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Tag: Nasarawa

  • NYSC corp members drown in Nasarawa

    NYSC corp members drown in Nasarawa

    The National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) in Nasarawa State, has said that two members of the service drowned in a river in Assakio community, Lafia Local Government Area of the state.

    Hajiya Zainab Isah, the NYSC Coordinator in the state made this disclosure to newsmen in Lafia on Tuesday.

    Isah said that Oguntola Babatunde and Danjuma Salihu went to the river in the evening of Oct. 8 to swim but drowned, following which an Assistant Commissioner of Police informed the service about the incident.

    “It is very sad but I know God will grant them eternal rest and grant all of us, including their families, the fortitude to bear the loss. I can only say that we are bereaved but God knows better,” she said.

    She called on other corps members to be very careful and always obey the rules of their host communities.

    “What I heard from a very reliable source was that some farmers had drowned in that river some years back.

    “So when corps members enter a community, they should ask questions and watch their steps,” she said.

    Isah added that the bodies of the deceased had since been deposited at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia.

    NAN

  • Sodangi wants Nasarawa North to produce governor in 2019

    Sodangi wants Nasarawa North to produce governor in 2019

    Sen. Abubakar Sodangi on Thursday threw his weight behind the calls to zone the Nasarawa State governorship seat to the north senatorial district in 2019.

    “Nasarawa North is the only senatorial district yet to produce a governor. The first civilian governor, Abdullahi Adamu, was from the West senatorial district, while his successor, Akwe Doma, and the incumbent, Tanko Al-makura, are from the south.

    “It is only fair that the north be given a chance as well. We must consider their request for justice and the need for oneness,” Sodangi told reporters in Nasarawa.

    Sodangi, a three-term senator, who represented Nasarawa West in the Senate from 1999 to 2011, under the platform of PDP, defected to the APC last year.

    “I have told the people of Nasarawa North to put their house in order; I have told them to unite so that we can beg other zones to support them.

    “It is not anyone’s right to insist on the governorship, but we need to listen to each so as to build a strong and united state with equal opportunities.

    “I understand that my former political party, the PDP, has already zoned the seat to Nasarawa North. If my  present political party, the APC, equally zones it to the north, I shall be happy,” he said.

    NAN

  • Sen. Sodangi backs Nasarawa on sale of assets

    Sen. Sodangi backs Nasarawa on sale of assets

    A three- term senator, Abubakar Sodangi, on Wednesday backed the decision of the Nasarawa State Government to sale some of its assets.

    Criticisms had trailed the approval by the state Assembly, on Sept.25, allowing Gov.Tanko Almakura to dispose some of the government assets in Lagos, Jos and Kaduna.

    Sodangi, who represented Nasarawa West in the Senate from 1999 to 2011, said that the decision to sell off the properties was in the best interest of the state.

    He however said that the proceeds should be invested in areas that would have positive impact on the lives of the people.

    “I want to start by saying that whatever you see a governor or government of a state is planning on doing, they must have reasons for them.

    “From what I heard, the reason for the sale of these assets was due to total wastage, dilapidation and deteriorating condition of these properties.

    “If keeping and maintaining these properties is waste and the best thing a government think is to sell the properties and reinvest the money in prosperous and viable venture to better the lives of the people of the state, so it be.

    “Some other people may have their own different views. If you are running any business at a loss, I believe that the best thing is to do away with it; that is my own personal thinking,” he said.

    Sodangi urged people of the state to support the government, so as to succeed.

    He urged Nigerians especially the youths to be law abiding, respect constituted authorities and engage in meaningful ventures that would make them self reliant.

    NAN

  • Court sentence man for stealing church property

    Court sentence man for stealing church property

    A 27-year-old driver, Ishaq Bala, who broke into a church and stole drums and iron rods, was on Tuesday sent to jail for  two years.

    A Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court in Nasarawa said Bala, who resides at Mararaba, was found guilty of all the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking and theft brought against hyim.

    The Judge, Mr Albert Maga, held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the defendant was guilty of the offence.

    “He is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment for the three-count charge,” he said.

    Maga, however, gave Bala an option of N10,000 fine, warning him to desist from committing crime.

    The accused was first arraigned on Aug. 18 on the three-count charge to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Earlier, the Police Prosecutor Agabi Auta told the court that Pastor Habila Dasat of Cocin Church, Base 4, Aku Village, Mararaba, had lodged a complaint against the accused  on Aug. 15 at`A’ Divisional Police Station.

    Auta said the accused and three others, now at large, broke into the church through the fence and stole a set of drums and some iron rods.

    “The security guard was able to get hold of the accused, while others ran away but the stolen items were recovered from him.”

    The offences contravened Sections 97, 288 and 347 of the Penal Code.

    NAN

  • Court jails student for wristwatch theft

    Court jails student for wristwatch theft

    A Grade 1 Area Court in Karu, Abuja, on Firday, sentenced a 23-year old student, Abdulrazak Yahaya, for stealing a Piaget wristwatch worth N100,000.

    The Presiding Judge, Mr Hassan Ishaq, found the convict, who hails from Maraba in Nasarawa state, guilty of the two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and theft, and sentenced him to seven months imprisonment.

    Ishaq however, gave the convict an option to pay N17, 000 as fine, as he pleaded guilty and begged for the court’s mercy.

    The magistrate ordered the recovered wristwatch be returned to the complainant.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Mahmud Ismail’a, told the court that on Sept. 27, the complainant, one Alamin Garba of Karu, reported the case at Karu police station.

    He alleged that the complainant had accommodated the defendant in his apartment, having attended a birthday party and stayed out late in the night in Karu.

    Ismail’a told the court that as soon as the defendant left the complainant’s apartment in the morning, he discovered that his luxury Piaget wristwatch purchased for N100, 000, was missing.

    He said the complainant immediately reported the matter at the police station, whose operatives promptly arrested the defendant in his home and found in his possession, the stolen wristwatch.

    The prosecutor, who said the offences contravened Sections 312 and 287 of the Penal code, added that the recovered wristwatch was in police custody.

  • Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue disagree on restructuring

    The zonal meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) comprising Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states, held at Hill Station Hotel, Jos, ended with the three states disagreeing on restructuring.

    The central zone meeting, chaired by Nasarawa State Governor Umaru Tanko-Almakura, was attended by the three states.

    While the governor of Nasarawa State was present to chair the event, the host governor, Simon Lalong, was absent following the death of his younger brother early this week. Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom was represented by the APC state legal adviser.

    Governor Almakura asked the three states to present their positions in turns.

    Benue State’s position was presented by APC legal adviser. He said: “On power sharing and rotation, for us in Benue State, there should be a constitutional provision for every elective office to be rotated among geo-political zones available. “Power should be rotated among the six geo-political zones for presidential election, and at state level, governorship should be rotated among the three senatorial zones.

    “On the issue of local government autonomy, we in Benue State are in full support of local government autonomy, where funds meant for local governments should be channelled to them directly from source.

    “On matter of devolution of power, we in Benue State are of the view that as presently constituted, there is over concentration of power at the centre, and there is need for devolution of power, to bring certain items on the exclusive legislative lists to the concurrent legislative list.”

  • Nasarawa dredges amba river to boost water supply

    Nasarawa dredges amba river to boost water supply

    Nasarawa State Government says it has commenced the dredging of Amba River tributaries along Doma Road in Lafia to boost water supply to the metropolis and its environs.

    Dr Abdulkarim Kana, the State Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, told newsmen on Wednesday at the dredging site in Lafia that the project spanning three kilometres would cost about N35 million.

    According to Kana, the project when completed, will provide over 10 million gallons of water for residents of Lafia and its environs, thereby solving the problem of water shortage.

    “Gov. Umaru Al-Makura has also awarded contract for the rehabilitation of all facilities at the Lafia Waterworks and the construction of additional reservoir to accommodate the volume of water to be harnessed from Amba River,” he said.

    Kana said that dredging of the river would also enhance the aesthetics of the area.

    Also, Mr Abdullahi Agbo, the General Manager of the state water board, commended the state government for giving attention to the project, 34 years after the dam was constructed.

    Agbo explained that dredging of the river and the rehabilitation of the waterworks would impact greatly on water supply to the growing population of Lafia and its environs.

  • Nasarawa to deploy security operatives to schools

    Nasarawa to deploy security operatives to schools

    Nasarawa State Government would soon provide security in more than 400 public schools to protect students, teachers and facilities from hoodlums.

    The state’s  Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Tijjani Ahmed, said.

    Ahmed made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Tuesday.

    According to him,  the government is taking proactive measures to safeguard schools in view of
    rising rate of  kidnapping going on in other states of the federation.

    He said conventional security agencies would complement the efforts of members of Nasarawa State Youths Employment Scheme ( NAYAS ) that would be deployed to public primary and secondary schools.

    He added that “NAYAS officials would be deployed to over 400 public secondary schools and primary schools in the state.

    “The state government believes that the combined efforts of security provided by Parent Teachers Association( PTA ), the conventional security agencies and NAYAS should be able to properly secure our schools.”

    Ahmed disclosed that the state Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, had already approved the erection of parameter fencing in all public schools.

    He further said that more than 3,000 chairs would be distributed to public schools apart from 7,000 mattresses and 3,500 beds worth N222 million that would go to 28 boarding schools in the state.

    The commissioner added that the government would soon distribute registers, scheme of work, dossiers, and other instructional materials to schools.

    He explained that government had evolved machinery to ensure effective supervision of teachers and school heads to ensure high standard in the education sector, attributing  the failing standard of education in the state to the lack of supervision.

    He said “all area offices are directed to go round schools unannounced to put everybody on his or her toes.

    “Defaulting staff members would be duly sanctioned  in line with civil service rules and regulations.”

  • Woman throws stepdaughters into well in Nasarawa

    Woman throws stepdaughters into well in Nasarawa

    The Police Command in Nasarawa State has arrested a 20-year-old Housewife, Aisha Isah, for allegedly throwing into a well her two stepdaughters, Zainab 4, and Baaba 2, over disagreement with her Co-wife.

    The Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, DSP Kennedy Idirisu, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lafia, Nasarawa.

    Idirisu said that the suspect was arrested from Yelwan-Bassa village in Kokona Local Government Area following a report of the incident.

    He said the suspect had confessed to the crime and expressed remorse over her action.

    He said investigation revealed that Aisha, who is the second wife of Alhaji Isah, was always at loggerhead with the first wife, Maimuna, and that all efforts by their husband to settle their differences were unsuccessful.

    The PPRO said Aisha claimed that the first wife was always instigating her children not to run errands for her, a development that infuriated her since she had no child of her own.

    That she had given birth to a baby girl in 2016, but the baby died after six months.

    He said Aisha had thrown baby Baaba into the well in April but since no one saw her, the family believed the baby accidently fell into the well and died.

    On Aug. 26, the police spokesman said, Aisha raised alarm that another child, Zainab, had fallen into the well and the husband dashed into the well to rescue the baby.

    He said the husband brought out the baby dead with her hands tied, which drew suspicion from the family and villagers leading to the arrest of Aisha.

    According to him, Aisha later confessed to the crime and also accepted responsibility for the death of baby Baaba in April.

    He said the suspect would be prosecuted as soon as investigation into matter was concluded.

  • Court docks student for theft of TV set

    Court docks student for theft of TV set

    A 19-year-old student, Monday Joseph, was on Tuesday arraigned in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court sitting in Aso Pada, for allegedly stealing a plasma television set and other items.

    Joseph, a resident of Aku village in Mararaba in Nasarawa State, is facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, house-breaking and theft.

    The prosecutor, Agabi Auta, told the court that one Murktar Yahaya of Aso Mararaba, reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division police station on Sept. 5.

    Auta said that at about 1.30 a.m. while the complainant was sleeping in his room, the defendant and three others now at large, broke into his room.

    He said the accused and the others threatened to kill the complainant if he failed to comply with their order.

    He said that they tied the complainant’s mouth to prevent him from shouting, took away his plasma TV set, four phones, a wrist watch and a DVD player, all valued at N71, 000.

    “They were in the process of running away with the stolen items when one of the neighbours who heard some noise raised an alarm.

    “The accused was caught and taken to the police station while the three others ran away to an unknown destination,” he said.

    Auta said that the offences contravened Sections 97, 348 and 288 of the Penal Code.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 288 stipulates a three-year jail term for offenders, if convicted.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Judge, Mr Albert Maga, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety in like sum.

    He said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court, must be gainfully employed and must show evidence of tax payment to the Nasarawa State Government.

    Maga adjourned the case until Sept. 28 for hearing.