Immediate past Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, has distributed relief materials to victims of recent communal crises in Katapha, Shege and other villages in Toto Local Government Area of the state.
Recent attacks on the communities have led to the death of many while several houses were touched.
The items were presented to the victims yesterday in Umaisha, Toto Local Government Area by the Political Adviser to the former Speaker, Usman Muhammed.
The relief materials included 100 bundles of zinc and other essential materials as well as 100 bags of 50 kg rice, semolina, cartons of spaghetti, gallons of oils, Maggi among other food items.
During the exercise, the former speaker also distributed rams, cows and other items worth millions of naira to the people of his constituency to enable them celebrate sallah with ease.
According to Muhammed Usman, the relief materials were meant to support the victims of the recent communal crisis in the area to start a new life and settle down by rebuilding their homes, especially now that the farming session has set in.
He enjoined the people to remain peaceful and united irrespective of their affiliations and continue to pray and support the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Gov. Abdullahi Sule to succeed.
Three hundred beneficiaries of a sponsored training programme in agriculture by the Abia State Government have arrived CSS Global Farms, Nasarawa State, for a two weeks training.
The State government had organised a capacity-building programme for the first batch of the 300 candidates selected for the training.
The capacity building programme had in attendance the founder of CSS Global Integrated Farms, Prof. John-Kennedy who in a presentation titled: “Agricultural Development and Food Security – the Path to Human and Capital Resources Development”, said that God had destined Governor Otti to lay a solid foundation in Abia, upon which those after him will build.
In a brief admonition to the beneficiaries before their departure, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, charged them to take the training seriously, reminding them that they were going there to learn and not on a jamboree or site seeing.
“The Government has paid for each of the 300 delegates (beneficiaries) going to CSS Farms and you would be exposed to all forms of mechanised farming and the entire value chain of Agriculture.
He reminded the beneficiaries that they are representing Abia State, having gone through a thorough screening process from the ward to state levels.
The Chief of Staff explained that the training was in line with the vision of the governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to make sure that every Abian is taken care of, especially the youth population.
He described the training programme as a lifetime opportunity for those of them that understand the reason why they are going there
A Nigerian mining company, Timadix Geomin Consult Limited, has petitioned the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake over the forceful occupation of his mining sites by Nasarawa State government and Chinese agents.
The Managing Director of the company, Engr. Tim Eldon, said the undue interference in the operations of the company by agents of the Nasarawa State government and a Chinese company has crippled the activities of the consult at its mining site.
Addressing newsmen in Jos, Plateau State, Eldon explained that Timadix Geomin Consult acquired all the necessary licenses and followed due processes before it began its operations in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, but was surprised at the recent developments that led to the suspension of its operations in the area.
“We therefore need urgent intervention in this regard. Having acquired exploration licenses in 2022 and invested heavily in lithium exploration, the resource was discovered early in 2024, and suddenly some state and non-state actors developed interest in acquiring the concession.
“As such, our operation was disrupted and consequently shut down in March 2024 by the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Environment without any prior notice or justification. To our surprise, a Chinese company suddenly appeared from nowhere on the concession without our knowledge or that of the natives who own the community.”
The Managing Director, who called for the immediate suspension of Chinese activities on the concession and conducted a thorough investigation of the matter, expressed disappointment that an indigenous company with the requisite licenses could be treated in such a manner, “I want to say categorically that we at Timadix Geomin Consult have our exploration license on this matter, duly signed by the Director- General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office. We view this ugly development as a ploy to deny us our legitimate rights. Since we started our operations in this community, we have carried out quite a lot of social responsibility in line with the policy of our establishment. We have no problem with our host community.”
He appealed to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development to, as a matter of urgency, intervene and save the indigenous company from oppression.
In this special report, LINUS OOTA highlights the deplorable road conditions that have plagued Nasarawa State, turning its thoroughfares into dreaded corridors of horror and death traps. For years, commuters have faced treacherous journeys, with dilapidated roads posing significant dangers. However, the tide is beginning to turn as comprehensive efforts are now underway to overhaul these perilous roadways, transforming them from hazardous passages into safe, reliable routes to alleviate the longstanding dangers faced by commuters
Nasarawa State, established on October 1, 1996, alongside Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Zamfara, Gombe, and Ekiti, stands as a testament to Nigeria’s rich diversity and potential. Known for its abundant solid mineral deposits, Nasarawa’s true economic backbone is its thriving agricultural sector, which supports over 85 percent of the population. In every corner of Nasarawa, the hard work and dedication of its people are evident. From the yam heaps in Assakio and other communities in Obi, Keana, Awe, Doma, Nasarawa Eggon, Wamba, and Toto LGAs to the towering pyramids of melon and sesame bags in Mararaba Udege, Nasarawa, and Keffi LGAs, agriculture is a way of life. The industrious spirit of the Nasarawa people is palpable, driving the state’s economy and ensuring its sustainability.
However, despite their tireless efforts, many rural inhabitants live in near abject poverty, deprived of essential infrastructure such as hospitals, roads, schools, and markets. Years of neglect had left these communities struggling, with poor road conditions being a significant barrier to development. When Governor Abdullahi Sule took office as the fourth democratically elected governor five years ago, he faced the daunting task of addressing these infrastructural deficits, because Nasarawa had one of the worst rural road networks in Nigeria, a situation that posed severe risks to lives and properties and hindered economic growth. The poor state of the roads was more than just a source of embarrassment; it was a chronic issue that led to early and unnecessary deaths and stunted the state’s economic potential.
Inadequate roads created a critical bottleneck for Nasarawa’s economic development. The impact was widespread, increasing transportation costs, stifling productivity, and constraining growth opportunities. For a state heavily reliant on agriculture, poor road infrastructure made it difficult for farmers to transport their produce to markets, thus hindering their ability to earn a sustainable income. For an economy heavily reliant on agriculture, this meant farmers struggled to transport their produce to markets, thus limiting their income and stifling economic progress.
Governor Sule’s administration has focused on improving this infrastructure, marking the beginning of a transformative journey for Nasarawa. These efforts are not only enhancing the quality of life for the state’s residents but also paving the way for sustainable development and economic growth. Nasarawa’s journey towards modernisation and prosperity is ongoing, with infrastructure improvements playing a pivotal role. As the state continues to develop, the hope is that better roads, schools, and hospitals will provide a brighter future for all its residents, transforming Nasarawa into a model of progress and sustainability.
Nasarawa, a state plagued by rampant insecurity, has seen a significant number of its farmers driven away from their farmlands. Insurgents and kidnappers have forced many potential farmers to abandon their livelihoods, while those who remain face the daunting challenge of bad roads, hindering their access to markets where eager customers await. With the onset of the rainy season, the plight of farmers worsens. Households relying on farm produce for consumption find these goods increasingly out of reach due to higher transportation costs. The poor condition of roads exacerbates the situation, placing these essential items beyond the financial grasp of many.
Before Governor Sule’s administration, Nasarawa’s farmlands were overrun by violent herdsmen. These armed groups occupied vast swathes of farmland, destroying crops and leaving devastation in their wake. Equipped with sophisticated weapons, the herdsmen outmatched the ordinary farmers, who were left defenseless. The lack of access roads compounded the issue, making it nearly impossible for security forces to respond promptly. As a result, many farmers had no choice but to abandon their farms and livelihoods. From Lafia, Awe, Doma, Obi, and Keana LGAs in the southern part of the state, to Toto, Nasarawa, Keffi, Karu, and Kokona LGAs in the west, and Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, and Wamba LGAs in the north, deplorable roads wreaked havoc on farmers and their produce. Small-scale businesses and other economic activities, which rely on road infrastructure, suffered immensely.
No matter where one assessed the conditions of Nasarawa’s rural roads in the past, the stories were uniformly grim, a litany of woes and hardships. From the onset of his administration, Governor Sule had a clear vision for addressing the challenges of rural development in the state. Central to his strategy was the provision of necessary infrastructure for the rural populace. The state government has aggressively tackled the concerns about the deplorable state of rural roads, believing that improving these critical pathways is essential for revitalising Nasarawa’s agricultural sector and overall economic health.
There is no contesting the fact that an effective transport system, which facilitates the easy movement of people and goods, plays a central role in economic development. A fundamental way to boost transportation and, ultimately, aid the movement of goods and persons from hinterlands to markets is through the availability of a robust road network that connects different communities. Nasarawa is not just a rural state; it is an agrarian state where most of its natives are deeply engaged in farming as the mainstay of their economy and source of livelihood. To ease the movement of their farm produce from the farms to the market, good roads are essential.
Upon assuming office, Governor Sule embraced a sustainable development strategy and has not relented in his efforts to improve the lives of rural dwellers across the state. Through deliberate policy thrusts and initiatives, his administration aims to bring succor and hope to grassroots communities and rejuvenate the economic activities of rural farmers and dwellers. During his inaugural speech about five years ago, he pledged to prioritise the provision of basic infrastructure. Today, he is rewriting the history of Nasarawa State with remarkable achievements, particularly in the area of rural road construction.
To fulfill his commitment to rural development, the state established the Nasarawa State Bureau for Rural Development. This agency is tasked with overseeing rural road projects among other vital responsibilities. As the Chinese proverb states, “development follows roads.” Road construction plays a fundamental role in enhancing the livelihoods of rural populations by boosting the socio-economic activities of communities that were previously sidelined. The bureau was established to take over the responsibilities of the former task force handling the construction and maintenance of rural feeder roads across the state. Its other responsibilities include managing all rural roads, ensuring electricity supply, and providing water to rural areas.
Nasarawa’s extensive road network is crucial for connecting communities and facilitating the transport of agricultural products. This infrastructure not only supports the economic vitality of the state but also improves the quality of life for its residents, ensuring that the fruits of their labor reach the markets efficiently. Governor Sule’s vision and efforts are paving the way for a brighter future for Nasarawa. The state’s ongoing improvements in road infrastructure are a testament to the administration’s dedication to fostering growth and development in every corner of Nasarawa. Through these initiatives, the state is gradually overcoming its challenges and moving towards a more prosperous and connected future.
The Bureau for Rural Development has significantly improved infrastructure in rural communities by taking over the maintenance of feeder roads, water supply, and electrification. Consequently, many previously inaccessible areas now enjoy better connectivity and essential services. In the past five years, the Bureau upgraded over 1,000 km of rural roads across the state. Notable projects nearing completion include the 17 km Andaha-Rinze road in Akwanga Local Government (90% complete), the 27 km Kofar Gwari-Bakin Ayeni road in Kokona Local Government, and the 15 km Keana-Abuni road in Awe and Keana Local Governments. Completed and commissioned roads include the 10 km Shabu-Doka-Anigba-Akakyo road, the 21 km Agwade-Shupe-Atabula-Obi road, the 27.9 km Kanje-Abuni road, the 6 km Kagbu-Atsoko-Kagbu Wana road, the 5 km Masaka-Luvu road, the 16 km Mama-Farin Ruwa road, the 14 km Nasarawa-Ara road, the 12 km Ribi-Jangwa road, the 27 km Assakio-Obi road, the 54 km Angoro Junction/Bassa road, the 1 km Gudi-Anguwan Dorawa road, and the 19 km Baure Grazing Reserve road.
Additional rural road projects, either completed or ongoing, include the 2.2 km Akurba power substation road, the 3 km Sabon Garin Salawo/Tudun Wada road in Keffi, the 3 km Kaibo Fulani-Kaibo Mada road, the 16.9 km Kofan Gwari-Bakin Ayeni-Amba road, the 13 km Rinze-Ngare-Ancho-Babba-Andaha road, and the 5 km Alushi/Wakama road. These road projects have significantly eased the transportation of farm produce to markets, benefiting the agricultural sector, which contributes over 23% to the nation’s GDP and employs more than 34% of Nigeria’s workforce. Improved road networks help farmers reduce post-harvest losses of perishable goods.
The industrial sector also benefits from enhanced road infrastructure, facilitating smoother transport between production sites and consumption points. One notable aspect of Governor Sule’s administration in Nasarawa State is the prudence and strategic planning applied to infrastructure projects. He ensures that these projects achieve significant impact, are cost-effective, and provide extensive benefits to the communities.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on political matters, Kassim Mohammed told our correspondent in his assessment that Governor Sule has constructed several roads that linked several communities across the state, stressing that the Governor has done well in road construction. Most of the rural roads, he noted, were asphalted for the first time in their history and opened the rural areas and helped rural farmers to move their farm produce to the cities. The current administration, according to the former member of the State House of Assembly has done well in the area of road construction, especially in the rural areas of the state. Virtually all the communities in the state have one or more rural roads to point at; it was a deliberate decision to transform the life of our rural people.
He explained that it was a deliberate policy if the current administration to open up the rural areas with good roads “The state of our roads before was such that people had nightmares when they think of travelling; the past administration of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura did his best but the roads were failing. Our roads under Engr Sule are the best you can get within any state in the country. Goods and services are easily moved from place to place thus increasing commercial and social activities resulting in greater profitability and brighter economic gains for the entire state,” he said.
According to him, the state government’s intention is to link many rural agrarian communities to the urban cities to enable them evacuate their farm produce to the urban cities. He explained that roads construction was designed to make rural dwellers comfortable and open rural communities for development, adding that for the residents to still have hope in government, there was the need to extend roads construction beyond the cities. The Governor attributed the spate of rural urban migration to lack of roads and other basic amenities needed to make life comfortable, as such projects will not only address insecurity, but will equally improve access to school, enable evacuating of farm produce to the market and boost economic activities.
Speaking to our correspondent, the Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Mu’azu Gosho said one of the main focus of the current administration’s industrialisation agenda is to ensure that the ruralites in Nasarawa are not left out in the development efforts of the state government. He noted that over the years, the people of the state, especially those in the rural areas have been denied of the basic social amenities that government should prioritize which is access to good road network. According to him, “From the inception of this administration, the Governor made deliberate efforts to put in place several life changing programmes and projects geared towards improving the livelihood and living standard of our teeming farming population. It was his resolve that the government needed to do more in the rural areas of Nasarawa State and I’m glad that he is walking the talk.”
The Nasarawa state government has commended a mining company, Hasetins Commodities Limited (HCL) for initiating projects that benefit the communities where it operates.
The governor, Abdullahi Sule, gave the commendation during the flag off of road construction and drilling of boreholes in Uke, a community in Karu local government area of the state.
Governor Sule reiterated the commitment of the state government to partner with investors from within and outside the country to ensure the development of the state.
Represented by the commissioner for Environment and Solid Minerals, Kwanta Yakubu, the Governor urged other companies, operating in the state, to emulate Hasetins’ practice of executing projects in its host communities.
He noted that the projects, being executed in Uke community, conform with the state government’s seven-point agenda and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to touch the lives of rural dwellers.
“I want to commend them (Hasetins), because this is the kind of investment and industrialisation that we are looking for.
“They (Hasetins) are not only building facilities, they are engaging about 80 per cent of our indigenes.
“We will be visiting and inspecting the projects to support them,” Governor Sule said.
Hasetins’ director, Corporate Affairs, Peter Butt said the projects are part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Butt said Hasetins decided to bring a different approach to its engagement with host communities of solid minerals to ensure mutual benefits.
He added: “We will train people, employ and engage them. We will build roads to enable farmers, traders to have access to markets.”
Butt noted that Nigeria has the second lowest life expectancy at 52 years, which is estimated at 56 deaths per 1,000 births.
He said: “This is due to poor drinking water and we will drill boreholes to get clean drinking water to the communities.”
The Sarkin Uke, His Highness, Ahmed Abdullahi, pledged the maximum support and cooperation of the community towards the achievement of the objectives of the company.
The traditional ruler noted that the community is populated by diverse ethnic and religious groups from across the country , who have continued to live together in harmony.
He assured that residents of the community will work together for the protection of the investments of companies operating in the community and facilities provided for the community by such companies.
Amidst depression, hardship, and frustration faced by Nasarawa State senior citizens, Linus Oota, examines the efforts of the Abdullahi Sule administration to address the unending plight of pensioners.
In 2013, the country adopted the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The target of the SDGs is to, amongst other things, reduce inequality by the year 2030, especially in vulnerable populations, such as elderly people; and empower and promote social and economic inclusion, irrespective of age, sex, or status.
However, successive administrations across the country have made the attainment of this goal by 2030 difficult, especially as senior citizens or retirees were left to deal with social and economic insecurity worsened by non-payment of their legitimate retirement entitlements, including pensions and gratuities.
In Nasarawa State, for instance, many pensioners have had a raw deal with previous administrations over their failure to fulfill labour contracts or agreements with the pensioners as they kept lamenting to no avail.
Before the advent of the Abdullahi Sule administration in Nasarawa State, pensioners were subjected to poor living conditions, as they shared stories about their depression, hardship, and frustration due to the government defaulting to pay them their pension and gratuities years after retirement.
They were dehumanized, marginalised and neglected with reckless abandon as they kept raising alarm over increased deaths of members in droves due to economic hardship and inability to buy drugs.
As a survival scheme, some of them even took to subsistence farming, regardless of their age, and declining physical strength, just to make ends meet. Those who had ailments, and could not participate in strenuous physical activities went to their graves untimely while others went into states of destitution.
“We were presumed dead long before our actual deaths, the successive governments in Nasarawa State were not ready to listen to our plight, many of our members have gone to the grave due to one illness or the other and lack of funds to buy medication, even some of us alive were assumed to have died long ago, but the Sule administration came and exhumed our corpses, revive us, resuscitate us back to life, may God bless Governor Sule,” says Hudu Baba, NUP state chair.
There was virtually no future for the senior citizens as their outcry for their entitlements to be paid fell on deaf ears, they were left to wallow and groaned in agony.
A 75- 75-year-old retiree in Nasarawa State, Mr Tabo Agu, was said to have lost his son to an illness because he could not pay for his treatment.
Agu was said to have devoted 35 years of his life to the service of the state government. He joined the service of the state when it had not been carved out of the former Plateau State.
Agu had looked forward to retirement with the assurance of stable living with the confidence of sustaining his small family with his gratuity, but 10 years later, he did not receive any Kobo from the Nasarawa government.
Suddenly, his only son Thomas, was diagnosed with typhoid and malaria. Although the cost of treating malaria and typhoid in a government-owned hospital is usually less than N10,000, the old retiree could not afford to raise the money for the treatment, and shortly after, his only son died.
But reprieve came to him recently, when he attended the state’s screening exercise, he was cleared, and his pension arrears were paid by the Nasarawa State Sule-led administration.
During the screening exercise, Agu explained what he had gone through. He disclosed that his son, Thomas, died barely three days before the commencement of his SSCE because he could not raise money to pay the medical bill of his son.
Agu’s harrowing experience was one of the pathetic situations most retirees in Nasarawa State were facing before the assumption of office by Governor Abdullahi Sule on May 29th, 2019.
According to available records, in 2019 Sule inherited N42 billion of benefit arrears to retirees.
The pensioners said they were being paid 50 percent of their monthly pension by the previous administrations thereby plunging them into untold hardship.
To correct the anomaly, the pensioner said Sule, upon assumption of office in 2019 made a solemn promise during his first term inauguration to review the payment of pension and gratuity within 100 days in office.
However, while speaking recently in Akwanga at an event organised by Mada Development Association Sule said his administration had cleared the gratuity to retired state civil servants, which had not been paid in the last 26 years.
The governor explained that his administration had deployed the funds obtained from the World Bank under the state’s Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) programme, to pay the gratuity and pension of retirees.
“In my very first month, because of my inaugural speech, we started to look at how to block the leakages.
“This is to ensure that we will generate enough funds to pay them 100 percent. I am happy, we have now gone over three years. There has never been any month we paid in percentage,” he said.
Also in February 2024 during an assessment visit to the Pension Bureau, Governor Sule approved the disbursement of N1 billion to clear the outstanding gratuity of over 1000 retirees from both local and state government from 1999 to 2010.
According to Sule, the gesture was meant to bring succour to the retirees who are presently experiencing economic hardship to enable them to start something in order to better their lives.
“People are facing a lot of challenges today due to the economic hardship.
“That is the reason why we believe if we pay them their money, some of them are getting one million, some two million and even three million, the money will go a long way in reducing the hardship“, he said
Governor Sule announced this when he undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the ongoing screening exercise for over 700 local government and 300 state retirees at the headquarters of the Nasarawa State Bureau for Pension Administration.
According to the Governor, the one billion naira would clear the full gratuity of retirees both at the state and local government levels starting from 1999 to 2010.
This is just as Governor Sule explained that his administration inherited a backlog of gratuity from the creation of the state in 1996 to date.
He told journalists at the venue of the screening that he was there to physically monitor the exercise, which he said, was meant to alleviate the plight of the retirees by paying them their full entitlements so that they can be able to start something.
Sule said that with improved revenue accruing to the state, his administration saw the need to clear off the gratuity of retirees starting from 1999 to 2010.
“I was told the money would clear the gratuity of retirees from 1999 to 2010. Both at the local government and state levels. My dream again is that from 2011, when the amount increases significantly, whether anybody knows somebody in government or not, again, we will just follow the first-come-first-serve to complete the payment for 2011 by the end of this year. At the beginning of next year, we will pay purely from 2012,” he stated.
He added that the gesture is meant to bring sucour to the retirees who are presently experiencing economic hardship.
“This is in addition to whatever interventions we are having, whether it is food items or whatever, let us pay them what is due to them, and that is their own gratuity,” he added.
The Governor expressed optimism that with 500 local government retirees, out of the over 700 and 100 state retirees, out of the over 300 already screened, the beneficiaries would begin to receive their payments.
Also speaking, Alhaji Suleiman Musa Nagogo, Director General, Nasarawa State Pension Bureau, explained “We are going to clear the issue of gratuity in respect of all those who retired from 1999 until 2010 for both the state and local government retirees.
“Once we are able to handle those ones from 1999 to 2010, and as His Excellency, Governor Sule said, additional funds would be made available to clear that of retirees from 2011/2012, in order to make sure we have addressed the challenge of payment of gratuity in Nasarawa State.
The DG further clarified that retired permanent secretaries numbering 60 would receive N2m each while those who are deceased are likely to receive N4m out of their entitlements.
He noted that since the inception of the present administration under Governor Sule, both local and state pensioners have been receiving one hundred percent of the pension, with the pensioners already paying their February pension.
Alhaji Nagogo used the opportunity to clear the air on why, in the past, the bureau was paying retirees over one hundred thousand naira as gratuity.
“Please recall that payment of this gratuity is being done on a quarterly basis which means that we gather the amount we have to receive in three months and announce to the people to come and collect their gratuity.
“But we don’t sit as a Bureau for Pension Administration and say we are paying one hundred thousand naira. There is a committee called the Gratuity Disbursement Committee which is headed by the Deputy Governor of the state that sits down and looks at the entire amount that has accrued for payment of gratuity and looks at the recommendations that came from the BPA and how many people they can take at that quarter. It’s the same process we have been following in disbursing this money,” he stated.
Nagogo said on assumption to office, Sule began the review of the percentage payment of gratuity in the state streamlined retirees’ entitlements to a quarterly basis, and directed the commencement of full payment of pension immediately.
Nagogo said before now there has been a series of garnishee orders against the state by aggrieved pensioners, however, noting that the present administration had taken a bold step and settled their grievances through an out-of-court settlement.
“The issue here is that the Pension Bureau makes sure that once you are paid this quarter the next quarter it will be a different batch of gratuity beneficiaries that will be entertained.
“This, we have maintained as our approach so that as many as possible could enjoy part of their gratuity continuously in this manner and until some of them can be cleared off,” he said.
The Director-General commended Sule for rekindling the hope of senior citizens in Nasarawa state by approving the payment of N5000 across the board as palliatives to pensioners to cushion the effect of present economic hardship.
“Since his assumption to office in 2019 being his first term, Governor Sule made it crystal clear that he is going to look into the issue of outstanding gratuity and pension of retirees in the state,” he said.
Nagogo said Nasarawa State had maintained 100 per cent payment of pension since 2019 till date.
He applauded President Bola Tinubu for issuing a clear directive to the state governors to ensure prompt payment of retirees’ entitlements.
Nagogo said the Bureau had blocked leakages through thorough verification of the beneficiaries before payments were being made since he assumed office.
“Recall that when I assumed office, I vowed to eradicate the issue of fake people who enjoy gratuity or people who are made to pay inducement to my workers before they collect their pay.
“If anytime, any day, anybody brings fake pensioner or gratuity beneficiary and is verified to be fake I vow to take action against not only the fake pensioner or gratuity beneficiary but my employees who are engaged in that very malpractice,” he warned.
Mr Hudu Baba–Abdullahi, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Nasarawa State Chapter, said senior citizens in the state have never had it this good in the history of pension payment.
According to him, the issue of pension and gratuity payments in Nasarawa State before Sule assumed office was a terrible mess, noting that his administration had since brought hope to the Pensioners.
“Governor Sule met a mess, which included payment of pension in percentages and lack of payment of gratuity as and when due but as I talk to you now the payment of pension in percentages has stopped and all the arrears have been paid.
“So many of us have recovered from our health challenges we were facing due to lack of money to seek proper medical care before now,” he said.
He expressed his gratitude to Governor Abdullahi Sule for clearing the payment of all their outstanding arrears of pensions in the state, and commended the governor for facilitating the payment of all the 13 local government area pensioners in the state; an action that has made all of them up to date without any kobo left behind as far as their entitlements are concerned.
“So far our members are 100% cleared and based on that, we are grateful to the state government for living up to its obligations and calling for its sustenance to enable the pensioners to continue to reap the fruit of their labour,” he stated.
On the issues of retired workers’ gratuities, the Chairman also commended the state Government for the monthly release of 50 million which is being kept safe for three months until it reaches N150 million then it would be used to pay the retired workers’ gratuities on first come first serve basis.
He, however, explained that a certain amount or percentage out of the said monies is being kept aside to take care of the most vulnerable members, especially the sick, widows, and those with pressing needs among others.
Abdullahi also disclosed that on the part of the Local Government retirees, all 13 councils do make available N30 million monthly which is saved for three months until it reaches N90 million then it would be distributed to their retirees in the same pattern with that of the state government.
The NUP Chairman stated that with these arrangements, many retirees were settled and smiles were brought back to their faces, with a view to making sure that their labour and contributions to their fatherland during their youthful ages did not go in vain.
Abdullahi who further expressed his gratitude to Governor Abdullahi Sule whom he described as pension friendly Governor, however, stated that just like Oliver Twist who always asks for more they are appealing for an increase in the gratuities payment as well as for the sustenance of the monthly pensions in both for the state’s and local Governments. In order to keep their confidence alive and also make them fully assured about the commitments of the State’s Government towards their welfare
Alhaji Danjuma Ayitogo, a retired Permanent Secretary and NUP chairman, Keana Local Government Area, said the pensioners in the local government were receiving their pension as and when due.
“Governor Sule being a pensioner, knows the pain and difficulties pensioners go through, so the best he can do for us is to give us our entitlement so that every pensioner can enjoy himself, and that’s what he is doing.
Mrs Lydia Irekpita, a retiree and the state NUP Women Desk Leader, said that Sule had changed the narrative of pension payment in the state.
“Those of us who survived the terrible days of non-payment of pension by the previous administrations are by the grace of God.
“So many of our colleagues died simply because there was no money to seek better medical care.”
In a landmark move poised to boost the local economy and Nigeria’s standing in the global mining sector, the Nasarawa State Government, Aerthmetal, and Boxmoor have formally signed a tripartite agreement to establish Uke Gold Company.
This strategic partnership aims to explore, develop, and produce gold mineral resources in the Uke community, promising substantial economic benefits and sustainable development.
The official signing ceremony, held in Lafia, was attended by key government officials, business leaders including executives from Aerthmetal and Boxmoor, and representatives from the host community.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule says, the state is open to all kinds of investment for the development of the state, adding that the summit will expand existing pathways to leverage the industrial, agricultural, and mining sectors towards enhancing inclusive and sustainable wealth creation and economic prosperity.
He was speaking at the 2nd Nasarawa State investment summit organised by his administration in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.
According to him “to ensure full utilization of our potentials, we have pledged to sustain the investment summit to further showcase other solid mineral resources which are yet to be identified by interested investors.
“This is why the theme of this year’s summit is deliberately coined as ‘the industrial renaissance’, having built some of the key fundamentals required to drive our industrial agenda and present other minerals to our potential investors,” he said.
The Governor explained further that “the recently commissioned Avatar New Energy Materials Company Limited in Nasarawa State, the ASGARD mining and processing plant, Kkaru, the Nasarawa Technology Village Project in Karu, as well as other numerous investments being carried out in the state were all informed by the outcome of the last summit conducted in 2022.”
He revealed that the discovery of oil and Gas and its subsequent exploration and exploitation will further boost the economic prosperity of the country, and put Nasarawa State among the comity of oil-producing states.
Sule, however, called on the investors in Oil and Gas to take the opportunity of the exploration activities to begin to invest in the sector for the benefit of society.
Speaking earlier, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Engr Mele Kolo said the discovery of Oil and Gas in Nasarawa State would contribute in no small measure to the development of the nation’s economy.
Kolo said that the company would partner the Nasarawa State government in the area of oil and gas development to begin exploration.
He noted that the company is fully committed to working hand in hand with the government and people of Nasarawa State to unlock the full potential of the state’s natural resources for the benefit of the state and the country at large.
Following a disturbing trend of insecurity in Nasarawa State, Linus Oota, reports ongoing efforts by the Abdullahi Sule-led administration in Nasarawa State to address the challenges.
Nasarawa State has been in the spotlight for various forms of crimes and criminalities. Over the past months, the state has recorded gunmen invasion, banditry, killings, kidnapping, rape, herdsmen/farmers clashes, and armed robbery, among different forms of criminality.
According to Governor Sule, the incidences of banditry and kidnapping have increased in about eight out of the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.
The governor, since inception, has made tackling insecurity in the state a top priority. As the state evolves a strategy to fight insecurity, another pattern of criminality resurfaces.
Not fewer than 31 persons were kidnapped in different locations across the state and were released on ransom, between 2023 and 2024. Sadly, the majority of the kidnapped persons were low-profile individuals whose cases were not brought to the media space.
To compound the security situation in the state early this year, the National Executive of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association led by its national president, Abdullahi Bello Badejo launched a voluntary ethnic security outfit in Nasarawa State. The personnel of the security outfit were made up of only Fulani men, to help tackle incessant cases of kidnapping and banditry in Nasarawa.
Badejo launched the security outfit in Lafia with 1,144 personnel, and declared war on kidnappers and other criminalities in the state, vowing to make the state very hot for them.
A week after the launch of the security outfits, operatives of the Department of State Services arrested Bodejo, over the creation of an ethnic vigilante group in Nasarawa State.
Sources said Badejo was arrested over fears that the creation of the nomad vigilant group could escalate the security challenges in the state and across the country, noting further that the group was not registered with the DSS, the police, or any other security agency, hence it was not recognized by the federal government.
The government of Nasarawa State equally denied any knowledge or approval of the formation of ethnic security outfits.
The governor had openly denied involvement in the formation of the nomad vigilante group.
He explained that if the state government was interested in the formation of such an outfit, it would have since initiated legislation through the state House of Assembly to give it legal backing.
A few weeks ago, while in the DSS custody, the detained Bello Badejo attempted to implicate Governor Sule when he accused the governor of actually sponsoring the formation of the vigilante militia groups, a development which infuriated the governor to proscribe and ban the group alongside other ethics groups, operating in the state.
The rising insecurity in Nasarawa State, especially, in recent times has put the gover nor and security agencies in the state in the spotlight because Nasarawa is one of the major gateways into the city of power, the FCT, Abuja, which has recently been under the siege of insecurity.
To worsen the security situation, eight, out of the 13 local government areas in Nasarawa State namely: Keffi, Karu, Obi, Doma, Lafia, Keana, Nasarawa, and Awe LGAs, have recently become the targets of bandits, kidnappers, and other militia groups.
Many lives, properties, and houses are being destroyed by the men of the underworld in eight frontline local government areas of the state. Bandits are on a renewed offensive in the state. The attacks, particularly on rural communities in recent times have forced many residents to flee their ancestral homes to the state capital. Some major roads in the state are not safe due to the activities of the bandits.
Today, the state is almost under siege by a rampaging gang of bandits, armed robbers, kidnappers, and cattle rustlers as they arrest rural people at will and demand ransom which, if not paid, may result in killings of their victims.
Recently, the criminal elements advanced into the urban areas of the state, particularly in Keffi and Karu LGAs, which share a border with the FCT Abuja, and several lecturers and students of the state university in Keffi, were kidnapped with heavy ransom paid.
In the last few months, despite the tireless efforts of the Sule administration, residents of the state have been living under the siege of criminals.
In an attempt to find a solution to the insecurity in the state, Governor Abdullahi Sule recently convened an emergency security meeting with all the top traditional rulers, security agencies in the state, and other relevant stakeholders, to find a lasting solution to the rising cases of banditry in the state.
At the meeting, the governor expressed concerns over the escalation of security challenges in the state, especially kidnappings, as well as activities of ethnic militia groups..
“The purpose of the meeting has to do with the security situation that we have seen, especially during my absence, when certain issues were escalated. It’s indeed a point of worry that we continue to see an increase in the number of kidnappings, especially in Keffi, Doma, Lafia, Awe, Obi, Keana, Karu, and Nasarawa Local Government Areas of the state.
“We have also seen an increase in the activities of the Bassa militia terrorizing innocent people, especially in areas surrounding Shegye, Katakpa, and some other villages in Toto Local Government Area.
“We have on the other hand seen some increase in the dispute, especially between communities, similar to the one we have seen in the Udege area where a person was killed as a result of misunderstanding within the same ethnic group,” he stated.
Sule disclosed that having met with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu as well as some security chiefs in Abuja, where security matters were discussed, it became necessary to call for the emergency security council meeting.
He pointed out that as a result of the activities of the Bassa militia group, which has previously been operating under the ambit of the Bassa Vigilante Group, his administration was considering banning all single ethnic group vigilante groups operating in the state, including the Fulani Vigilante Group that has existed in the state since 2009.
“One of the discussions that we are going to have today is to consider the banning of any single ethnic group vigilante that is operating in the state. Any particular ethnic group establishing a vigilante will be banned,” he said.
The Governor added that his administration would give members of such ethnic vigilante groups a grace period within which to join the already existing community vigilante groups.
“By the time we take the decision about banning single ethnic group vigilantes, especially the Bassa vigilante group, we will work towards ensuring we want peace in the state. We will give them a period of roughly one to two weeks to return their uniforms to us so that we can ensure they are disbanded. We will also ensure they are willing to abide by the system in the state and the policies of the government,” he added.
He particularly appreciated the members of the security agencies for working hard to mitigate security challenges which would have been worse than was recently experienced.
“We are also aware of the crisis between farmers and herders recently, especially between the Eggon and Tiv community in Kadarko, where five people were killed. We will also discuss this today with a view to finding a way forward,” he said.
At the end of the emergency security meeting, Sule issued a proscription order banning all ethics vigilante groups operating in the state and directed all ethnic vigilante groups affected by the order to hand over their uniforms and weapons to the state Commissioner of Police within two weeks.
Citing the powers vested in him via Section 97A of the Penal Code, as well as other relevant laws vested in him, Governor Sule, acting on the advice of the state security council, banned the Fulani ethnic vigilante group known as the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya, Bassa Vigilante group, as well as the Eggon Vigilante Group.
Through Executive Order No. 1 of 2024, signed by the Governor, the Nasarawa State Government also banned any other association, movement, organization, or society affiliated with the group operating under the guise of ethnic vigilante.
“Similar Organizations include any association, movement or group of persons or society in whatever name called or form, with the aim and objectives of providing security amongst particular ethnic groups within Nasarawa State through the use of force or arms etc.”
Accordingly, the Kungiyar Zaman Lafiya Nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante, and other similar organizations are henceforth proscribed and declared unlawful societies that are inimical to good governance in the state.
The State Government, therefore, directed that members of the Kungiwar Zaman Lafiya Nomad Vigilante, Bassa Vigilante, Eggon Vigilante, and other similar organizations, to handover all weapons or arms in their possession along with uniforms to the Commissioner of Police Nasarawa State within two weeks from the date of issuance of the order.
The governor, therefore, urged citizens of the state to keep hope alive while assuring them of his government’s commitment to tackling insecurity, expressing the determination of his administration to rally every resource to address the security challenges and make “communities safer for life, liberty, and livelihoods.”
The gladiators are already making their presence known, subtly and inconspicuously as the country inches towards another election year come 2027.
Mr Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate under the Labour Party is already discreetly crisscrossing the country, sounding out the turf and shoring up bridges.
In Nasarawa State, political heavyweights mostly from Nasarawa West Senatorial District are already testing the terrain, reaching out to stakeholders and generally feeling the political waters.
The names flying around suggestive of the tight contest ahead of the general election, especially for the position of the governor of the state, may seem tentative for now, particularly since other less visible political actors could later join the race.
Though it may still be speculative judging from the number of high-flying individuals from the zone said to be interested in challenging for the covetous seat, one name however emerges as a recurrent decimal in the politics of Nasarawa West.
Among all the contenders, none stood out both in terms of sterling leadership qualities and political sagacity than Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada.
Senator Wadada is a grassroots, thoroughbred politician who has demystified the political hegemony of the zone to emerge as the new kid on the block as far as the politics of Nasarawa State is concerned.
Senator Wadada rose through dint of hard work and exemplary leadership to attain lofty heights in his political career. He became a key player on the national scene in 2004 as a member of the Presidential Monitoring Committee to understudy the operations of the Commodity Exchange in Singapore, Malaysia and India, to actualise the smooth take-off of the Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange (ASEA).
In 2005, he was appointed Chairman of the Technical Committee on Review of the Securities ACT (ISA) No. 45 (1999). He was also a member of the Bonds Market Resuscitation Committee of Nigeria and a Core Member of the the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
Senator Wadada played significant roles and held various positions within the top echelon of his then political party, the PDP, notable among which are: Member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) (2004-2011) as well as the National Financial Secretary (2013-2014).
In 2019, he contested to become governor of Nasarawa State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he came second in a contest involving 12 other gladiators.
The APC primary election which produced incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule presented a testing ground for Senator Wadada which further buttressed his popularity and acceptance beyond his native Nasarawa West.
In 2023, against all odds, Senator Wadada asserted his political sagacity when he was declared winner of the Nasarawa West Senatorial District under the platform of an entirely different and relatively known political party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Having been muscled out of the APC by the powers that be then, Senator Wadada was left with no option but to pursue his political ambition to represent his people at the Red Chamber under the SDP.
It’s all history now how he was able to emerge victorious in an election in which everything was done to frustrate his ambition except for his political dexterity and astuteness. Senator Wadada stood up gallantly to acclaim his wide acceptance and popularity in the zone.
A grassroots mobiliser, Senator Wadada has the capacity and wherewithal to win any election provided there is a level playing field, when a true democratic tenet is sustained, devoid of sentiments and overbearing influence.
He is not only an independent-minded person but also an excellent team player who could bring both his wealth of experience and worldwide connections to bear to the benefit of the state and its people.
Presently, Senator Wadada is the Sarkin Yakin Keffi. He is the Chairman Senate Committee on Public Accounts, as well as a member of several other Senate committees including Marine Transport, Ecology and Climate Change, Agriculture Production Services and Rural Development, Employment & Productivity, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture Colleges and Institutions, Solid Minerals, Youth & Sports, Navy, Oil & Gas Host Communities, Trade and Investments, Women Affairs and Media & Public Affairs.
Indeed, his towering political profile, national and international outlook, his enduring legacy exemplified by his abiding humility, compassion and zest to bring development to his people stand him tall away from the crowd.
Certainly, Senator Wadada stands out as the new bride from Nasarawa West Senatorial District.
Garba, a public affairs and political analyst, writes from Lafia.
