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Tag: SOKOTO

  • 2019: PDP should put it’s act together, else will be difficult to win – Bafarawa

    2019: PDP should put it’s act together, else will be difficult to win – Bafarawa

    Former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa and Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) stalwart has said that unless the party exhibits the principle and spirit of honesty and collective participation, the leadership of the country will not be grabbed.

    He said the PDP has to put it’s arts together in that direction otherwise it quest for the country’s leadership will be difficult to come bye on a platter of gold.

    Bafarawa spoke when he received officials of the Sokoto state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ) on a courtesy visit to him at ‎his residence in Sokoto.

    The one time presidential candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party ( DPP ) also noted that the media remain the live wire of any society, adding that” the media  will only ‎succeed if practitioners are fair and fearless in their reportage.

    According to him” Democracy without the media is like tea without sugar. ‎The media is the back bone of governance and development particularly in a democratic setting.

    “Therefore, journalists who kill stories, kill themselves. What is killing Nigeria’s democracy is arm chair journalism”, he pointed out.

    The former Sokoto state governor who is also the proprietor of the newly established Garkuwa FM radio station in Sokoto further appealed to meida practitioners and journalists to improve and engage in investigative journalism to better the patriotic zeal and commitment to the development, peace and stability of Nigerians and  the country’s democratic institutions‎.

    Read Also:

    Ogun PDP: Kashamu’s camp reclaim Secretariat, arrest 17

  • NSCDC arrests eight pick pockets in Sokoto

    NSCDC arrests eight pick pockets in Sokoto

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp ( NSCDC ) on Monday paraded eight persons suspected to be specialists in picking pockets and breaking into shops in Sokoto Central market.

    Mr Hamza Adamu-Illela, Public Relations Officer of its Sokoto Command, who paraded the suspects, said that they were arrested by surveillance teams stationed at various points in the markets.

    “We received various complaints on hoodlums’ activities during and after markets hours; when the reports became more rampant, we set up surveillance teams to check the trend.

    “We worked with the market authorities and agreed on where to deploy the teams. The result is the arrest of these hoodlums,” he said.

    He said that those arrested for alleged shop breaking were apprehended with a 45-inches Plasma Television.

    The official said that the suspects would soon be taken to court.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Bafarawa, the Director-General of Sokoto Central Market, who spoke on the arrests, commended the NSCDC for the efforts, saying that insecurity had been a major challenge to the traders.

    Bafarawa said that the timing schedules in the market had been rearranged while alarm bells had been stationed at strategic spots to protect the market from hoodlums.

    “We have also deployed security agents to guard undeveloped premises to ensure that they were not turned into hoodlums’ hideouts,” he said.

    In his remark, Alhaji Abubakar Atline, Chairman, Sokoto Central Market Traders’ Union, said that receipts were being careful numbered to ensure proper identification for each item being taken out of the market.

    Altine restated his union’s readiness to cooperate with security agents, market authorities and government to safeguard the facility against hoodlums and miscreants.

    NAN

  • Sokoto spends N800m to build women development centres

    Sokoto spends N800m to build women development centres

    The Sokoto State Government has expended N800 million on the building of Women Development and Empowerment Centres in the 23 Local Governments Areas in the state.

    The state’s Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Sifawa, made the disclosure in an interview on Monday in Sokoto.

    She said the building of the centres was part of the State Government’s initiative in reducing poverty among women in the state.

    The commissioner said that the gesture was also aimed at improving the standard of living of women, children and people with disabilities.

    Sifawa, who noted that the role of women was strategic to every society right from creation, added that women must learn to be resourceful and self-reliant.

    She said that the State Government had already put in place some empowerment and training programmes to be facilitated at the centres.

    “We believe that through these centres, the poverty level of women in the state shall be greatly reduced.

    “Women are indispensable partners in the quest for economic growth and development.”

    She said that the ministry was also collaborating with the ministry of social welfare and culture and other agencies in the state to achieve set goals.

    Read Also: Sokoto builds 50 new secondary schools

  • Court remands land agent for alleged racketing

    Court remands land agent for alleged racketing

    A Sokoto Magistrates’ Court on Monday ordered the remand of 48-year-old  estate agent, Lawali Maigara, for alleged land fraud.

    The defendant was accused of defrauding one Mubarak Bello of Fakon Iddi area of Sokoto of N400,000 on land transaction.

    The defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust and cheating, offences contrary to Sections, 312 and 322 of the Penal Code.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Abubakar Mohammed, had told the court that the defendant sold a plot of land to the victim at N380, 000, alongside N20, 000 agency fee.

    Mohammed said that when the victim started developing his land, the accused went and sold the same land to another person, leading to the destruction of the victim’s building.

    This prosecutor said the incident occurred sometimes in 2014.

    The accused, however, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Chief Magistrate, Abubakar Adamu, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody until police investigation is completed.

    Adamu adjourned the case until Nov. 8, for further mention.

    NAN

  • APC wins Sokoto by-election

    •Kalambaina replaces Wamakko

    Ahmad Abdullahi Kalambaina of All Progressives Congress (APC) has retained the party’s seat in the House of Representatives after winning Saturday’s by-election for Kware/Wamakko in Sokoto State.

    The poll was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Kalambaina replaced the late Aliyu Wamakko after polling 31,288 votes against his rival, Sadik Abubakar Kware, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 7,205 votes.

    Kware, after suffering defeat at the APC primaries, defected to PDP to secure an automatic ticket to contest against Kalambaina, the chairman of Wamakko Local Government.

    The Returning Officer, Prof. Abdulatif Usman, said 43,130 voters were accredited for the election of 176,825 registered voters.

    He said 42,532 electors voted, with 40,046 votes valid, and 2,486 rejected votes.

    Usman said Kabir Altine of ACPN scored 62 votes, Umaru Muhammad of ADC got 80 votes, Muktar Umar of APA polled 342 votes, Aliyu Bilyaminu of APGA received 121 votes, Abubakar Bello of DA got 32 votes and Jamilu Imam of DPP scored 155 votes.

  • Solving students’ accommodation blues

    Solving students’ accommodation blues

    Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) Pro-chancellor Justice Pearl Enejere (retd) has discussed with the school’s Students’ Union leaders the accommodation crisis facing the students. IBRAHIM ADEYEMI reports.

    For students of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), there seems to be better days ahead on their accommodation problem as the Pro-chancellor, Justice Pearl Enejere (rtd), has waded in to solve the persistent challenge.

    They have been facing inadequate space in the Halls of Residence, which regularly led to fights. Only a quarter of the students’ population usually gets bed spaces in the dormitories.

    In tackling this challenge, Justice  Enejere has met with students’ leaders to exchange ideas on how best to solve the problem.

    At the meeting, which held in the Pro-chancellor’s office, were the Speaker of the Students’ Representative Assembly (SRA), Aminu Hashidu, his deputy, Nurudeen Aliyu, and General Secretary Ubaidullah Dabo.

    Justice Enejere expressed concern about accommodation in the school, wondering how students were coping with the congestion.

    Aminu, who spoke on behalf of the students’ leaders, stressed that accommodation remained the major challenge impeding students’ academic performance. He added that many could not cope with their studies because they could not find a place to lay their heads.

    He said: “Only very few students get accommodated every year. Even, the available spaces are not conducive for students because there is always a problem of congestion. This has led to squatting. Both the male and female hostels are always overcrowded by squatters, who could not get accommodation. We have a room for eight students being occupied by over 20.”

    He pointed out that the Students Union took some steps and wrote proposals to the management on how to reduce the challenge of accommodation for students. The efforts, he said, were yet to yield any result.

    Aminu urged the management to allow private investors come in and build affordable hostels for students. According to him, building new Halls of Residence is the best way to tackle the challenge.

    Responding, Justice Enejere promised to communicate the students’ opinions to the Governing Council. She stated that the process of tackling the accommodation crisis had begun with the meeting with the students’ leaders.

    She said: “The problem of accommodation is not peculiar to UDUS alone; it is a challenge facing all tertiary institutions. That is why I am specifically concerned about tackling the problem here in Sokoto. The truth is, providing accommodation for thousands of students is not always easy. But, we must make efforts to reduce the pain on students.”

    The Pro-chancellor said many private investors and corporate organisations did not fully understand the potential of investment in hostels, noting that financial institutions were afraid of embarking on such investments.

    She pledged to tackle the issue with urgency and asked the students’ leaders to be part of the process to solve the crisis.

    A student’ leader, Idris Maibasira, who did not attend the meeting, raised concern over the number of students admitted yearly. This, he said, usually compounds the problem.

    He said: “UDUS admits students without considering the increase in number of hostels to accommodate students. I will urge the Pro-chancellor to address the issue in the best interest of the students.”

    The Dean of Students’ affairs, Prof Adamu Aliero, hailed the Pro-chancellor’s move, describing the effort as sincere.

    The dean said although the school’s internally generated revenue was low, he assured that stakeholders would work tirelessly to ensure that the accommodation crisis is resolved. He pledged that the school would open hostels under construction by next session to ease students’ pain.

    Aliero revealed that most private organisations, who approached the school to invest in building hostels on the campus came with the intention of exploiting students. He urged students to be patient and ensure maintenance of the available hostels.

  • ‘Oando Foundation equips 80 primary schools in 22 states’

    ‘Oando Foundation equips 80 primary schools in 22 states’

    Oando Foundation, an independent charity organisation has equipped  80 primary schools in 22 states and the FCT, in its efforts to boost access to quality education in the country.

    Mrs Adekanla Adegoke, Head of the foundation, made the disclosure at the inauguration of a block of three classrooms, ICT Centre and toilet facility at LEA Primary School Rido in Kaduna on Wednesday.

    The  facilities were donated to the school by the foundation, as part of Oando’s corporate social responsibility.

    According to her, the foundation has initiated a programme tagged Adopt-A-School Initiative (AASI), aimed at  holistic improvement of public primary schools.

    “AASI was initiated in 2007 in partnership with the Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards in line with Oando Foundation’s mission of transforming lives through education.

    “AASI is focused on improving the overall quality of basic education in public primary schools and to create a sustainable model for effective teaching and learning in all adopted schools.”

    She said that the 80 schools adopted by Oando Foundation were located in Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara and Lagos states.

    Others are in Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and the FCT.

    She disclosed that the foundation had adopted two schools in Kaduna state, namely LEA Primary School, Rido, and LEA Primary School Rigasa.

    “The foundation has so far spent about N50 million in LEA Rido since its adoption in 2011.

    “We constructed two blocks of five classrooms and sanitation facilities to improve hygiene.

    “We equally offered scholarship to 22 students to support their secondary education, provided over 1,000 units of teaching and learning materials to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in the school.

    “We have also built the capacity of teachers and head teachers in modern teaching techniques,” the official said.

    She added that the foundation also partnered Sumitomo Chemical, a Japanese company, to establish the solar powered ICT centres in public primary schools in Kaduna, Lagos and Taraba states.

    “While most children in rural areas do not have access to a computer, three out of every five children in the urban areas lack basic ICT skills.

    “To reverse this negative trend, the foundation has established 15 ICT/Creative Centres in its adopted schools, serving the learning needs of over 16,000 pupils.

    “Together with Sumitomo Chemical and other well-meaning organisations like the Educate-A-Child Qatar, we are creating an enabling environment to provide pupils from marginalised backgrounds invaluable 21st century technology skills, “Adegoke said.

    Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Malam Nasir Umar thanked the foundation for the gesture, saying that “education is a collective responsibility”.

    Represented by a Permanent Member of the board, Mrs Mary Ambi, the chairman called on other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture.

    Similarly, the Village Head of the community, Alhaji Hamisu Haruna also commended the effort, adding that it would reduce current congestion of over 300 pupils per class.

    He said that the school, built in the 1960s and with a population of about 2,000 pupils, has only seven classrooms, stressing that much would be required to bridge the gap.

    NAN

  • Gov. Tambuwal advises FG to handover roads to states

    Gov. Tambuwal advises FG to handover roads to states

    Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Tuesday advised the Federal Government to handover Federal roads to states governments for effective management of the roads.

    Tambuwal gave the advice when he received the Senate Committee on Works led by its Chairman, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, in Sokoto.

    He said: “There is the need for the federal government handover the roads to states, because states governments are closer to the people and we have more efficient methods of supervision.

    “If this is done, it will go a long way in ensuring that the vast majority of major roads and highways in the country are well maintained.’’

    The governor pledged to work with all stakeholders to ensure proper management and development of infrastructure in the state.

    He solicited the support of the National Assembly to facilitate the reimbursement of fund spent by the state government spent on the repairs of some federal roads.

    Earlier, Gaya said they were in the state as part of the committee’s oversight functions and lauded Tambuwal’s administration for providing basic infrastructure that would enhance the wellbeing of people in the state.

    Gaya assured that his committee would facilitate the reimbursement of the funds used by the state government in developing federal roads.

    He thanked the governor for his commitment towards the completion of the Sokoto-Jega-Yauri -Kontagora road, which is currently under construction.

    The roads to be inspected by the committee included Sokoto-Illela and Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Yauri-Kontagora roads.

    NAN

  • 43 inmates pardoned by Sokoto CJ

    43 inmates pardoned by Sokoto CJ

    No fewer than 43 inmates awaiting trial in the Sokoto Central  Prisons were yesterday granted pardon by the state Chief Judge, Justice Bello Abbas.
    The pardon followed a visit to the prison by Justice Abbas to ascertain and review deserving cases, especially awaiting trial inmates and those that have spent many years in prison waiting for sentence.
    While granting the pardon, ‎Justice Abbas  said the gesture was aimed at de-congesting prisons to ensure that suspects did not stay much longer than necessary while awaiting trial.
    “Our aim is to see to the welfare of the inmates and ensure that no one will stay longer than necessary, while awaiting trial before the various courts in the state.
    “As such, the assignment we are embarking on is to ensure speedy clearance of all awaiting trials, while those who had over stayed were discharged.
    “This is in order to maintain the law as well as decongesting the prisons at the appropriate time of such needs,” he said.
    The chief judge also promised that all the remaining awaiting trial inmates would soon be tried, after liaising with all the courts and other related agencies.
    The visitation to the prison was carried out by all the judges in the state led by Abbas for  the conduct of the exercise.
    However, Abbas  promised to continue such exercise from time to time in order to ensure sanity in the conduct of justice and control the number of inmates in the prison.
    The Prison Controller Mr. Halliru Na’abba, commended the CJ, Sokoto state government and the Federal government for taking more measures in ensuring the well -being of inmates and prisons decongestion across the Country.
    He called on the pardoned inmates to utilized such opportunity in changing there lifestyle and become a better citizens in the country.
    The Chief Judge had on February 8, granted pardon to 28 awaiting trial inmates under the same exercise.
  • Eight division, Nigerian Army takes off in Sokoto

    Eight division, Nigerian Army takes off in Sokoto

    The newly-established 8 Division of Nigerian Army, Sokoto, has taken off with the assumption of duty of its pioneer General Officer Commanding (GOC), Brig.-Gen. Olabanji Samuel,

    Gen. Samuel disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal at the Government House in Sokoto  on Wednesday.

    He said necessary arrangements had been put in place to ensure the smooth take off of the new division.

    He said the bulk of the men and officers of the division  had  now been mobilised to ensure its proper take off .

    “As you may recall, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Yusuf Burutai, announced the establishment of this division when he visited Sokoto earlier this year.

    “I am to inform you that we have taken off and we solicit the support and cooperation of the people and State Governments under our jurisdiction,” the new GOC said.

    Gov.Tambuwal assured the Army authorities of  his government’s total support so as to enable the new division to achieve its set  objectives.

    “We welcome you with open hearts; to us, the military are our friends and we will give you all the necessary support to achieve success.

    “We owe you that much having given everything you have to protect us at all times and we will do everything we can to make your stay comfortable.

    “As for the new GOC, we assure you that Sokoto is your home, as we cherish our position of being the most peaceful state in the federation, and your arrival will make us strengthen that position,” the governor said.

    NAN