The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yobe

  • Yobe to conduct council poll with card reader

    The local government elections in Yobe State, coming up later in the year, will be conducted with the use of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) Card Reader (CR), the Chairman of Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission (YBSIEC), Mohammed Jauro Abdu, has said.

    Abdu, who spoke with The Nation in Damaturu at the weekend, noted that his commission decided to take a cue from INEC to use the card reader due to the credibility the technology brought in the last general elections.

    “I believe the use of the card reader by INEC in the last general elections has brought a lot of credibility to the electoral process. We are therefore poised to replicate this in our local government elections coming up before the end of this year.

    “I feel Yobe should take advantage of this good technology and set the pace by being the first state to conduct a local government election with the INEC card readers. Don’t ask me if we are going to procure our own card readers. No. We have already concluded arrangement with INEC,” he said.

     

  • 10-year-old suicide bomber kills 7 in Yobe attack

    10-year-old suicide bomber kills 7 in Yobe attack

    A female suicide bomber said to be about 10 years old yesterday blew up herself and six others at the jam packed Abacha market, Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.

    Thirty-three other people were wounded, some critically, in the attack.

    The victims were mostly hawkers selling smoked fish and sachet water at the exit to the Damaturu Central Motor Park.

    The wounded were rushed to the Sani Abacha Specialist Hospital for treatment, according to the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Garba Fika.

    One of the early sympathisers at the medical facility was Governor Ibrahim Gaidam.

    He was briefed on the conditions of the victims.

    The attack bore the signature of Boko Haram, which has increased its attacks in the last one week in the state and neighbouring Borno following weeks of reverses inflicted by the army.

    Suspected terrorists of Boko Haram penultimate Friday attacked the College of Administrative and Business Studies, Potiskum in Yobe State.

    One of them blew up himself after policemen, assisted by staff and students of the institution frustrated his effort to unleash terror.

    His two accomplices were arrested.

    Another gang of terrorists retook Marte, about 112 kilometers from Maiduguri on Friday.

    Simultaneously, some others launched a quick strike on Mule on the   outskirts of Maiduguri, less than 48 hours after an aborted attack on the Giwa Army barracks in the Borno State capital during which 12 people died.

    Two other raids earlier in the week on Bale and Kayamla by Boko Haram insurgents had claimed 55  lives.

    Doctors and nurses were seen at the emergency ward of the Sani Abacha battling to save victims of yesterday’s suicide bombing.

    An official appealed for blood donation for the victims.

    Dr Fika told Gaidam that he and his team were trying their best and might refer some of the patients to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru or Azare in Bauchi State if necessary.

    The governor said government would foot the bill of all the victims.

    He described the attack as unfortunate and said the country would overcome the terror menace.

    Consequent upon yesterday’s attack, the authorities shut down the Abacha Market.

    Security personnel asked buyers and sellers to leave the area immediately.

    A security source told The Nation that they needed to sweep the market and determine that there is no left over of any explosive device before the market can be reopened for business.

  • Female suicide bomber kills 7, injures 33 in Yobe

    Female suicide bomber kills 7, injures 33 in Yobe

    A female suicide bomber has killed seven people at the busy Abatcha market in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.

    Thirty three persons were also injured in the attack according to the Medical Director of General Sani Abatcha Specialist Hospital, Dr. Garba Musa Fika who briefed Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam who visited the hospital to sympathize with the victims.

    Our correspondent who was at the Emergency Ward of the Sani Abatcha hospital saw medical personnel battling to save the lives of the injured victims.

    One of the officials informed that the victims were in dire need of blood, just as he called on the general public and spirited individuals to come and donate blood for the victims.

    Other immediate needs of the victims include; IV fluid, bloods, zylocane and dressing materials.

    But the medical Director told Gov. Gaidam that the ministry of health through the free drug scheme has provided drugs for the treatment of the wounded victims, adding that those with critical conditions would be referred to Federal Medical Centre Nguru or Azare in Bauchi State.

    In his response, Gov. Gaidam said the State government would foot all medical bills of the victims including those that would be referred to other hospitals with more serious injuries.

    He described the attack as unfortunate, stressing that such is the test of God, while hoping that it shall soon be over.

    The Nation reports that the ever busy Abatcha market has been shut down following the attack as traders and customers were chased out of the market by security agencies.

  • Gov. Gaidam wins Yobe

    Gov. Gaidam wins Yobe

    Incumbent Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has been declared as the winner of the Saturday election.
    He scored 334, 847 to defeat his PDP opponent Adamu Maina Waziri who polled a total of 179, 700.
    Gov. Gaidam was declared as elected and returned as governor by the state collation officer Prof. Abubakar Ibrahim Njodi.
    Prof. Njodi announced that a total of 536,402 were cast in the election with 516,866 and 19536 as valid and invalid votes respectively,

  • Large turnout of female voters in Yobe, Borno

    Large turnout of female voters in Yobe, Borno

    There has been high turnout of female voters across Yobe State for the governorship and house of assembly polls.

    Though the general turnout is averagely low, our correspondent observed that most of the voters seen on queue were females.

    Some of the INEC officials explained that the turnout will improved as the accreditation progresses, attributing the turnout to bad weather.

    “You can see, it’s too early to say there is low turn because the people are yet to come out. The weather is also bad today,”  the official said.

    Voters accreditation however  started early in most of the polling stations visited at the IDPs voting camps in Damaturu, Tarmuwa and Dapchi local government areas.

    Accreditation began at about 8.00am in some of the polling station.

    In maiduguri, the Borno State capital, accreditation is going on peacefully with voters queuing up for accreditation.

    Many people were pleased with the efficacy of the card reader as against the last election.

  • INEC extends voting in Yobe, Borno

    INEC extends voting in Yobe, Borno

    Voting has been extended in both Yobe and Borno states by the Independent National Electoral Commission due to logistic, technical and security reasons.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Borno, Samuel Madaki, disclosed that voting will affect nine polling units in three local government areas – Maiduguri metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere, and Hawul Local government councils.

    Madaki attributed the extension to logistic problems the late arrival of election materials and some technical issues with the card reader in those affected areas.

    In Yobe State, voting is to continue in four local governments areas of Fika, Yunusari, Geidam; Postiskum,

    The  REC, Habu Zarma, said four security concerns, late arrival of materials and technical problems were responsible.

    The extension will affect 18 polling units; 10 in Fika, each in Potiskum and Yunusari.

    He said that voting has commenced in Fika, Potiskum and Yunusari but the fate of Geidam is still hanging as security issues in the area are yet to be addressed.

  • Yobe APC mobilises grassroots support for Buhari

    Yobe APC mobilises grassroots support for Buhari

    The Buhari Support Organization (BSO) in Yobe State has called on the people to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari during the March 28 polls.

    As part of its mobilisation drive, the group headed by Mohammed Ali Tanimu has put together a sensitisation forum in Damaturu, the state capital.

    The event, which was held at the BSO office complex along Maiduguri Road, brought together  the 17 local government coordinators. At the campaign, seasoned politicians spoke on votes protection, politics without violence, discouraging money politics among the electorate and the role of women in mobilisation of voters.

    One of the guest speakers and one-time presidential aspirant, Khalifa Hassan Yusuf, said there is the need for voters to “jealously guide their votes from the point of casting it to the collation and counting.”

    Yusuf, who is also the former Chairman of Damaturu Local Government and a member of the 1999 Constitutional Conference, charged coordinators to take their assignment seriously, particularly the idea of mobilising  grassroot support for Gen. Buhari.

    He said: “From what I have seen, most of you are young with a lot of energy. Your age reminds me of the time we were young politician in 1959. I want to use this opportunity to call on all of you not to use your energy for violence, but to deploy it towards mobilising support at your various local governments for Gen. Buhari.”

    The Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Political Affairs, Aji Yerima Bularafa, lamented the decision to postpone the election, saying it is a rape on democracy. He however reminded the coordinators of the message of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari who has called on all his supporters to remain calm.

    The Political Adviser, however, noted that the decision of INEC to postphone the election is purely the script of the PDP-led government as according to him, the PDP is jittery of Buhari’s victory at the polls hence their fear to conduct the election.

  • Suspected Boko Haram member escapes arrest

    Suspected Boko Haram member escapes arrest

    A suspected Boko Haram member, who feigned madness, narrowly escaped arrest at Buni Yadi town in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe on Tuesday.

    The Commander, 27 Task Force Brigade, Damaturu, Colonel Usman Yusuf, gave the order to arrest the supposedly madman when he was sighted in one of the dilapidated buildings in the deserted town.

    As troops advanced to carry out the order, the suspect, who wore a white garment with an unkempt hair and chanting some incantations, disappeared.

    The incident occurred when the commander led a group of newsmen who were on a guided tour of towns recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents, visited Buni Yadi to see things for themselves.

    Yusuf, however, assured that the troops would fish out the suspect soon.

    The suspect was believed to be on a surveillance mission for the insurgents but pretended to be insane.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Gujba and Gulani Local Government areas in Yobe were captured by the insurgents in July 2014 and remained under their control for nine months.

    There are 17 local governments in the state.

    But Gujba, including its headquarters, Buni Yadi, were liberated in the last three weeks, while operation to free Gulani was ongoing, according to Yusuf.

    He described Buni Yadi town as one of the strongholds of the insurgents in the state.

    The terrorists blew up the only bridge linking the local government area with the state capital, Damaturu, and other towns shortly after they occupied the area.

    Before retreating from Buni Yadi, they also burnt down most of the houses, schools, the Local Government secretariat, motor parks, court, the Emir’s palace and market.

    Apart from troops on guard, the supposedly madman, a dog and a cat were the only living beings sighted in the deserted town.

    The commander listed other towns recaptured by troops in the state to include: Fkayel, Gulani, tetteba, Bunsa, Bularafa, Kukuwa Geri and Buni Geri.

  • Female suicide bomber kills 10 in Yobe

    The Yobe State Police Command has said 10 people were killed when a female suicide bomber detonated an explosive at the Damaturu Central Motor Park in the state capital.

    The police also said 31 others were injured in the incident.

    The motor park is located near a divisional police station, which was razed on January 9 by the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Police spokesman, Toyin Gbadegesin, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the suicide bomber had made several failed attempts to bomb the military outfit at the park before she boarded a half-loaded car and blew up herself.

    The 10 people died on the spot.

    Gbadegesin said: “At 12.10 hours, an hijab-wearing female suicide bomber came into the park and went to the security vehicle. She was turned away after her movement aroused suspicion. She then went to a commercial vehicle; the car was half-loaded, and the bomb exploded.

    “Ten people died; 31 others were critically injured and are at the Sani Abacha Hospital in Damaturu. We have condoned off the area. Investigation is ongoing.”

    The police spokesman added that the suicide bomber was about 21 years old.

  • Ngama: APC’s mistake ‘ll give us an edge in Yobe

    Ngama: APC’s mistake ‘ll give us an edge in Yobe

    Dr. Yerima Ngama is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Yobe North District. In this interview with reporters in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the former Minister of State for Finance explains why he opted to vie for the Senate. JOEL DUKU was at the event. 

    What is your impression after the flagging-off your campaign?

    I want to say that the response exceeded my expectations. I received people from all over the senatorial district within a short time.  So, to me, it is a clear indication that my people have accepted my senatorial bid and I am very grateful to God and the good people of Yobe North who turned out in large numbers to attend the rally. I think we have started very well and I am sure of success.

    Why did you switch to the senatorial race after the governorship primary?

    I believe that everything is destined by God. Whenever I pray to God, I have never prayed that God should make me governor. I only prayed to God to make me the best which only he knows. God can make you to become anything; it is not the position that matters, but God’s blessings. I was a minister of state for 31 months and God really blessed that tenure and period because the development projects and programmes that I brought within that time were much. I brought about 77 development projects, including roads, completion of several abandoned projects like that of the NTA, youth empowerment and the prison project. The empowerment includes the distribution of over 650 Keke NAPEP, over 400 commercial cars, and I can’t even count the number of motorcycles that were distributed to the youths. In our history in this area, we have never promoted poultry farming. We provided chicks in several thousands to people across the state. We brought fertilizer to the state and compelled the Yobe State government to hands off the distribution of fertilizer, which was ridden with corruption.

    During the hardship period last year, we distributed over 222 trucks of grains to the people. The University of Gashua was initially shelved, but we thank Mr. President for listening to us and approving it for us. With all these projects, I think it’s not the position that matters, but what God has blessed you with in that position. Even the governor of Yobe has not done what I did within that period.

    What have you identified as the problems of your people that you will tackle at the Senate?

    Number one problem is drinking water because it is connected to health. If you look at Gashua area, all our water have iron, the more you drink it, the more likely that you will have kidney disease. This area is the headquarters of kidney failure in the whole country. The only way to solve this is to treat the source, which is the water that we drink. With the water treatment plant that will be in both Gashua and Nguru and this will be the size of what we have in Gombe and all the other four local government will have medium scale water systems. We are adding Bursari and Fika local governments. In Fika, there is a Federal Government Water Project that was started that requires about N500m to finish it and we have already included it in our project list. I will not wait until I am sworn in as a senator. The moment we finish election and I win, I will just go up and start pursuing these projects. Right now, I am in touch with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources where we had a committee that I am still a member, even after I left the cabinet. So, I will just pursue it. We also have a health programme for the new children and maternal hospital of 250 beds capacity in Gujba and Potiskum. These are things that I will continue with even before I am sworn in as senator.

    When we get to the Senate, the work is divided into two; one is to ensure that we have excellent legislation in this country and to ensure that we monitor the government. In terms of bringing development to my people, I believe that what I have done in the past will be a child’s play, compared to what my people should expect in the future.

    Why do you think you have an edge over your opponent who has been at the National Assembly for the past 16 years?

    The fact that he has been there for 16 years suggests that he has become rusty. If you look at what he has done for 16 years, it is not up to 10 per cent of what I did for 31 months as a minister and everybody knows that. That is, I was given an opportunity for two and a half years and I have proven myself. But, he has been there for the past 16 years and people know he has done woefully. In fact, you cannot compare the two of us. I don’t have any iota of doubt that if there is a free and fair election, I am going to defeat him.