The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kaduna

  • Some Northern states backward like Afghanistan – El-Rufai

    Some Northern states backward like Afghanistan – El-Rufai

    As the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADInvest 2.0) came to a close in Kaduna on Thursday, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai toed the same line with Emir of Kano Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as he said some Northern Nigerian states are as backward as Afghanistan.

    This was as Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said, a survey has revealed that, there are more than three million Almajiris in Kano State, majority of whom he said are foreigners from Niger Republic, Chad and other neighbouring African countries.

    The two Governors and their Zamfara colleague, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari spoke during the grand finale of the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit (KADInvest 2.0) in Kaduna on Thursday.

    According to Governor El-Rufai, “Yesterday, the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II, made certain observations about the state of northern Nigeria within the larger Nigeria context. Because the truth of the matter is when you look at human development in the indices of Nigeria, they hide a lot of information, they saw us as middle-income country, they saw that we are making progress in terms of education and health care.

    “But when you disaggregate this number and look at them from zone to zone, from State to State, it is very revealing, it shows for, instance, that some States in Nigeria are as backward as Afghanistan in terms of education, health care and opportunities. And many of the States in the North-west are afflicted with these challenges.

    “So, unless we recognise that within the larger Nigerian context, we have some common problems in this region. We have the largest number of out-of-school children, we have the largest number of girls not completing basic education, we have the lowest levels of women giving birth in hospitals and health clinics, we have the highest infant mortality rate, we have the highest maternity mortality and morbidity rate.

    “Unless we recognise that and come together, and address our common challenges, we will continue to pull Nigeria backward, in my opinion, and that is the last thing we want. And this is why, very early in the administration, we approached ARDP to help us put together a group of thinkers, experienced technocrats to think through these problems and help us map out an agenda because as Dr Bugaje pointed out the North-west has the largest density of water resources in Nigeria, in fact, in the west Africa sub-region.

    “So, by constructing small dams and focusing on agriculture, we will be able to feed, not only Nigeria, but most of the sub-regions. Every day, between 12 and 20 trucks come from the Niger Republic to buy maize and soya beans in Kaduna State, for instance. Dauna market in Kano is the largest grains market in the West Africa sub-region, attracting traders from 4-5 countries. So we have an opportunity to build on the long gesture of history of Kano as a commercial centre, Sokoto Caliphate as the centre of learning, and many other natural and artificial endowments to create a viable and sustainable economic area in the North-west. And this is what we have been working.

    “For us in Kaduna State, regional integration is inevitable. The first challenge we faced that brought this topic to the table was the security challenge of cattle rustling, kidnapping and rural banditry that afflicted many States in the North-West, and we realised very early along with my colleagues that unless we came together, all seven States of the North-West, and we even brought in Niger State, which is not in the North-West, unless we collaborated together, we will not be able to address these issues holistically because if we attack the bandit in one State, they will just cross over to another State.

    “So, I think that was what planted the seed for many of us; the inevitability of regional integration, and we met, and working together with all the other States, we deployed resources to degrade the capability of cattle rustlers which has been successful so far. Cattle rustling are not over, but it has been largely degraded, and that, in my view convinced us in the Kaduna State government that the way to go is to cooperate on every platform along these lines.

  • Fire guts WAEC office in Kaduna

    The West African Examinations Council, (WAEC), lost 10 computers holding vital records and information about all schools in the zone following an inferno that gutted part of its office in Kaduna on Tuesday morning.

    The Zonal Coordinator of WAEC in Kaduna, Fedelis Gaiya, said that the fire which occurred at about 9.50a.m. probably started from an electrical spark or fault.

    According to him, “We are running on generator. When they restored electricity, we saw smoke all over the place.

    “We are grateful that no life was lost because most of our staff members were out to their various examination centres.’’

    He explained that the incident would not affect the ongoing examination because the question papers were safe.

    He commended the Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Air Force, State University and State Fire Service for responding fast to the situation.

    He noted, “We are grateful to all the fire service departments that responded very fast to the situation. Otherwise, the damage would have been more than this.”

    Deputy Comptroller of Federal Fire Service, Thompson Mohammed, reiterated the need for fire extinguishers to be installed in offices to reduce the rate of damages caused by fire.

    He added, “I am sure if there were fire extinguishers here with trained men, the damage would have been minimal.”

    He urged them to liaise with the service to train their staff on how to operate fire extinguishers, adding that, “It is committed to discharging its duties effectively and promptly.”

  • Nigeria needs strong democratic institutions to move forward — ICPC boss

    Nigeria needs strong democratic institutions to move forward — ICPC boss

    Mr Ekpo Nta, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), has underscored the need to strengthen democratic institutions to enable the nation to move forward.

    Nta, who said this at a three-day Strategic Action Plan Implementation retreat in Kaduna, added that the effort would enable the institutions to deliver on their mandate.

    He said that the commission’s action plan launched in 2013, was designed to enable the commission to achieve set goals.

    “By the end of 2017, the life cycle of the plan will come to an end after five years of implementation.

    “Incidentally, this is coming in a year when Nigeria has painstakingly approved a National Anti-corruption Strategy 2017 to 2020.

    “The strategy takes anti-corruption agencies framework for monitoring and evaluation seriously.”

    He explained that the retreat was held to establish the connection between where the commission was, where it is, and where it hopes to be.

    He said the retreat would provide an opportunity for the commission to interrogate performance in anti-corruption issues, share pertinent knowledge and inspire individuals to take serious leadership management values.

    “If we must move forward as a nation, then we must continue to maintain our principle of strengthening our democratic institutions to enable them to deliver on their mandate,” Nta said.

    Also speaking, the Secretary of the commission, Dr Elvis Oglafa, reminded participants that ICPC was established to combat corruption and other related offences, to make national development realistic.

    “Therefore, how we conduct ourselves in the work process and how we monitor and evaluate our performance and progress are crucial, “Oglafa said.

    Earlier, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, commended the ICPC for maintaining integrity in work places and among the citizenry.

    El-Rufai, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Barnabas Bantex, noted that the effort of the anti-graft agency was delivering vital public services and creating the needed condition for the nation to thrive to greatness.

  • Southern Kaduna: Indigenous security agents aiding crises – El-Rufai

    Southern Kaduna: Indigenous security agents aiding crises – El-Rufai

    The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has said that, his government is planning to have all security agents indigenous to the troubled southern part of the state, posted out of the zone.

    The Governor said, rather than help, as expected of them to resolve the crises, the security agents who are indigenously from the zone had added to the problem.‎

    He said the state government is working on ensuring that all security agents in the zone‎ who are indigenous are posted out while those from other states are brought to serve in the area.

    El-Rufai while speaking at a peace meeting with religious leaders in the state house, Kaduna on Thursday said, Southern Kaduna zone has been in crisis for over three decades, but unfortunately without anyone being prosecuted for involvement in the crises.

    El-Rufa’i, however, said that, his government has hired 50 lawyers to build the capacity of the state’s ministry of justice and to enable it prosecute those suspected to be behind the crises both now and in the past.

    The Governor reminded the clerics that the state has been experiencing crises in the past 38 years saying, even during Makarfi which people said was peaceful, the state went through not less than eight crises and that, during Yakowa, there were 16 different skirmishes.

    He said, this indicates that the crises have nothing to do with the faith or the ethnic group of the political leader in the state, but that his government has been able to identify impunity as one of the factors fuelling the crisis in the state.

    El-Rufa’i, however, said his government has taken note of the major causes of the crises and has started implementing ways of dealing with them by ensuring the prosecution of culprits, the presence of security agencies and the re-orientation of the citizenry.

    He said suspects have been arrested and that it is only when people see that those behind the crises are being punished that they will desist from further participation in acts that will lead to conflict.

    The governor explained the reason for the suspension of work on drainages in the state capital as well as major towns in the state, saying some contractors were using the project to commit the government into extra expenditure.

    ‎He said the contractors through these acts, had got the state indebted to the tune of N1 billion as against the N450 million it initially voted for the project. 
    The governor said the drainages were being constructed to maintain roads and while the project lasted, many youths were able to secure employment and many businesses were boosted through the patronage of workers at the sites.

    He said some of the contractors given the jobs, however, went berserk and started building drainages where they were not assigned and  even where there are no roads.

    The governor said some of the contractors even went beyond their agreement and started doing drainages even on roads that belong to the federal government thereby  incurring further costs to the state government. “We have made some mistakes, but we will correct them,” he stated.

    He, however, expressed happiness with how the religious leaders in the state have spoken about peace ‎and urged them to put into action the suggestions they have made at the forum and harped on the need for them to remain sincere while dealing with the members as he reminded them that, they will stand before God one day.

    “If you deceive the government or the governor, you cannot deceive God,” he said.

    El-Rufai said his government is trying to repair within four years what has been wasted in the last 16 years and that the task has not been easy.

    “What would take 20 years is what we are trying to do in 4 years. Most of us don’t sleep as we are working round the clock”, he stated.

    He described the religious leaders as shock absorbers saying they cannot afford to fail the nation due to the sensitive roles they are playing to ensure the unity and progress of the country.

  • Kaduna LG to establish football academies

    The Chairman, Kaduna-North Local Government Football Council, Abdulrazak Usman, on Wednesday said the council planned to establish football academies in all its wards, to groom talents.

    Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that football competitions would be organised for primary school pupils, who would compete for trophies in the local government.

    According to him, trophies have been donated by a sports philanthropist, Abubakar Yusuf, for the competition.

    “The competition will be an avenue to discover future stars that would shine on the world stage.

    “We are planning to form academies in all the wards of the local government area for the talent discovery.

    “They will be nurtured and groomed to take Nigeria out of the woods in the near future,” Usman told NAN.

    He lamented that Nigeria used to be a strong force in African football, but that the country had been relegated.

    “It has been long since a star from the country won the African Footballer of the Year Award.

    “By establishing these academies, we hope to produce world soccer stars”.

    He said the council intended to ensure that football was taken back to its glorious past in Kaduna State.

    “To show how sports was then, hostels were dedicated for sportsmen and women when I was at university in ABU, Zaria.

    “The university authorities also went out to source for sports talented candidates and granted them admission.

    “The results are there for everyone to see today because ABU has produced several national and international sportsmen,” he added.

     

  • NSCDC evacuates 78 destitute from Kaduna

    NSCDC evacuates 78 destitute from Kaduna

    The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday said it evacuated no few than 78 destitute in Kaduna metropolis between March 17 and March 20.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Orndiir Terzungwe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that their ages ranged from four years to 14 years.

    Terzungwe said that the destitute had been handed over to the Kaduna State Rehabilitation Centre in Makera, Kakuri in Kaduna South Local Government Area.

    He said the command was awaiting further directive from the state government on the next line of action on the destitute.

    He said those who were not from the state would be repatriated to their states of origin while those from the state would be properly rehabilitated at the centre.

    The spokesperson said the officials from the command were civil in carrying out the operation.

    “We will continue to rid the state of destitute and we appeal for cooperation from the public, “he said

  • FESTAC 77 @ 40: CBAAC boss seeks active participation of Nigerians

    FESTAC 77 @ 40: CBAAC boss seeks active participation of Nigerians

    Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, Director General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) on Monday,called on Nigerians to ensure full participation in celebration of FESTAC 77 at 40.

    He made the plea while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, adding that this was to ensure that Nigerian cultural heritage was celebrated and promoted beyond the shores of the country.

    Anikwe who noted the complacency of some Nigerians towards most cultural programmes, said this should serve as a wakeup call to all citizens within and outside the country.

    ” I want us all to erase that thinking pattern and assumption that the celebration is bringing back the fetish nature of Nigerians.

    ” This is outrightly wrong and I believe everything that has to do with FESTAC 77 is an exhibition of our rich cultural heritage which we must celebrate this year,” he said.

    Anikwe said that the event would hold in over ten states including the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) where the Mascot would be unveiled by April 1.

    He said that different cultural displays would be held in some states including Katsina, Enugu, Ogun, Kaduna, Akwa- Ibom and some foreign countries.

    ” The celebration would be all through the year and it promises to be eventful and memorable.

    ” We are going to have Durbar display in Katsina , there will be masquerade festivals in Enugu and some other cultural activities in other parts of the country,” he said.

    Anikwe said that if Nigerian cultural heritage was well celebrated, promoted and properly harnessed, it could be a money spinner for individuals and the country.

  • Leaked memo: El-Rufai is disloyal, disrespectful – Sen. Sani

    Leaked memo: El-Rufai is disloyal, disrespectful – Sen. Sani

    Sen. Shehu Sani (Kaduna-APC) has urged the party to penalise Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for allegedly leaking to reporters a memo he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Sani, who is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, called for the punitive measures in a statement he released in Abuja on Saturday in reaction to the alleged leakage.

    It will be recalled that media reports had alleged that El-Rufai told Buhari in a memo, that he was losing the vision and the momentum with which APC started the change campaign.

    The governor was alleged to have called on the President to communicate constantly with Nigerians, so they would know the plans of his government.

    The reports also claimed that El-Rufai acknowledged that a cabal was working hard to alienate the President from those, who even worked hard to secure his victory during the 2015 election.

    Sani said it was ironic that while El-Rufai could not stand constructive criticism, he had the audacity to criticise the President.

    “The governor always recommends that our party should punish me for criticising him.

    “Now that he has fired a cruise missile at the President through a deliberately leaked memo, he should also be treated the same way.

    “He accused me of being disloyal and disrespectful to the President and the party for speaking my mind.

    “Now he has done his own cunningly by criticising the President and the party, disguised it as a memo and leaked it out to the press.

    “If our able party chair would give me five strokes of the cane for speaking out, the governor (El Rufai) should be given thrice that for ‘leaking out’.

    “It’s often said that look at the message and not the messenger, but there are times when you can only decipher the message by looking at the messenger,’’ he said.

    According to Sani, while Gov. El-Rufai is entitled to his opinion and perception, the contradiction and irony is that he carried out an action he always stood against when criticised.

    He described the governor as disloyal and disrespectful, saying: “the difference is that while mine is blunt, his is dubious.

    “Secondly, for all the issues he raised against the President, his own is worst in his space of governance both in the existence of cabal or politics of exclusion, incompetence or public perception.

    “The difference is that the President is tolerant of criticisms and alternative views.’’

    He said the leakage of the memo to newsmen was an evidence that ‘‘logically he is leaking memo to rouse popular sympathy and create the image of ‘a competent alternative’ to ‘Baba.’

    “The memo suggests he is trying to do what he recently accused me of.

    “He said that I am in the habit of criticising him because I want to become Kaduna State Governor,’’ Sani said.

    He advised President Buhari to be cautious, saying: “he who keeps a scorpion in his pocket must always watch his groin and he who inherits a cobra should know that it’s not a pet.’’ (NAN)

  • Ile-Ife crisis: Kaduna govt meets ethnic leaders

    Kaduna State Acting Governor Barnabas Bala Bantex yesterday met with leaders of ethnic communities towards dousing tension that may lead to reprisal attacks following the crisis in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    Bantex warned against trying to incite unnecessary tensions in the state because of events  happening elsewhere, saying such those involved should desist from circulating videos and images with inciting comments and calls for reprisals.

    The acting governor admonished the leaders to prevail on their subjects to uphold peace, remain calm.

    “Those trying to incite unnecessary tension because of what is happening in Ile-Ife, Osun State, should desist from such.

    “Already, the unfortunate incident has been contained and the government will not allow enemies of peace capitalise on the situation to cause problems in Kaduna.

    “People circulating images and calling for reprisals are enemies of peace, and everybody must say no to them. The government will ensure that anyone or group of persons distributing images and videos calling for revenge are arrested and prosecuted.

    “Citizens must support the government to ensure that every threat to law and order is defeated”, he said.

    Bantex described the Southern Kaduna crisis as criminal and banditry, and not a Christian versus Muslim crisis as widely believed.

    According to him, the most peaceful council in Kaduna is Jaba, one of the eight councils that make up the ‘Zone 3’, called Southern Kaduna.

    Leader of the Community Leaders Forum delegation and President-General of the Yoruba Traditional Rulers Council in the 19 Northern States, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Oguntoyinbo, said masterminds of the Ile-Ife crisis are not representing the Yoruba as a people.

    He urged the Yoruba community in Kaduna and the North to remain calm, peaceful and shun reprisals.

    “We are tired of spilling blood and, therefore, appeal to our political, religious and traditional leaders to, irrespective of their differences, unite and find a lasting solution to the recurring crises”.

  • Police to pay N2m to three persons over unlawful detention

    The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has ordered the Police to pay N2 million as exemplary damages to three persons unlawfully arrested and detained for 19 months.

    The three persons, Idris Abubakar, Anas Abubakar and Aliyu Abubakar, instituted the case against the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    Also joined in the suit No. FHC/KD/CS/22/2016 were the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State and the Divisional Police Officer, Kabala Police Station.

    The complainants said that they were arrested by the police for alleged theft and were detained for six days, after which the police claimed that they were members of Boko Haram.

    The complainants said since their arrest, they were neither released nor taken to court, adding that their lawyers and relatives were denied access to them.

    In his judgment, Justice Emeka Nwite, after hearing arguments from Counsel to the applicants, Baba Lawal-Aliyu and that of the respondents, E C Enwelum, ruled that the continued detention of the applicants violated their fundamental human rights.

    He also ruled that the police had not provided any evidence to warrant their long detention or assertion that the three were members of the Boko Haram.

    The judge dismissed the confessional statement tendered by the police in which the applicants confessed to being members of the insurgent group, saying that the document was not admissible in law.

    “Again, they said incriminating items were recovered from the applicants buttressing that they are Boko Haram sect members.

    “Not only the applicants denied having any incriminating objects when they were arrested but the respondents did not exhibit any of the incriminating objects to buttress their claims,” Justice Nwite noted.

    “In view of the foregoing analysis, I am of the view and so hold that in the said detention of the applicants, the police violated Section 35(5) (B) and 36 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended),’’ he ruled.

    The judge, therefore, ordered the production of the applicants before the court or an outright release from police detention.

    He also awarded N2 million as exemplary damages against the police for unlawful arrest and detention of the applicants, and another N50,000 against the respondent in favour of the applicants.

    “I hereby make an order enforcing the applicants fundamental rights as guaranteed by Section 34, 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,’’ he added.