTF has increased the number of its personnel in towns, besides increasing the number of patrols, especially in identified flash points…”
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NDLEA arrests father, son with cannabis in Jigawa
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Monday said it has arrested a father and his son over alleged possession of 2.65 kilogrammes of cannabis in Jigawa.
The NDLEA state Commandant, Malam Ibrahim Abdu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the suspects were arrested in Ringim Local Government area of the state.
He said the father had been arrested and convicted three times on similar offences but only spent few months in prison.
Abdu also said the suspects were among the top three on the “NDLEA Most Wanted List” in the state.
According to the commandant, the two suspects had earlier resisted arrest and engaged officers of the agency in physical combat on June 26.
The commandant, however, said the suspects were arrested at their hide out after a week of intensive surveillance, adding that they would soon be charged to court.
“We await the decision of the High Court on the person that had been brought before it four times, this man was convicted by the court before, but only spent few months in prison.”
Abdu urged the general public to support the agency to rid the state of drug dealers.
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Bank to boost investment in Jigawa
Diamond Bank Plc has expressed its readiness to bring forth prospective clients that will invest in agriculture, healthcare and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Jigawa State.
In a statement, the bank said a senior official of the bank, Alhaji Muhammed Lawan Shuaibu, spoke at the Jigawa Economic and Investment Summit.
It added that the bank is partnering with the state government for its first-ever Jigawa investment summit.
The theme of the summit was: Mobilising investments for sustainable development and it was attended by different stakeholders – investment advisors and analysts, bankers and statesmen, among others.
The state Governor Sule Lamido said: “We want to announce to the whole world with all the noise we can muster that we are ready and our doors are now opened to take Jigawa to the next level.”
The Chairman of the summit Lord Paul Boateng said he had the conviction that the state has great potentials.
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Please, make Nigeria indivisible
Today in Nigeria, 2015 has become detraction. Those in power are hardly working for the people any longer, but more for themselves. The focus of the remaining two years of tenureship is now more on power retention.
It as if accomplishment of electoral promises and attainment of people’s desires are no longer of value. The nation is now filled with desperation for occupying political seats rather than working to put smiles on the face of the depressed people whose vote brought them into power. Insecurity is everywhere and the poor are getting poorer. As it were, politics is bringing in strenuous tensions, making distress to envelope the land the more.
Ahead of the so-called Democracy Day last week, it was as if people were waiting for official announcement to confirm the death of Nigeria as a nation. But thank God that on that day, President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark were reported as declaring Nigeria as indivisible, talk less of dying, despite the escalating challenges.
Making public presentation of his mid-term report in Abuja after which some of the ministers had rolled out heartening financial indicators, which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent, the president said contrary to the position of the opposition parties, he had achieved so much in the two years of his administration.
Mr. President self-applauded his administration’s performance. He challenged the media to use his 234-page report as a confirmable tool for any objective assessment. “I plead with all of us, especially those who want to assess and write about it to develop criteria because without a marking scheme, you cannot mark anybody’s paper. Develop your own, compare with previous governments. Develop your marking scheme and mark us.” Perhaps he is unaware of the numerous online hands now placed on websites to respond to virtually all criticisms in the media.
In seriousness, Mr. President ought to know that Nigerians need no marking scheme to know that under him, the rate of unemployment has gone up, security of lives and property and the welfare of the citizens have receded discouragingly. In truth, what scoring format does one need to know that despite the ostensibly inspiring economic figures rolled out by the ministers, the average Nigerian is worse off today than before PDP took over power in 1999?
The core basis of the nation’s afflictions has been that most of those who find themselves in leadership position hardly lead by example. The realism is that good leadership deficit has constituted the greatest clog in the wheel of national development and progress.
As an opposition party said, “performance is like a pregnancy that cannot be hidden.” Other than swelling corruption and desperation to retain power at all cost, how much of practical performance in power, security, job creation and vital infrastructural developments is already making impact on the life of the people today?
It is non-performance that is pushing desperate aggression and the fight of imaginary enemies much more within the ruling party. With sincere and wise people on the president’s side, the battle with Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi should not be as dismal as it is. Perhaps they are blind to see the unnecessary conflict thinning the integrity of the president while Amaechi is being lifted higher.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who preferred to be part of Jigawa State May 29 show than being with the president in Abuja called for change in leadership. He was quoted: “You know you can help somebody to get the job, but you cannot help him to do it. If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who we are confident can do the job.”
Before this, Obj who reigned and ruled over Nigeria in totality of more than 13 years, had earlier condemned the increasing level of indiscipline in PDP leadership. Although THE GUARDIAN editorial reminded us how he contributed to the foundation of the indiscipline, the newspaper also recollected:
“To say that PDP “lacks sufficient discipline” may well be the least that could be said of the party that has ruled Nigeria for 12 years, with very little to show for it. Poverty in the land is acute and widespread, corruption is endemic, critical infrastructure decrepit and insecurity of lives and property prevail in a huge magnitude. The PDP-led government has also not found solution to the problem of epileptic power supply. The situation deteriorates by the day without much hope of a respite.”
With this contention, how then can Nigeria be saved from being dragged to primitivism? If the Bible says that a soul that sinneth shall die, why can’t the present leadership focus more on cleansing the nation from impurity so that it will not finally disintegrate?
It will be in the nation’s interest if political office can become less attractive and corruption eliminated. It is clear today how politics is fuelling corruption. The desperation to occupy political office is largely to loot, plunder and embezzle. Politicians are not seeking for power to serve anymore. From federal to local level,
the few in power corner the resources of the land and leave the masses with the crumbs.
When there is leadership error, the common man will suffer the consequence. If sincere steps are not taken to correct the ills in the system – starting from the top, there might not be restoration of the people’s confidence in government. Ultimately, when citizens are not given desired measure of goodness of the land and assured of protection, the country will be pushed to crumple.
As those in power might be pretending not to know, many Nigerians are not blind and are not foolish. People are aware of the level of corruption, insecurity, insincerity, joblessness and poverty. They will become totally disillusioned if the leadership failed to resolve the afflictions.
FEEDBACK
Re-Amaechi God-given victory.
Let PDP work hard for magical change of electorate minds before 2015 elections. Otherwise, the leaders’ colossal self-inflicted damage will ruin them. The NGF election exposed their shoddiness in handling credible elections. The president is rattled and more errors are bound to be committed. Please let us watch the video tape of the election and compare it with Gov. Akpabio’s doctored voters’ register or endorsees. INEC should borrow his style to save cost. From James, Jos.
Dear Sir, I concur with your piece on Amaechi’s God-given victory. Nothing to add or subtract. Sentiment and desperation are ample words in Jonathan’s dictionary. Victory is really God-given. As for Akpabio, his first name is Godswill. By this he should know that God gives and takes. Your write up actually made my day. May you continue to inspire us with stimulating and thought-provoking mind. From Dr. Apelologun, Ilorin.
Hello Sir, that is a wonderful write up. Akpabio should know what Chibuike means in Igbo language.
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“The nation that once had the potentiality of greatness has been stagnant for too long” was your last statement. Pres. Jonathan might not have done well. But if in those past long years those whom ACN are trying to take us to had governed well, this nation wouldn’t have been in this sorry state. That you and ACN are trying to package us back to Egypt is gravely unfortunate. You are not a young boy. If you’ve been watching Nigeria event with objective mind, you’ll know where our problems are from. From Amadi Ibeleme
Mr. Soji, your write-up in The Nation is a perfect fact of what happened and what is going to happen. Thank you and God bless. From Chris Ukpere, Abuja.
Your piece spoke my mind. – Akibu Hassan, Ijebu-Ode
Dear Soji Omotunde, Sir, not only am I pleased with your write up on Amaechi’s God-given victory, I also want to encourage you for good work. This election was monitored online by Nigerians. So, who are those fooling the president? From Solomon Vambe, PH
If you are an apologist of Amaechi, just tell us. You do not know the man called Amaechi, but we know him well. You are a Yoruba man that shut your mouth during OBJ’s misrule and wants to use Amaechi against GEJ. It won’t work as it will only dig his grave politically. – 2348055331902
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Polio: Fighting a tough battle
As preparations begin for the next sub-national Immunisation Plus’ Days (IPDs) using bivalent oral polio vaccine, Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha takes a look at why the vaccine preventable polio is still endemic in Nigeria.
Nigeria is one of the three countries that is still polio-endemic, it is in this unenviable company with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Of all the three, Nigeria is the reservoir of wild polio virus, it is the only country with ongoing transmission of all three serotypes- wild poliovirus type 1, wild poliovirus type 3 and circulating vaccine- desired polio type 2. The Northern states are the main source of polio infections.
In 2009, operational improvements in these northern states led to a 90 per cent decline in cases of wild poliovirus type 1 and a 50 per cent decline in overall cases compared with 2008.
As of last week, Polio Global Eradication Initiative, a monitoring organisation of polio situation in Nigeria, reported that two new cases of wild polio virus 1 have been found in Kano and Taraba states, bringing the total number of wild polio cases for this year to 18. The case from Kano is the most recent case in the country.
According to medical experts, as long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio. Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in as many as 200, 000 new cases every year within 10 years. Polio has no cure but can be prevented.
In most countries, the global effort has expanded capacities to tackle other infectious diseases by building effective surveillance and immunization systems.
A delicate balance
Polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. Initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in 200 infections lead to irreversible paralysis (usually in the legs). Among those paralysed, five per cent to 10 per cent die when their breathing muscles become immobilised.
According to WHO, globally, Polio cases have decreased by over 99 per cent since 1988, from an estimated 350, 000 cases to 223 reported cases in 2012. The reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease.
Nigeria is fighting to end the endemic. However, there are sundry factors militating against the actualisation of this hope.
The polio eradication programme continue to miss too many children in key geographic areas and population groups due to a mixture of operational and social factors. In 2012, going by data supplied by Polio Global Eradication Initiative, 61 children were paralyzed by polio in the first half of 2012, as opposed to 24 at the same time in 2011. In 2011, more than 95 per cent of all cases occurred in the eight persistently endemic northern states of Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
A formerly strong primary health care system in northern Nigeria has been weakened over many years due to incessant polio outbreaks and resistant of a segment of the populace over the safety of the vaccination. This has led to serious gap in the administration of the vaccine and subsequent disruption of campaigns as well as the killing of vaccinators. Now routine immunisation services are either no longer available or irregular; coupled with limited resources for health services and gaps in vaccine storage and distribution.
According to a nongovernmental organisation, PATH, Northern Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of immunisation coverage in the world. In many parts of the north, barely 10 percent of children receive all of their routine vaccines. Coverage rates for the vaccine against tetanus among women are equally low.
Misunderstood scheme
The north is rife with misperception on the effects of the contents of the vaccine on health, especially reproduction. Campaigns have been on in the north that vaccination leads to reduction of productivity, this has been countered at all levels but the impact is still there.
But in the face of sundry factors including insecurity, especially of Boko Haram, ridding the country of the polio virus can remain a mirage. Conflicts and insecurity do weaken public health systems.
For instance, attacks on health workers in Kano State have robbed vulnerable populations of basic life-saving health interventions. In the face of these, Nigeria continues to pose a significant risk to surrounding countries. In 2011, polio viruses originating from Nigeria were detected in five countries on West and Central Africa. Despite dozens of vaccination campaigns over the past years, according to Polio Global Eradication Initiative, no more than 65 percent of children have received four or more Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) doses in Borno, Kano, Sokoto and Yobe states.
Viruses with genetic evidence of long periods of circulation without detection are still being found, indicating surveillance gaps. Sub national engagement of political leadership remains patchy. Future benefits of polio eradication are immense. Once polio is eradicated, the world can celebrate the delivery of a major global public good that will benefit all, no matter where they live. According to WHO, Economic modelling has found that the eradication of polio would save at least US$ 40 to 50 billion over the next 20 years, mostly in low-income countries. Most importantly, success will mean that no child will ever again suffer the terrible effects of lifelong polio-paralysis.
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Gunmen kill five in Jigawa
Ringim, headquarters of Ringim Local Government Area, Jigawa State, was on Sunday night the scene of violence, unleashed by a gang of gunmen.
They attacked a police station and a bank, killing three policemen and two civilians.
The state government said the deadly attack lasted for over five hours.
Also attacked was the family house of the immediate past Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, a branch of Unity Bank and the Ringim Divisional Police Headquarters.
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were hurled at the police headquarters and the bank. Two police vehicles and other properties were destroyed.
Acting Governor Ahmed Mahmoud Gumel, who visited the scenes of the incident, confirmed the death of five persons.
Gumel described the attack as a robbery, adding that the criminals resorted to attacking innocent citizens, after their attempt to rob the bank failed.
The acting governor, who described the incident as “unfortunate”, urged residents to go about their businesses without panic, adding that measures had been taken to ensure security of lives and properties.
The gunmen struck with explosives and guns at about 8pm on Sunday, immediately after Ishai – the last prayer of the day.
Residents said multiple explosions rocked the town for about five hours.
A resident said: “Policemen at the station tried to repel the attack but the gunmen had the upper hand because of their equipments and number. It took some time before more troops were deployed in the area.
“The gunmen fled after the attack; and they killed three policemen and two guards at the bank. What I cannot say is if they carted away money from the bank; and it is not also confirmed if arms were taken from the police station.”
But police spokesman, Abdul Jinjiri, confirmed the incident.
He said: “After attacking a police station and killing three of our men, they then moved to nearby Unity Bank and killed two civilians there. They were not able to steal any money from the bank.”
The Ringim attack came days 25 people were killed in a separate clash between security forces and suspected Islamists, who robbed a bank and attacked a police station in northeastern Yobe State.
Authorities believe insurgents are increasingly targeting banks to fund their operations, as support from local politicians dries up and Sahara-based groups are in disarray after a French military intervention kicked them out of Mali.
Jinjiri, however, declined to say if Boko Haram, which operates across the North, was suspected of being behind the latest attacks.
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Gunmen kill five in Jigawa
Jigawa state government on Monday confirmed the death of five persons in Sunday night dusk raid in Ringim Local Government Area of the state during which gun men suspected to be members of Boko Haram launched a deadly attack that lasted for over five hours.
The family house of immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, a Branch of Unity Bank and the Ringim Divisional Police Headquarters were their targets.
While the former IGP’s house was not badly touched, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) wrecked havoc on the Police headquarters and the Bank, destroying two police vehicles and other properties.
The state Acting Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mahmoud Gumel who visited the scene of the incident confirmed the death of five persons.
Gumel described the attack as a robbery incident, adding that the criminals resorted to attacking innocent citizens, after their failed attempt to rob the bank.
The Acting Governor who described the incident as unfortunate, urged residents to move about their businesses without panic, adding that adequate measures had been taken to ensure security of lives and properties.
The Nation reports that at about 8 P.M. Sunday, immediately after Insha’ I , unknown gun men stormed Ringim town with explosives and guns.
Residents said multiple explosions were heard for about five hours, with sporadic gun shots, “the police men at the attacked station tried to repel the attack, but the gun men had upper hands because of their equipments and numbers. It took sometime before more troops were deployed to the area.
“The gun men fled after the attack; and they killed three police and two guards at the Unity Bank. What I cannot say is if they carted away money from the bank; and it is not also confirmed if arms were taken from the police station,” a resident told our Reporter.