The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kano

  • Kano Speaker seeks protection for whistle blowers

    The Speaker of Kano state House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan Rurum has called on members of the National Assembly to enact laws that will protect anti-corruption crusaders, whistle blowers and witnesses who are ready to volunteer information about corruption cases.

    Alhaji Rurum said without a legislation aimed at protecting volunteers of information in corruption cases, the fight against corruption would not achieve the desired impact and results in the country.

    The lawmaker spoke in Abuja Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the sixth National Workshop on Transparency and Accountability for members of State Assembly from the north-west zone of the country.

    He said at the workshop organised by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria, ACAN, that fear of harassment, intimidation, and insecurity occasioned refusal of people from stepping forward to give testimony about corruption cases in courts and before anti-corruption agencies.

    The Speaker said the National Assembly should do more to strengthen the war against corruption to ensure citizens’ protection especially when they are prepared to offer information and testify against people who abuse public trust and engaged in activities that undermined the economy of the country.

    He said members of the state legislators paticipating in the workshop would act as change agents at their various communities to ensure that the crusade against corruption yeild the desired results for the good of the people.

    The Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy, Professor Sola Akinrinade said the workshop was packaged for the legislators as part of the strategy to fight corruption and enhance quality of leadership and service delivery at various leadership levels in the country.

    He said it is imperative for state legislators to play pivotal role in the fight against corruption in the interest of the various communities they are representing and the need to ensure transparency and accountability in the business of governance at the state level.

  • ‘How police arrested cattle rustlers in Kano’

    ‘How police arrested cattle rustlers in Kano’

    For so long, they terrorised travellers and anyone they could find around the Falgore Games Reserve in Tudun Wada Local Government Area on the outskirts of Kano. The thick forest does not habour only wild animals but also deadly criminals and illegal immigrants from Mali, Niger Republic and Senegal.

    They robbed and tormented innocent citizens until security personnel turned the heat on them.

    What next? They zeroed in on cattle, stealing as many as they find and as often as possible.

    Police have said even cattle rustling is becoming an uncomfortable business for the hoodlums, as many of the criminals have been arrested, thanks to the spirited efforts of Kano State Commissioner of Police, Malam Muhammad Musa Katsina, with support from sister security agencies such as the Army and Department of State Security (DSS).

    The state police have described how 74 suspected cattle rustlers were arrested.

    Apart from the paraded 74 suspected cattle rustlers, there were also 818 cows and 87 sheep recovered from the suspects during 30 days of combing the forest.

    Parading the suspects and recovered cows and sheep before the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammad Sanusi II at Kanar Dawaki in Dawaki Kudu Local Government Area of the state, where the livestock were kept, CP Katsina said that three of the notorious cattle rustlers were killed in a gun duel during the operation while a police officer sustained injury in the process, but has been treated and discharged. Katsina said that the police recovered large cache of arms, as some of the suspects were nabbed clad in police and army camouflage which they use to intimidate and rob Fulani herdsmen.

    “Notable among the suspects is Umaru Dogo Ndaiye, a Senegalese national who was gunned down when he engaged our men in a gun battle who were on special duty at Falgore forest by Gazobi village. He later gave up while receiving treatment at hospital. A revolver pistol and 224 rustled cattle were recovered from him, while four other members of his gang were arrested. Other leading members of the bandits who lost their lives during gun duel with the police are Datti Umar Rodi and Mammadu Dogo,” he stated.

    According to him, during the operation, the police also recovered 21 arms, 42 AK 47 ammunition, 15 9.mm ammunition, 28 live cartridges and 12 locally made AK 47 ammunition. Also 82 drug dealers and cultists were apprehended, while 21 parcels of 464 raps of Indian Hemp were recovered, adding that 416 cartons of Tramadol, 119 sachets of Diazepam, 101 cartons of parklin and codeine syrup, five gallons of suck-and-die, including two tricycles used in conveying drugs by drug couriers were also displayed by the police.

    Giving account of how police smashed the cattle rustlers, CP Katsina said, “When I resumed duty in Kano recently, I came to understand through the Emir of Kano, His Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II that there were serious complaints of cattle rustling by bandits in Falgore forest and its environs; and for that reason, I took it upon myself to visit the forest and the affected villages on a fact-finding mission. Having studied the situation on ground, we therefore decided to form a Police Anti-cattle Rustling Squad, Ambush Squad and Tactical Observation Points along the 36 kilometre Falgore forest highway.

     

    “We equally deployed adequate and effective specially trained men in all the ransacked and deserted villages surrounding the forest, covering Doguwa, Tudun Wada, Kibiya and Sumaila Local Government Areas of Kano state. The following villages which prior to our intervention were deserted due to the activities of the bandits are now secured and normalcy has returned. These villages are Yantagwaye, Murmushi, Karasa, Zainabi, Sabon Gari Yalwa, Kyakkyauta in Doguwa Local Government Area; while Sabon Garin Makwasa, Makwasa, Gazobi, Burum Burum in Tudun Wada; also Gidan Kare and Masu Sumaila Local Government Area.

    Governor Ganduje described the activities of cattle rustlers as worrisome, saying that, “this is happening as we are yet to get out of the menace of insurgency, but now another frightening dimension of crime has resurfaced, which is alarming.” Ganduje who was pained that out of the 818 cattle rustlers that were arrested; some of them are Fulanis, urged security agencies to ensure that they face the wrath of the law, while assuring them of the state government’s support in their quest to fish out other suspects involved in cattle rustling. Governor Ganduje said that already, a Committee has been set up to ensure that the recovered livestock are returned to their rightful owners, adding that those involved in cattle rustling should realize that their days are numbered. Ganduje hailed CP Katsina, state Director of DSS and Commander 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army and described them as his own ‘Service Chiefs,’ saying that they have made him proud over the feat, describing the situation as unpleasant, while calling on the communities and traditional rulers to support security agencies with useful information over the activities of cattle rustlers and other bandits in the state.

    Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, accompanied by all the District Heads in Kano and members of the Emirate Council underscored the seriousness attached to the war against cattle rustlers. The Kano monarch could not hide his anger sighting the cattle rustlers. The revered Kano monarch, during his speech read out some portions in the Holy Quoran that abhors stealing, while recommending that Islamic law should be applied in the prosecution of the suspects, which include amputation of hands and legs, killing, piecing their body with sticks, life imprisonment or to be exiled. He called on Governor Ganduje to give adequate support to security agencies so as to ensure that other bandits at the forest or elsewhere across the state are fished out and properly dealt with. The Emir who was full of praise to CP Katsina, state Director DSS, Lawal Safana and Commander 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.Gen. Hamisu Hassan for their doggedness and efforts to ensure that the cattle rustlers were brought to book. Now that the war against cattle rustlers and other bandits along Falgore Game Reserve, has been declared, villagers and travelers may now breadth fresh air as The Nation reports that calm and normalcy have been restored in the area.

     

  • Kano winning war against polio, says commissioner

    Kano winning war against polio, says commissioner

    Kano State has employed 430 victims of poliomyelitis since 2013, Commissioner for Health, Dr Kabiru Getso, said yesterday.

    The state, he added, has also provided wheel chairs and tricycles to many other victims handicapped by the disease.

    He spoke with reporters yesterday in his office in commemoration of the World Polio Day with the theme: End Polio now.

    Getso declared that between 2012 and 2015, incidences of Polio reduced drastically in the state owing to government efforts.

    Giving the breakdowns, he said in 2012, Kano recorded 24 cases, 15 cases in 2013 and five cases in 2014.

    “This year, we only had one cases and that was the last one in July 24. With this data, I can say that we are winning the war against polio.”

    Reporting on what the state has been doing, he said: “During employments, we have a special quota for the disabled, particularly, people that are afflicted by poliomyelitis.

    “Kano state government has created slots for people disabled by Polio.

    “Just last month, the state government distributed some materials to people with different kinds of disabilities and victims of Poliomyelitis were among the people that benefitted from this gesture from Kano state government.

    “I can remember that wheel chairs and special tricycles were distributed to them. So, Kano State government is doing quite a lot to people that really disabled by this disease.”

    Noting that the fight Polio was far from over, the commissioner said there would still be more rounds of campaigns.

    According to him: “To ensure that this battle is convincingly won, the government has upgraded and is still upgrading primary and secondary health care facilities in the state to offer qualitative health services, including routine immunisation, which is a cornerstone in ending poliomyelitis.”

     

  • Jubilation in Kano as Sanusi rides camel

    Residents of Kano went wild with jubilation last Saturday as their Emir, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, rode on a she-camel as against the usual horse, during a durbar, organised to mark the Eid-El-Kabir in arrears.

    The event, which took place in the evening, became a talk-of-the town as youths and women in purdah rushed out to watch the royal father atop a camel.

    Some of the women and youths, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), described the royal father’s mounting of a camel “as a pleasant surprise to his people.”

    They hailed the emir’s sense of “innovation”, saying he had been adding “colour” to the throne since he became the emir.

    One of the women interviewed, Amina Kofar- kudu, said the emir had been creative in the administration of the palace.

    She added that since his installation, a lot of changes had occurred, ranging from people’s welfare, to the display of the palace culture.

    Malam Lawan Abdullahi, a resident of the palace, said history showed that the emir’s grandfather once rode on a camel to a durbar in Kaduna.

    He praised the emir for adding value to the culture of the people through innovation.

    A university student, Malam Farid Ahmad, said he was full of excitement to have witnessed the durbar.

    “I have never seen live, an emir riding on a camel, so to me it is a new experience, “ he said.

  • Police recover 800 cattle in Kano

    The Kano State  Police Command has recovered 800 cattle from rustlers  on various routes across the state.
    Investigation by The Nation revealed  that 500 of the cattle were recovered from some foreigners within the west African sub region, mostly from Senegal, while the other 300 were recovered from various locations around bush paths  that are not motor able.
    The operation was carried out by a special squad led the Commissioner of Police Mohammed Katsina.
    As at the time of filling this report, the state governor  and the Emir of Kano were handing over the cattle  to their owners at Kana daw aki in Kano.

  • Kano govt partners Leventis

    Kano State government will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Leventis foundation for the admission of female students into the foundation’s Agricultural Training School at Panda in Albasu Local Government Area of the state.

    The MoU, according to the governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, will in addition, entail the provision of additional facilities in the school. The governor said this during the graduation and empowerment of 154 trainees from the school, as part of the governor’s first 100 days in office.

    He said the government is, particularly, interested in integrating more women in modern agriculture in view of their huge number in the society and their capacity to contribute meaningfully to agricultural development.

    Ganduje also said the government is desirous of improving the capacity of the school because the trainees it produces at the moment are far below the requirements of the state, which boasts of vast potentials for rainy and dry season farming.

    Turning to the 154 graduating students, the governor announced that each of them would be given an empowerment package worth N30,000, totalling N4.62 million, urging them to make the best use of the skills they acquired to become self reliant.

    He said the government would look into the possibility of engaging them as farm extension agents.

    Ganduje, who directed Albasu Local Government, to assist in maintaining security in the school, also promised that the state government would renovate its mosque.

    The governor also promised to look into the issues of poor road network and lack of electricity supply in Albasu Local Government Area, to solve them once and for all.

    The Principal of the school, Mallam Turaki H. Hashim, who earlier took the governor on a guided inspection of facilities at the school, urged the government to provide it with a bus and upgrade some of its facilities.

  • Dangote to develop Kano varsity’s agric master plan, says VC

    Dangote to develop Kano varsity’s agric master plan, says VC

    African richest man Alhaji Aliko Dangote is partnering Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, Kano, to develop its agricultural master plan.

    Its Vice Chancellor, Prof Shehu Alhaji Musa, made this known at a briefing on the 15th Anniversary of the university.

    He said Dangote, who is Pro-Chancellor of the university, is keen in seeing to the development of the university’s faculty.

    “The plan is in the pipeline and we have already started clearing way for the new project. When the master plan is achieved, it can cater for one million farmers. That will bring succour to our agriculture. We can also have reliable food security with its attending benefits,” Musa said.

    Dangote, who is president of Dangote Group of Companies, the VC added, pledged to also construct industrial borehole that could cater for 30,000 people.

    “Apart from these contributions, he pledged to give a support of N100million to the university to inject in other projects,” the VC said.

    “For your information, Alhaji  Dangote has promised to employ 15 professors for the university and promised to pay for their salary for four years. This will bring tremendous development for the state. Academically, this assistance will improve our institution and the state in general,’’ the VC added.

    Other contributions made to the  varsity by Dangote are the building of two 500-bedroom hostels for males and females, he said.

    The VC added that Dangote completed 12 new projects, handling 36 ongoing ones and four others four at tender stages.

    “Thirty one academic staff are sent for PhD programme – 22  abroad and nine within Nigeria. So far, we have nine Professors and 14 Readers as academic staff. We also have 49 Visiting Professors, “ he added.

     

  • Ibenegbu denies Pillars victory in Kano

    Bartholomew Ibenegbu’s last minute goal denied hosts Pillars victory on Sunday when they played a 1-1 draw in Kano in a Nigeria league Week 31 game.

    Pillars have 45 points from 31 games, while Wolves keep up the pressure in third place with 52 points, six points behind leaders Enyimba.

    Ubong Ekpai broke the deadlock when he scored from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after Mine Ojo brought down goal-bound Gambo Mohammed.

    Beach Eagles stars Bartholomew Ibenegbu scored on the 90th minute to earn Warri Wolves a point.

    Ibenegbu had a free kick parried by Pillars goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed who struggled to keep it away from goal in the 86th minute.

    Wolves players protested after they believed the ball had crossed the goal line, but the referee waved play on.

  • Kano CP vows to tackle crime

    Kano CP vows to tackle crime

    The new Commissioner of Police  (CP) in Kano state, Muhammad Musa Katsina Tuesday vowed to tackle the menace of rape and youth restiveness, otherwise known as Yandaba and other criminal activities in the state.

    Musa Katsina who was posted from Oyo state took over from Ibrahim Idris who has been promoted to the position of Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Operation at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    He said that his office will focus more on bringing down the wave of crime, rape, youth restiveness and other social vices prevalent in the ancient commercial city.

    He also called on discernable Nigerians resident in Kano to help the Command with useful information on crime and criminal activities.

    According to him, his office would be ever ready to promote the determination of the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to reposition the Nigeria police.

    While addressing officers and men of the Command, CP Musa Katsina urged them to inculcate the fear of God while carrying out their official duties.

    The police boss warned the officers and men to shun extortion and corrupt practices and promised to oversee the efficient implementation of personnel welfare.

    According to him, among the first he would take in repositioning the Command is to establish pioneer welfare office in the Command’s Public Relations office to look into welfare of officers affected by sickness, accident or disaster.

    CP Musa Katsina appealed to the good people of Kano State and members of the press to continue to extend their maximum support and cooperation as given to his predecessors in bringing down the wave of crime in the state and ensure effective provision of adequate security of life and property.

  • Police kill two robbers, arrest 15 miscreants in Kano

    Police kill two robbers, arrest 15 miscreants in Kano

    The Kano State Police Command said on Friday that it had killed two suspected armed robbers in Kano metropolis.

    The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Majiya, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Kano.

    He said the suspects were killed by men of the anti-robbery squad, following a tip-off after they lodged in a hotel behind the Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano.

    ‘’The suspects are from Kano but they normally strike in Kano and go to Kaduna and hide with their colleagues from other parts of the country, “ he said.

    Majiya said personnel of Kano State Command of SARs and their Kaduna State counterparts went to the hotel where they lodged based on the information given to them.

    According to him, the gang leader escaped through the ceiling and called one of his members who took him to his house at Sharada Quarters in Kano where they took another car.

    He said when they realised that they were being trailed, they opened fire on police vehicle but were over powered by the police who killed two of them while another escaped with an AK47 rifle.

    ‘’We recovered an English pistol, one Mercedes Benz, one BMW, fake ID cards and anti-car tracker and some charms.

    According to him, the police have also arrested 15 miscreants popularly known as ‘Yan-daba’ at Rijiyar Zaki quarters in Kano.

    Majiya said the suspects were apprehended during a special operation on Sept. 8 around 1.30 p.m. by special Anti-Daba operatives.

    He added that items recovered during the operation included large quantity of Indian hemp, Tramadol tablets and dangerous weapons.

    ‘’Similarly, he said the police had arrested three persons who stole a Honda Siena at Rijiyar Zaki in addition to two others who specialised in burglary during the night, especially after rainfall.

    He said as soon as investigation was completed, the suspects would be charged to court.