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Tag: SOKOTO

Herdsmen killings may threaten 2019 polls if…, ex-Sokoto governor Bafarawa warns

A former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, fears the 2019 elections may be stalled unless the federal government quickly finds an enduring solution to the persistent killings in Benue State.

Bafarawa, speaking yesterday during a condolence visit to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on the recent mayhem in the state, said there can be no election in a state of uncertainty and unrest.

‘’Why would there be elections in 2019 where there is no peace?” he asked.

“The most important thing you can bring to society is peace. When you bring peace to them, then you have brought life and you can talk of election,” he said.

He attributed the Benue killings to foreign Fulani, saying, ‘’the Nigerian Fulani who settled and live among Tiv people speak Tiv fluently.

“But these immigrants don’t speak the Tiv language and do know who is who.

“Therefore, the problem is solvable. What government needs to do is to block these people from coming into the country.

‘’ The local Fulani l know carry sticks and crack jokes with everyone; they don’t carry guns.”

He asked President Muhammadu Buhari to involve all stakeholders, irrespective of their political afflictions, to come together and solve the problem.

He donated N10million,through Ortom, to the victims of the herdsmen attacks.

Governor Samuel Ortom, in his remark, thanked the former Sokoto governor for the show of solidarity and for coming to proffer a roadmap on how to solve the herdsmen problem.

He said that herdsmen had turned themselves into gods and had given themselves immunity because of the action and inaction of government responsible for the protection of lives and property of citizens.

Ortom insisted that the herdsmen and farmers crisis is a national problem that needs a national solution which government at all levels need to give serious attention before it consumes the nation.

’’Only yesterday the house belonging to former Chief Judge of the state, Justice Augustine Utsaha, was burnt down and several people killed with properties destroyed in the Guma LGA,’’ he said.

February 3, 2018
Student killed in school hostel in Sokoto

One student was confirmed killed on Wednesday when fire gutted a student hostel at Sultan Tambari Secondary School, Illela, Sokoto State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.

Sources from the school indicated that the deceased, 17-year-old Isma’ila Garba, was among the 200 students in the hostel when the fire started.

“The deceased actually escaped unhurt when the fire started, but went back to retrieve some belongings and could not return,” Malam Nura Bello, information officer of the Sokoto education ministry, told NAN.

He described the incident as “very shocking”, adding that Garba, who hailed from Ambarura village in Illela Local Government Area, had been buried at Kilgori.

Bello said that students who sustained injuries had been taken to the hospital.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the school, reports that the entire structure was razed down by the fire which lasted for “several hours”.

Bello, however, told NAN that the cause of the fire had not been ascertained.

“The cause of the fire has not been confirmed, but we suspect a surge in power,” he said.

The information officer said that nothing was recovered from the hostel, adding that the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, had directed the school’s Principal to submit a report on the incident.

Meanwhile, Malam Imam Imam, Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Tambuwal on Media and Public Relations, has visited the scene and offered financial support to the victims.

NAN quotes Imam as saying that Tambuwal was deeply touched by the incident, especially the death of a student in the inferno.

Imam said that government would foot the medical bill of those injured, adding that one critically injured victim had been transferred to a tertiary health facility in Sokoto.

“I have inspected the burnt hostel; government will reimburse all those that lost valuables in the incident.

“Government shall also reconstruct the hostel and put it back to use as quickly as possible,” he added.

Imam said that the state government would work closely with stakeholders, parents and school administrators toward finding a permanent solution to incessant cases of fire incidents in schools.

January 31, 2018
Sokoto compensates family, victims of fatal school fire

Sokoto state government has given undisclosed sums of money to the family of the pupil who died as a result of the fatal hostel fire that occurred early Tuesday morning at Sultan Tambari Secondary School in Illela LGA of the state.

Similarly, the government has taken up the cost of treatment for the one serious victim still in hospital, and has directed that the pupil be transferred to a tertiary health facility in Sokoto, the state capital.

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who spoke after inspecting the burnt Magajin Rafi House hostel at the school, also announced that government will reimburse all those lost valuables as a result of fire incident.

While sympathising with the victims, the Governor also pledged to immediately reconstruct the hostel and put it back to use as quickly as possible.

“We have had cases of fire recently in the state. This is an unfortunate development. As a government, we will work closely with all stakeholders, parents, school administrators and others to find lasting solution to the problem.

“I’ve directed the state fire service and the school authority to carry out sensitisation activities to enlighten members of the community on best possible ways to prevent reoccurence,” Tambuwal added.

The Governor later took part in a special prayer session organised by the community in honour of the deceased pupil.

January 31, 2018
NCS intercepts 714 jerry cans of vegetable oil, drugs in Sokoto

The Federal Operation Unit Zone ‘B’ of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intercepted 714 jerry cans of smuggled vegetable oil in Sokoto, the unit spokesman, Mr Usman Abubakar said on Tuesday.

Abubakar told the Reporter in Sokoto that, bags of sugar, bales of second hand clothes and drugs were also intercepted by the unit patrol team on Illela-Sokoto road this month.

Abubakar said the Comptroller in charge of the unit, Mr Usman Dakingari, had inspected the items, adding that similar inspection of seized goods was conducted in Kano and Katsina States.

He said the seized items were worth N9.2 million of duty paid value.

News reports that the unit covers Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Kogi and Kwara States as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

He explained that the seized goods were concealed in various locally produced items.

Read Also: FG to increase salaries of NCS officers – Minister

Abubakar added that NCS has competent intelligent officers, investigating specialized activities across the country.

He said the zone has deployed different tactics to tackle smuggling and reassured the public of its readiness to enforce government regulations.

The official appealed to people residing in border communities to assist the service with useful information to prevent smuggling of goods into the country.

The spokesman pointed out that smugglers use various structures, including residential buildings, to store smuggled items in piecemeal before uploading into trucks.

He said smuggling was crippling the nation’s economy and industrial growth, as well as endangering the populace and creating unemployment.

NAN

January 30, 2018
Herdsmen/farmers killings purely political – Bafarawa

Former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa has described as purely political the spade of alleged killings of farmers by herdsmen in parts of the country.

He blamed the federal government for not heeding to advise ‎that would give people the opportunity to evolve measures that would address the menace.

‎In an interview with reporters in Sokoto Sunday evening, Bafarawa described as unfortunate what the country was going through at a time lots of challenges were before its domain.

According to him” politicians have succeeded in penetrating the two sides involved in the crisis.

”What has conventional herdsmen have to do with guns and why now?”, he rhetorically asked.

”If the FG had listened to the views of the people right from time the killings we are witnessing would not have continued”, he said.

While commenting on the administration of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the former governor noted that Tambuwal’s government owe Sokoto people lot of explanations especially his refusal to declare what he inherited from his predecessor.

”He has problems but maybe for fear of exposing him that is why he refuses to talk.

”For me, I did not leave Wamakko with problems because I made everything clear to him even to the extend of making public every detail concerning the N13bn I left behind. I still have the prove which both Wamakko and Mukhtari his deputy later admitted.‎

”He should have toe my path to declare what he inherited.”

However, on the sidelines, the state PDP chairman, ‎Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma said the party has the capacity to win elections in 2019.

According to him” we will capitalise on the weaknesses of the ruling APC to have a smooth sail.

”Our party is not a small party. He said the seeming lack of opposition in the state does not make PDP weak or non existent rather we are studying happenings.

”Secondly, the governor respects us. And if there is need to raise or take him on over issues on state affairs, we will do that for him to take correction”, he concluded.

January 29, 2018
CP seeks media support to tame criminals in Sokoto

The new Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Mr. Murtala Mani has solicited the support of the media in the task of taming criminal activities in the state.

Mani said at an interactive session with newsmen on Tuesday in Sokoto that he would work closely with the media in generating public support to policing in the state.

The commissioner stressed that security in the state is everybody’s business, and said the media should create awareness for residents to be security conscious and support security agencies with vital information to tame criminal activities.

READ ALSO: Navy arrests 22 vessels in onslaught on maritime criminals

“This meeting is the beginning of our journey to work together and bring offender to book.

“The press is well known for its positive contribution to the development of the society, therefore, feel free to access me and raise any issues especially pertaining to security matters.

“It is the responsibility of every citizen of the state to know that security is something of paramount importance that all hands must be in deck.

“It is only when we are secured that we can go out to our places, Churches or Mosques, visit the market and attend to our daily activities.”

NAN

January 23, 2018
Sokoto, Navy to build burnt brick classrooms

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has disclosed of plans to partner with the Nigerian Navy to construct blocks of classrooms using the affordable burnt brick technique across the 36 districts of the state.

The governor spoke at the flag- off of an intensive advocacy campaign to boost school enrolment for the eastern part of the state in Durbawa village of Wurno LGA.

He said the buildings would be named after the district heads to encourage them to help promote enrolment.

“We initiated this advocacy committee, under the leadership of the Sultan, with the aim of sensitising parents on the importance of sending their children to school. Any parent who refuses to heed the call will be sanctioned in accordance with the laws of Sokoto State.

“These classrooms are important because they’re eco-friendly and cost effective to build.

“To encourage our traditional leaders to take active part in the promotion of education, let me announce here that each block of classroom constructed will be named after the District Head of the area it was sited,” Tambuwal said.

Tambuwal said the project would be executed under the State Consultative Committee on the Development of Education headed by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

While adding that the measure will also ensure that the schools are properly taken care of by the communities, the governor urged parents to complement government’s efforts by enrolling their children into schools and ensuring they attend classes on schedule.

In his remarks, Sultan Sa’ad said the committee’s assignments include raising awareness on the importance of both Western and Islamic education, and ensuring children are properly educated especially at the foundation level.

He assured that the committee will ensure all eligible children benefit from the state government’s education policy.

“I am reminding traditional rulers to brace up to the challenges ahead of us,” he added.

On his part, the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, said the new enrolment push will be conducted in the three senatorial zones of the state.

He said the programmes to enhance quality of teaching will target both traditional tsangaya schools in which 4000 out of 30,000 will benefit in the first phase, and conventional schools.

The occasion featured the presentation of school uniforms, bags and writing materials to less privileged children in the localities.

January 18, 2018
Kachikwu reitrates FG commitment to exploring energy sources in river basins

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu says that the Federal Government remain focused on its pursuit at exploiting and exploring of the energy source and potentials of the country.

According to the Minister, a new policy is in place to further reposition the petroleum ‎ministry towards harnessing the reserves in the frontier basins for economic growth.

Kachikwu made the remark in Sokoto Wednesday at the opening of a 2-day Petrole‎um Technology Development Fund in collaboration with Sokoto state Government and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto “Regional Technology Knowledge Sharing Programme (RTKSP) on Hydrocarbon Potentials of Sokoto state”

According to Kachikwu who was represented by the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau as the Guest of honour noted that Sokoto basin has enormous reserves in energy potentials which should be harnessed to fast track positive mechanisms in the energy sector.

“We have to domesticate the process of developing and delivering the right frame work that will guarantee the achievement of set objectives”, he pointed out.

He noted that the inland basins were a significant component and pivot for promoting a responsive approach to attain the required results for possible realisation of ‎energy.

”We will create the enabling environment and strategic ‎framework that will encourage full participation of relevant stakeholders for the realisation of our potentials”, he added.

Earlier in his welcome address, Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru described the theme of the knowledge sharing on hydrocarbon potentials as a responsive and purposeful step towards exploring the energy reserves of the Sokoto river basin.

“It is an avenue for ideas and knowledge driven approach to strengthen the will and determination of the state’s to synergies with the federal government in harnessing the hydro potentials in Sokoto/ Bida basins ‎respectively.”

Zuru said the university was ready to actively partner stakeholders to deepen the process of exploring of hydrocarbon potentials for the benefit of Nigeria.

“It is in this light that the PTDF stepped in to establish it’s chair in petroleum chemistry, construction of ‎a departmental building in Pure and Applied Chemistry,a 100 capacity ICT centre”, disclosing that it further assisted its zeal to introduce a programme in Petroleum Chemistry at both first and doctoral degrees.

The Guest Speaker‎ and Director, National Centre for Petroleum Research and Development, Prof. Muhammad Bello Abubakar of the ATBU noted that the country has large energy reserve for exploration in its basins especially the Sokoto basin.

He stressed the need for states with these reserves to take advantage of their comparative potentials to harness the hydrocarbon to support and boost the economy.

“This will further domesticate the variables and components to meet the densely population’s demand for energy”, he stated.

In his goodwill message, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar while noting that oil had remain a key aspect through which the economic prosperity of the nation is being measured due to its role in revenue generation, said if its exploration in other parts of the country would foster and put the country on the pedestal of peace and unity, so be it.

According to ‎royal father” if explored, the revenue should be channelled to profitable venture so we don’t loose it’s benefit”

He noted that the exploration of oil and gas in other parts of the country like the Sokoto basin would further ease the common man’s desire to live a better life.

Prominent in attendance at the auditorium of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, ‎Sokoto venue of the occasion were former Governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki of Jigawa state among others top government functionaries.

January 17, 2018
FG approves tertiary military hospital for Sokoto

Sokoto state Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Tuesday commended the Nigerian Army for the establishment of a tertiary military hospital in Sokoto.

Accordingly, the hospital facility will serve as centre of excellence for diseases of military importance.

A statement issued to reporters in Sokoto by Malam Imam Imam, spokesman to the Governor said the hospital, the first of its kind in the country, will also serve as a research institution with a United Nations’-grade international public health laboratory.

The government according to the statement had provided space at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital for temporary use by the hospital pending completion of its permanent site.

The statement quoted Tambuwal as saying that some states have applied to be given the right to host the facility, but Sokoto emerged the preferred destination.

His words: “First of all, I want to inform the people of Sokoto state that our efforts in attracting important projects from within and outside the country has continued to yield positive results.

“This hospital is of great importance not just to the military but to our people as a whole. Diseases of military importance are areas of concern globally because of the large population of people that can be infected after outbreaks.

“Such diseases are subject of importance in efforts to counter bioterrorism and bio-weapons by aggressor nations. These infectious diseases include among others dengue fever, ebola, lassa fever, anthrax among others.

“Having a centre in Sokoto dedicated to countering these likely outbreaks is a welcome development. We will support the hospital with facilities and logistics to properly take off until it is fully on its feet,” he added.

The statement also dispelled the notion that the government has permanently handed over the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital to the military.

“We just sent a bill to the state House of Assembly to establish the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital as property of the state government. Its position has not changed. The military will use the facility pending when all facilities for the newly-established Nigerian Army’s 8 Division, Sokoto, are fully ready,” the Governor added.

January 16, 2018
Sokoto Assembly confirms four new Commissioners

Sokoto State House of Assembly on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of four new commissioners forwarded to it by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal.

Reports say that the confirmation followed a motion moved by the House Leader, Alhaji Garba Bello, after the screening of the nominees by the committee of the whole.

Bello said: “the persons so recommended for the appointment are persons of proven integrity and dedication and had served the state and the nation in various capacities.

Read also: Sokoto lifts less privileged, physically challenged

“The nominees would assist the state Governor in discharging his statutory responsibility and serve as members of the executive council to support the government achieve its desired goal.”

He said the confirmation was in line with the provision of Section 14, subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution.

The Speaker Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, who presided over the plenary session, subjected the motion to voting, and was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.

The commissioners-designate are: Prof. Aisha Madawaki, Alhaji Ahmad Barade, Alhaji Garba Tsitse and Alhaji Bello Ambarura.

NAN

January 10, 2018