The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yobe State

  • 500 hectares irrigation project excites Yobe farmers

    Ahead of the much awaited farming season, young and old farmers in Damaturu, Yobe State capital and environs are upbeat that good fortunes will smile on them this time around.

    One person who as this blessed assurance is Bukar Sani, a youth farmer at Garin Gada in Geidam Local Government. Sani, along with his friends looked at the merciless bulldozer as it smashed trees and shrubs standing on its way, moving in a hurry as though it was going to crash.

    But the heavy duty machine leaves behind a vast land that stretches to about 500 hectares which Bukar and his friends nod with satisfaction that enough farmland is now at their disposal to carry out their dry farming activities.

    It is not the only heavy duty machine in sight. On top of two elevated huge heaps of soil not far from each other with a massive passage in between them is another heavy duty machine building two long heaps to form a water canal that stretches more than three kilometers.

    From both sides of the vast land is a six water field water channels connecting the long canal that would service the over 2800 farmers that would be engaged on the scheme.

    What excites the farmers more according to Sani is the commitment of KAWADGARBO Road & Bridge Co. Ltd, (the company handling the project) to deliver the project to government to hand it over to them by March this year to start irrigation farming activities on the site.

    “We are anxious to see that this project is completed and handed over to the government so that the government can give us the allocation to begin our farming activities. We can’t wait. But what we are really happy is that the Chinese contractor is working hard to finish the project from what we the villagers are seeing,” Bukar said.

    Bulama Alkali, 29 has also demonstrated his anxiety over the irrigation project with the hope of achieving great fortunes as soon as it kicks off.

    According to him tilling the soil is where the goldmine is and he is determined to break even from the all round year farming  scheme Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has initiated in the state for the youths.

    For Abdullahi Shehu, farming without adequate rainfall has been very frustrating but the irrigation farming would bridge the gap for us to have adequate water to farm throughout the year.

    “With the desert and lack of rainfall, farming in the part of the state has been a waste of time. We work very hard and produce little to consume. Our stories are nothing but frustration. But with what Gov. Gaidam is doing for us in this place, it’s going to be a different story entirely. For us, we know nothing but farming. If we can get water throughout the year, we cannot stop farming. Moreso, this one is going to be different because, government support will enhance production,” Abdullahi said.

    It is pertinent to emphasise that the stories of these young farmers from Giedam represents the larger picture of the challenges farmers in the state especially the ones from the northern axis of Yobe face annually in their attempt to engage in farming and food production.

    Worried by the perennial and chronic hardship of farmers in the state, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam in September 2015 constituted a five man adhoc committee with a clear mandate   of designing and implementing an effective modality for the revival of irrigation farming in Yobe State on a larger scale.

    In his vision, government’s involvement in supporting irrigation farming in the state would to a very large extent curb the level of unemployment in the state as well as boost  its food security. In the same vein,  the governor believed that  setting up  the taskforce has become imperative due to   the emerging  climatic change resulting to  limited rainfall  which often create  adverse effect on arable crops production  in the state.

    From the projection of the project, Yobe State Government is expected to generate job opportunities to over 40,000 youths in the state annually.

    According to the governor, statistics show that the state is endowed with a massive 366,000 hectares of irrigation land, unfortunately, only 30,000 to 40,000 are being put to use.  A situation he vowed his administration is determined to reverse.

    Clearly as a way of sharing the pains of the farmers and with that determination to shift focus due the compelling climate change, Governor Gaidam said, “We consider the development of irrigation as very important in the state because we can no longer continue to depend on rain-fed agriculture in view of the very serious challenges it poses to agricultural development in the state.

    “The situation is further aggravated by climate change, shift in growing season and limited rainfall period with the attendant effects on most arable crops in the state,” Governor Gaidam said.

    He also revealed that between 34,000 to 50,000 hectares had been identified which could create job for hundreds of citizens in the state.

    The state is endowed with 14 seasonal and perennial Rivers and streams with the Yobe River being the longest, covering a distance of over 200 kilometres which needs to be tapped to the fullest.

    To further demonstrate his commitment to the realisation of the irrigation projects in the state, Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam underwent an international study tour with the Chairman of the Irrigation Taskforce Committee, Engr. Gambomi Goni and other key government officials to the Peoples Republic of China where he visited the cooperate headquarters of RainFine Irrigation Company, one of the leading irrigation companies in China  to draw some international best practices to  inject into the Yobe Irrigation Scheme Project.

  • Chinese contractor lauds Gaidam’s roads development in Yobe

    Chinese contractor lauds Gaidam’s roads development in Yobe

    A group of Chinese Contractors, ‘KAWADGARBO Road & Bridge Co. Ltd’ has praised the administration of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam for opening up rural areas of the state through roads construction.

    Speaking with our correspondent during an inspection tour of the 16km Garin-Alkali /Gwio-Kura surface dressing road project which is being handled by KAWADGARBO Road & Bridge Co. Ltd, at the cost of N1.5 billion, the Project Manager, Mr. Wang Yun said Gov. Gaidam has made significant impact both in the rural and the urban settlements of the state through his massive road construction initiatives for people of the state.

    Wang also expressed his happiness over the peaceful relationship his company and workers are enjoying with the rural communities in the state, stressing that, “all the people here (pointing to the villagers) are our friends. They are very happy with us and we are happy with them too because we don’t have any quarrel with them. All our work is going on smoothly”.

    The project Manager also informed that his company is working very hard to deliver the project before March, 2018, adding that 35% of the work so far has been done in less than two months when the contract for the project was signed.

    He expressed the satisfaction of the company with the payment from the ministry, saying, “we don’t have problem with payment with the ministry, as I talk to you, they are processing the second payment and we are happy”.

    KAWADGARBO Construction according to Wang is enjoying an excellent relationship with the Government of Yobe State and the local people where their projects are been sited.

    “KAWADGARBO Group has business concentration in Africa, South Asia and Asia which mainly covers construction of roads, bridges, airport, building and the scope extends to foreign trade, industrial development, new energy and electricity.

    “We also have experts in all  areas of operations and over one thousand coordinated technical and research team personnel with long term cooperation with local consultants, design and research centers in several countries.

    “KAWADGARBO also has over 4000 sets of specialized equipment and more than 60 laboratories to facilitate and standardize our activities. We have wide cooperation with government, private companies and financial institutions in China, Algeria, Ethopia, South Sudan, Chad, Niger Republic Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, etc.

    “KAWADGARBO Road & Bridge Co. Ltd (Nigeria) has developed cooperation with government and private sector by using the combination of advanced construction technology and equipment with high standard in the area of road and bridge construction, foreign trade and industrial development. We have more than 1000 set of specialized equipment and abundant experts in Nigeria.

    “Cooperation breeds wealth and innovation empowers development. KAWADGARBO Road & Bridge Co. Ltd is rooted in Nigeria and devoted itself to build a bridge for cooperation to promote the construction and development of the country with all sectors of the society,” Mr. Wang explained.

    While speaking with our correspondent at the project  site , Resident  Engineer, Engr. Hassan  Kaku Jibo said the ministry is satisfied with the quality of materials and work carried out by the contractor, adding that “the credibility of the contractors is what is making them get contracts from the state. We are perfectly satisfied with the quality of job that the contractor is putting in place at the site of the project”, Eng. Jibo informed.

    Speaking on the importance of the road to Guwio-Kura Community, the Village Head, Habu Lawan Koleh said the road is a great relief for them have suffered over the years as a result of lack of access road to the community.

    He informed during raining season, his people travel for four hours for a journey that will not take more than twenty minutes, while praising Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam for fulfilling his promise to the people.

    We do not know how to  express our happiness to Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam over this road that he is building for us. You cannot imagine the kind of hardship that we face here during rainy season. People travel here for more than four hours to get to Garin-Alkali but now we only spend just twenty minutes and you are in Gashua. We thank Gov. Gaidam for fulfilling his promise to the people and we all pray that Allah should continue to guide and protect him for whatever he wants to do for the common man in the state,” the Village Head said.

    The Nation recalls that the Gaidam administration has at the moment completed 1,100km of roads in the state with others under construction.

  • Yobe 2019:  Governor Gaidam’s biggest headache

    Yobe 2019:  Governor Gaidam’s biggest headache

    Frankly speaking, one of the biggest headaches that state governors face is not their re-election bid but who will succeed them in office after they might have served out their constitutional two terms in office. Over time, the crises of succession (shopping for a successor) have turn out to be bigger than being re-elected back to the same office. A new challenge has also popped up as outgoing governors now fight tooth and nail to go back to the senate which is fast becoming a retirement home of many of them.

    This is exactly the dilemma of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam who is now serving his constitutional two terms as governor of Yobe State having also completed the tenure of his predecessor, Late Mamman Ali who died in office in 2007

    For the records, the battle of succession in Yobe State has never been an easy ride. After  Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim served out his second term in office as governor in 2007, the struggle as  to who succeed him almost cost his party(ANPP) the chances of returning to the government house in the state.

    Submerged   between   two then serving senators, all of blessed memory (Sen. Usman Albishir & Sen. Mamman Ali) both shook the state to her foundation. With none of them ready to blink, Bukar Abba Ibrahim was in a dilemma having failed to explore all internal democratic options to come out with a consensus candidate. The party was then left with no option but to go into primaries thus throwing the two gladiators (lates Usman Albishir and Mamman Ali) into the boxing ring for the primary elections.

    What turned out to be more interesting and intriguing was that, the person who lost the primary elections became the governor after the then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) was nearly torn into shreds but the party quickly put herself together to avoid losing the state to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who were clearly strategizing to take advantage of the crisis.

    Obviously, Gov. Gaidam did not face any challenge in 2011 and 2015 elections in the bid to be re-elected as governor. Though there were some minor legal tussle, none of them ruffled the governor as they fizzled away like gunpowder spread in the wind from the tribunals through the conventional courts up to the Supreme Court.

    Gaidam is indeed a child of history. He has always gotten more than what he requested from God. A story is told that in 2003, Gaidam  took a shot at the Yobe East  Senatorial seat after the then senator ( Adamu Usman ) ANPP passed away but he was pushed over as a nobody by the then Governor and the man described as the Mobutu Sese Seko of Yobe politics now serving senator representing the same zone , Bukar Abba Ibrahim. During the intrigue, Sen Bukar Abba Ibrahim was quoted as saying that Ibrahim Gaidam does not even have the clout to become a local government councilor talk more of becoming a senator.

    But few years down the line, Gaidam was appointed Deputy Governor by a man that practically succeeded Bukar against his own wishes. Like a destiny child cast in a Hollywood thriller, Gaidam was sworn-in as the second Executive Governor of Yobe State following the demise of Gov. Mamman Ali in Florida, USA in 2009.

    Despite the plague of insurgency that has hit the state over the last six year in  the last tenure of Gaidam as governor in Yobe State, pundits said the man  has made tremendous inroad in his efforts to raising  the standard of living of the people through his extraordinary developmental programs and policies. Infrastructural revolution, healthcare delivery, education, roads, youth empowerment are the key frontline sectors that have been effectively transformed in Yobe State. Recent, the World Medical Relief during his visit to the United State of America donated some medical equipment to the state government worth over N1.4 billion free of charge as a mark of recognition of Gaidam’s giant strides in the state health sector.

    Gaidam has also received commendations and awards of excellence from individuals and cooperate organizations for his good works in the state and the prudent management of resources which has made the state stands out during the recession period in the country without owing workers’ salaries.

    For keen followers of Yobe politics,  Gaidam has raised the bar with high stakes for whoever will be stepping in his shoes having laid a solid developmental foundation for the state.  Suffice to say that the nexus and bond of Gaidam and Yobe State and the people points more of a father who tirelessly toils over the years   to build a strong business empire that he is not sure of which of his children will become the heir or successor.

    Indicatively, one can authoritative conclude that the fear of who takes Yobe forward is one thought that has occupied the mind of Gaidam more than his perceived senatorial ambition. I am not sure what he whispers to his close associates but his public outburst that he will not  hand over Yobe to drunkards and Indian hermp smokers, drug addicts can attest to his burning desire of the quality of  who takes over the state after his exit in 2019.

    Gaidam at different public gatherings has been unambiguous that those planning to succeed him with the intention of siphoning the resources of the state will not have a chance as long as he lives. As a product of God’s divine work, Gaidam said “God gives power to whom He wishes. But, I want to assure you that I will hand over  Yobe to a credible successor that would continue with the good work we have started, not drunkards and Indian hemp smokers that would lead our great party and people of Yobe State astray”, adding that he has severally travelled to the Holy Land to pray and seek God’s direction on the choice of his successor.

    The Nation checks gathered that the recent happenings around the governor of close friends betraying him has  begun to condition his thinking to appraise  critically the degree of loyalty of the people and those that are genuinely on the same page with him. “This has increased the governor’s fear on who succeeds him come 2019 since it looks as if everybody is pretending, waiting to be anointed to reveal his real colors,” a close associate of  the governor disclosed in confidence.

    For many states of the federation, the political atmosphere is not as hazy as it is in Yobe. All credit to Gaidam who is very taciturn on the matter yet firmly in control of the political machinery of the state. Not even his closest political associates can answer the question of his choice as governor nor beat his chest and speak on who the governor has endorsed as his candidate come 2019.

    There are however brewing speculations  that Gaidam may decide to shock everybody to anoint his Deputy Governor Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, the younger brother of his former boss who has been his loyal partner in the last eight years.

    Those pushing for the candidacy of Abubakar Aliyu believe that his loyalty to the governor is unquestionable and that only him  will protect Gov. Gaidam’s interest even outside government as well as consolidate on his development blue print which he has set-up for the state.

    An APC Chieftain in the state who does not want to be mentioned said the party will support whoever Gaidam anoints as their candidate for governor come 2019.

    According to him, the choice of Abubakar Aliyu will stabilize the transition program in the state by carrying forward the good works of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam.

    Others feel that such a decision will be one two beneficial for the Ali and Gaidam families, asking questions like; “are they the only families in Yobe?” another person ask, is it a game of relay race?, How can the two families be exchanging leadership baton as if there are no other families qualified to occupy that position in the state?

    Undoubtedly, if Gaidam decides to anoint his deputy as the next governor, it will be one big gesture not just to the Ali family but the entire Yobe South geo-political zone of the state whose time was short-lived following the demise of Late Mamman Ali.

    Apart from the compensation,  or call it gesture, another school of thought  holds that the decision will also cement the relationship between the Kanuris and the Ngizim tribe who are believed  have common  Chadian lingual background.

    Investigation has also revealed that apart from Hon. Sidi Yakubu Karasuwa, two time Director General of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam Campaign organization, former Commissioner in the state and Member Representing, Nguru, Yusufari, Karasuwa, Machina Federal Constituency who has informed the governor of his ambition to succeed him come 2019, no other person in the state has got the liver to inform Gaidam of their ambition and desire to succeed him. Most of them have however resorted to recruiting boys to cunningly sell their ambition and gauge their popularity on the social media in the state.

    Among the names also waiting for Gaidam’s nod include, current Commissioner of Works, Lawan Shettima (Yobe East) who occupies the most powerful ministry of Works, Transport and Energy in the state and a close ally of the governor, the current Head of Service and Gaidam’s immediate past  Chief of Staff , Salleh Abubakar (Yobe North), Speaker Yobe State House of Assembly, Adamu Dala Dogo(Yobe North) Senate Leader, Sen. Ahmed Lawan(Yobe North), former Commissioner Arc. Mohammed Saleh (Yobe North)  who just decamped from the PDP, Hon. Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Minister of States Foreign Affairs (Yobe East), Mohammed Bomoi (Yobe South).

    As the clock ticks closer to 2019, all Yobeans eagerly await the day   Gaidam will break his golden silence and make the all-important announcement.

    At the moment, political activities in the state are stifled largely due to the silence of the governor. The opposition PDP in the state is also in complete disarray with no clear candidate so far declared apart from their lifetime gubernatorial candidate Adamu Maina Waziri being alleged to be vying for the position come 2019.

  • Eight soldiers feared dead as Boko Haram attack Yobe community

    Eight soldiers feared dead as Boko Haram attack Yobe community

    About eight soldiers have been feared killed after Boko Haram lunched a dastardly attack on a military base in Sasawa, a community close to Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

    The spokesman of 3 Div. Nigerian Army Col. Kayode Ogunsanya confirmed the attack but could not give details of the casualty figure. He however mentioned that “there was casualty on both side of the army and the insurgents”.

    An anonymous soldier who survived the attack told our corespondent in a phone interview that eight soldiers including an officer and a civilian were feared to have been killed the attack.

    He also added that many soldiers took to their heels after sighting the insurgents driving into the community with about seven gun trucks and other riding on motorcycles.

    “I can authoritatively confirm to you that there was an attack at dawn yesterday at Sasawa and eight soldiers including an officer as well as a civilian were killed during the raid.

    “The insurgents over ran the military base having come with seven gun trucks took the soldiers by suprise.

    “Many of our colleagues ran for their lives because the fire power of the insurgents was much and our guys have to take cover,” the source informed.

    The source also revealed that the soldiers at Kukareta sighted the insurgents heading to Sasawa but could reach their colleagues to alert them due to poor communication system.

    A resident of Sasawa, Alhaji Shehu Goni Sasawa confirmed that the insurgent attacked and killed many soldiers.

    Alhaji Goni called on the military to take proactive steps and smoke thideouts of the insurgents which is well known to them.

    “I am afraid many of the security forces may have been killed because they insurgents laid siege for very long time.

    “We have been telling the military about the hideouts of these guys but they have been treating it with kid gloves” the locale lament.

    Sasawa is one of the communities that was under the control of the insurgents before being liberated by the security forces with an established military base.

    The military base has suffered several attack’s by the insurgents.

    Yesterday”s attack is the fourth since the beginning of this year.

  • Polio survivors commend Yobe, UNICEF, others

    Polio survivors commend Yobe, UNICEF, others

    Survivors of Polio virus in Yobe State have praised the tireless efforts of Yobe State Government and other donor partners like UNICEF, WHO in eradicating the disease in the state.

    The event was put together by Yobe State Primary Healthcare Management Board with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF)

    Some of the survivors who spoke at the occasion of the commemoration of world polio day in Damaturu also commended the media for creating awareness for the eradication of the virus across the state.

    The survivors called on parents to ensure that all children are immunised so as to have a polio free society.

    Falmata Tijani, a female survivor in the state pledge to ensure that she will use her condition to influence parents that are still indifferent to accepting the polio vaccine for their children.

    “We are the best people to change the minds of our people who still feel uncomfortable with the polio vaccine because of our condition”, Falmata said.

    For Kyari Modu, “no child will be allowed to be in our position with the awareness that we have now. Our parents didn’t know. It was ignorance from our parents that made some of us in this condition. History will not be fair to us if we allow this to continue. We have to change that by embarking on a serious awareness campaign against polio. Isha Allah we shall succeed”.

    Some of the survivors like Mustapha are happy to have survived the virus, just as he challenged parents to stop careless attitude towards polio vaccination.

    “I am call on parents not to exhibit careless towards vaccinating their children.

    I feel good to have survived this virus  and called on the society not to discriminate those who have survived the disease and also call on government to Educate and empower us  the affected ones so that we will also be useful in to the society,” Kyari said.

    Speaking at the awareness rally, Yobe State Polio incident manager Dr Umar Chiroma explained that the day is set aside by the United Nations to remember those who fought for the eradication of Polio in the World and also to remind citizens on the importance of children taking the oral vaccine.

     

     

  • Yobe re-opens primary schools

    Yobe re-opens primary schools

    …As state govt fights false rumour of immunization in Damaturu

     

    Normalcy has returned to public primary schools in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital as the state government battles with the false rumour of allege immunization of children by some unknown persons.

    Our correspondent gathered that most public primary schools in the state were closed with rumors that some unknown persons have infiltrated some primary schools within the metropolis administering immunization to unsuspecting children.

    According to some version of the report, what is more worrisome is that the, the vaccinators were administering the vaccines  either on the neck of the child or close to the umbilical cord of the children with huge monetary reward. The rumour which spread like fire compelled parents to rush to the schools to pick up their children for fear of the unknown danger resulting from the immunization.

    As a part of measures to curtail the rumours and bring confidence to the parents, the State Commissioner for Yobe State for Health Dr. Bello Kawuwa described the labour as unfunded and blatant lies coming from mischief makers.

    Dr. Bello explained that no donor agency in the state except the state government is responsible for all immunization activities, adding that for any intervention, the support is only channeled through the state ministry of Health.

    He stated that a team from the state ministry of Health, the chairman of Damaturu local government, the police, civil defense corp., NGOs in the state convened an emergency meeting which it was discovered that the rumors are lies.

    He called on the general public not to panic but to rely on credible channels of getting information rather than unnecessary just as he called on them to disregard the rumors.

    Dr. Bello, a medical doctor said he was surprised that over his years of experience and study as a medical doctor  that he hasn’t found any medical history relating to the immunization on the neck and in the lower abdomen of a child.

     

  • NUJ lauds Gaidam’s development strides

    NUJ lauds Gaidam’s development strides

    The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists have praised the achievement of the Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam led administration in Yobe State for his developmental strides in impacting on the lives of the people of the state.

    The delegation which was led by the Deputy National President of the NUJ Alh. Muhktar Gidado  and the zonal Vice President North East Zone, Aisha Ibrahim with the state councils of the other five North Eastern States of Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba and Borno States councils were in the state to supervise the Yobe State NUJ Council election also took a tour of some of the projects executed by the Gov. Gaidam led administrations.

    The delegation after visiting some projects in Health sector, one of the many sector under transformation in the state commended the impactful leadership of Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam, adding that they were overwhelmed with the visionary projects of the governor considering their direct impact on the lives of the common people of the state.

    While briefing the delegation, the state commissioner of Health Dr. Bello Kawuwa told the visiting journalists that the investment of Yobe State Government in the health sector is her modest contribution to curb medical tourism in the country, adding that, the investments will also address the health challenges and needs of the state, as well as provide human resource for the state.

    Dr. Bello who took the journalist round the overhauled State Specialist Hospital Damaturu, the new YObe State University Teaching Hospital equipped with world class medical equipment and the ongoing faculty of medicine under construction at the university campus.

    In his remarks, the Deputy National President of the NUJ Alhaji Muhktar Gidado described the projects of Gov. Gaidam for the people of Yobe State are “visionary and impactful”.

    “What we have seen here is quite impressive. In fact, what we have seeing is just one sector of how Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam has done to change the lives of the people of the state. We have noted with satisfaction that these projects are visionary and impactful. This is what leadership should be.

    “As journalists who are critical partners of democratic tenets, we assure His  Excellency Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam that we will partners with him to promote the activities of his government for others to see. I congratulate him on behalf of the NUJ and we call on him to do more,” Alhaji Gidado said.

    He called on the government of Yobe State to imbibe the culture of maintenance so as to safeguard the equipment and the infrastructure at the hospital.

    The zonal Vice President of the NUJ, Aisha Ibrahim said she was surprised to notice that the equipment she saw at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital are the same from the ones she saw in one of the best hospitals in the world located in Saudi Arabia. She added that she may end up doing her last surgery in Damaturu instead of going back to Saudi Arabia since the facilities are found here at home.

    The delegation also took a drive on the 77km Damaturu/Mazda boarder road, one of the Federal Roads the state under construction by the Ibrahim Gaidam administration and had a stop at the Katarko bridge which was blown off by Boko Haram and has been reconstructed by the State government at the cost of over N170 millions.

  • Cracks in Yobe PDP widen as court grants exparte orders against factional chairman

    Cracks in Yobe PDP widen as court grants exparte orders against factional chairman

    The State  High Court sitting in Damaturu has granted an Exparte Order filled by Lawan Gana Karasuwa and 26 other  to stop one Alh. Sani Inuwa Nguru from parading   himself as the state chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe State pending the hearing of the plaintiffs/applicants motion.

    The motion  order No. YBS/DT/HC/33M/2017 also ordered  the Peoples Democratic Party; the Chairman PDP Caretaker Committee;  the Inspector General of Police;  the Chairman INEC and the Director General of the State Security Services(SSS) and the Department of  State Security(DSS) not to recognize or have any dealing with any person(s) apart from the plaintiffs/applicants until the motion on notice is heard.

    The presiding judge, Justice U.Z Mohammed who granted the order on Thursday ordered that the  1st defendant/respondent(Sani Inuwa Nguru), any other person(s) other than the plaintiff/applicant (Lawan Gana Karasuwa) is/are hereby restrained from parading him/themselves as the chairman or state executive committee of PDP IN Yobe State, pending the determination of the plaintiffs/applicants motion on notice.

    “The 2nd-6th defendants are restrained/prohibited from recognizing or dealing with other person(s) other than the plaintiffs/applicants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

    “The 1st defendants/res[pendent is ordered to suspend all his activities as the chairman of the PDP in Yobe State and status quo be maintained pending the determination of the hearing on notice”.

    Speaking on whether the order has brought confusion with the Supreme Court Ruling, counsel to the plaintiff  Bar. Thomson  Stephen said the order has cleared the confusion that is brewing in the party in Yobe   state and brought sanity.

    “This order by the court has brought in sanity to the PDP in Yobe State. How can some people just emerge from nowhere and start to parade themselves as leaders of the party when an authentic executive is already in on ground. It is an aberration and that is  parading himself  or themselves has been barred by the orders of this court so for us it has brought sanity into the system and the party in Yobe State as far as we are concerned,” Bar. Stephen informed.

    “It is not confusion, it is sanity. It was confusion before we went to court. When you are not elected and you are parading yourself  as the chairman of the party and  you have duely elected members recognized by the party with documentary evidence is clearly illegal.  So  with this order its game over for them.

    As for the judgement  of the Supreme Court, it  has no negative effect on the order obtained  from this honorable court today . This is because, the plaintiff applicants were duely elected in 2016 and documents emanated from the PDP National Headquarters through the current secretary of the PDP Mr. Ladipo.  What we are saying is that the tenure of these people ought to have elapsed by 2020 and somebody or some persons are parading themselves as party executive as regards to PDP is wrong. This judgment has not connection with the one of Supreme Court,” Bar. Stephen explained.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP in Yobe State Lawan Gana Karasuwa accused Adamu Waziri of creating problems for the party in the state.

    Karasuwa informed that he had gone to Abuja to collect relevant documents from the National Headquarters of the party for the party’s ward congresses ahead of the National Convention only to be told that one Sani  Inuwa Nguru had collected the materials as the party chairman of the state.

    Efforts to speak with Adamu Maina Waziri could not yield immediate results as he couldn’t pick up his mobile phone when our correspondent reached him. He could not equally reply  the text message that was sent to him as at the time of filling this report.

    The Nation checks revealed that long before the Makarfi and Sen. Ali Sheriff rift, the PDP in Yobe was divided between Adamu Waziri and the former minister of State Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama. With the advent of the Sen. Makarfi/Sen. Sheriff crisis, the duo of Waziri  and Ngama expectedly did not align with one person. While Adamu Waziri pledged his Loyalty with Sen. Ahmed Makarfi led faction of the party, Dr. Yerima Ngama followed Sen. Ali Modu Sherriff whom many believed is his long time friend.

    From the records, Adamu Waziri has vehemently opposed  the Lawan Gana Karasuwa led PDP  executive  in the state which was put together by Dr. Yerima Ngama in 2016 after the fall out of the 2015 general election which the PDP lost woefully in Yobe State.

  • FG channels assistance to troubled Northeast through WFP

    FG channels assistance to troubled Northeast through WFP

    The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a donation of 5,000 metric tons of rice from the Federa Government.

    A statement from WEP said this initiative will help feed nearly half-a-million internally displaced people in the conflict-ravaged northeast of the country, where the threat of famine endures.

    The statement added that WFP has already begun moving the first batch of donated rice – and expects a further 2,000 metric tons of millet pledged by the Nigerian authorities.

    “As a responsible government, the Federal Government of Nigeria, in recognition of the efforts of humanitarian actors and the need to ensure food security for the people affected by insurgency in the north east, has not only approved the distribution of 35,905 metric tons of grains to the people, but has also approved the release of 5,000 metric tons of rice for distribution by World Food Programme (WFP) in some communities affected by insurgency,” said Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, Director General of Nigeria’s emergency relief agency, NEMA in the statement.

    Since launching operations last year, WFP has rapidly expanded its offer of food, nutrition and cash to reach more than a million people a month. Having overcome a funding challenge, it has now set its target at 1.36 million people during the current pre-harvest lean season, the hungriest time of the year.

    “This donation once again testifies to the quality of relations between WFP and Nigeria,” said Ronald Sibanda, WFP’s interim Country Director. “Our partnership with the Government’s specialized emergency agencies, both at the federal and state level, have been crucial in allowing us to assist those who need it most.”

    As part of a US$100 million contribution to WFP’s Nigeria response, the United States will cover the associated costs of getting the donated rice to those displaced in the hardest-hit states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

    Nigeria’s crisis has spilled over borders, leaving millions in the broader Lake Chad Basin region uncertain of where their meal is coming from. Experts have warned that without sufficient and timely humanitarian assistance, northeast Nigeria risks tipping into famine.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Boko Haram: Buratai trains with special troops in Yobe

    Boko Haram: Buratai trains with special troops in Yobe

    …As troops promise to deliver Shekau within dateline

     

    The Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai Friday met with troops of 27 Task Force Brigade Buni Yadi in Yobe State and also went through a special training with troops of Nigerian Army Special Force School.

    The Commandant of the School Brig Gen. Moundhey Gadzama Ali who drilled the COAS through the special training later presented him with a certificate at a ceremony where the soldiers promised to deliver Shekau to the COAS dead or alive.

    Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has embarked on visit to troops in the frontline of Operation Lafiya Dole to raise higher the morale of soldiers following the marching orders from the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo directing the service Chiefs to relocate to the Military Command Centre in Maiduguri, the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole.

    Lt. Gen. Buratai has since Tuesday left Maiduguri for Damaturu after a strategic meeting with other chiefs in Maiduguri where they brainstorm on new tactics of routing out the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents.

    While at Buni Yadi, the COAS interacted with the troops to get firsthand information on their problems which he has promised to correct in no distant time.

    Some of the soldiers who spoke to journalists expressed delight over the visit and the close interaction of the COAS with them.

    According to them, the visit has given them hope and confidence to end the fight against the insurgents within a very short time.

    “The visit of the chief has increased our fighting spirit. The reason is that the Chief in the past use to come without any close interaction with us like he did today. Everybody had the opportunity to air out his views on the problems that are bordering us in the operation and the COAS listened to all of us and he has promised to take immediate action. This for us is the hope for the end of Boko Haram,” one Soldier said.

    “The impotence of the CAOS visiting us today is morale boasting. Anytime we are fighting, we also feel he is with us and seeing him today has brightened our spirit to fight to finish,” another soldier said.

    Buratai had earlier charged troops of 3 Div. Tactical headquarters in Damaturu not to rest on their oars in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents, while calling on them to remain alert.

    The COAS who also visited the Emir of Damaturu Alh. Shehu Hashimi II ibn Umar Ekanemi where he solicited the support of the traditional institution in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents by mobilizing his subjects to assisting the security forces through the provision of useful information that will lead to arrest and prosecution of the insurgents.