The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger State

  • 30,000 bottles of Codeine consumed daily in Niger State – Research

    Just as the federal government have placed a ban on the use of codeine, research have revealed that about 30,000 bottles of codeine made of cough syrup are consumed daily in Niger state.

    The research carried out by the Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA) also revealed that about three million in Nigeria consume this product in order to make themselves high.

    This revelation was made during DIWA quarterly awareness program tagged #Ban Codeine in Naija in Minna, Niger state.

    According to the Niger State DIWA chief Executive Officer, Mallam Musa Mohammed El-Sani, the cough syrup is mostly consumed by the Youth and women lamenting that the society is confronted with a painful antecedent of people consuming codeine to attain a certain high psychological and emotional status that is negative to the brain and body.

    El-Sani noted that codeine had contributed to the high rise in crime, kidnapping, raping, terrorism and killings in the country.

    DIWA want the federal government to focus on the black market where sale of the dangerous product may still be threiving despite its ban calling for intense monitoring to checkmate the pharmaceutical companies and chain distributors in order to arrest the situation.

  • Niger rice cuts imports, says FADAMA

    Niger State has contributed to the reduction of rice imports, the National Fadama Co-ordination Office has said.

    Nigeria has been listed among the 16 top producers of rice with its local production valued at N684 billion ($1.9 billion).

    Niger State produced 545,700 metric tonnes (MT) of rice to top the national production output for last year’s wet season.

    The leader of the Technical Assistance Mission to the state,  Dr. Samuel Alabi, who spoke during a visit to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Haruna Nuhu Dukku, in Minna, said the quantity of rice produced in the state with the contribution of the state Fadama Co-ordination Office during the wet and dry seasons had greatly increased.

    Alabi praised the state Fadama Co-ordination Office, saying  the state added value to what Fadama is achieving nationally as the office have become a focus laboratory where experience meet with result delivery.

    “Niger State Coordination Office has become a learning centre where opportunity meets experience and experience meets with result delivery. The  state has become Fadama learning centre. We are indebted to Niger State for adding colour to the performance of the national office,’’Alabi said.

    Dukku assured Fadama of the state support of its programme as it has proved to be of immense benefit to the people, especially in the rural areas.

  • Court refuses claims by FG, Niger State to N6bn found in firms’ bank accounts

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected claims by the Federal Government and Niger State Government to an unclaimed N6bn found in the bank accounts of two firms – Katah Property and Investment Limited and  Sadiq Air Travels Agency Limited.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had claimed that the money in accounts in  Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB)  and the United Bank of Africa (UBA) in the names of Katah Property and Investment Limited and  Sadiq Air Travels Agency Limited was abandoned, being “ill-gotten funds.”

    The EFCC alleged that the main suspect, Alhaji Kantigi Liman, who was said to be at large,used the bank accounts of the companies to obtain money under false preference from innocent victims.

    It also alleged that the suspect used the companies as conduits to siphon the Niger State Government’s funds under the then Governor Babangida Mu’azu Administration “without any contract job and project for the state”.

    The EFCC also alleged that the the suspect had disclaimed the ownership of the N6bn in the four bank accounts and had therefore become imperative for the Federal Government to take absolute possession of “the unclaimed money”.

    On May 25, 2017, Justice Nmandi Dingba granted an ex-parte application by the EFCC for interim forfeiture of the money.

    The judge equally ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper inviting all those who might have an interest in the N6bn to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    Following the publication of a notice of the temporary forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government, Niger State Government had come forward to lay claim to the money.

    The companies, in whose names the N6bn was kept in the bank accounts, also opposed the EFCC’s prayer for a final forfeiture order on the money to either the Niger State Government or to the Federal Government.

    In a ruling yesterday, Justice said both the FG and Niger Govt failed to provide evidence to warrant the permanent forfeiture of the money to either of them.

    He said the companies, in whose accounts the money was found, enjoyed rights of presumption of innocence guaranteed by section 36(5) of the Constitution and the right to own property guaranteed under section 43 of the Constitution.

    The judge said the claim by the EFCC that it was still investigating the funds in the four bank accounts showed that the commission was yet to be sure the of the facts it put the before the court to canvass for the final forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government.

    He said: “What is clear from the above is that the applicant, the EFCC, is not absolutely sure of its facts to date, since the matter by their own admission is still under investigation.

    “If investigation is still ongoing, and they are not absolutely sure of their facts, it follows that what they possess at the moment is suspicion.

    “But the real question is whether suspicion, which is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the admission of the Commission in the processes it filed in court itself to support the application for permanent forfeiture, is sufficient to make the court now permanently transfer ownership of assets from those in whose names the assets are, and who enjoy existing legal and constitutional presumptions, to the Federal Government?

    “In my view, this would be very unjust and will amount to expropriation, and go against the Constitution.

    “In the light of the EFCC’s admission that they are still conducting criminal investigations on the assets, I believe that it amounts to taking victory over the subject matter of legal proceedings by stealth, in approaching the court for an order absolutely forfeiting the funds to the Government, through this route of non-conviction based assets forfeiture offered by Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act.

    “I should also state that the claim that the funds are abandoned property, subject of absolute forfeiture to the Federal Government under Section 17 of the Act, appears unsubstantiated.”

    The judge, after rejecting the EFCC’s request for the forfeiture of the money to the Federal Government also said the Niger State Government too failed in its bid to claim its ownership.

    The judge ruled, “Having very carefully reviewed the materials provided by Niger State Government, I do not believe that they should succeed and that a sufficient case has been made for the funds in the subject accounts to be permanently forfeited to them.

    “What I have seen are assertions without sufficient proof.

    “In fact, I see a number of cracks in the position of Niger State Government; questions for which insufficient answers have been provided.

    “For instance, if the funds are proceeds of funds siphoned out of Niger State, at the very least the burden is on Niger State to provide evidence of how much was the allocation and income of Edati Local Government in the period in which Alhaji Liman Katingi was the chairman of the Local Government.

    How much was missing from this income and allocation, and how much of the missing funds, if any, are traceable directly or indirectly to the account of Katah Property And Investment Ltd, and Sadiq Air Travel Agency Ltd, which copies Alhaji Liman Katingi is the alleged promoter.”

    The judge also rejected the assertion that the companies were shams promoted by  Alhaji Liman Katingi for the purposes of warehousing ill-gotten money siphoned from Niger State Government.

    “A lot more needs to be offered to establish this claim, than just this general bare assertion,” the judge said.

  • 2019: Why I want Niger Governorship – PDP Aspirant

    A Governorship Aspirant, Mohammed Aminu Baku has declared his intention to contest for governorship under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State.

    He said that he wants to rescue the state from poverty and infrastructural decay and reposition the state to make it one of the most developed state in the nation.

    “What informed my position to contest is that my heart bleeds anytime I come to Niger state. All the roads are terribly bad and Niger state which is over 40 years is the most backward state in the country. ”

    Speaking to newsmen after submitting his letter of intention to the PDP Chairman, Barrister Tanko Beji at the PDP Secretariat in Minna, Aminu who is from the Niger North Senatorial District said the zoning arrangement in the state will not stop him from contesting.

    “I am aware of the zoning arrangement but it is unconstitutional. Everyone in Niger state have the right to contest but the question is that do you have the capacity and are the masses behind you? One thing I know is that PDP will not reject any candidate. ”

    The Aspirant said he would beat the siting Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello hands down in the 2019 elections, “I will not only beat the governor hands down, I have already beaten the Governor. ”

    Receiving the letter of intent and declaration to contest, the PDP Chairman, Barrister Tanko Beji said that although the party in the state stands by its zoning arrangement, it would however not stop anyone who have interest from declaring their intentions pledging to provide a level playing field for everyone.

    “In a bid to reinstate PDP as an opposition party, we are open to all your join. We will do everything to provide a level playing field for anyone who presents himself for any available position.

    “The Zoning of political position stands. Our party have zero our mind that the governorship candidate should come from zone C but we are not excluding anybody. Everyone is eligible to via for the position. We are going to allow everyone to test their popularity. ”

    Beji promised that the party primaries would be free, fair and transparent stressing that the Party is set to win the 2019 general elections.

  • Niger to employ 500 youths

    The Niger state government, says 500 Youth traffic vanguards, would be employed into its civil service.

    The youths were engaged under the YES by the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) government of former governor Babangida Aliyu.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Fanti, the state commissioner for Transport, said this while briefing newsmen on Thursday at the Government House, Minna.

    “The state government has concluded arrangement to employ 500 traffic youth vanguards working under the YES,” he said.

    Fanti said that a committee has been set up by government to workout modality of recruiting the youths into the state civil service.

    He said that they would be recruited into various cadres based on their academic qualifications and paid accordingly.

    “As I speak with you now the state government has paid them all their monthly stipends, so we are not owing them,’’ he said.

    In a related development, Alhaji Zakari Jikantoro, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said that government had concluded arrangements to purchase eight Toyota Prado jeeps at the cost of N374.5 million for the eight Emirs in the state.

    Jikantoro said this also at the news conference.

    NAN

  • Police parades 19 suspects for kidnapping, armed robbery and cattle rustling

    Niger State Police Command has recovered three AK 47 rifle, an Army uniform, eight rounds of live ammunition, 14 cows, 20 sheep and 11 goats from two cattle rustlers.

    The cattle rustlers, Tukur Ibrahim and Tambaya Bello were arrested at the Fulani camp in Lefu village in Mashegu local government of Niger state.

    The cattle rustlers were paraded along with 17 others arrested for offences ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, unlawful possession of firearms and impersonation.

    Briefing newsmen on Minna, the Niger state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),  Muhammad Dan Inna Abubakar said that the state police Command with sustain the onslaught on criminals in the state.

    Two vehicles, an Accura Jeep and a Toyota Carina were recovered by the police along with five locally made pistols, 15 live cartridges, handsets and charms.

    When questioned, one of the suspected Cattle Rustlers, Tukur Ibrahim said he was not a cattle rustler adding that the Army uniform, the AK 47 Rifles and the animals were given to him by a friend for safekeeping.

    He claimed that the friend said he was traveling and needed somewhere safe to keep them adding that the friend would soon be back.

    However, the PPRO said investigations are still ongoing as the suspects would soon be charged to court.

  • Bida Poly spends N261m on staff allowance – Rector

    The management of Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State, says it spent N261 million on payment of staff allowances from April 2017 to date.

    Its Rector, Dr Abubakar Dzukogi, told our correspondent on Tuesday in Bida that the gesture was to boost staff morale for better performance.

    He said “we would continue to accord priority attention to welfare of our personnel to enable them contribute positively toward the development of the institution.”

    Dzukogi appealed to Federal Government to release more funds to the polytechnic for the execution of capital projects.

    He added that “we are in dire need of additional hostel blocks to accommodate our teeming students.”

    The rector explained that only about 30 per cent of the estimated 15,000 students of the institution were being accommodated in hostel.

    He said the release of more funds would enable the polytechnic to commence construction of additional hostels to address the accommodation problem.

    NAN

  • NIS arrests 67 irregular migrants from Republic of Niger

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has arrested 67 irregular migrants from the Republic of Niger.

    Mr Sunday James, the spokesman of the agency, announced this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    James said that the foreigners were intercepted by the Special Border Corps of the NIS while trying to enter the country via Niger State, noting that the comptroller of the service in the state, Mrs Hornby Onimin, was in control of the operation.

    He also said that the migrants had been profiled and would be repatriated soon.

    “This arrest came after the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Muhammad Babandede, held a meeting with NIS zonal coordinators and comptrollers of state commands and other formations.

    “At the meeting, Babandede challenged the officers to return to their base with a new vigour to ensure that non-Nigerians are not allowed to vote or be voted for in line with 1999 Constitution.

    “He also directed them to evolve a community border patrol initiative, where community members are engaged in information gathering and sharing to the NIS border patrol operatives alongside community leaders.

    “The directive has started yielding the desired results as shown by the apprehension of the 67 Nigeriens,’’ he said.

    The spokesman quoted the NIS boss as encouraging other officers to emulate the exemplary leadership style of Onimin

  • Gov. Bello seeks Assembly’s approval for N21.5bn Sukuk Bond

    Gov.  Abubakar Bello of Niger State, has sought a resolution of the State House of Assembly in support of N21.5bn Sukuk Bond Issuance in multiple and consecutive tranches.

    In a letter read by the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa on the floor of the House on Thursday, Bello noted that the bond was part of a third funding plan to rehabilitate and reactivate essential infrastructure in the state.

    He stated that the first funding plan involved provision of direct budgetary funds allocation from state resources, while the second funding plan would be a Public Private Partnership ( PPP ) arrangement.

    “The government of Niger State is committed to the objective of transforming the state so as to set it firmly on the path of sustainable growth and development.

    “Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs ) have been working on the improvement of health care services, development of trailer parks as well as diversification of sales income system through the development of a mining city.

    “After due consideration, it has been decided that in terms of cost, speed and ease of implementation, the most appropriate option for the third funding plan is through Sukuk Bond Issuance and external funding from multilateral development banks.

    “Therefore, the third phase entails procurement of Sukuk Bond to fund Minna township roads, Kontagora, General Hospital Suleja, trailer parks, and Kontagora water supply schemes.

    “Others are Mariga Ultra Modern Market and Mining City, with three mineral processing centres across the state,’’ Bello said.

    The governor maintained that the proposed projects; road infrastructure, health care services, industrial parks and water supply schemes were key aspects of his administration’s priority programmes.

    According to him, the projects will enhance commercial activities, improve socio-economic welfare and internal revenue generation capacity of the state.

    “The planned projects will improve economic productivity and internal revenue generation capacity of the state.

    “This will therefore, ensure that the state continues to generate growth and employment while reducing poverty.’’

    The Speaker consequently set up a six-man special committee led by Alhaji Abdulmalik Kabir to interface with relevant stakeholders and report back to the House on April 24.

    NAN

  • 132,000 PVC remains unclaimed in Niger

    The Niger state Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Professor Sam Egwu has disclosed that 132, 000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) are yet to be collected by prospective voters who have completed registration in Niger state.

    He said that Commission had earlier embarked on massive sensitisation for voters to collect their PVC but it has yielded no result.

    Speaking in Minna on Friday in his office while playing host to the Zonal Coordinator of the Federal Information Centre in Minna, Malam Bawa Salihu Mokwa, Egwu urged those who have completed registration to go to their respective registration areas to pick their cards.

    He expressed the desire of the Commission you capture all prospective voters across the state calling on people to come out for the registration.

    According to Egwu, the ongoing registrations is to capture those who have attained the age of 18, people displaced as a result of transfer or movement as well as those who have lost their cards earlier obtained.

    The Coordinator of the centre, Malam Bawa Mokwa had earlier assured the REC of the readiness of the centre to partner with INEC to achieve free and fair 2019 general elections.

    He told the REC that the Federal Information centre has the necessary facilities in place to help INEC in the state in the area of sensitization and education of voters to enable them understand their civic responsibilities.