The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger State

  • Woman burns child’s hand with hot coal

    A 30 year old woman, Juliet Moses has been apprehended by the Niger state Child Rights Agency for burning her three year old son’s hands with hot coal.

    Juliet explanation was that her son went to steal from her neighbor’s pot and she burnt his hands to teach him a lesson.

    “My neighbour told me my son entered into her house and fetched food from her pot and when I asked him, he refused to tell me the truth, so I put hot charcoals on his hands, I did not know it would burn his hands like that”, she defended.

    Juliet’s who was reported to the Child Rights Agency by concerned neighbours explained that she only punished him that way to ensure that he does not grow into stealing explaining that the other wounds on his body and that of her other children was her own way of punishing them.

    “I think I am just teaching him a lesson because that is the way they start. From small stealing, they would grow into big time stealing. I felt when I punish him like that, he will not do so again. This is the first time I burnt his hands like that.

    “The wound on his head was as a result of him falling down when I pushed him. Also the iron mark on my daughter’s back, I was not the one who did that to her. My neighbors brought me her because they felt I am maltreating my children. ”

    The Director General of the Niger state Child Right Agency, Barrister Mariam Kolo asked that the lady be taken to the CID for further investigation adding that an aunty should be gotten to collect the children if she cannot take care of them.

  • Niger owes WAEC, NECO N664M

    Niger state government has disclosed that it owes N664 million to the two major examination bodies in the country, the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO).

    The state Commissioner of Education, Hajiya Fatima Magudu who told journalists in Minna on Monday explained that the debt was inherited by the government from its predecessors.

    It would be recalled that The Nation reported that students in the state public schools have not been able to access their WEAC results due to the debts owed to the examination body.

    Read Also: Niger posts N8.59b gross premium

    Students and parents have been worried and have besieged the WAEC office in Minna demanding for reasons why the results cannot be accessed and they were directed to the state Ministry of Education to get explanations.

    However, the Commissioner disclosed that five million had been given to WAEC to offset this year’s bill to enable the students’ access their results.

    She said that the balance of the other debts is gradually being repaid by the state government.

  • Niger LG Chairmen renege on WHO agreement

    Chairmen of the twenty five local government areas in Niger state are currently standing on the way to improving health services in the state by  vehemently refusing to remit the 15 percent generated revenue as agreed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

    They are completely against the contribution.

    According to the Permanent Secretary, Niger state Ministry of Local government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mallam Akilu Musa, the Chairmen are completely against the contribution which would be for the good of the people.

    Speaking in Minna when he received members of the Centre for Communication and Reproductive Health Services (CCRHS) in his office, he declared that the local government Chairman had completely reneged on the World health Organization agreement reached on the remittance of 15 percent of their allocation to improve health services across the state.

    Read Also: Is Nigeria truly committed to agriculture?

    “It appears worrisome that we have been trying to solve problems, yet we cannot. Funding is our bigger challenge, but if we synergize then there will be no problem.

    “The 25 LGA Chairmen in the state have vehemently refused to remit the 15 percent generated revenue as agreed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). They are completely against the contribution. The reluctancy of the LGA Chairmen will be revisited and we hope to get them convinced.”

    Earlier, the Chairman of the Center for Communication and Reproductive Health Services (CCRHS), Dr. Aliyu Yabagi Shehu blamed the death of 12 percent of fewer than five children annually in Niger state to inadequate funding of Primary Health Care (PHC) centers by the 25 Local government Chairmen.

    According to him, “Despite efforts by the State government and other relevant agencies to ensure the improvement in Primary health Care (PHC) centers across the state, the LGA chairmen have not contributed a dime.

    “We want them to support services rendered by PHC centers in the state, inadequate funding for Childhood killer Diseases resulting to the death of 12 percent of under 5 children annually in Niger state.

  • 55-year-old grandmother throws granddaughter into well

    A 55 year old grandmother, Aisha Ibrahim has been arrested by the Niger state Police Command for killing her two year granddaughter by throwing her into a well.

    According to the suspect, she tied the granddaughter with a rope and threw her into the well in their compound at Karaya Fulani Camp in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state.

    Aisha said that she carried out the action because she has been looking for a way to deal with her daughter-in-law adding that it was a payback for the insults and assaults she had received from her daughter-in-law.

    Read Also:Court remands man for ‘killing’ his grandmother

    The grandmother saw an opportunity to carry out her act when her son, Bello Ibrahim and his wife left their child in her custody to attend a naming ceremony in their neighboring village

    “I told my husband to tell his son to divorce his wife but he did not listen to me. My daughter-in-law is fond of insulting and assaulting me all the time and the only way I could pay her back was to tie her daughter with the rope and throw her inside well to die so that she will equally feel the pains and agony I have been through.

    “We have been living in peace as one big family before my son married her, I have 12 children and all of us are living in one compound, she cannot come from nowhere to destroy the family I have suffered for years to keep, it is unacceptable,” she explained.

    The suspect who was trailed and arrested by the police detectives attached to Kagara Division while she was trying to escape said she regretted her action as she should not have yielded to the temptation.

    “It was temptation. I did not know when I did it, I cannot just tell but may Allah forgive me, honestly it was a wicked act that can never be accepted anywhere in the world”, she confessed.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Muhammad Abubakar said during confession to the crime, the suspect regretted her action adding it was already too late as the deed had already been done and she would be arraigned in court after investigation .

  • Niger state health status indices drops in recent survey

    The health status indices of Niger state have dropped below zero per cent, a smart and mixed survey has revealed.

    The survey which was carried out by the Save One Million Lives (SOML) revealed that the state is reading negative in the three indicators used to rate it.

    According to the survey, the state present baseline in Penta 3 Vaccine coverage is at -7.8 per cent, in the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Net for Children under the age of five, the state was rated -17.6 per cent while in having Skilled Birth Attendant, the rating of the state was -3.7 per cent.

    Read Also:30,000 bottles of Codeine consumed daily in Niger State – Research

    The State Technical Assistant of the Save One Million Lives, Mohammed Usman Alkali made this disclosure when the Center for Communication and Reproduction Health Serviced (CCRHS) under the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH@Scale) paid an advocacy visit to the Permanent Secretary of the Niger state Planning Commission, Alhaji Usman Musa Dalau.

    Alkali urged the state government to look into adequate funding and prompt release of funds to the health sector to enable the state have some improvement before the next survey is taken later in the year.

    The Chairman of the Center for Communication and Reproductive Health Services (CCRHS), Dr. Aliyu Yabagi Shehu frowned at the inadequate funding for routine immunization and poor allocation of funds for family planning in the state.

    He said that if adequate funding and release of funds are made, the rate of maternal mortality rate in the state would reduce and the health challenges confronting children and mothers in the state would be addressed.

    In his address, the Permanent Secretary of the Niger state Planning Commission, Alhaji Usman Musa Dalau promised to ensure that the health sector have adequate budgetary allocations and prompt release of envelopes to the sector and it’s parastals would be looked into.

    He further added that the release of funding is not from the State Planning Commission but he would lend his voice to the issue by educating his other colleagues.

  • Cholera outbreak hits Niger

    There is a serious outbreak of cholera in Eight local government areas in Niger state.

    The Nation gathered that community clinics and health centers are filled with people affected by the disease.

    However, no death have been recorded so far

    According to a Community Health Worker, Shehu Baba, the entire Niger South senatorial district which comprise of Bida, Agaie, Mokwa, Lapai, Kutigi, Lavun have been affected.

    He said that his community clinic which is in Doko in Lavun local government area is filled with patients with symptoms of cholera adding that some case have been confirmed while others are being checked, “for now, I cannot quantify the number but I can tell you is that it is the entire zone. The number of people with the symptoms is massive”, he said.

    Read Also: Food and water poisoning: Cholera and other bacteria

    A Source in Bida also disclosed that six cases have been confirmed at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Bida but the management of the Center said there was a case of cholera and other cases which are confirmed not to be cholera.

    Meanwhile, the management of the facility said it is putting its record together and would disclose the actual fact later.

  • Minna jail break: Police begin hunt for 200 escaped prisoners

    The Police in Niger state said on Monday it had taken measures to ensure the arrest of the 200 prisoners that escaped from Minna Medium Security Prison on Sunday.

    Mr. Dibal Yakadi, the Commissioner of Police in Niger said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that only 19 out of the 219 prisoners that escaped were arrested.

    Read Also:Jail break: DSS recaptures another escapee

    “We are working in collaboration with other security agencies in Niger state to make sure that we re-arrest the runaway inmates.

    “The police has embarked on stop and search for all vehicles and also engaged personnel on motor and foot patrol to ensure that we apprehend these inmates,’’ he said.

    Yakadi also said that the command has deployed its personnel to motor parks across the state to track the escaped prisoners and appealed to the general public to assist security agencies in tracking and apprehending the escaped prisoners.

    NAN recalls that armed bandits attacked the prison on Sunday killing a prison official and a motorcyclist.

  • Niger Govt. to spend N50bn on water works reticulation

    Niger State Government said on Wednesday that it would spend over N50 billion on the reticulation of Minna, Suleja, Bida and Kontagora water works.

    Gov. Abubakar Bello told newsmen in Minna that the state government would go into Public Private Partnership (PPP) to ensure adequate water supply in major towns in the state.

    We recalls that the state government had in 2016, declared a state of emergency on the water sector starting with Chanchaga water works.

    Bello said that the government had spent N2 billion on the purchase of 60 water pumps and other equipment from Germany for Chanchaga water works.

    He added that government would go into partnership with investors to instal pumps, water meter and other relevant accessories across the major towns to enhance water supply.

    “When we took over the government, we met a dilapidated water infrastructure — water pipes were broken down beyond repairs, the engines were not functioning; virtually everything was in bad shape.

    “We started with Chanchaga water works; we constructed access roads, purchased new equipment and repaired broken water pipes and engines.

    “We couldn’t fold our hands to watch our people continue to suffer for water; that was why we declared a state of emergency on water sector and I can say that we have recorded quite a success in water supply.

    “Even though major cities in the state still do not have adequate water supply, we have taken a holistic approach and doing everything possible to ensure adequate water supply.

    “We are going into partnership with investors through PPP to instal water pumps and water meters in the major cities. This is the only way can ensure regular water supply.”

    The governor called for positive attitudinal change towards maintenance of government property.

    He noted that negative attitude constituted a major problem hindering the development of the state.

    The governor appealed to the media as partners in progress, to continue to support the government by publicising its programmes.

  • Democracy Day: Please Have Faith in Us – Niger Speaker to Nigerians

    The Speaker of the Niger state House of Assembly, Honorable Ahmed Marafa has appealed to Nigerians to retain their faith in the APC led administration adding that given time, the administration would surpass their expectations.

    He stated that the government of APC came in with an unprecedented expectations from Nigerians but Nigerians are yet to be convinced based on what they expected from the administration.

    “The government of APC came in with an unprecedented expectation from Nigerians and to be sincere, a lot of Nigerians are yet to be convinced based on what they expected of this government at the federal level and even at the state level.

    “Nigerians should be patient,  they should please have faith in this government. I believe that with little time, we will be able to accomplish 70 per cent of their expectations. ”

    Read Also: ‘Nigerians yet to fully embrace trusteeship’

    Speaking to newsmen in Minna on Tuesday, the Speaker said that democracy day is not a period of celebration rather it should be used to take stock, analyse and reevaluate the government.

    He also called on Nigerians to intensify its prayers stressing that the nation is in a critical situation that only prayers can lead the people to the promise land.

    “Democracy day is a day of sober reflection, it is a period that we need to intensify our prayers and our patience because nothing comes easy. Right now, Nigeria is in a critical situation that only prayers can lead us to the promise land.

    “Right now, we do not need to start celebrating because we have not really achieved our major objective of providingvsime basic amenities to  Nigerians and Nigerlites. We should use it as a period of stocktaking, sit down and analyze our government, see areas we are performing and where we are not and see what we can do to improve it. ”

    Margaret who said that three years is not enough period for one to assess a government considering that a particular government have been in in power for 16 years stated that objectively the APC administration had done relatively well.

  • Moghalu promises modern leadership for Nigeria

    Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor and presidential aspirant, Kingsley Moghalu has promised to provide modern leadership to the country if elected President next year.

    Speaking at a townhall meeting of the Kingsley Moghalu Support Organisation (KIMSO) held in Minna, Niger State, which saw a huge crowd in the overflow, he unveiled a three point-agenda for Nigerian youth.

    He promised to mentor and train the youth to take over effective leadership of the country; wage a decisive war on unemployment – particularly youth unemployment which reached 33 percent in Q3 2017; and dramatically improve the quality of education, to raise the knowledge and skills of Nigerian graduates, which will improve their employability and ability to successfully start their own businesses.

    Read Also: We need people who believe in leadership change, says Moghalu

    Professor Moghalu also promised that his government, if he is elected President in 2019, will prioritise the welfare of Nigerian women, by strengthening access to quality primary health care, supporting women in business with access to capital to grow their businesses, as well as providing political support for improvement in the participation of women in appointive and elective positions.

    With regard to access to finance for youth and women entrepreneurs, Moghalu promised to setup a venture capital (VC) fund, which, as a public private partnership (PPP), will have government’s contribution of N500 billion matched by private sector contribution, raising the fund’s capital to N1 trillion. The fund will provide equity financing, with the advantages that the businesses will not be saddled with the burden of repaying loans with double-digit interest rate, and the VC fund will provide needed expertise to help grow the investee businesses.

    This, according to the Presidential aspirant, will substantially reduce unemployment and poverty in the country, through the direct and multiplier effects of the venture capital fund.