Sokoto
PDP governors: Restructuring necessary to avert civil war
File Photo Amidst rising tension across the country, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, yesterday, said an urgent devolution of power and restructuring of the polity has become imperative, as the country cannot afford another civil war. The Forum raised the alarm that the country is fast becoming a failed state, under the All Progressives Congress (APC) led federal government. The PDP governors expressed worries that all fault lines and differences in the country has been stretched to the limit by the present administration, because it allegedly lacks the capacity to governors. The opposition governors stated this, in a communique, issued at the end of their meeting, in the Benue State capital, Makurdi. The meeting was attended by Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sokoto St...
Coronavirus: Nigeria gets $15 million grant for safe school reopening
The Federal Ministry of Education says Nigeria has received 15 million dollars response grant from the Global Partnership on Education (GPE) for COVID-19 safe school reopening across the country. Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Director, Basic and Secondary Education in the ministry, said this on Wednesday in Bauchi, at a Cluster Mobilisation and Sensitisation Meetings on COVID-19 Protocols, Surveillance and Safe School Reopening Readiness. Abdulkadir was represented on the occasion by Mr Achede Owoicho, Deputy Director, Basic and Secondary Education and the Focal person for the GPE. The workshop is initiated with the support of the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF). Abdulkadir noted that through the grants, UNICEF had sent WASH and ICT materials to 16 states for preparation of digit...
EFCC warn POS operators over illegal cash transaction
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, recently warned operators of Mobile Money and Banks Agents otherwise known as POS operators over illegal cash transactions. The Commission’s Zonal Head in Sokoto CDS Bawa Usman Kaltungo on Thursday March 25, 2021 gave the warning at a meeting with the Sokoto Chapter of Mobile Money and Banks Agents Association, (MMBA) Sokoto State Chapter in his office. EFCC boss express concern at the high rate of mobile money fraud in the country, and called on the association to join hands in the fight against money laundering and electronic transaction fraud. But while reacting to this, the South West coordinator of Moniepoint, Israel Eniolorunda frowned at this development noting that nefarious activities of many of these POS operators in the country...
Sokoto conducts council polls amidst boycott by APC
Council elections went on in Sokoto on Saturday despite a boycott by the main opposition party, All Progressives Congress. According to the State Independent Electoral Commission, 10 political parties participated in the election but only PDP agents were seen in most of the polling units observed by newsmen. Some political observers opined that other participating parties were not financially buoyant to recruit and deploy agents to the polling units. However, there was low turnout in some of the polling units observed, especially in the state’s metropolis while in other areas. Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who cast his vote in his hometown of Tambuwal, noted that, periodic local government election was fundamental to a sustainable democracy. “We all know that local council election is a ...
2023: Northwest speakers declare support for Asiwaju Tinubu
Serving Speakers and their predecessors from the Northwest zone of Nigeria have declared their support for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the successor to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. Their declarations and promises are coming some weeks after a similar endorsement of Tinubu was carried out by their colleagues in the southwestern zone of Nigeria. At a meeting held in Kano for the states in the northwestern zone on Friday, the senior lawmakers declared that Tinubu remains the right person for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at this time. Some of them argued that with the challenges currently being faced by the country, Nigeria deserves a leader who is detribalised and has shown over time that he has the capacity to lead the country. Praising Asiwaju Tinub...
Lagos deputy governor: Nigeria must not disintegrate
Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor on Tuesday urged religious leaders to propagate peace and morals so as to avoid disintegration but engender unity among Nigerians. Hamzat made the appeal during the 40-day Fidau prayer for late Alhaji Lateef Jakande, former governor of the state. He said that religion, being the strongest pillar in Nigeria, had the people’s heart and respect. He charged the clerics to help the citizens to act in accordance with the norms of the society and shun all anti-social vices. The deputy-governor also implored the clergymen to propagate the gospel of a better use of Lagos roads by urging motorist to avoid driving against traffic. “People respect their religious leaders and they do listen to them. “So, please do not leave the preaching of moral values to...
Police arrest 17 kidnap, robbery suspects in Sokoto
The Police Command in Sokoto State on Thursday said it arrested no fewer than 17 suspects over armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. Mr Kamaldeen Okunlola, the state Commissioner of Police, disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto. Okunlola said that the command on March 4, arrested one Jabbi Wanto, over criminal conspiracy and kidnapping of two persons in Tamba Garka village of Wurno Local Government Area of the state. “The people of the village reported that on March 4, at about 3 a.m unknown bandits in large number invaded their houses and kidnapped two persons to unknown destination. “The villagers mobilised themselves and followed the bandits where the victims were rescued and Wanto was arrested, who during investigation confessed to have conspired with one ...
Activist asks court to compel Kano, others to refund VAT generated from alcohol
An Abuja-based activist, Sesugh Akume, has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in the nation’s capital, asking it to compel states that outlawed the sale of alcohol to refund the sums received through Value Added Tax imposed on alcoholic beverages. About 12 states practise Sharia law in Nigeria. They are Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Zamfara and Niger. Based on Sharia law, some of the states prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages and usually hold public events where bottles of alcoholic drinks are destroyed while gambling is also illegal. However, all the states receive VAT collected from alcoholic beverages sold in other states that permit the sale of the product. In an originating motion brought pursuant to Section 1(3), 4(5), 162(3), (4...
PDP governors inaugurate finance, legal affairs, legislative liaison committees
File Photo Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party have inaugurated three committees of the forum, namely Finance, Legal Affairs and Legislative Liaison. This was one of the outcomes of the meeting of the forum held Thursday at the Conference Hall, Sokoto State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja. A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Chairman of the Forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State says the Finance Committee is chaired by Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and has as members Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo and Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom. The Legislative Liaison Committee has Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi as chairman, while Gov. Okowa, Gov Ifean...
Nigerian monarchs demand roles in constitutional review
The National Traditional Council of Nigeria has called on the National Assembly Joint Committee on the review of the 1999 constitution to ensure a constitutional provision is made with a view to creating roles for traditional rulers in matters involving religion, culture, security, justice and other ancillary matters. The council also accused the regimes of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo of relegating the traditional institution to the background with no constitutional role. The Chairman of the council and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, said late Gen. Ironsi’s 1966 Unitary Government Decree, Gen. Gowon’s and Gen. Obasanjo’s 1967 and 1976 Local Government Reforms Decrees respectively, stripped traditional rulers of their powers an...
Sokoto villages deserted as bandits kill residents
Suspected bandits have raided some communities in the eastern part of Sokoto state, killing four persons and rustled several livestock. Colonel Garba Moyi (rtd), the state Commissioner for Carrier and Security Matters, confirmed the attacks, saying three persons were killed at Bargaja village in Isa local government area while one was killed in a community under Sabon Birni local government. Newsmen learnt that the attackers invaded Bargaja around 2pm on Thursday, shooting sporadically. A resident said six persons were shot in the village, but only three died while the remaining three are currently receiving treatment in the hospitals. A resident of Isa who identified himself as Surajo, told newsmen that inhabitants of Bargaja, Tozai, Turba and Danzanke have all relocated to Isa town follo...
Security: Northern governors, NSA, IGP meet in Kaduna
Governors of the 19 Nothern States and traditional rulers of the region are meeting in Kaduna over security challenges bedeviling the region. Newsmen report that the two-day meeting, which opened on Thursday, is also being attended by Senate President, Ahmad Lawal, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and Information Minister, Lai Mohammed. Others are National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Ibrahim and Director General, State Security Service, Yusuf Bichi. The participants are expected to discuss current security challenges bedevilling the Northern region and youth unemployment. Governors at the meeting, holding at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, include those of Plateau, Adamawa, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Jigawa and Katsina. Niger, ...
