The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mohammed Abdullahi

  • Nasarawa sacks polytechnic rector, others

    Nasarawa sacks polytechnic rector, others

    The Nassarawa State Government has sacked the rector, registrar and bursar of the state polytechnic, Lafia with immediate effect.

    A statement by Malam Mohammed Abdullahi, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), issued to newsmen in Lafia on Thursday, also said the government would investigate activities at the institution since 2014.

    The government directed the Rector, Silas Gray, Registrar, Labani Joseph and Bursar, Abdullahi Akya, to proceed on compulsory leave.

    “The government has taken the decision in pursuant to its desire to reposition the state-owned tertiary institutions.

    “And in compliance to the relevant laws establishing all the state owned tertiary institutions and as a Visitor to all the tertiary institutions in the state,” he said.

    The statement further directed the three officials to handover the affairs of their offices to their respective deputies.

    It added that fact-finding committees would be inaugurated soon to investigate activities of the polytechnic, College of Education, Akwanga and College of Agriculture, Lafia from 2014 to October 2017.

    Read also: ‘Nasarawa Polytechnic generates N120 million IGR annually’

    NAN

  • Nasarawa suspends board secretary for alleged missing fund

    Nasarawa suspends board secretary for alleged missing fund

    The Nasarawa State Government, on Friday, said it had suspended the Secretary of the state scholarship board, Abdulwahab Suleiman for alleged missing of fund.

    Mallam Mohammed Abdullahi, the Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government (SSG), made this disclosure in a statement he made available to newsmen in Lafia.

    He said the suspension, which took immediate effect, would give room for the repositioning of the board to enhance effective service delivery.

    When the agency contacted both the suspended secretary and Mallam Tijjani Ahmed, the state Commissioner for Education for their reactions, the duo declined comments on the matter.

    The two government officials, however, said they would not say anything on the issue since the police had started investigation into the matter.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Idrisu Kennedy, confirmed that the case had been reported to the state police command and investigation had since commenced.

    NAN

    Read Also: Nasarawa to deploy security operatives to schools

  •  Al-Makura dissolves governing council of tertiary institutions

     Al-Makura dissolves governing council of tertiary institutions

    Gov.Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has approved the dissolution of the governing council of the three state owned tertiary institutions.

    Mohammed Abdullahi, the Secretary to the State Government, announced this on Friday in Lafia.

    He listed the affected institutions as College of Education, Akwanga, College of Agriculture, Lafia and Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia.

    Abdullahi thanked the chairmen and members of the councils for their services and wished them well in their future endeavours.

    He said that the dissolution of the councils took immediate effect.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the institutions are currently on indefinite strike to press home their demands for better welfare packages.

     

  • Bauchi approves death sentence for kidnapping

    Bauchi approves death sentence for kidnapping

    Kidnapping in Bauchi State is now punishable with death or life imprisonment as Gov. Mohammed Abdullahi signed into law a bill in that direction.

    The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ibrahim Umar, made this known on Tuesday while briefing newsmen in Bauchi.

    He said that Abdullahi also assented to bills on fisheries and accidents.

    Umar said that the governor assented to the bills on Monday.

    “Whoever is guilty of the offence of kidnapping shall be punished with life imprisonment.

    “If the victim dies as a result of the kidnapping, the offender shall be punished with death.

    According to Umar, whoever seizes, confines, tricks, abducts or carries away anybody and holds to ransom or otherwise with or without a weapon, commits the offence of kidnapping.

    Umar said that the state government also signed into law a bill for provision of free emergency treatment to accident victims within 24 hours of occurrence.

    He said that the government would provide for each public hospitals, an accident and emergency unit, intensive care unit and a blood bank equipped with personnel and effective communication gadgets.

    “The law stated that the state government shall provide funds and logistics for joint patrol of the hospital management board and Federal Road Safety Corps for rescuing accident victims in the three senatorial districts of the state.

    “Any government hospital that fails to accept an accident victim shall have its officers on duty that day punished according to civil service rules, including reduction in rank,” he said.

    He said that the law applied to all accidents including domestic fire, industrial fire, plane crash, flood disaster, snake bite, dog bite, rainstorm, bomb blasts and gunshot.

    The attorney-general also said that the governor assented to the state Fisheries and other Related Matters Bill.

    According to him, the law is to regulate fisheries in order to promote a healthy lifestyle and ensure that fishes would be free from contamination.

    It can be recalled that Lagos State has also approved death sentence for kidnapping.

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode on Feb. 1, assented to the state’s Kidnaping Prohibition Bill, 2016, which provides for death penalty for kidnappers whose victims will die in their custody, and life imprisonment for the act of kidnapping.

     

  • FG distributes relief materials to IDPs in Nasarawa

    The Federal Government on Friday distributed relief materials worth three million naira to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nasarawa State.

    At the distribution exercise in Lafia, Hajiya Sadiya Faruck, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, said the gesture was to reduce the hardship of the IDPs.

    The commissioner, who was represented on the occasion by Bello Mohammed, the Assistant Director, Field Operations, called for proper utilisation of the items.

    She explained that the IDPs were indigenes of Taraba State, who were displaced as a result of the sectional crisis that had affected the state since 2013.

    “The gesture is the Federal Government’s response to mitigate the suffering of the IDPs. The government is giving similar support to IDPs in all the states affected by the crisis.

    The commissioner listed the items distributed to include: grains, clothings, shoes, drugs and educational materials.

    Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of the state, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the support.

    Al-Makura, who was represented by Mohammed Abdullahi, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), assured that the State Government would ensure judicious utilisation of the items.

    Two of the beneficiaries, Salisu Ibrahim and Hazatu Aminu, expressed gratitude to the commission for the gesture, which they said had put smiles on their faces.

  • Bankole’s vindication, challenge to EFCC

    Bankole’s vindication, challenge to EFCC

    SIR: The recent discharge and acquittal of Honourable Dimeji Bankole, erstwhile Speaker of House of Representatives, calls to question the efficacy or otherwise of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). In 2011, the commission made a big issue of Bankole’s arrest, creating a mole hill out of nothing by deploying virtually all police personnel available in Abuja to arrest just a single soul. When he was arraigned in court, the road leading to the court and its main entrance were barricaded by fierce-looking riot policemen and other security forces, as if Abuja was under emergency rule. The gun-wielding policemen and other security personnel were everywhere within the court complex. Most Nigerians condemned this show of force to arrest just a single person, as if he is a common felon.

    But EFCC’s “meticulousness” during Bankole’s arrest vanished in the two courts where he was docked. That a man could win in two different courts speaks volume of the inability of EFCC to prosecute cases, but rather engage in media war. While Bankole’s trial lasted, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said he saw nothing wrong if Bankole borrowed to run the House of Representatives, he would and must have the means of payment. The war on corruption cannot be fought on the pages of newspapers but much on practical approaches to issues and not the personality involved, and more importantly is the record time at which this case was pursued. Then, one begins to wonder why the trial of former governors like Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Mohammed Abdullahi (Nassarawa), Abubakar Audu (Kogi), etc has remained in a cul-de-sac. If, as EFCC would claim, the former governors are scuttling their trial by employing frivolous applications, is this endless? Or has EFCC lost the steam and/idea to pursue these cases?

    EFCC should rise to the challenge by doing its homework before rushing someone to the court. This will guard against wasting tax payers’ resources. They should not act on the spur of the moment or on rumours. Instead, they should ensure rock-solid evidence that can secure a conviction before arraigning someone in court, and most importantly, not a media war. EFCC should be alive to its responsibilities, and not following the crowd.

     

    • Badejo Adedeji Nurudeen

    Surulere, Lagos State.