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Tag: Kwara State

  • Court restrains Kwara from deducting pensioners’ fund to pay teachers’ salaries

    Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital has restrained the state government from deducting a sum of N421.6 million monthly from pensioners fund to pay junior secondary school teachers in the state.

    The court also described the deduction of the funds by the state government since 2011 as illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

    Pensioners counsel ST Abubakar had sought the relief of the court declaring that the monthly deduction of the said amount by the state government to teachers’ salaries is capricious, arbitrary and constitutes abuse of power and discretion.

    Other reliefs sought are “a declaration that the local government fund is meant for the maintenance of primary and adult education, including payment of salaries and entitlement of local government staff (both serving and retires/pensioners; a declaration that the state government has no right or power to deduct and or convert the local government funds to maintain or pay junior secondary schools in the state or elsewhere; an order of perpetual injunction restraining the state government either by themselves, agents, privies or representatives or whatsoever name they may be described from deducting and/ or converting the state local government funds to maintain, finance and or pay the salaries of the staff of junior secondary schools or any secondary school staff in the state or elsewhere and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants (state government) jointly and or severally either by themselves, their agents, privies or representatives from using the local government funds for any purpose order than the one stated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    Read Also: Kwara PDP passes confidence vote on Saraki

    Abubakar alleged the 94- month illegal deduction from the local government funds amounted to N39.6 billion, noting that the state government’s indebtedness to the pensioners stands at N15 billion and N4.5 billion gratuities and monthly pensions respectively.

    In his judgement, Justice M.O Adewara said that state government’s action is antithetical to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Laws of the state.

    “There is no provision in the Nigerian Constitution and the Laws of Kwara state that gives the responsibility of junior secondary school to local government,” Justice Adewara ruled.

  • AbdulRazaq promises to place premium on youth empowerment

    Kwara State Governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said that on assumption of office, his administration will pay optimal attention to youths’ empowerment and well-being.

    He said the youth question is one of the challenges that his administration would face.

    Abdulrazaq spoke at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital, during a youth summit.

    His political associate Kale Belgore read his speech at the summit.

    The governor-elect said : “As we assume office in the coming months, we have no doubt that one of the greatest challenges ahead of us in Kwara is how to address the youth question in order to engender growth and development as well as restore the dignity of not just the human person, but the sanity of our communities.

    “Building infrastructure across sectors will be key to attracting investments and employment generation. This explains our fixation on building infrastructure, given the huge deficit of same across the state, especially in parts of Kwara where investment in agro-processing factories would help jump-start the local economy and create jobs.

    “Proper attention will especially be paid to critical infrastructure for primary and post-primary education, moral teachings and counselling as a way to (re)build a new generation of young people who can hold their own anywhere in the world.

    “We will run an administration with inclination towards moral rectitude and reorientation while also discouraging drug abuse, thuggery and a culture of unhealthy dependency, which stifles socio-economic growth.”

    Read also: Immortalize my son, Sam Okwaraji’s mum tells FG

    The businessman turned politician said: “Incidentally, Nigeria is a country blessed with huge population of youth. The United Nations estimated that Nigeria currently has a population of 199 million as at March 26, 2019.

    “This is neither a good news nor a bad one. A country’s youth population is often a double-edged sword. Higher youth population is an asset and a great element of power, where the bulk of those young people are highly skilled, are engaged in very productive endeavours, and are duly mobilised for national development. But it could also be a burden – or call it a timed bomb – where the young population is not so skilled not properly engaged in anything meaningful.

    “The danger in the latter condition is that any country or society with predominantly ignorant or idle young population is a natural habitat for restiveness, drug abuse, and all sorts of crimes.

    “The National Bureau of Statistics put youth unemployment in Nigeria at 36.50 per cent as at the third quarters of 2018, down from 38% in the previous quarter of the same year. This figure doesn’t cover the underemployment tally in the country.

    “We will make sure that young people are at all time given ample opportunities to prove their mettle in a deliberate bid to make our youth agents of statecraft and catalysts for socio-economic development in Kwara and Nigeria as a whole.”

    Chairman of the summit’s local organising committee (LOC) Kayode Oyin-Subir said the objective of the summit was to set agenda for the incoming government.

  • Ogun gets new Police Commissioner

    A new Commissioner of Police, Bashir Dabup Manama, has been deployed to Ogun State and has since resumed duty in the state.

    Bashir Dabup Makama, a Political Science graduate of Bayero University Kano; succeeds Police Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu.

    The New Police Commissioner enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force in 1986 as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent   of Police (ASP), and served in various police Commands across the country in different capacities.

    He was once an assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of operations in Anambra State; he was Area Commander Port Harcourt in Rivers State.

    He also served as Deputy  Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in Kano State,  as well as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Special Protection Unit,  force headquarters Abuja.

    Read Also: Plant trees, Ogun residents told

    He was later posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge  of Adminstration in Anambra State from where he was promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police  in 2016 and posted to Benue State. From Benue State, he was posted to Force Criminal Investigation and intelligence Department (FCIID) Abuja as the Commissioner of Police   in-charge of Administration,  from there,  he was posted as Commissioner of Police Kwara State.

    His last point of duty is Akwa Ibom State before his deployment to Ogun State as the new Police helms man in the State.

    He is a member of several International organisations -notably the National Organisation of Black Law Enforcement Agents (NOBLE) USA and international Association of Chiefs of Police (I.A.C.P).

    His hobbies include dancing and reading. He is happily married with lovely children, according to the Police Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement on Monday.

  • Ilorin lawyer Gbadeyan congratulates AbdulRazak

    An Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Mr. T.O.S. Gbadeyan, has congratulated the governor-elect of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahaman AbdulRazak, his running mate, Mr.Lekan Alabi, and other victors in the recent elections in the state.

    Gbadeyan described their emergence as a new dawn in the annals of the state.

    He prayed that their tenure ”change everything for better”  in the lives of the people that elected them.

    Read also: Kwara PDP passes confidence vote on Saraki

    He asked them to remember to bring smiles to the faces of pensioners who, for the 11th year running, have been involved in a legal tussle to get paid their pensions and gratuities that were illegally deducted by the state government.

    He pleaded with the incoming administration to “expeditiously set up a committee that will consider the plight of the pensioners that needlessly fight for their pension rights in the court of law and recommend agreeable terms of settlement that will put an end to such legal tussles.”

  • Nigerians watching Kwara, say Buhari/Osinbajo groups

    Groups, supporters and loyalists of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State (APC) have celebrated the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo and Governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the just concluded elections.

    Leading the celebration was the Buhari/Osinbajo Continuity Agenda (BOCA) in conjunction with other support groups at the national level.

    Speaking during the event, the state Coordinator of BOCA, Hajia Hafsat Bimpe Byll, said the whole country is watching the governor-elect “to see what he will achieve, having won the elections”.

    Hajia Byll: “For Kwarans, the victory is very symbolic in the history of the state politics, as no party has ever recorded a landslide victory across all the three senatorial zones. This is indeed a revolution by the people that  led to the great victory.

    “We hereby implore all Kwarans to give maximum support to the incoming administration to move the state to greater heights so that the struggle for freedom and victory would not be in vain. “

    Read also: Rivers PDP, AAC row over alleged N3b offer

    The coordinator hailed the re-election of President Buhari and Prof. Osinbajo at the polls, adding this achievement has made them game-changers in the history of the country’s politics.

    “For the first time, Nigeria conducted elections without acrimony. The president and his vice not only won, the election was also free and fair to which the international community testified. This achievement is an eye opener for all Nigerians to know that it is possible to have elections without unnecessary expenses by government and individuals.

    “Let it be on record that the success of APC in Kwara State and across the country can be ascribed to the milestone achievements of the Buhari administration in the various sectors.”

  • Offa robbery: Court refuses post-mortem of dead suspect

    Kwara State High Court, Ilorin, yesterday refused the exhumation of the body of the principal suspect in the April 5, 2018 Offa robbery, Michael Adikwu, for post-mortem.

    But the court granted the prayer of the defence asking for an independent examination of the alleged gunshot injuries sustained by the first, second and third accused.

    The accused, Ayoade Akinnibosun (first accused person), Ibikunle Ogunleye (second accused person), Adeola Abraham (third accused person), Salaudeen Azeez (fourth accused person) and Niyi Ogundiran (fifth accused person) were in court.

    Ogundiran had told the court how the police extracted his confessional statement from him under duress.

    The first, second and third accused persons had at the last adjourned date accused the police of shooting them in the legs to instil fear in them before extracting statement from them.

    They alleged that the police shot dead Adikwu while in their custody, contrary to the police’s claim that he died of an ailment in hospital.

    As a result, defence counsel Mathias Emeribe said: “In view of the fact that the four accused persons have given their evidence, I hereby apply for an independent medical examination of the legs of the first, second and third accused persons to determine whether the wounds on their legs are caused by gunshots.

    “I also ask for an order to carry out autopsy on the death of Michael Adikwu, the principal suspect, to find corroboration to evidence of especially the fifth accused person as well as the other three persons.

    “The essence of this is not unconnected with the fact that Adikwu was initially one of the accused persons charged with others and it is important that one of their own was allegedly killed before them.

    The fact of the cause of the death must be determined in order to find out the truth as to how the confessional statements were obtained.

    Read also: Two feared injured as another building collapses

    “The name Michael Adikwu was repeated consistently by the four accused persons in this trial within trial and I think it will be in the interest of justice for the accused persons to put in a proper defence to get the result of that medical examination.”

    But prosecution counsel Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN) opposed the application, describing it as strange.

    Said he: “I urge the court to refuse this strange application.

    Justice is not one-way traffic. It is available to all the parties and not only for the accused.

    “For the record, this is a trial within trial specifically to determine the voluntariness of the statements of the accused persons.

    “It is not for the court to look for evidence to corroborate his allegation. It is for him to do that.

    “This application is tantamount to inviting your lordship to come to the arena. The application is clearly shopping for evidence. The shooting of Adikwu has no relevance to the issue of a trial within trial.”

    Having listened to both parties, Justice Halima Salman took a shot break before delivering her ruling.

    In her ruling, Justice Salman said: “The court will avail the parties the facilities available in this case. It is, therefore, in the interest of justice and fair hearing to allow for a medical examination to know whether the healed wounds on the three suspects’ legs emanated from gunshots. I, therefore, grant the first prayer.

    “On the post-mortem examination of the body, there is nothing the autopsy will add to this case. It is baseless and pointless to grant the second prayer.”

    She ordered the registrar to prepare the “enrol order today to be served on the defence and prosecution.”

    Justice Salman adjourned the case till April 8 for continuation of defence in trial within trial.

     

  • Rice farmers hail Buhari’s agric revolution

    Farmers under the aegis of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kwara State have applauded the agricultural revolution of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the country.

    The association also hailed the re-election of President Buhari at the February 23rd presidential and National Assembly elections, adding his second term in office would afford him another chance of consolidating on his achievements.

    Kwara State Chairman of RIFAN Mahmud Abdullahi said the Buhari’s government had put smile on the farmers of local rice growers in the country.

    He added that because of his unprecedented agricultural revolution particularly in rice production, RIFAN across the country delivered the 12.2 million votes it pledged for President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection.

    Mallam Abdullahi added that the entire members of RIFAN numbering 22,750 and their families in Kwara state also cast their votes for the president.

    Giving reasons for RIFAN’s support for President Buhari, Abdullahi said that: “President Buhari is the only Nigerian president we have ever seen to be so patriotic and passionate. Our president has made commendable effort in innovation in the agricultural sector, which has been having multiplier effect and linkage effect on the nation’s economy, security and industrial development.

    “Nigeria is now witnessing a revolution in rice production and processing while the rice value chain is being developed and standardized. This association will never forget the fact that ‘to

    whom much is given much is expected,’ our votes are for President Buhari. By the grace of God we are moving to the ‘next level.”

    He hailed Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed for his show of love and development of RIFAN in the state.

    “Alhaji Lai Mohammed contributed positively for the success of RIFAN programme held last week in the state. He directed the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) crew to cover the event for us,” Abdullahi added.

  • Mother of four needs help after delivering triplets

    A mother of four Nafisat Akangbe has given birth to a set of triplets in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. The triplets delivered through Caesarean section are all males and were born the first of this month at the Kwara State General Hospital, Ilorin.

    The newly arrived children are in good condition, feeding on breastmilk and baby food supplements.

    Mrs. Akande hawks fresh vegetables on the street, reportedly lost her husband, Mr. Yisau Akangbe, a former messenger at the state polytechnic, Ilorin, five months before the triplets arrived.

    Based on this predicament, she has called on the state government and governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for assistance.

    She said assistance from the incoming governor and other well spirited Nigerians became imperative because she cannot leave the triplets at home to hawk, at least not for now.

    She has named one of the children after the incoming governor, Abdulrahman. The two others are Abdulsalam and Ismail, she said, adding that she identifies them with beads put on their wrists.

    Apart from vegetables, she said she also buys yams and pepper during their seasons from wholesalers and pays back after sales since there is no capital to trade in her own.

    It was gathered that the woman has been vegetables hawker around Aduralere, Sabo-Oke, Muritala areas of the metropolis with a unique promotional statement: ‘E ma da mi da. Mi o le je tan,’ meaning, ‘don’t leave me with it. I can’t eat it all alone.’

    Speaking with The Nation in her flood-prone residence at Aduralere community, Ilorin, the mother of triplets said this is the time that import of her promotional message had dawned on her and became a reality.

    “Please, I want a particular assistance from the new governor. I want him to help us with even just a two room apartment anywhere in Ilorin.

    Flood enters this our house at Aduralere where we live, whenever it rains. It was filled with water up to my chest during my pregnancy when it rained. We use all available containers to pour out water from rooms whenever it rains”, she said.

    Narrating her ordeal during delivery, she was full of praises and thankful to God for granting her safe delivery.

    She added that “I went to heaven and came back.”

    She said that a lot of money had been spent on her hospital bills at the General Hospital, Ilorin by her in-laws and her relations, among other individuals.

  • Forum to governor-elect: change Kwara’s fortunes

    Kwara State Governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has been urged to come up a blueprint to turnaround the the state’s fortunes within the first year of his administration.

    The governor-elect, according to the Kwara South Progressive Forum, has an abiding responsibility to make a difference from the rot experienced by the state  in the last 16 years.

    The forum said in a statement in Omu-Aran signed by its coordinator, Chief Bola Olu and the secretary, Mr. Bisi Omidiji, that it was only through exemplary leadership, impressive performance and accountability that AbdulRazaq, as the arrow-head of the “Oto ge e” mass movement, could justify his electoral victory as well as the public confidence and support for him.

    It said: “The recent general elections have clearly proved to the political elite that the average Nigerian voter attached so much value to his ballot, genuine public service and accountability.”

    The forum congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the state APC Chairman, Bashiru Bolarinwa, and other party leaders and members for their hard work, which gave victory to the APC.

    But it warned that the outgoing government would not go down without a fight-back, adding that the only means of power retention on a long-term basis was progressive policies and relevant project execution by the incoming government.

    It also enjoined the governor-elect to study the state agricultural potentials to engage unemployed youths in meaningful employment.

  • Kwara monarch Etsu Patigi dies at 65

    Etsu Patigi in Patigi Local Government, Kwara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Chatta Umar is dead.

    The first class monarch died on Tuesday in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 65.

    Before his death, he was the vice chairman of the state traditional council.

    The remains of the late Umar will be interred today.

    However, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman Kwara State Traditional Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq expressed sadness over the death of the traditional ruler.

    Alhaji Gambari said the late Etsu Patigi was an epitome of peace and symbol of unity for the Nupe speaking tribe in the state and beyond.

    He also said his death would no doubt create a wide vacuum, which would not be forgotten so soon.

    The Emir noted that the late Etsu Umar used his wealth of experience to promote the council through his numerous outstanding contributions.

    Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, described the late royal father as a man of peace, whose reign witnessed monumental growth in his domain and Kwara State.

    “Alhaji Ibrahim was an older friend and an ardent supporter. I will personally miss his advice and fatherly disposition. He was always an apostle of peace and good relationship between the various peoples and areas in our dear state. He shall be dearly missed.

    “The last time I saw him was during the electioneering campaigns, he was lively and articulate about the hopes and aspirations of the people of Patigi, in particular, and the Kwara North Senatorial District in general. As usual, one saw a traditional ruler who tirelessly canvassed the interest of his people. One never realised it was the last meeting we had that day,” Saraki stated.

    He prayed Allah to grant the soul of the departed royal father a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah Firdaus and his loved ones, the fortitude to bear the loss.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by his media aide, Mr. Segun Adeyemi, condoled with the Emir of Ilorin, the government and people of Kwara, especially the Patigi people over the loss.

    He described the late emir as a man of peace, a great custodian of his people’s culture and a father to all.

    Mohammed said his wise counsel and leadership would be greatly missed, especially at this critical time in the history of Kwara State.

    Mohammed said his last meeting with the Emir, during the burial of the father of Olofa of Offa, left him with a good memory of the departed monarch.

    He prayed that God would grant the late Emir Al-Jannah Firdaus and comfort the people he left behind Governor Ahmed also condoled with the people of Patigi Emirate over the death of their monarch.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, Ahmed described the demise of the monarch as a great loss and departure of one of the builders of modern Kwara.

    He said the demise of the Etsu draws the curtain on one of the most peaceful, finest and most respected traditional rulers in the state.

    Also, the governor-elect AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the late monarch as shocking and regretful.

    AbdulRazaq said in a statement by his media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, that the first class monarch’s legacy of uniting his people for peace and development would be missed.

    The statement reads: “The Etsu Pategi was uncompromising about the unity, peace and development of his people and community. This legacy stood him out throughout his reign,” according to the statement on Wednesday

    AbdulRazaq condoled with the Kwara State Government, the Emir of Ilorin and the people of Kwara North on the passing of the late Etsu Pategi.