The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger State

  • Gov’s wife conducts 206 free VVF surgeries

    The Wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello has conducted free surgeries for 250 women with Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in the last three years.
    117 of the surgeries was done in collaboration with Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) at the Umar Musa Yaradu Specialist Hospital, Sabon Wuse, 30 at the Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital Bida, 49 at the Kontagora General Hospital and 10 at the Jummai Babangida Women and Children Hospital Minna.
    Bello disclosed this at the Kontagora General, Hospital during the commencement of free surgery for 50 women with VVF.
    “We do a VVF camp every quarter, where we get women who have the problem and bring them here and do the surgery for free. So far we have done a total of 206 from the time we first started and we are hoping to add another 50 this time around. We are not doing this on our own as we are in collaboration with Sani Bello foundation and Mainstream Foundation,” she added
    The Governor’s Wife explained that VVF is not necessarily caused by only early marriage but also by obstructed labour and refusal to deliver in hospitals by women of any age where medical professionals take the deliveries and attend to the women when there are complications. 
    She said the women were usually operated on by herself and fistula surgeons from Kano and Katsina, adding that it cost an average of N150, 000 to operate and rehabilitate one patient.

    She advised women to seek the services of skilled birth attendants during pregnancy to eradicate the disease.

    “It can be eradicated if every woman who is pregnant and in labour has skilled people attending to her. Most of the people who have VVF had it because of obstructed or prolonged labour and in such a situation only skilled person will know what to do,” she said

    Bello then decried the increasing level of stigmatistion against women suffering from VVF adding that it was hindering a lot of them from coming out to seek treatment.

    “One of the biggest challenge we are having is that we are not able to access a lot of these women suffering from the ailment. A lot of them are hiding because of the stigma, so getting them to come out is really tough.”

  • Family announces burial ceremony for late Justice Idris Kutigi

    The family of late Justice Idris Kutigi has announced his burial ceremony for October 24 and 25.

    A statement issued on Tuesday by Mrs Binta Aliyu, the family’s first child, said the body of the late jurist had been scheduled to arrive in Abuja from London in the morning on Wednesday, October 24.

    “The burial will take place same day at 2.00 p.m. at the Gudu Cemetery, Abuja, after the Janazah prayers at the National Mosque, Abuja.

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    “Fidau prayers will take place on Thursday at 10.00 a.m. at the residence of the late jurist in Asokoro, Abuja.

    “The Fidau prayers will also take place simultaneously at the Etsu Nupe’s Palace in Bida and in Kutigi, Niger State.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the retired Justice died on Saturday night at a UK hospital after a protracted illness. He was 78 years old.

    The late Kutigi was a Nigerian lawyer and judge. He was Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Niger State before becoming a high court judge.

    Kutigi joined the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1992 and served as Chief Justice from Jan. 30, 2007 until Dec. 30, 2009.

  • PSC, NPF clears air on promotion of DIGs

    The Police Service Commission and Nigeria Police Force on Monday clarified the air on the recent promotion of senior Police officers.

    The promotion exercise recently carried out affected three Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) who were promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) and four Commissioners of Police (CPs) to the rank of AIG.

    Following the promotion, there was a report which claimed that there was tension in the Force  but the PSC and the NPF described the report as untrue adding that there was no tension whatsoever.

    The Commission also said the approval of the promotion followed due process.

    The report reads in part: “Indication has emerged that tension is building up in the Police Force as the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has rejected the promotion of an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), to the next rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) by the Police Service Commission (PSC) without his recommendation”.

    The report also claimed that the IGP showed disapproval when he learnt of the promotion of Mr. Musa Katsina Muhammed from AIG to DIG by the Commission, instead of AIG Abdulsalam Iyaji, he recommended.

    Reacting to the report, the Commission’s Spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani said: “The Commission wishes to state that there is no tension in the Nigeria Police Force rather there is a new wave of hope as the Commission moves to sanitize the Force and return it to the path of rectitude.

    “The new Management has since assumption of office insisted on working strictly with laid down rules and regulations guiding its Constitutional mandate of Appointment, Promotion and Discipline in the Nigeria Police Force. This procedure was observed in the promotion of three Assistant Inspectors General of Police to Deputy Inspectors General.

    “Before the recent promotions, the Nigeria Police Force had four DIGs representing four geo-political zones.

    They are Maigari Dikko, from Katsina, representing the North West; Joshak Habila, from Plateau State, representing the North Central; Emmanuel T. Inyang, from Akwa Ibom State, representing South South; and Agboola Oshodi-Glover, from Lagos, representing South West.

    “The Commission considered the recommendations of the IGP of three AIGs for promotion to DIGs.

    “They were Mohammed Sani Usman from Bauchi, representing North East; Peace Ibekwe-Abdallah, from Anambra, representing the South East and Abdul Salami Iyaji from Kogi, representing the North Central.”

    The statement continues: “At the time of the recommendation, Musa Katsina Mohammed was the most senior AIG in the Nigeria Police Force but was curiously not recommended.

    “The Commission in its wisdom and satisfying the necessary and relevant requirements approved the recommendations of Sani Usman to take the place of the North East and Ibekwe-Abdallah for the South East.

    “It rejected the recommendation of Iyaji and in his place promoted the most senior AIG, Kastsina Mohammed from the North West.

    “It is instructive to note that all the geo-political zones are currently fully represented in the DIG cadre in the Nigeria Police Force and the remaining vacant slot was ceded to the most senior AIG.

    “It is further instructive to note that the IGP is also from Niger State, and invariably also representing the North Central. No Geopolitical Zone is therefore left out in the promotion

    The Commission also stated that it was under no obligation to wholly approve all recommendations from the IGP for appointments, promotions or discipline.

    “Such powers wholly reside according to the Law with the Police Service Commission. The current Commission is determined to commit itself to the letters of the Constitution and the Act in the discharge of its responsibilities, since it is by so doing that justice and equity will always be done to the entirety of officers and men of the Nigeria Police.

    “It will ensure as earlier stated that all promotions in the Nigeria Police Force from assumption of office of this management are based strictly on merit, seniority, availability of vacancies, even spread and attendance/successful completion of relevant courses.”

    Also reacting, the Nigeria Police Force in a statement by the Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood said the affected officers have been duly posted as recommended by the Commission.

    Moshood said: “For avoidance of doubt and to set the record straight, the IGP had promptly approved the postings of the newly promoted DIGs and AIGs to their duty posts via internal signals released on the 18th October, 2018.

    Giving details of their posting, the Police said: “DIG in charge of  Department of Finance and Administration, Maigari Abbati Dikko; DIG in charge of Department of Operations, Habila Joshak;

    DIG in charge of Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Emmanuel T. Inyang; and DIG in charge of Department of Logistics and Supply, Agboola Oshodi-Glover.

    Others are: “DIG in charge of Department of Research and Planning, Musa Katsina Muhammed, DIG in charge of Department of Training and Development, Mohammed Sani Usman and DIG in charge of Department of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah.”

    The Police urged members of the public to disregard and the publication insinuating that there is tension in Police as a result of the DIGs promotion.

  • NEMA calls for proactive measures on disaster risk reduction

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Niger on Saturday called on citizens, governments in all levels and the private sector, to take proactive measures on disaster reduction in the country.

    Alhaji Aliyu Kanfindangi, the NEMA Head of Operations in charge of Niger and Kwara, made this appeal to commemorate the observance of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.

    Kanfindangi, in a statement, disclosed that the agency’s focus was in line with this year’s theme — “Reducing the Economic Loss of Disasters’’.

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    He noted that extreme weather condition arising from climate change as well as natural disaster had caused huge economic loss to many people.

    He urged stakeholders to cultivate the habit of taking proactive measures aimed at disaster risk reduction and preventing loss of lives and property.

    International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed on October 13 to highlight the way people and communities around the world reduce exposure to disasters and to raise awareness about the risks involved in it.

     

  • Two serving senators lose primaries in Niger

    …..David Umaru Cries Foul

     

    Two of the serving Senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC Niger state, Barrister David Umaru and Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi have lost in the senatorial primaries held across the state on Tuesday.

    Two time serving Senator David Umaru who is the Chairman, Senate committee on Judiciary and Human Rights lost the Niger East senatorial district to new entrant, Alhaji Sani Musa.

    While in Niger north senatorial district, the Senate Spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi lost to the state serving Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affair, Alhaji Zakari Jikantoro.

    However, Senator David Umaru who assessed newsmen on Wednesday claimed that the APC Senatorial Primaries was a sham as it was bedeviled with intimidation from thugs and votes buying.

    He accused the State Working Committee of the party of skewing the election and rigging it in favour of a particular candidate expressing concern over the electoral fraud committed in the state.

    “Thugs were used to beat up and chased away my supporters and disrupted voting. In many cases elections were not done but results were manufactured and announced. This is shame to APC and I condemned it in total”.

    He called on the national chairman of the party to quickly intervene before strangers destroy the party which was formed on the principle of justice and fairness.

    “I called on the National Chairman and those who mean well for the party to intervene and cancel the results of senatorial primaries in the state in order to save the party in the state”.

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    Also, in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senatorial Primaries, former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Gimba and former PDP Chairman in the state, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Enagi lost the primaries in their respective senatorial districts.

    In Niger east senatorial district, legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ibrahim Isyaku emerged the party’s candidate after defeating three other candidates, in Niger south, former House of Representatives member, Alhaji Baba Shehu Agaie emerged the party’s flag bearer after defeating former Minister of Youth and Sport Development, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Gimba and former PDP Chairman in the state, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Enagi, while in Niger North senatorial district, Mohammadu Sani Duba emerged the party candidate unopposed.

  • Dry cleaner, 40, rapes neighbour’s daughter in Minna

    The Niger State Child Right Agency has arrested a 40-year-old dry cleaner, identified simply as Ashiru, for allegedly raping his neighbour’s nine-year-old daughter.

    The incident occurred at the New Market area of Maitumbi in Minna, the state capital.

    An official of the agency, Mr. Ezekiel Gana, said the girl’s grandmother discovered that she had been injured when the old woman noticed the abnormal way the girl was walking.

    “The grandmother noticed her movement and checked her private part where she noticed the damaged done by the perpetrator. Upon asking the girl what happened, she said ‘Uncle Ashiru’ put his big thing inside her,” the source said.

    The Nation learnt that the grandmother reported the matter to the agency, whose director general, Mariam Kolo, ordered for the arrest of the suspect.

    Gana said the suspect refused to give any other name apart from Ashiru but admitted to have defiled the small girl inside his shop.

    He said the suspect had been taken to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (SCIID) for further interrogation while the girl was taken to the police clinic for examination and treatment.

    The girl was said to have complained of stomach pain and was treated for it.

    Gana added that Ashiru would be charged to court as soon as the investigation into the matter is concluded.

  • Strike: Offices, Schools, Hospitals shut down in Niger

    There was full compliance by workers in Niger state to the warning strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress to press for a new minimum wage for workers in the country took off.

    The state and federal Secretariats in Minna were put under lock and key with union officials standing by to ensure nobody entered any of the Secretariat.

    Also, health facilities were also locked to patients.

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    A number of Directors vehicles were seen outside the secretariat and at the gates of educational institutions, pupils and students returned home while their teachers were nowhere to be found.

    However, private organizations went about their normal businesses while petrol filling stations were opened to dispense fuel to motorists.

    An unofficial source said PENGASSAN in the state did not join the strike.

    The NLC Chairman, Yahaya Ndako Idris could not be reached as he had switched off all his cell phone

  • Court remands welder for attempted kidnap

    A Magistrates’ Court in Minna has ordered the remand in prison custody of a 28-year-old welder, Shamsudeen Nasiru for attempted kidnap.

    Nasiru is standing trial on a two-count charge of criminal intimidation and attempted kidnapping.

    The Police Prosecutor, Inspector  Gunduma Ibrahim, had told the court that one Alhaji Sadiq Hussaini of Mokwa town reported the matter at the State CID Minna on Sept. 23.

    Ibrahim stated that the complainant was said to have received a call from an unknown person threatening to kidnap him if he did not pay an advance ransom of N6 million.

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    He said that the complainant paid N600,000 from the amount demanded.

    Ibrahim added that the police swung into action and arrested the accused person after some investigations.

    He noted that the offences contravened sections 397 of the penal code and 3(3) of the Kidnapping and Cattle rustling law of Niger state 2016.

    Nasiru, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Prosecutor thereafter prayed the court for adjournment as investigation into the matter was still ongoing.

    In his ruling, Magistrate Ibrahim Shabafu, ordered the accused person to be remanded in prison and adjourned the case until Oct. 11 for further mention.

  • Housewife kills stepdaughter with ‘Otapiapia’ in Niger

    A 20-year -old woman, Zulac Kabiru has confessed to killing her eight month old step daughter, Rukaiya Kabiru, to teach her co-wife how to respect ‘her superior’ by giving her local insecticide ‘otapiapia’ to drink.

    Zulac who was arrested by the police in Niger State for allegedly killing her eight month old step daughter at Danauta village in the Mariga Local Government Area of the state said that the second wife had the habit of insulting and assaulting her so she decided to poison her daughter.

    The suspect was said to have secretly given the baby the locally made insecticide popularly known as ‘otapiapia’ to drink which resulted to her death.

    It was gathered that the suspect and her fellow wife had not been in good terms for a long time; facts gathered also revealed that the first wife resented the marriage to the second wife.

    Speaking to newsmen when she was paraded, she said, “I warned my husband to desist from getting another wife in the family but he could not listen. The second wife was  in the habit of insulting and assaulting me at all times and one day I decided to poison her eight month old daughter to death to increase her sorrow in the family, so that she  will learn how to respect her superior in the family.

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    “Before my husband married her whom I kicked against, we have been living in peace but when she came she divide the family. My husband gave her more attention than myself and since then our family had been in shambles, “she explained.

    Zulac said that she did not know when she carried out the act stating that it was the work of the devil, “it was the work of devil, I don’t know when I did it trust me, it is a wicked act.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar said the suspect would  would be arraigned in court after investigation.

  • Woman kidnaps neighbor’s child for N5, 000

    A 25 year old woman, Safiya Idris has been caught by the Niger state Police for kidnapping a three year old child of her neighbor for N5, 000.

    The mother of four who is working for a handful was convinced to kidnap the child in order for her to get money to start a business.

    The Suspect was given N5,000 as her transportation to cross the child from Pandogari in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state to Kastina state.

    The suspected kidnapper was arrested by the police detectives attached to Kagara Division before she could take the child across to Kastina state.

    When paraded by the Police, Safiya blamed her father for making her go into kidnapping adding that the inability of the father to train her properly led her into the crime world.

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    “My father did not consider it necessary to train me to be responsible, otherwise why should I involve myself in this wicked act. Why should I even kidnap my neighbor’s child who always play with my own children, it is unfortunate.

    “I do not think that Allah and my neighbours will forgive me for what I did to this little girl, in fact, I do not deserve to be alive to face all this shame.”

    The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Abubakar said that the suspect confessed that some kidnappers gave her N5 000 to kidnap the child and bring it to them in Kastina.

    He said that the victim had been released to her parents adding that the police are on the trail of the other fleeing members of the gang.