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Tag: Kaduna state

  • NSCDC foils plan to vandalise Warri-Kaduna crude oil pipeline

    Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have foiled a plan to break Warri-Kaduna crude oil pipeline.
    The Kaduna State Command of the corps disclosed to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday, saying that, the suspected vandals were at large, but an oil tanker and other items were recovered at the scene of the crime.
    NSCDC in a statement signed by its command’s Public  Relations Officer,  ASC Orndiir Terzungwe said, the incident took place at Juji in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.
    According to the statement, “Determined to end incidence of vandalism in the country, operatives of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps, Kaduna state command, have foiled a criminal attempt by vandals to burst crude oil pipelines located at Juji, Chikun Local Government of the state.
    “Acting on information by other stakeholders, the command’s Anti-vandal operatives on their routine patrol of the pipelines in the area, mobilized swiftly to the scene at about 00:13 hours on October 13, 2018. On reaching the scene located at KM 284.7 Warri–Kaduna Refinery Crude Oil Pipelines, the suspected vandals sighted them and took to their heels and abandoned a DAF Tanker with registration number KANO AH 535 KUR.
    “Incriminating items recovered at the scene include: Two Rolls of Hose pipis,  One small Tiger electric generating set One big hammer, One big punching rod and one big hoe.
    “Speaking on the incident, State Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Modu Bunu, expressed delight with the collaboration with the informants, calling on all law abiding citizens of the state to partner with the corps for security of lives and property.
    “Bunu directed a full investigation into the feat attained by the operatives, reiterating that appropriate sanctions will apply on the owners of the impounded vehicle.
    “The Commandant urged owners of the truck to come forward, saying that the command has ways of identifying them even if they decline.
    “He further called on those who indulge in criminal acts and those nursing such thoughts to desist or face the wrath of the law when arrested.” The statement read.

  • Daughter sues father for refusing her marriage

    A 20-year-old lady, Amina Hassan, on Tuesday dragged her father, Hassan Adamu, before a Sharia Court at Magajin Gari, Kaduna over his refusal to allow her marry the man she loves.

    The girl, who lives with her grandmother on Bashama road, Tudun Wada, Kaduna said through her lawyer Ado Ali that she wants the court to order her father to marry her off to her heartthrob.

    The complainant added that she had attained marriage age and would want to settle with the man she loves but her father had refused his assent.

    “We want the court to order her father to marry her off to her heartthrob,” her lawyer said in court.

    He also prayed that if the father remain adamant, the court should serve as the girl’s guardian and marry her off to the man she loves.

    Ali said he had made attempts to convince the father to soften on his stand but to no avail.

    According to the counsel, the father is withholding his blessings because the suitor has no regard for him.

    Read Also: ‘My husband attacks me with deadly weapon’

    The girl’s counsel, however, prayed the court to grant the two parties two weeks “to sort things out and reach an agreement.”

    The defendant’s counsel, Nasir Abdullahi, also agreed with the submission of the prosecution counsel for the court to give them time to resolve the issue.

    The Judge, Malam Dahiru Lawal, noted that even though the father had the right to assess his daughter’s suitors, he has no right to force anyone on her.

    He therefore ordered the defendant’s lawyer to present the father in court on October 29, for further hearing.

  • Atiku supporters confident of victory

    Ahead of the 2019 general elections, supporters of former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are confident of his victory at the polls, describing him as the best among all those contesting the 2019 Presidential election.

    The Kaduna state Coordinator of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization, Hon. Munir Garba Waziri, told The Nation in Abuja that the former Vice president stands out from other contestants going by his resourcefulness.

    According to Waziri, the former Vice President’s investment in youth development and his pledge to give 40 per cent of appointments in his cabinet to youths if elected, was worthy of note.

    He said “Atiku knows the key role Nigerian youths play in the development of the country especially in the area of economic growth. This is why he established the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in 2004.

    Read Also: Atiku, Secondus meet Obasanjo in Abeokuta

    “Just like other Nigerian youths, graduates of AUN are trained to participate in community service and this is what makes the youth of this country so enterprising”.

    He said the emergence of the former Vice President would not benefit only the youths, but also women who he said would have 35 per cent participation in the government.

    Waziri said no stone would be left unturned in ensuring that PDP wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential election, saying “I commended delegates who represented Kaduna State to the National Convention that took place in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for not letting us down.

    “Also I hope that the victory achieved at the convention will further strengthen our great party the PDP and ensure our success in the forthcoming general election at all levels.

    “We have started mobilizing at the grassroots and I know that victory is sure because we have formidable candidates to wrestle power from APC both at state and federal level”.

     

  • High Court fixes date to rule on El-Zakzaky’s bail application

    A Kaduna High Court on Thursday fixed November 7 for ruling on the bail application filed by the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife, Zinat.

    Justice  Gideon Kurada adjourned the matter after the prosecution counsel, Dari Bayero, complained of lack of adequate security in Kaduna town.

    The prosecution explained that the security agencies had drafted personnel to strategic areas of the state to provide security for the visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, to Kaduna State.

    Kurada therefore adjourned the case to November 7, to rule on the bail application.

    Read Also: Court remands tailor for ‘illegal possession of firearms’

    Both the Defence and prosecution counsel later told newsmen that the heads of security agencies in the state had complained of their inability to draft adequate personnel to provide security at the court.

    Meanwhile, Bayero told reporters that the 3rd and 4th defendants, Yakubu Yahaya and Sanusi Abdulqadir,  standing trial with the Shiites leader, were yet to be arrested.

    It would be recalled that the 3rd and 4th defendants were served court summons through substituted services in publications in the Daily Trust and The Nation newspapers.

    NAN reports that the Kaduna State Government had brought an eight-count charge against the IMN leader, his wife and the two other IMN leaders based in Katsina and Kano.

    The IMN leader, his wife, Yahaya and Abdulqadir were charged with alleged conspiracy and abating culpable homicide, among other related offences.

  • ‘Don’t burst bubble, you don’t have immunity against calamity’

    A leading Presidential Aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid bursting the bubble capable of truncating Nigeria’s democracy.

    He condemned what he termed as intimidation of the opposition, saying that, “I am cautioning APC, they should not be smiling and grinning, we must never burst this bubble. They should not be carried away by the comfort of power, and think that they are immune from calamity.”

    Makarfi, former Kaduna State Governor and 2-term Senator (Kaduna North), also said that Nigeria’s survival will depend on how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies conduct the 2019 general elections, saying that their conduct may mar or make the nation’s peace.

    Makarfi who spoke to Journalists in Kaduna on Monday said INEC must conduct free and fair general elections in 2019, just as he urged the security agencies to be professional in their conduct.

    The former governor who scored both INEC and security agencies very low in their performances so far, noted that, their conducts could make and mar the country either before, during and after the elections.

    The former Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP noted that this could spell doom for the nation as the action or inaction of these two agencies could threaten the country’s peace and survival.

    Speaking on the APC led government, Makarfi urged the government to desist from intimidating or harassing opposition governors, saying that, they should always remember that there tomorrow as, ‘What goes around comes around.

    Read Also: 2019: Atiku visits Makarfi

    He said, the sitting government should not use the comfort of power to denigrate PDP governors, saying, PDP governors, aspirants must be allowed to operate according to the dictates of the country’s constitution.

    He said, “I was shocked when I saw the news in an online medium that the 2019 elections may be postponed, but thank God, I later saw INEC coming out to deny making such pronouncement. That not withstanding, that was the most dangerous news I ever read, that was very reckless.

    “You see, the interest of Nigeria is larger than interest of any of us. How we conduct this elections and how we manage this electoral process will largely determine the fate of Nigeria.

    “INEC and the security agencies must know that, the fate of this country squarely lies on their shoulders. It is not even about history being kind to them, it is about how they will end up. Therefore, they must conduct free, fair and credible elections.

    “When you see some moves like freezing of accounts, monitoring of opposition Governors. Because, I have never heard where an APC Governor’s account is being frozen. If Governors do certain things, is it only PDP Governors? The APC Governors may be doing worse, but you never hear that happens to any APC Governor. While elections are approaching, you don’t hear of APC members, aspirants accounts being frozen. But here (in PDP), even accounts of family members of aspirants are being frozen. They should remember that, there is tomorrow, because what goes around comes around and questioning that, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If you are doing anything to anybody, do it to everybody. Our governors must be left alone to work, our aspirants must be left alone to do their politicking and campaign unmolested like other aspirants.

    “From what I am seeing, I am not comfortable, and if Nigerians keep quiet, then it is like harbouring what is wrong. People must speak out. If it happens to someone today, it can happen to you tomorrow. You don’t have to be in politics, but it means, once you dissent, anything can happen to you. As journalists, yours is to report but once you keep on reporting objectively, then something can happen to you.

    “So, for me, I think INEC and security agencies have a lot to do and so far, I am not impressed, but they must remember that the fate of Nigeria lies squarely on their shoulders. PDP and other political parties will do what is right.

    “I am cautioning APC, they should not be smiling and grining, we must never burst this bubble. They should not be carried away by the comfort of power, and think that they are immune from calamity.

    “We are all not immune from calamity; nobody knows when calamity will come. We all have a stake, we all have responsibility, be you PDP, APC or any other political party and especially INEC and security agencies and other agencies that are used to muzzle down the opposition, they must remember that the country comes first, not any government or political party”.

  • Flood claims 53 lives in Katsina, Kaduna States

     

    The North West zone of National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) on Friday said 53 lives were lost to flood in both Katsina and Kaduna States, while 30 others were missing in the last four months.

    Mr Ishaya Chonoko, North West Zonal, Coordinator of the agency, gave the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

    According to him, the agency recorded 51 deaths in Katsina State, two in Kaduna State, while 30 persons were confirmed missing in Jibiya, a border town in Katsina State.

    NAN reports that the floods occurred between May 3 and Sept. 8, affecting 29 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the two states.

    Chonoko said a total of 12, 041 persons and 262 houses were affected in Katsina State, while 3,775 houses and 7,929 farmlands were similarly affected in Kaduna State.

    Read also: Floods kill 19 in Adamawa, Gombe

    He listed the affected areas in Kaduna State as Abubakar Kigo road, Tudun wada, Malali, and Ungwar Rimi in Kaduna North.

    Others are: Barnawa in Kaduna South; Karatudu, Narayi, Rido village, Gonin gora and Sabon Tasha in Chikun; Hayin Na’iya, Rafin Guza, Hayin Dan- Mani and Kawo in Igabi LGAs.

    Areas in Katsina State included Malumfashi, Kafur, Bakori, Kusada, Kankai, Rimi, Musawa, Daura, Baure, Maiaduwa, Dutse – ma, Batsari, Kaita, Zango, Sandamu, Kurfi and Faskari LGAs.

    Chonoko said the agency had distributed relief materials to victims of the flood in the state.
    He said blankets, corn, rice, mattresses, cement and detergents were distributed because these were the immediate needs of the victims.

    The agency attributed the flood to blocked drainages, construction of structures along water channels and illegal mining along river banks.

    According to Chonoko, the incident came days after the agency, SEMA and the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) had issued an alert that some Local Government Areas in the states were likely to experience flash flooding.

    He said the agency had always embarked on sensitisation campaign in flood prone-areas to prepare them.
    Chonoko stressed that the campaign was undertaken because of the need to remind the residents on the need to relocate from flood-prone areas to safer places, in view of the predictions of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    He, however, expressed confidence that the Kaduna State Government had made adequate arrangements to cater for potential Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the flood-prone areas.

     

  • Kaduna: El-Rufai invites Chinese experts to revamp textile industries

    As part of efforts to improve the economy of Kaduna State, Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led government has invited Chinese experts to see the possibility of revamping textile industries in the state.

    The development according to the governor was aimed at ensuring productive investment that can increase the economic chances of the state especially now that there is decrease in federal allocation.

    El-Rufai, who stated this while receiving the team at Sir Ibrahim Kashim house, Kaduna said the need to revamp the industries became necessary because of impact the development would have along value chain thereby improving the living standard of the people in the state including cotton farmers.

    Elsewhere, General Manager, Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency, Sabi’u Sani Isyaku said, the State government invited the company to see how to revive cotton through value chain.

    Read Also: El-Rufai directs new CJ to hire 40 Magistrates

    According to him, “we discovered that there are issues at different levels of production beginning with the farmers. When they cannot produce the tons of cotton needed, the manufacturing industries will not have enough cotton to work with and that will lead to importation which is quite expensive.

    “So one of the things we are doing is to get high return seedling. The more the farmers are able to produce the better for everyone along the value chain.

    And for the textile companies to have a viable production, there is the need to have improved cotton seedling and that is why we enjoin our farmers to use improved seedling and mechanization to improve their production from about 2 tons per hectre  to about 5 tons per hecter. If we are able to produce, we will be exporting to other countries including China.

    Earlier, leader of Chinese experts, Mrs Shuying Wang said, the team was in Nigeria to assist the country in all the cotton value chain for improved and sustainable economy adding that, the country has the potential to be global destination of quality cotton.

  • Kaduna warns residents against flooding

    The Kaduna State Government, has called on the communities along the flood- prone areas of the state to be wary of  being caught by flooding this wet season.

    Mallam Abdullahi Rigasa, the General Manager, Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), made this appeal in Kaduna on Tuesday at an interaction with newsmen.

    According to him, Kaduna township has experienced flash floods at more than 30 locations in five Local Government Areas in August alone.

    He predicted that rainstorm would equally be heavy in September as experienced on Monday.

    ‘‘It is no longer safe for residents living along River Kaduna, as the river is already overflowing its banks,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Kaduna warns of flash floods in five councils

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that KEPA had warned against the occurrence of imminent flooding in five Local Government Areas of the state.

    He listed Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Soba and Kaura Local Government Areas as the places likely to be affected.

    Rigasa said the mandate of KEPA was to prevent the occurrence of flooding and ensure that residents are well prepared for any imminent flood disaster.

    “In 2017, flooding was recorded in 14 council areas namely; Kaduna South, Kaduna North, Kaura, Chikun and other Local Government Areas but with no casualties”.

    He strongly advised communities and citizens in flood-prone areas to move to safer places and maintain vigilance throughout the month.

    Rigasa further advised relevant agencies to perfect their emergency evacuation plans and begin to take action as quickly as possible.

  • Makarfi blames collusion for killings in Nigeria

    A former caretaker committee chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has blamed the incessant killings and banditry in the country on criminal collusion by some persons and government agencies.

    Markarfi, who stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he came to return his presidential nomination documents, added that as long as the collusion continued, it would be difficult to stop the killings.

    The former Kaduna State governor is one of the 13 aspirants jostling for the presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The aspirant said if elected, he would establish a viable education trust fund, strengthen the private sector, unbundle the power chain, restructure the country and ensure that the country enjoyed peace and security once again.

    Makarfi said, “Nigeria need to be secure, there is too much bloodletting in this country today. We must restore sanity and stop these killings.

    “It is not possible for these killings to be going on, without one collusion or the other. The collusion can be from anybody, but there is no way these things are going on that there is not one collusion or the other.

    Read Also: I am confident of picking PDP’s ticket – Makarfi

    “If I happen to be nominated and elected, I have the history of having restored peace in Kaduna. It will also be replicated in the length and breadth of Nigeria. This is not theory, but practical because I have done it before”.

    Bemoaning the high number of out-of-school children in the country, the politician said if given the chance, he would implement economic and welfarist policies.

    He said, “I have spoken on the policy that our children must never quit school because of financial difficulties. So we must introduce students soft loan, where students facing financial difficulties can borrow and they will only pay back when they are permanently gainfully employed.

    “This will force the government to create job opportunities for our teeming youths so they can get the money refunded.

    “I have also spoken on power generation. We are running a unitary system, where whatever is generated is domiciled in one place and then redistributed. When you are generating you lose power, when you are distributing you lose power, anything that happens at any point the whole country goes into darkness, this must stop.

    “We will explore God given natural resources to satisfy any area of Nigeria with uninterrupted power supply. We must do so and we will do so under my leadership, so that within a short period of time the entire Nigeria can have power 24 hours.

    “Employment opportunities for our teeming youth must be created if we are to keep this country secure. The way we give stipends to our youths is not the way. We need to create good job opportunities that can retrain the middle class and redistribute wealth, not by giving stipends.

    “We need to also promote the private sector because there are too many regulations that do not go well with Small and Medium enterprises and large scale businesses.

    “We shall streamline regulations so that businesses can thrive and expand. And when they thrive and expand, they will be able to employ more. And when they employed more the country will be at peace. They will also make more profit and it means more taxes for the country. So it is a win win situation”.

    Similarly, Senator Abdul Ningi was also at the PDP secretariat to return his nomination form for the governorship contest in Bauchi State.

    Having been a member of the two chambers of the federal legislature for 16 years at different times, Ningi said he had garnered the required experience for govern Bauchi State.

    Said h, “I have not seen any government in the past that has acquired more experience than myself.

    “Bauchi has become like a cursed state in the last three years and if things continue to be the way they are in the next couple of years, I don’t know how we are going to describe Bauchi.

    “I see this as my obligation and my resolve to ensure that Bauchi story changes. I want to add value to the state and make sure it becomes one of the front line states in terms of development.

    “The story is that of unemployment, youth restiveness inability to provide basic education needs, among other challenges. Look at the Nigerian template in WAEC and JAMB and you will see that we are all below average. That is not a good story to tell”.

    Also on hand to submit his nomination form was Alhaji Ibrahim Ajia who is vying for the party’s ticket for the governorship election in Kwara State.

    A former senator, Patricia Akwashiki also came to return her nomination documents for the Nasarawa State governorship election.

  • Medical bodies demand upward review of El-Rufai’s budget for health

    As the Kaduna State House of Assembly begins work on the N155bn 2019 budget estimates submitted to it by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, implementing partners of

    Partnership For Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) have demanded for upward review of the health budget.

    The PACFaH partners, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) and Society for Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON) during an advocacy visit to the assembly said, the 2019 budget estimate shows a significant decrease of N170 million in Routine Immunization and N210 million in Maternal and New Born Child Health from the 2018 budget.

    Chairman of APHPN in Kaduna State, Dr Muhammed Sani Ibrahim and 1st Vice President of SOGON, Dr Habib Sadauki in their presentations before the state assembly committee on health however demanded for increase in the health budget for four thematic areas of family planning, routine immunization, primary healthcare under one roof, maternal and born child health and

    According to the medical practitioners, “We are here at the Kaduna State House of Assembly to advocate for health issues, particularly that this is the time for budgeting. We have looked at the indices for Kaduna State, therefore we are here to advocate for more funding in five thematic areas.

    “The thematic areas area: routine immunization for our children under the age of five. The five killer diseases like, pneumonea and diarrhoea; primary healthcare under one roof and also family planning for the mothers. Those are the areas we are here to talk to you about.

    “In the last three years, there has been improvement in the budget, but if you look at what is expected as target to reach for the various indices like the routine immunization for children against major preventable killer diseases of children, they are not yet on national target of 80 per cent. So, for that, there is need for more money.

    “And if you at the target for family planning, Kaduna State government has committed itself to 46.5 per cent coverage, but at the moment, they are at 24 per cent. And the budget proposed for this year is much less than what was allocated in the last two years.

    Read Also: El-Rufai presents N155b budget to Kaduna Assembly

    “So, where are here to advocate to you to look into that, because if we want to safe our mothers, children under the age of 5 and also improve the functions of our primary healthcare centres, we need a lot of more money. And not only just the money, we need you to perform your oversight function, to ensure that the money allocated is released on time and used appropriately.” The NGOs stressed.

    Responding on behalf of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Chairman House Committee on Health, Hon. Isaac Auta Zankhai assured that the assembly will close the identified gaps.

    He assured the NGOs of Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s commitment to healthcare especially as it concerns women and children, adding that, the first health bill the assembly received were an executive bill from El-Rufai led executive.

    While noting that, the major challenge confronting the health budget was the dwindling economy, Hon. Zankhai promised that the identified will be closed.

    “Economic challenge is a major factor responsible for the budget shortfall, but we will continue within our financial strength to ensure that, our women and children don’t have to suffer or die unnecessary.” He assured.