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Tag: Kaduna

  • Missing APC factional leader reports to Police

    The Kaduna State Police command on Sunday said that Danladi Wada, factional Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna, found after being  declared missing by the party for more than 24 hours, had reported to the police.

    The Commissioner of police, Austin Iwar, confirmed this in a text message to the News Agency of  Nigeria in Kaduna on Sunday.

    Iwar said, “Yes he has reported to the police and we are investigating.”

    NAN reports that the factional APC spokesman Murtala Abubakar , had said that Wada was expected  to report at the Police Command to  make statement after his release by alleged abductors.

    Abubakar also said  that the factional chairman was released on Sunday by his captors in Zaria.

    He added that Wada was declared missing after the morning prayers at his Angwan Rimi GRA residence at about 5:30 a.m. on Saturday.(NAN)

  • Mob razes church, police post in Kaduna

    •Five persons arrested •Governor condemns action

    Angry youths of Narayi, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State yesterday burnt a Celestial Church of Christ building ýand part of a police outpost for the mysterious death of their friend.

    The Nation gathered that the youths are accusing the church’s 78-year-old prophet, Steven Babatunde Shittu, of having a hand in ýthe death of Sylvester Friday (21).

    Friday worked with the church.

    The youths burnt the church and police post because the police allegedly protected Shittu.

    They accused Shittu of using Friday for ritual. Police spokesman Aliyu Mukhtar, who confirmed the incident, said five persons have been arrested.

    He said: “It is true that some miscreants set ablaze a celestial church and a police outpost in Narayi. The church was razed but only a part of the police outpost was torched.

    “The youth were angry that police gave the church pastor, 78-old-old Steven Babatunde Shitu, protective custody. They demanded for his release so as to lynch him. But our personnel refused to hand him over to them so they decided to take laws into their hands.

    “Our men dispersed the rampaging youths on Wednesday but they regrouped about 4am yesterday and attacked the church and police outpost. Five persons have been arrested so far.”

    He added that the Commissioner of Police, Austin Iwar, has ordered the arrest of anyone who was a part of the incident to deter others.

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai has condemned action of the youths.

    He also ordered an investigation into Sylvester’s death.

    A statement by his media aide, Samuel Aruwan, said: “It is wrong and illegal for anyone or group to take the law into their hands.

    “The government will not tolerate attacks on places of worship and public property, such as the police post. In a state that has endured four decades of violent conflict, there can be no condoning an attack on the offices of security agencies or a place of worship, an act that has often invited needless reprisals and escalation.

    “The government is determined to ensure vigorous prosecution of anyone indicted by the police investigation into the matter.”

  • Southern Kaduna elders back Ortom on ranching

    The Southern Kaduna Elders Forum has thrown its weight behind the Government and people of Benue State on implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law as the best solution for herdsmen crisis in the state and other parts of the country.

    The Forum, led by its Chairman, retired General Zamani Lekwot and President, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Mr. Solomon Musa, on Tuesday made its position known when it paid a courtesy visit on Governor Samuel Ortom at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi.

    General Lekwot expressed the support of the group to the Governor for the ranching law initiative, stressing that it was the only tool for peace between farmers and herders and for stability in the society.

    He said the population of Nigeria had increased without an increase in land and the need to adopt new trends in animal husbandry was imperative.

    Read Also: Ortom: I’m having sleepless nights over IDPs

    Earlier, President, Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Mr. Musa said they shared in the grief and pains of Governor Ortom and people of the state, noting that they were together in prayers that God would expose the evil agenda and disgrace the perpetrators of attacks on innocent Nigerians.

    Responding, Governor Ortom stated that the crisis in Benue State caused by Fulani herdsmen was about occupation of the land and not for grazing purposes.

    The Governor said attackers of the state had admitted responsibility of their actions through various published statements and had not hidden their agenda.

    He disclosed that after the 73 victims were given mass burial on January 11, over 80 people had been killed in Logo, Guma and Okpokwu, stressing that people were being slaughtered in the state without any justification.

    Governor Ortom decried continued attacks on Benue communities with attendant increment in the number of Internally Displaced Persons, saying his concern was for people to return to their homes and continue with normal activities.

    He also commiserated with the people of Southern Kaduna over similar herdsmen attacks.

  • Student pilot force lands aircraft in Kaduna

    THE Air Force yesterday said a student pilot force-landed a Diamond 40 Trainer Aircraft on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis while “on a solo mission as part of flying training at the 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna.”

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, in a statement yesterday, said the pilot sustained minor injuries and have been taken to a military facility for treatment.

    The statement reads: “A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) student pilot force-landed a Diamond 40 Trainer Aircraft on the outskirts of Kaduna while on a solo mission, as part of flying training at the 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna.

    “The incident, which happened today (yesterday), was caused by an airborne emergency that could not allow the pilot fly the aircraft back to base. He, therefore, force landed the aircraft but with minimal damage.

    “However, the student pilot, who was the only one on board, suffered minor injuries and is already receiving treatment at the 461 Nigerian Air Force Hospital, Kaduna.

    “The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has directed the constitution of a board of inquiry to determine the exact cause of the incident while efforts are on to recover the aircraft.”

  • Pandemonium as gunmen kill patent medicine vendor

    There was pandemonium around Abeokuta Street in the heart of Kaduna city on Monday as unknown gunmen shot and killed a patent medicine vendor.

    The Nation gathered that, the perpetrators stormed the deceased patent medicine store named as Alhaji Tajudeen Adegbite at about 8:30pm on Sunday where they took their time to take ‘snacks and soft drinks’ before shooting him.

    According to eyewitness, the late Adegbite was shot at close range but he did not die until Monday.

    “He was shot at close range and died today (Monday),” he said.

    “After taking their soft drinks and snack, they went into the patent medicine store and invited the owner, Alhaji Tajudeen Adegbite, outside and shot him.

    “The assailant jumped into a waiting car and sped off leaving the victim in the pool of his own blood.

    “Neighbours later called in the police who arrived at the scene and took Mr. Adegbite to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead,” added the eyewitness.

    The police in Kaduna confirmed the incident.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Mukhtar, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said the police received a distressed call and immediately swung into action by dispatching a team to the scene of the incident.

    Mukhtar hinted that the Commissioner of Police, Austin Iwar had ordered for a massive manhunt for the killers while investigation was ingoing.

    The police spokesman said, “Our men in collaboration with neighbours took the victim to a nearby hospital but unfortunately he gave us the ghost before help could be rendered.

    “We are working round the table to ensure that the perpetrators of this gruesome act are brought to justice.  We also call on the public to help us with information to may lead to tracking down the killers.

    “But let me assure you that the Commissioner of Police, Austin Iwar, has ordered for massive manhunt to fish out the perpetrators.”

    Read Also: http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/gunmen-kill-herdsman-15-cows/

  • El-Rufai directs security beef-up on Kaduna-Plateau border

    Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has directed Security agencies in Kaduna State to beef-up security along the border between Plateau and Kaduna State.

    El-Rufai who gave the directive on Tuesday also tasked the security operatives to work with their counterparts in Plateau State to contain the crisis along the border between the two states.

    In a formal reaction to the cross-border violence between communities in Bassa local government area in Plateau State and Kauru local government area in Kaduna, El-Rufai through his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan regretted that certain elements in the border communities succumbed to the tragic cycle of attack and reprisal.

    He expressed government’s condolence to the families that lost loved ones and property, and disclosed that the state emergency authorities have been mobilized to provide relief.

    According to him, “the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has received reports of communal clashes in the border area with Plateau State. Lives and property were lost in the clashes, especially in Kigam village of Kauru local government and a community in Bassa local government area of nearby Plateau state.

    “The Governor is saddened by this unfortunate incidence, and he has since condoled families of the victims and has directed that urgent security measures be taken around the border with Plateau State to secure lives and property.

    “The Governor directed security agencies operating in Kaduna State to liaise with their counterparts in Plateau State and ensure that Kaduna state citizens are adequately protected, communities secured and that there be no escalation of the mayhem.

    “The Governor of Kaduna State, furthermore, directs security agencies to work hand in hand with their Plateau State counterparts to ensure that those that killed our citizens are arrested and brought to justice.”

    He added that, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has equally been directed to mobilise relief materials to Kigam community.

  • 145 arrested over herdsmen/farmers clashes

    A Presidency source late Sunday night confirmed that at least 145 suspects have since been arrested by the Nigeria Police following herdsmen/farmers clashes in some parts of the country, including Benue, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.

    The arrests occurred between January 2016 and January 2018.

    President Muhammadu Buhari who had given instructions to security agencies to fish out perpetrators of the violence, has been visiting some of the troubled spots and is expected in Benue State.

    The source, who does not want his name in prints, also revealed that out of the number, 124 have been charged to court, while 21 suspects are under investigation and waiting to be charged to court.

    He said “So far, 106 suspects have been arrested and charged to court for prosecution on the following offences; criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance of public peace, assault and mischief.”

    It would be recalled that recently, on March 5, at least 24 persons were killed and 20 others feared missing in two communities in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State following fresh attacks by suspected herdsmen.

    Read Also: How to end herdsmen, farmers clashes, by Obasanjo

    “Early in the year, three suspects with Ak-47 rifles were apprehended by the Police Intelligence Team in Benue, nine members of untrained Civilian JTF/Livestock guards with prohibited firearms were arrested by the military in Arufa, a boundary town between Benue and Taraba with five AK-47 rifles who confessed that they were employed as Livestock guards by a state government on a N150,000 monthly salary.

    “Similarly, 16 suspects were arrested in Gboko LGA and investigations are ongoing, while several members of armed militia and unknown gunmen were killed or apprehended by the police.

    “Other arrests made include that of 6 suspects on January 1, 2018 following the police response to the killings in Akor Village in Guma LGA on December 31, 2017.

    “Exhibits recovered from the suspect include 3 cutlasses, charms and other items. All the suspects were charged to court for culpable homicide. Concerted efforts are being made by the police to apprehend all culprits in the conflict,” the source said.’

    The Nigerian Police, he noted, have had their fair share of attacks while trying to fish out the culprits.

    Quoting a police source, he said “On January 25 this year, two visiting Police Mobile Force (PMF) from 20 and 32 led by their respective unit commanders were ambushed by a group suspected to be pastoralists while they were on patrol at Sati village in Guma LGA of Benue State.

    “During the ambush, one inspector Abdullahi Isiaka was shot and wounded, while one Sergeant Solomon Dung was reported missing.

    “We are doing our job diligently to ensure safety of lives and property in these flashpoint areas. So it is unfair when some people say we are being partial in how we are handling the conflict,” the police source said.

    The Presidency source said that further findings reveal that the Police has lost serval of its officers, while one is still missing in action in the course on restoring peace in the state.

    “About 30 of or colleagues have been killed in the line of duty, while Sergeant Dung is still missing in action,” the source said.

    He said that the disbandment and disarming of the livestock guards and militia groups in the state are ongoing so as to forestall further violence.

    “Early in the year, the IGP team commenced an on-the-spot assessment of situations in Benue with a visit to the flashpoints of the crisis, places such as Logo and Guma LGAs in Benue and Tunga in Awe LGA in Nasarawa State.

    “Security analysts say that one of the root causes of the crisis in Benue has been the implementation of the Anti-Open grazing law by the state government.

    “On January 4, the IGP met with Benue State governor and the state’s religious leaders, traditional rulers, CSOs, and other stakeholders, where the open grazing and establishment of ranches were mooted.”

    It would be recalled that following several clashes between herdsmen and farmers in some parts of the country, the Federal Government deployed mobile police forces, the army and Air Force to troubled areas.

    Security has also reportedly been beefed up in affected communities in Benue State and in other states affected by herdsmen/farmers clashes.

    To support the Police in restoring peace, he said that Army formations and units in Benue State are maintaining Forward Operating Bases in flash areas covering Guma, Logo, Katsina-Ala and Agatu Local Government Areas of Benue state in an operation nicknamed Operation Zenda.

    “In the same vein, the Nigerian Army recently deployed troops flashpoints in Nasarawa State, to forestall further attacks in routes where armed herdsmen reportedly use to attack communities in Benue State.

    “Also, recently, the Nigerian Army kicked off Exercise AYEM AKPATUMA, to checkmate the activities of armed bandits and militias in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa and its environs.” he said

     

  • UTME 2018: Candidates call for transparency in admission process

    UTME 2018: Candidates call for transparency in admission process

    A typical Computer-Based Test ( CBT ) centre for the Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) scheduled to begin on Friday, March 9 nationwide.

         Some Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination ( UTME ) candidates in FCT are optimistic that the 2018 exercise would end in their favour, having prepared well ahead.

    The candidates, who spoke in separate interviews with our reporter at a Computer Based Test ( CBT ) centre on Thursday in Bwari, Abuja, also called for transparency in the admission process.

    Our reporter, reports that many of the candidates, who seem fully prepared for the examinations, are determined to gain admissions into their various higher institutions of choice.

    The computer-based testing ( CBT ) examination is scheduled to hold between Friday, March 9 and Monday, March 19 nationwide.

    Lucy Ibrahim, one of the candidates, told our reporter,  that she was writing the examinations for the second time, adding that her level of optimism remained unshaken.

    According to her, it is not the scores that concern her but the struggle for admission into her university of choice.

    “I scored 231 last year but I believe that I will score higher this time.

    “But my prayer is for my school of choice to admit me this year.

    “I am from Kaduna and I applied for Mass Communication in ABU.

    “I just hope that the process is transparent and fair, so that a good percentage of us can get the admission this year,’’ Ibrahim said.

    Similarly, Chibuke Okafor, another candidate told our reporter,  that his level of preparedness was high enough to give him the score he needed to make his admission dream come true.

    He, however, alleged that the entire admission process was discouraging and fraught with corruption.

    Read Also: UTME 2018: JAMB vows to fight malpractice, cautions against fraudsters

    According to him, the level of corruption in some schools would not allow fairness in the entire admission process.

    Okafor said that with the new cut-off mark of 120, some schools would still frustrate the system by making it difficult for many eligible candidates.

    A candidate, Patrick Adamu, prayed for the exercise to be hitch-free, especially from network disruption.

    He also wished that the exercise begin on schedule

    Another candidate, Mercy Obi, who commended the JAMB for introducing innovations to enhance the system, urged various schools to emulate the board’s desire to make things easier for candidates.

    She said: “Most times, you find out that the challenges that come up are not from JAMB but from schools.

    “This is because when JAMB gives admission to a candidate, the school may likely not admit such candidate, even if you meet up all requirements.

    “Some of us, who have no one to fight for us or money to spend to gain admission, will continue to write until luck finally shines on us’’.

    Our reporter,  recalls that JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, recently reiterated the board’s commitment towards improving the efficiency of its services to curb all forms of malpractice.

    Oloyede said that the Central Admissions Processing System ( CAPS ), which is the automated admission platform, would provide candidates with the opportunity to track their admissions.

    According to the registrar, the system ensures strict adherence to admission guidelines, thereby creating equity and fairness in the process.

    He said this was responsible for timely completion of the 2017 admission.

    NAN

  • Shekarau warns against playing politics with farmer/herders clash

    Shekarau warns against playing politics with farmer/herders clash

     

    As Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation holds a two-day roundtable on the herdsmen/farmers conflict, former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has warned against playing politics with the crisis.

    Speaking to journalists at the occasion in Kaduna on Monday, Shekarau described the brewing crises between herdsmen and farmers, including other social vices as a matters of life and death which should not be politicized, as valuable property and lives are been lost.

    According to Shekarau, “Part of the guidelines to address this issue is to be non political and non partisan . we will not allow any body to politicize this matter, it is a matter of life and death, people are losing lives and properties are been lost , so which politics are you  playing, even you want to come and govern people , if the people are dying and there properties , their houses are been burnt, who are you coming to govern?  So this issue is very important to resolve.

    Shekarau who is the also the secretary of the board of trustee in the foundation said the crises bedeviling the Nigeria will only increase poverty and crumble economy, as there will be no peaceful buying and selling in the country.

    Read Also: Shekarau calls for policy to back online studies

    According to him, “This will affect the economy, because if there is no peace, there will be no peaceful buying and selling and poverty will increase. So its a very serious matter and we are very much concern here at sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation.

    “It is one of the greatest legacies of Ahmadu Bello, which is to unite people, and he travels far and near. There was no conflict no matter how small that Ahmadu  Bello will not even go there to reconcile the matter. This is exactly what we want to uphold and to encourage,” Shekarau remarked.

    Asked whether the the clashes between farmers and herdsmen is capable of affecting the country’s unity, he said: “If there is suspicion, herdsmen being suspected, farmers being suspected to the point of killing one-another, then what do you expect, as a trained teacher and guidance counselor, I know 90 percent of conflict is as a result of suspicion.

    “When any group or any individual suspect that he is being denied his right, and nothing is being done, people take the laws into their hands, and this is partly the reason government must see this thing as it own business totally and the communities, traditional institution, government local government and various organizations every body must own it up.

    “It is not just the issue of herdsmen -farmers, you can see in some communities it has degenerated into tribal, very soon some people will make it like religious, and therefore it becomes a problem of the country,” the former governor stressed.

    In his own remarks, Chairman of the Advisory Council/Chairman Peace Committee of the foundation, Justice Mamman Nasir called on Nigerians to suggest ways of bringing peace into the nooks and crannies of the country.

    Justice Nasir who noted that not only government has the responsibility of ensuring security said, security is a collective responsibility for all Nigerian’s.

    He further urged the Federal Government to fish out the people against the unity of the country because they are destroying the country for their selfish interest.

    Meanwhile, the roundtable discussion was aimed at finding a lasting solution to the farmers/herders and other similar communal conflicts, and rural banditry across the country, particularly in the north.

     

  • INEC announces rotational CVR to capture more voters in Kaduna

    INEC announces rotational CVR to capture more voters in Kaduna

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), on Friday announced the rotation of its Continues Voter Registration ( CVR ) to capture more eligible voters in Kaduna State.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Administrative Secretary in the state, Nick Dazang, and made available to our reporter on Friday in Kaduna.

    The statement said that the first batch of the rotation exercise would begin from Monday, March 5 to Friday, March 28, in the 23 local government areas of the state.

    It further explained that the first batch of the exercise would be conducted in two selected Wards/Registration Areas in each of the local governments, “while other areas would follow suite accordingly.“

    The statement noted that the arrangement would not in any way affect the ongoing CVR in the 23 INEC Local Government Area offices in the state.

    “The two exercises will go on simultaneously,” the statement added.

    The commission, therefore, urged eligible voters in the state to take advantage of the opportunity and obtain the voter card ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    NAN