The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Zamfara State

  • Air Force arrests 16 armed bandits in Gusau

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Thursday that its 207 Quick Response Group in Gusau, Zamfara state, has arrested 16 armed bandits through the on-going Operation Sharan Daji being coordinated by the Defence Headquarters.

    The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, who disclosed this in a statement also added that the Air Force has deployed more air assets to Zamfara to support the on-going operation.

    According to AVM Adesanya, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar announced the deployment of more air assets to Gusau after being briefed on his visit to the unit by the out-going Commander of the unit, Group Captain Caleb Olayera.

    The statement reads: “The 207 Quick Response Group (QRG) of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Gusau disclosed yesterday, 25 July 2018, that it had arrested 16 suspected armed bandits while participating in the ongoing Operation SHARAN DAJI, which is under the auspices of Defence Headquarters (DHQ).

    “The outgoing Commander of the Unit, Group Captain Caleb Olayera, made the disclosure while receiving the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was on an operational tour of the NAF unit in Gusau.

    “The visit by the CAS, who also announced the deployment of more air assets to support the Operation, was part of measures being taken to add value to the current security architecture in Zamfara State in terms of air operations and NAF Special Forces Operations.

    Read Also: Air Force bombs Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

    “According to Group Captain Olayera, aside from its ground operations, 207 QRG had been conducting air operations such as Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, armed reconnaissance and Close Air Support, as part of its contributions to the DHQ-led Operation SHARAN DAJI.

    “He further revealed that in the course of its operations, 207 QRG had also arrested a major hard drugs dealer, who was promptly handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution. In addition, the Unit had recovered 3 guns, 7 cartridges and a magazine loaded with 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from suspected armed bandits.

    “Furthermore, the NAF Unit had rescued 3 injured villagers at Boko Village as well as 5 policemen held hostage, in addition to liberating 3 kidnapped victims. The outgoing Commander thereafter briefed the CAS on challenges, which if resolved, would further add impetus to the ongoing operations.

    “In his address, Air Marshal Abubakar commended the personnel of 207 QRG for their efforts so far in seeking to restore peace to Zamfara State. He equally saluted their constant bravery in the face of danger while reminding them that, as trained soldiers, they had a responsibility to protect the lives and properties of innocent Nigerians.

    “He assured the personnel that the Nation appreciates their daily sacrifices and that President Muhammadu Buhari, in particular, was very mindful of them. The CAS then announced some new steps being taken by the Federal Government to enhance their welfare.

    “He also immediately gave directives to the senior NAF officers concerned towards immediately addressing all the challenges presented by the Commander as well as those identified by him in the course of the visit.

    “In a subsequent interview with the Press, Air Marshal Abubakar said that the NAF needs intelligence from the populace to help in dealing with the security challenges in the State. He therefore urged the people to support the Armed Forces by providing credible intelligence on the locations of the armed bandits.

    “The Air Chief acknowledged that the projection of air power had natural limitations, such as weather amongst others, but that notwithstanding, the NAF would continue to do its best, within the ambit of safety”.

  • Again, Senator wants Buhari to declare State of Emergency in Zamfara

    Says all is set to impeach Governor over killings

    In order to end killings, the Senator representing Zamfara Central Constituency, Sen. Saidu Dansadau, for the second time appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency in Zamfara state.

    The Senator, speaking during a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja described the request as long-overdue considering the increasingly helpless situation of the people.

    Dansadau, who called for the impeachment of the Zamfara State Governor, Yari AbdulAzeez accused the state administrator of abandoning his sole responsibility of protecting the state.

    The lawmaker in 2016 had petitioned the President asking him to declare state of emergency in the state.

    According to him, Yari’s public resignation as the Chief Security Officer of the state made the declaration of state of emergency in the state inevitable.

    He said Yari has shifted focus from his primary duty to his political ambition, adding that he was willing to retain power at all cost.

    Read Also: Gunmen kill district head in Zamfara

    His words: “I appeal to Mr. President to invoke his powers under section 305 (3) & (5) of the Constitution and declare a State of Emergency in Zamfara State and appoint a competent administrator for the state until such a time when the President, through the administrator is satisfied that normalcy has been restored, anything short of this will turn the thick forest between the southern border of Zamfara state with Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi States into a national park of criminals and killers, worse than the nation has seen in Sambisa Forest”

    “The Zamfara State Governor’s recent pronouncement that he has resigned as the chief security officer of the state makes the declaration of State of emergency in the State inevitable. I make bold to say that we have finished all necessary preparation to impeach Abdulazeez Yari Abubakar, if inspite of this unprecedented breakdown of law and order and colossal loss of lives we do not persuade.

    “Mr. President, while it is acknowledged that similar tension exists in other states like Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi states which shares common border with Zamfara, the approach of the governors of these states in managing the problem has substantially brought the situation under control…” he added.

  • UNICEF seeks education for additional one million girls in North

    The United Nations Children Fund’s (UNICEF) says it hopes to attract additional one million girls to school under its Girl Education Project 3 (GEP) phase 3, in the north.

    UNICEF Education Specialist, Azuka Menkiti, disclosed this at a two-day media dialogue on Girls for Girls (G4G) Initiative organized by the Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund’s, in Gusau, Zamfara state capital.

    The G4G project is a component of the Girls’ Education Project (GEP) phase 3 being implemented in three state of Bauchi, Katsina and Zamfara.

    She said about 15, 303 girls have been enrolled under the project in the three states.

    About 4,339 of the girls are from Zamfara, a state with poor enrollment rate.

    According to her, the target of UNICEF is to retain girls who have been enrolled in schools in the north in class.

    She said: “Within the Girls Education Project 3, the goal is to bring additional one million girls to school. We also hope to create an environment where girls will be supported to live above the poverty line for themselves and for their communities.

    “This Programme is to look for those who are in schools. The major concern for us is to ensure the girls that are in school remain there. Within the past six months that this initiative started, a lot of changes have happened in schools.

    Read Also: UNICEF demands govt interventions to end infant mortality, child marriage

    “Our target is to have increase demand and support for girls education, increased retention for girls in schools, enhance self-appreciation and self-esteem for girls and increase transition of girls from lower primary to higher primary.

    “The G4G addresses demand barriers to girls’ education by affecting attitudes and barriers that keep girls out of school. It assumes that increased demand for and understanding/value of basic education by parents, financial support to parents will have positive impact on girls’ enrollment.”

    “Now we have 15, 303 girls who have been enrolled in 813 G4G groups in 300 schools across 18 LGAs in three states.

    “For us, it is about helping these girls to remain in school and complete at least primary education.”

    She also said the G4G project would increase demand and support for girls education in the north.

    The UNICEF official said it was worrisome that girls were not staying in school in the north.

    She said: “Within the output of increasing demand for education, we want to go beyond just enrolling girls in schools so we came up with this initiative on how to ensure that when these girls come to school, they actually remain in school.

    “We did community mapping to find out why children are not going to school and we realised that even when girls in this part of the country (north) are enrolled in schools, when they get to primary four there is a drop in attendance.

    “In Katsina, more than half of the girls who finished primary education are nowhere to be found. They are not even in secondary schools. So where are they?”

  • 2019: Marafa declares for Zamfara governorship race

    The senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabiru Garba Marafa has joined the governorship race for the Zamfara Government House.

    Marafa who is also chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), is said to have declared his intention to vie for the governorship race when the newly elected executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state paid him a sallah visit at his Yandoton-daji residence in Tsafe local government area of the state.

    The ranking lawmaker in a statement said he would officially declare his intention to contest for the governorship race in an occasion to be held in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital where all the stakeholders in the state would attend.

    Read Also: Tambuwal seeks lasting peace in Zamfara

    He told the party executives that following the numerous calls across the 14 local government areas of the state, he has decided to join the governorship race. 

    If elected, Marafa (58) said he would fight corruption, injustice and provide the much needed leadership to stimulate the growth and development of the state.

    While commending the state Governor Abdul Aziz Yari for admitting his failure to provide the needed leadership to tackle the security challenges facing the state, he said he would use all the resources at his disposal to combat the banditry in the state, if elected.

    “If we provide security, our people will return to their homes and farmlands to do what they know best, farming. If given the needed support, we in Zamfara can feed the country with the enormous resources Allah has blessed us with,” he said.

    He also pledged to look at the state legal system to make it conform with the true teachings of Islam for the benefit of all.

  • Senators trade tackles over confirmation of INEC nominees

    …Confirms Festus Okoye as National Electoral Commissioner

     

    There was uneasy Wednesday in the Senate over the confirmation of nominees for appointment for the position of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) resident commissioners.

    This followed the consideration of the report of the Committee on INEC on the screening of nominees for confirmation as Resident Electoral Commissioners.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North) presented the report of the committee for the consideration of the Senate.

    Trouble started with the recommendation that the nominee from Zamfara State, Ahmad Bello Mahmaud, should be rejected.

    Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara Central) openly accused the screening committee of being heavy compromised to return uncomplimentary comments on Mahmud.

    Marafa insisted that he has it on good authority that the committee was compromised to turn down the nomination of Mahmud.

    He challenged the chairman of the committee to provide the affidavit in support of the petition it claimed to have received against Mahmud.

    Marafa said, “I have evidence that the committee was heavily compromised to write its report. The committee should tender the affidavit in support of the petition it claimed that was written against the nominee.”

    Read Also:Senate faults claim of ‘insubordination’ as cause of rising insecurity

    The Zamfara Central senator said that the state governor, Abdul Azeeze Yari, was behind the attempt to deny the nominee confirmation.

    He noted that contrary to the insinuation that Mahmud was not from Zamfara State, the nominee was born and bred in the state.

    Senator James Manager (Delta South) threw his weight behind Marafa.

    Manager said that as far as he was concerned, the report was incomplete.

    Before Manager could continue, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, raised a point of Order to the effect that it was unparliamentary to input improper motive against any senator.

    Ekweremadu quoted relevant sections of the standing rule of the Senate to buttress his point.

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, agreed and ruled Marafa out of order.

    Saraki asked Marafa to withdraw the “offensive” comments as well as to apologise to Nazif.

    Marafa reluctantly withdrew his comments but refused to apologize to Nazif.

    Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah, said that Marafa should not only withdraw his comments that the committee was comprised but also apologize to the committee chairman in his “own interest).

    Na’ Allah reminded Marafa that everything done in the chamber was being recorded.

    Marafa stood his ground and said that he was not prepared to apologize to anybody.

    It was anti-climax for the committee when Saraki put the question.

    The nomination of Mahmud was unanimously adopted by the senate.

    Saraki put the nomination to question for the second time.

    The result was a resounding ‘aye”

    The Senate President had no option than to rule that the “ayes had it”

    There was jubilation in the chamber as some senators rushed to Marafa to congratulate him for his tenacity in ensuring that the nomination of Mahmud was confirmed.

    The confirmation of the nomination of Mahmud as Resident Electoral Commissioner came after two rejections by the Senate.

    The nomination was earlier rejected on the basis of petition that he was from Sokoto State and not Zamfara State.

    Apart from Mahmud, the Senate also confirmed Mr. Monday Udo Tom from Akwa Ibom State and Attahiru Madami from Niger State as Resident Electoral commissioners.

    It also confirmed the nomination of Festus Okoye from Imo State as National Electoral Commissioner representing South East geo Political Zone.

  • Fresh attack claims 15 lives in Zamfara

    Barely one week after the killing of 26 people in a community in Zamfara, gunmen have again hit another village in the state, killing 15 people.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP. Muhammad Shehu, told our reporters on Saturday in Gusau that the bandits killed the people in a village called Zakuna.

    He said the village is in the Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara in Nigeria’s northwest.

    Zamfara State has seen repeated attacks in recent times that have left scores dead and added to the agony of unending attacks that have been blamed largely on the jihadist group, Boko Haram.

    Boko Haram has waged a deadly insurgency on Nigeria since 2009 in a bid to enthrone a strict Islamic code in the north but the Federal Government has descended on the group, decimating them.

    Shehu said that the attackers invaded Zakuna in the early hour of June 1 and rustled cows belonging to villagers.

    According to him, a vigilance group known as Yansakai took on the rustlers, forcing them to flee only for the bandits to reinforce and attack the village, killing 15 people.

    Read Also: Seven die in Zamfara attack

    “On receiving the reports of the attack, the police mobilized to the village and discovered 15 dead bodies majority of whom were Yansakai.

    “The police have, however, deployed heavy security to the area to maintain peace and stability.

    “Bush combing and rigorous patrol is being carried out throughout the area by the police to avoid further loss of lives.”

    Shehu said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Kenneth Ebrimson, had ordered discreet investigation on the latest incident to catch the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

    He pleaded with communities in the state not to relent in providing information to security operatives to end the deadly attacks in the state.

    On May 25, some communities in Gidangoga District in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state were similarly attacked by bandits, resulting to the death of 26 people and injuring of three others.

    NAN

  • Insecurity: Zamfara Assembly writes minister over incessant killings

    Insecurity: Zamfara Assembly writes minister over incessant killings has directed its secretariat to write a letter to Minister of defence, Mansur Dan’ali, over incessant killings and security challenges in the state.

    The assembly gave the directive during plenary session in Gusau on Friday.

    The decision followed a complaint by Alhaji Abdullahi Dansadau (APC, Maru South) under matters of urgent public importance.

    Dansadau said the killing of innocent citizens in the state by bandits was worrisome.

    The matter was seconded by Malam Mani Masamar-Mudi (APC, Bukkuyum 1) and Aliyu Kagara (APC, Talata-Mafara, South), where they urged the house to agree to write a letter to the minister.

    Read Also:Senate, security chiefs meet on insecurity

    The Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abubakar Gummi, who chaired the sitting, said members unanimously resolved and agreed to write a letter to the minister to complain about dwindling security situation in the state.

    They agreed to request for additional efforts from security agencies, especially in deployment of more security personnel to the state.

    During same sitting, the assembly adopted new legislative calendar for the 2018/2019 session.

    The adoption followed a motion moved by Leader of the house, Alhaji Isa Abdulmumin.

    Abdulmumin said “today’s sitting marked the end of the 2017/2018 legislative year of this house.

    “I am therefore appealing to members to support this motion and agree to close this house as our legislative calendar for 2017/2018 has expired.

    “As we know, our target is to have not less than 183 sittings in a year and today’s sitting happens to be the 185th and therefore we have meet the required target in this regard.

    Consequently, the house unanimously resolved to go on recess until July 2, 2018.

    Meanwhile, unknown gunmen had on Tuesday kidnapped wife of the state’s Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Skill Acquisition, Alhaji Abdullahi Gurbin-bore and six children at Gurbin-bore town in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.

    Also kidnapped along with the commissioner’s wife and children were three other relatives.

     

  • Zamfara state university to gulp N10bn – Gov. Yari

    The proposed Zamfara state government owned university is expected to cost N10 billion.

    This was made known by Governor Abdulaziz Yari on Tuesday, when he received at his Talata-Mafara  residence,  a team of journalists who were on tour of the state.

    He said: “This administration started in a big way, seven years ago when we constructed several roads giving access to many social and economic opportunities to our people throughout the state and beyond.

    “We also hope to complete in a big way through the establishment of the state owned university which will help in advancing the education of our future generations,” he noted.

    The governor explained that provision of healthcare services, good education, good drinking water, electricity and agriculture was given high priority by the administration.

    He further said that “my administration intends to leave behind good legacies that subsequent governments can build upon.”

    Earlier, the team leader who is also the NUJ National President, Abdulwaheed Odusile told the governor that the union organised the tour  to promote good governance.

    He said, Zamfara was strategically chosen for the participating journalists to go and see what the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum had done in developing his state.

    The Democracy Dividend Media Tour involves  journalists drawn from various media houses.

    It is the brainchild  of the NUJ. Participants will visit all the states of Nigeria.

    NAN

  • Health: Zamfara establishes emergency operation centres

    The Zamfara State Government, on Thursday, in Gusau, said it had established emergency operation centres to improve medical care and emergency service delivery in state.

    Alhaji Lawal M-Liman, the Commissioner for Health, made this disclosure to newsmen on the sidelines of a five-day capacity building mandatory professional training, organised for nurses and midwives at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Gusau.

    The capacity building training was organised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.

    M-Liman noted that the centre being first of its kind since the establishment of the state was part of the new measures taken by the State Government to improve health care delivery in the state.

    “This centre is going to take care of both emergency response and transfer of patients when the need arises.

    Read Also: Zamfara to recruit 340 doctors, nurses – Commissioner

    “We plan to provide ambulances in all our hospitals, across major roads and highways to take care of major emergency health cases.

    “We want to ensure that all the 147 political wards in the state have one functional ambulance each,’’ he said.

    “We have started with the pilot programme in Gusau; we have equipped emergency ambulances with health workers, operating 24 hours to provide response to medical and trauma related emergencies”.

    The News men report that more than 50 nurses and midwives from tertiary and secondary health facilities in the state attended the capacity building training.

    NAN

  • Security in Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara collaborate to tackle crime

    Security agencies in Sokoto, Katsina, Kaduna and Zamfara states say they are collaborating to tackle criminality in their areas of operation.

    The formations that include; Army, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) and NDLEA, told the News men that they were conducting joint security operations and sharing intelligence information on criminals to enable them to effectively combat crime.

    The Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Mr Murtala Mani, said his command had effective collaboration with all security agencies in the state.

    Mani said through the command’s Spokesman, Cordelia Nwawe, that although the state was largely peaceful, it was working with other agencies on crime mapping and surveillance.

    “We have working synergy with Army, NSCDC, NDLEA, DSS and vigilance groups on tackling incidences of cattle rustling, kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes.’’

    He said armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnappings occurred mostly in Raba, Goronyo, Isa and Illela local government areas of the state.

    He, however, said that the cases were being effectively curtailed with combined efforts of other security agencies and communities.

    Also, Mr Babangida Dutsinma, State Commandant of NSDC in the state, said four security agencies were jointly conducting a special operation code-named ‘Operation Harmony’, in areas with high crime records in the state.

    Dutsinma said the NSCDC enjoyed massive support from the Army, Police, the Prisons Service and Immigration Service, using their facilities and officers for the training of its personnel.

    On its part, the police said a joint operation between security agencies in the state had resulted in dismantling many criminal gangs.

    The Spokesman of  the Police Command in the state, DSP Mohammed Shehu, said all the security agencies in the area were partnering to curtail crime.

    Mr David Abi, Commandant of NSCDC in the state, told the News men that the inter agency cooperation shared in the state was “marvellous,’’ adding that they ran “joint patrols with strong sense of patriotism, understanding, discipline and respect for one another.”

    Similarly, the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC in Kaduna State,Mr Orndiir Terzengwe, said collaboration between the various security agencies had helped to tackle incidences of kidnapping and armed robbery along Kaduna – Abuja Express way, Kaduna- Birnin Gwari Road, Kaduna-Zaria and Kaduna – Jos Road, and within some urban centres across the state.

    “Continuous joint raids of suspected black spots by NDLEA, NSCDC, Police and others, are gradually reducing consumption of hard drugs among youths, which is believed to be largely responsible for youth indulging in different crimes.

    Read Also: USAID partners Sokoto, Bauchi on primary health care

    “In situations where conventional security operatives are not available, vigilance groups’ effect arrest or assist security agencies with information on the whereabouts of suspected criminals, they render intelligence assistance.

    “The Espirit de Corps is commendable but there is need to improve on what is obtainable,’’ Terzengwe.

    Muhktar Aliyu, spokesman of the state Police Command, identified some security breaches in the state to include kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed robbery, activities of thugs and bandits.

    Aliyu said such crimes were being handled through effective joint patrols and operations.

    In Katsina State, the security agencies said they were holding regular meetings under the chairmanship of the Police Commissioner where they were appraising security issues and adopting strategies to confront them.

    Isah Gambo, spokesman of the state police command in the state, said they were conducting joint security patrols and operations, and sharing intelligence information to safeguard lives and property.

    Gambo disclosed that the command had set up a community policing unit to coordinate and set guidelines for communities engaged in providing security for their localities.

    According to him, a community policing committee has been going round the 34 local governments areas and discussing with community leaders on their security challenges with a view to addressing them.

    Sanusi Muazu, the Comptroller, Nigeria Prisons Service in the state, also said that the service had developed a strong synergy with all the security agencies operating in the state.

    Muazu said that they were working with the military, police and other security agencies, sharing intelligence information to ensure full protection of lives and property.

    NAN