Niger State government has expressed condition for the release of the balance of N200million commitment to the N1billion counterpart fund for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development fund programme with the Bank of Industry (BOI).
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello spoke when he inaugurated the Bank of Industry (BOI) office in Minna, the Niger State capital.
He said government was not in a hurry to release the outstanding balance until a proper evaluation of the N300 million earlier contributed was made to ascertain the utilisation of the joint contribution by the government and the bank.
Bello, who spoke through his deputy, Mohammed Ahmed Ketso, said the government was committed to the programme, which he noted was in tandem with its economic policy.
He added: “We are committed to releasing our counterpart fund for the MSME States’ Matching Fund Programme we entered with the Bank of Industry, but this will be after proper evaluation of beneficiaries of the funds earlier contributed.
“We have to ascertain the disbursement of earlier fund, verify and ascertain the beneficiaries before the N200 million balance is released.”
The governor said the government, in collaboration with BOI, through the matching fund, improved MSME in polythene production, rice milling, yoghurt production, quick service restaurants and cattle fattening.
The Managing Director of BOI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, said from the N600million raised under the matching fund programme, the bank approved and released N497 million for 116 loan applications.
He said the bank received 263 loan applications, amounting to N2.5billion through the Ministry of Investments, Commerce and Co-operatives.
Olaoluwa said the partnership led to the creation of over 615 direct and 683 indirect jobs.
The managing director urged the government to release the outstanding N200 million contribution, as the N600million contributed was almost exhausted.
The Security Council recalls its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security
The Security Council has reaffirmed Member States’ determination to continue to do all they can to resolve conflict and to deny terrorist groups the ability to put down roots and establish safe havens to address better the growing threat posed by terrorism.
The Council stresses that terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States and international, regional and sub-regional organizations to counter the terrorist threat.
According to the council, terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whosoever committed.
Thus, the council expresses its concern at the continued threat posed to international peace and security by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (also known as “Boko Haram” and hereinafter referred to as such) and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with A1-Qaida, reaffirms its resolve to address all aspects of that threat, and reaffirms that terrorism, including the actions of the Boko Haram terrorist group, cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or civilization.
The Security Council reiterates its strong condemnation of all the terrorist attacks, abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin region.
The council also recognized that women and girls are particularly targeted by Boko Haram, expresses its deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the peoples and Governments of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Security Council recalls that those responsible for abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law must be held accountable and brought to justice.
The Security Council takes note of the Communiques of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) of 25 November, 2014 on the threat posed by Boko Haram and the efforts of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Member States (Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria) and Benin to combat Boko Haram.
It further takes note of the Letter sent by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to the United Nations Secretary-General on 6 March 2015, forwarding the Communiques adopted by the AUPSC on 29 January and 3 March 2015, as well as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Strategic Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to fight against Boko Haram.
The Council, while acknowledging the progress made on the ground following joint regional military efforts in recent months, condemns strongly the continued deadly attacks perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorist group, particularly against civilians and encourages increased regional cooperation.
The Security Council encourages all actors involved in the response to support recovery programmes and the provision of the necessary protection measures for civilians, and to pay particular attention to the release and reintegration of children abducted by Boko Haram or formerly associated with this terrorist group.
It recalls that Boko Haram has been designated as associated with Al-Qaida by the Committee established, pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) and in this regard, expresses its readiness to consider listing individuals, groups, undertakings and entities providing support to Boko Haram, including those who are financing, arming, planning or recruiting for Boko Haram and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida through information and communications technologies including the Internet and social media or through any other means.
No fewer than 1,000 families have been rendered homeless by heavy rain storm that ravaged Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro local government area of Niger State.
The palace of the District Head of the town, Alhaji Garba Bangajiya and many houses and public facilities had their roofs blown off by the storm while some buildings were totally leveled by the stormy rainfall which resulted in the destruction of property worth over N.5 billion.
Farm produce and domestic animals were also washed away by the havoc that struck the farming predominant community.
Many families are now being housed by the few fortunate ones whose houses were spared by the less than one hour down pour disaster.
Member representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator David Umaru who paid a sympathy visit the town Tuesday was so devastated by the disaster and called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials in assisting victims of rain storm.
He described the disaster as monumental, adding that, the intervention of government and NEMA was urgently necessary to cushion its devastating effect on the victims now facing severe hardship.
The lawmaker commiserated with the people and assured them that he will contact relevant authorities for urgent intervention to alleviate their sufferings occasioned by the rain disaster.
District Head of Kuta, Alhaji Garba Bangajiya said his people were shocked and devastated by the disaster.
The royal father appreciated to the Senator for finding it expedient to share the pains of his people and appealed to government to assist the victims with palliative measures in order for them to pick up their lives again.
He said that the affected families would need assistance in the areas of provision of building materials, clothes, mattresses, food, mats and blackest.
Abubakar Gimba’s death was an expected surprise to everyone aware of his deteriorating health condition during his last days. True, we do not wish death upon our loved ones but by divine ordination, death is the prerequisite for the hope of afterlife. Therefore, as human beings, we must at all times expect and anticipate death’s call. Our perpetual existence on earth long after our physical death is dependent on the impact of our influence on the society. It is with great nostalgia that I write this eulogy about a man whom providence afforded me the privilege of knowing. My first encounter with Gimba was through his books and the first one, I had the privilege of reading was the “Sunset for a Mandarin,” a book I found fascinating and intriguing even though at first I didn’t quite understand nor appreciate the travails of the protagonist, until years after, and it was indeed after several years of quality reading and scholarship, that I came to understand the moral conflict that characterises works- the preponderance of the themes of morality which my dear friend and Poet, Gimba Kakanda faulted, as the renowned novelist’s greatest weakness.
But perhaps, what my dear friend and I didn’t realise then was that, the concept of moralist literature propounded by the late novelist is paradoxically, Gimba’s most profound asset as a writer. Unlike many Gimba was conscious of his purpose in literature, perhaps he viewed literature as a medium of character modification and societal regeneration. He wrote his works with a psychologist mind-set and I should think that he achieved his aim of shaping the personalities of his readers, who are always eager to review the moral angle to Gimba’s novels. Most importantly and worthy of note is that Gimba allowed his writings to be ruled by his environment and in particular, religion. The Islamic religion to which he belonged played a major role in the kind of things he wrote and how he wrote about those things. He was a modest writer.
As I read his other works, I began to understand that Gimba saw the advancement of morality as an inescapable responsibility, perhaps of every writer. He once and indeed always emphasized this point at his Okada Road, home in Mina, where he lived. Once, the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Niger State paid him a courtesy call, I was then an ex-officio member of the executive. The team was led by Almamum Mallam, who was the then chairman, after we had been introduced and the intent of our visit stated, in his characteristic genial manner, he had submitted that the writer’s duty is to modify the society. There was the need for writers to be seen as decent and responsible people.
He also opined that, one couldn’t teach what one doesn’t know or practice. He viewed writers as models that society should emulate and was particularly opposed to the Marxists life style that permeated the 90s, a thing he said, he tried to correct when he became the President of ANA in the late 90s. He had said, he wanted people to look at writers as dignified people and wretches of the society. But of course, to a certain degree his exorbitant belief about how a writer should look especially in terms of social stratification could easily be attributable to his middle class background. He became a Permanent Secretary at a young age and eventually became a Financial Executive in one of the top banks in the country.
Gimba’s works are synonymous with his personality, religious and moral view, to him, only individuals who are morally upright can upturn the bad fortunes of any society for the better. He practised what he preached and lived by the values he espoused. During another visit of ANA Niger members to his home, where I was also fortunate to be around, and I was honoured with the privilege of saying a prayer at the meeting. When I had finished, he commended my praying prowess and referred to me jokingly as “Pastor Paul” and that incident is one, I will never forget, I was honoured that he could find my prayer worthy of his commendation. I also remember him single out,Aminu S. Mohammed as the person of after his heart, the one in whom he was pleased. He posited that Sheik was his replica and, I think he jokingly referred to him as his private secretary, with whom appointments must be booked before, he would be seen. But of course,he also said that, ANA Niger didn’t need an appointment to see him and it was always so, whenever the association needed his counsel, he was always available it.
The interesting twist to Gimba’s influence is that he influenced a great army of word soldiers, who took after him and indeed exceeded him. This league of touch bearers and whom, for want of scholarly coloration may be referred to as “students of Gimba” because they practice what Gimba preached. For example, BM Dzukogi’s prose and even poetry assume the moral modesty characteristics of Gimba’s novels. Dzukogi appears to be the most pronounced literary replica of Gimba. A review of “Potholes in My Dreams” shows that Dzukogi writes with the same moral consciousness that Gimba is known for. Dzukogi’s engagement of sensuality in the story “Dry Tongue in Wet Lips,” attests to the same conscious morality that Gimba would have employed in writing the same story. The “Dry Tongue” clearly represents an infertile penis that cannot fertilise while the “Wet lips” represents a fertile vagina or womb. Throughout the story, Dzukogi deliberately avoids calling a dog by its true name. Dzukogi, KamarHamza, Baba Akote, Almamum Mallam, Aminu S. Muhammed, Ismaila A. Abdullahi are students of Gimba. Their actions, speeches and mannerism re-echo the moralist philosophy, they are the writers of conscience, the redeemers of our morally bankrupt society.
Indeed, they exemplified this philosophy vehemently vituperations on what constitute the formation school thought they propounded as the “Fourth Oder” which I am also analysing in a separate exercise. Their belief did not end in theory alone, they implemented it and it is what is now known “literary Regeneration” in the state. ASCAFS, Read to A Child Campaign, Teen Authorship Scheme, Hilltoparts Centre, Minna literary Series and the Niger State Book and Other Intellectual Property Development Agency are all practical results of the philosophy of societal regeneration, they had hitherto espoused in theories over the years.
Some of their activities such as the Teen Authorship Scheme, however appears to have birthed contrary expectations that they may not be too conscious of, and this group of new breeds brim with raw ingenuity and artistic thirst that is oblivion of their Mentors except in few cases. These fresh bloods seem to disagree with the followers and fellowship of Gimba. They have chosen to thread freely paths that their folks could not or did not pursue- freedom of the emotion and expression. There is a great disconnection between the writings of these dissenters and those of the followers of Gimba. It suffices to say that there has been literary revolution of a kind, the new crop of writers who are mostly poets are as raw as the sun can be when angry. Perhaps, in identifying members of this group it may be absolute to indulge our memory a little. Writers such as AyubaPmabi, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Gimba Kakanda, BM Nagidi, SaddiqDzukogi, Halima Aliyu, Maryam Bobi, Fodio Ahmed and I, belong to the ‘freedom of speech generation,’ we say it as we feel and see it without any necessary moral colouration.
Fifteen Boko Haram fighters were killed and 20 others arrested by the Nigerien Defense and Security Forces (FDS) during clashes that occurred between June 18 to 23 in Niger’s Diffa region near the Nigerian border.
An official source said Thursday that following the attack carried out on June 17 in Niger’s Gueskerou commune by the Islamist sect, killing 38 civilians, FDS launched ground and air operations in the area.
The spokesman for Niger’s Defense Ministry, Moustapha Ledru, said 15 terrorists had been killed, 20 others arrested, one armoured vehicle recovered and 20 motorcycles destroyed during the operation.
No injuries were reported on the part of the army, the statement by the defense ministry’s spokesman said.
The statement quoted Niger’s National Defense Minister, Karidjo Mahamadou, as hailing the FDS for the brilliant operation against the terrorists and encouraged them to continue with the fight to restore peace and security.
For over three months, Niger, just like other countries in the Lake Chad Basin, has come under deadly attacks from Boko Haram, leaving tens of civilians and soldiers dead.
Nigerien and Chadian forces are currently engaged in a large scale operation against Boko Haram sect to secure Lake Chad basin and stop further attacks in Nigerien regions of Diffa and Bosso.
Niger State Governor Malam Abubakar Sani Bello has appointed Alhaji Shehu Umar Danyaya, a retired civil servant, as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
Others appointed are Mikhail Al-Amin Bmitosahi, a former member of the House of Representatives, as the Chief of Staff; Dr. Ibraheem Dooba, a teacher and a Columnist with Daily Trust, as the Chief Press Secretary; Haruna Mamman Vatsa as the Director of Protocol and Yusuf Waili as the Senior Special Assistant, timekeeping and schedule.
The Niger State Police Command has said it will deploy about 7,000 policemen for Friday’s inauguration Governor-elect Abubakar Sani Bello in Minna, the state capital.
In a statement yesterday in Minna, Police Commissioner Olusola Amore said adequate arrangements were in place to ensure a hitch-free inauguration.
The police chief personnel are to be dispatched to man different and strategic areas of the venue of the ceremony to ensure adequate security coverage of the event.
The Commissioner called for the support of the people that will attend the inauguration by co-operating with his men in order to have a hitch free event.
The Police boss in the statement also commended the media for the role played before, during and after the 2015 general elections in the state.
“Your professional conduct contributed immensely towards the peaceful conduct of the elections. The elections are over and we are looking forward to a peaceful transition of government, come Friday, 29th May 2015,” Amore stated.
The Election Petitions Tribunal in Niger has received seven petitions relating to the March 28 and April 11 elections in the state.
Mr Oluremi Olagunju, Secretary to the tribunal, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Thursday.
Olagunju said that three of the applications were for the House of Representatives and four for the House of Assembly elections, adding that one request was also granted for inspection of election materials.
“The tribunal has received seven petitions relating to the House of Representatives and the state House of Assembly. The petitions were filed within the limit set by the Electoral Act.
“So far, we have given an ex parte motion on application for substituted service in respect of APC candidate for Suleja/Tafa/Gurara Federal Constituency.
“On April 30, we also granted application for inspection of electoral materials to the APC candidates from Magama/Rijau federal constituency and that of the state assembly,” said the scribe.
Olagunju assured that the activities of the tribunal would begin in earnest by the first week of June.
One week after legislative activities were grounded at the Niger State House of Assembly, following police invasion, the lawmakers reconvened yesterday, with new Speaker Isah Kawu presiding.
The lawmakers had planned to hold their sitting at the Legislative Quarters, following the continued police siege to the complex.
As early as 10am, members drove into the Legislative Quarters with the legislative workers, the Sargent-at-Arm and Deputy Clerk waiting at a makeshift tent arranged in a typical Assembly setting.
By 12:05pm, the Speaker directed the legislative workers to relocate to the Assembly complex, following a truce between him and police commissioner.
This led to the withdrawal of the armed policemen from the complex.
DUKU JOEL reports the horrific return of 6000 Nigerians evacuated from the Lake Chad end of Niger following insurgents’ attack on the area
The only good part is that most of them returned alive. Otherwise, on the balance, life has been quite unkind.
Boko Haram insurgency forced some to flee to Niger Republic, some to other neighbouring countires. A good number crossed the border in search of greener pastures in the form of fishing in the Lake Chad end of Niger.
In any case, violence erupted right in their midst. The insurgents hit a military facility in the area, claiming many Nigerien casualties, among them civilians and about 45 soldiers.
The Nigerien authorities had to evacuate the entire area in order to, according to them, properly engage the terrorists and prevent further casualties.
The evacuees reportedly turned down a Nigerien offer to relocate to a camp in the country, choosing to return home.
The homecoming proved costly. Some of them trekked for days and finding no food or water, quite a number died, including children.
According to the directives, the Boko Haram attack prompted the government of Niger to issue a quit notice to all nationals including Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria in the area to vacate the area.
•The deportees
The returnees relived their ordeal, alleging some brutal treatment at the hands of the soldiers. Some said they were actually chased out of Niger, though the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) said ‘chased out’ was not the word, rather ‘evacuated’.
They look gloomy, anxious, desperate and hopeless. None of them had kind words for the government of Niger with their soldiers when our correspondent spoke with some of them coming through the Geidam axis of the Niger-Nigeria border.
Some embarked on an exhausting endurance trek lasting more than three days, just as many others watched their loved ones including children die for lack of food and water.
Our correspondent gathered that the fleeing people, mostly fishermen from the Lake Chad axis of the Lelewa community, settled in Niger where they carried out their legitimate fishing business for between five and 10 years.
Thirty-five-year-old Garba Musa from Taraba State said that he watched his son die in his arms for lack of water as he trekked for three days without food and water to get to Geidam from Lalewa, a fishing community in Niger Republic.
“I watched my son died in my hands for lack of water,” he manage to speak amidst tears in his eyes.
•A man in a makeshift shelter with his family after returning from Niger
The fisherman who left everything behind including his chunck of fish and a fishing boat wondered how he can start life again but surely the thought of going back to Niger is the last thing on his mind.
“I can’t believe what happened that the government of Niger will just wake up and decide to chase us out of a place that we have been doing business for years. I had 76 cartons of fish and my wife had 42 that we were planning to take to the market but we left everything including my fishing boat. I honestly don’t know where to start but I will never go back to Niger again,” Musa vowed.
Danjuma Ezekiel is a student in Nigeria who went to Niger to catch fish, make money and return to school in Nigeria but he is now caught up in the quagmire. He said he felt there was a diplomatic problem between Nigeria and Niger Republic when he narrated his experience in Niger.
”I don’t know the problem between Nigeria and Niger government because what they did to us suggested there is a problem.
“One fateful day, we were living in one surrounding. There was a day Boko Haram attacked one village called Taranga and killed many soldiers. After two days the Nigeriens sent soldiers to the water areas to go and pack the dead soldiers and they told us to leave the area. We now left Alawai to Daba Masara near Lelewa where the soldiers were camped and they came and pushed us out of the place.
“Some of us trekked for a distance of over 100km to one local government. They took us to Gigimi to Diffar. But what I want the whole world to know is that Niger drove us out of their country. I think our government has to do something about this because many people died in the process,” Ezekiel informed.
Aisha Bintu from Doro Baga said she also lost two of her children while running from Lelewa.
“My son died in my hands and I could not trace the whereabouts of the other one. I lost two of my children because of how this Niger soldiers treated us,” Aisha said.
Forty-five-year-old Ibrahim from Kebbi State who fished in the community for over 10 years, said he counted more than 50 people that died on their way to escape the brutality of the Nigerien soldiers whom according to him were pursuing them like animals.
“I counted over 50 people that died on our way out of Lelewa when the Niger soldiers were chasing us as if we are animals. Many children also died due to lack of drinking waters as we were trekking for over three days to Diffar.
“I have been living in Lelewa for the past ten years doing my fishing business and everything that I have got is gone. The Niger government is not fair to us at all. We could not carry anything from our houses,” Ibrahim lamented.
Meanwhile the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has so far registered more than 6000 deportees in Geidam, just as the agency has equally evacuated thousands of them to their various states of origin.
Explaining the role of NEMA in the operation, the Director of Search and Rescue operation in NEMA Air Commodore Charles Otegbade disclosed there job is to profile the deportees and make necessary arrangements for their return to their states of origin.
He said: ”We are here in Geidam for an operation and the operation essentially started from a report that we received from the Government of Niger that some of our citizens that are living in some of the islands of the Nigerien portion of the Lake Chad and Nigerians that were displaced by the insurgents to that areas should be evacuated.
“The need arose because the Nigerien government wanted to conduct military operations in those areas. They offered to relocate the Nigerians citizens to some of the IDPs camps within Niger but the people refused and choose to come back home so the Nigerien government decided to move them to Nigeria and the best they can do is to take them to the border. So they choose the border crossing at Geidam and they have been bringing them.
“Our job here is to receive the Nigerians that are returning and to facilitate their various homes. When we got the initial information from the government, they gave us an estimate of about two thousand people. But so far, since the operation started yesterday, we have received a little over three thousand and the operation is still ongoing. This morning too we got information that from the same Nigerien government that another six thousand are on their way and we will be receiving that this afternoon.
“We are making do with a primary school and a mini stadium. That is where we are keeping them. We do not intend to create permanent camps in Geidam here because the desire of these people is to go back to their homes. We are just using those two points to sort them out according to their states of origins. We have contacted their states of origin through the State Emergency Management Agencies. After sorting them out, we will arrange for their transportation to their various states,” he said.
Yobe State Executive Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency Mr. Idi Jidawa told The Nation in Geidam that he has contacted all the State Emergency Management Agencies concerned and the response is very encouraging.
“I arrived Geidam today (Thursday) and what we have done is to contact all the SEMAs in the affected states. I have earlier sent my team which has been on ground with NEMA all this while. I called my Deputy Governor and spoke with the Deputy Governor of Bauchi and the Governor-elect of Kano State and the response is very encouraging.
”The good thing about the evacuation is that the people are not looking for anything more but just to be transported to their various states of origin and NEMA is providing that adequately,” Yobe SEMA Boss informed.
The Nation gathered that NEMA has so evacuated deportees to over ten states of their origin. The states include Benue, Taraba, Bauchi, Imo, Kano, Kebbi, Borno, Adamawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger.
Some of the deportees who arrived Geidam look tired while the children look pale and malnourished.
•An aged woman arriving one of the temporary camps in Geidam from Niger
Elderly people were seen struggling to carry their personal belongings with little energy left in them apparently due to exhaustion from the scourging sun on open trucks from the long journey.
The Borno state government has received the first batch of deportees from Niger through Geidam in Yobe State. Speaking to newsmen while receiving the first batch of 1,200 deportees at Njimtilo, the entrance to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, the chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Grema Terab said the t state government decided to establish a new camp for them because of their special case. Grema, also informed that another set of 17 mass transit buses have been sent to Geidam to bring in the second batch of 1,200 people, disclosed that more people are still expected as the Nigerien government continues to repatriate more people.
He said, “The 2,400 are not the only people we are expecting back in Borno from Niger and provisions have been made to get them housed one of the 400 Housing Estate along Gubio Road.”Grema said the camp was created specially for them because of their peculiar situation, stressing that “some of them though Nigerians were born in Niger and have never been to Nigeria, we have to keep them in a camp for now, console them and treat those that are traumatized with the intention of allowing them to mix with other Nigerians in not too distant a time. We are equally looking at the possibility of assisting them to start a new life in the country by given them economic assistance.”
He said the state government is not ruling out collapsing the new camp into the 20 already in existence after few months.Grema said: “When we are sure the local government of the deportees, we will allow them to mix up with their people in the other local governments, we will also involve them in the larger programme of rehabilitation of the victims of the insurgency.”
