Zamfara State
Abdulaziz Yari: I never assaulted airport official
The immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, has denied reports that he assaulted an airport official last Saturday at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano. This was even as Yari demanded that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), retract its offensive tweets regarding the incidence and tender an apology for the falsehood peddled against him. Yari in a statement by his media consultant, Mayowa Oluwabiyi, said although he did use the airport on the said date, but such incidence never occurred. Recall that FAAN had on Wednesday in a series of tweets, condemned Yari’s action for violating COVID-19 directive at the airport. FAAN further alleged that Yari refused to adhere to the protocols and procedures put in place by the Federal Government th...
Military airstrikes neutralise scores of bandits in Zamfara forest
The Defence Headquarters says the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has eliminated scores of bandits in an air attack on their camp in part of Kwiambana Forest in Zamfara State on July 10. The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Enenche said the attack followed a discovery that a group of structures hidden under the dense forest vegetation served as hideouts for suspected Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements and fighters under the notorious armed bandit kingpin, Dogo Gede. According to him, the Air Component, therefore, dispatched a force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location. “The attack aircraft took turns in engaging the target ca...
Zamfara: Our peace, reconciliation initiative, best way to address armed banditry
The Zamfara State government has described its peace and reconciliation initiative as the best way to address armed banditry in the state. This was contained in a statement issued by Mr Zailani Bappa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communications, in Gusau on Sunday. He dismissed the allegation that the state government was giving more attention to bandits as a result of the peace process, saying this was unfounded and mere fabrications by mischief-makers. According to him, a lot has been achieved by security operatives in the fight against unrepentant bandits, who have continued to terrorise innocent citizens in the state and other parts of the north-western states. Bappa said, “The position of the Gov. Bello Matawalle-led administration is very clear, ...
Two Chinese nationals arraigned for offering N100 million bribe to EFCC officials
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal office on Friday, May 15, 2020 arraigned the duo of Meng Wei Kun and Xui Kuoi, both Chinese, before Justice Mohammed Sa’idu Sifawa of the State High Court Sokoto on two- count charges of conspiracy and offering bribe to a public servant to the tune of N100, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira). The defendants were docked for allegedly offering to bribe the EFCC Sokoto Zonal Head, Mr. Abdullahi Lawal with the sum of one hundred million naira (N100, 000.000.00) on behalf of a construction company: China Zhonghao Nig. Ltd, which is being investigated over contracts awarded it by the Zamfara State Government in the sum of over Fifty Billion Naira (N50, 000,000,000.00) between 2012 to 2019. The EFCC is investigating the constru...
Court orders remand of two Chinese nationals who offered EFCC officer ‘N100 million bribe’
Sokoto State High Court presided over by Justice Sa’adu Sifawa on Friday ordered two Chinese to be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly attempting to bribe an EFCC officer with N50 million. The N50 million which is in the custody of the EFCC is said to be the first tranche of the alleged N100 million bribe offered the agency official. Mr Meng Wei Kun and Xu Kuoi were arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and offering bride to the commission’s zonal head. EFCC alleged the defendants offered bribe to it zonal head Abdullahi Lawal to compromise the ongoing investigation into he case against the defendants’ company Zhonghao Nigeria limited. The bribe was allegedly offered in a desperate bid to compromise ongoing investigations ...
Zamfara governor commends EFCC for exposing Chinese ‘fraudsters’
Zamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has commended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for exposing Chinese nationals who tried to block investigations against their alleged shoddy contract in the state. Two of the Chinese nationals, representing the company allegedly approached the EFCC zonal officer with a bribe of N100 million and were immediately arrested. Reacting to the development, Matawalle said the attempted bribery further confirmed his earlier accusation that the company only collected the contract sum without executing the project. He was quoted as saying: “I want to specifically commend the leadership of Ibrahim Magu and his able Zonal Head in Sokoto, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, for moving this case to a significant stage by this arrest and further proving to the...
Nigeria governors meet Wednesday on quick way out of coronavirus effects
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum says it will meet on Wednesday to review the situation of COVID-19 pandemic in various states, and as well find paths for a quick way out of the effects of the pandemic. The forum made this known in a statement by Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, NGF Head, Media and Public Affairs, in Abuja on Tuesday. Bello-Barkindo said issues to be discussed at the 8th teleconference meeting, according to the invitation sent from the NGF Director-General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, include update from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He also listed a new initiative codenamed CACOVID-Volunteer Health Workers Support Scheme to States, including a consideration for a CACOVID–Healthcare Training Proposal, among others. Bello-Barkindo said: “The state governors will also take a...
Zamfara sacks Zakkat board secretary, two others
The Zamfara State Government has sacked the Executive Secretary and two other directors of the state’s Zakkat and Endowment Board, with immediate effect. The decision came following an emergency meeting held by the Chairman and board members of the board on Friday. While addressing journalists in Gusau, the board chairman, Prof Kabiru Jabaka said that the board members had raised an alarm that some retired workers were sabotaging the efforts of distribution of Zakkat and Endowment to less privileged persons in the state. Jabaka explained that 13 out of 15 board members had passed a vote of no confidence on the Executive Secretary, Mallam Bashir Surajo, and two of his Directors, Mallam Ibrahim Tudu and Mallam Dalhatu Jauri. According to the chairman of the board, the tenure of the Executive...
