Zamfara
APC has never been a political party – ex-PDP chairman
Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, former national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a former governor of Enugu State and currently, a member of the National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the party, in an interview with newsmen says the All Progressive Congress, APC, has never been a political party. Answering questions on a myriad of issues going on in the country, especially with APC, Nwodo said those who are in PDP are very happy with what is happening in APC. According to him, APC was never really a party. There were various political parties that came together to form APC. “They have never merged into one party. Two, the President has not been a party man because when the President is involved in the party, most of the time when there is a crisis and the president steps in,...
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, ...
President Buhari begs Nigerians to be patient with government on insecurity
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to be patient with his government as everything is being put in place to tackle headlong the insecurity in the polity. The President has also approved joint military, police operations to tackle insecurity in North West. President Buhari also called for calm in his home state of Katsina, assuring that security agencies were working to bring the current wave of banditry and killing to a halt. The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in Abuja, Tuesday, observed that violent reactions to the security by citizens could distract the plans already laid out by security agencies, assuring that security forces were capable of stemming both terrorism and banditry. The President ...
Junaid Muhammad: President Buhari, governors lack political will to address security
File Photo The Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Muhammed, has backed the Northern Elders Forum claims that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Northern Governors have lost control of security, saying whosoever it is saddled with the responsibility to secure the country is not in charge. This was as he said the government lacks the political will to deal decisively and flush out the bandits and terrorists to end the attacks and address the security challenges faced by the nation. Dr. Junaid who spoke in a telephone interview also claimed that the bandit’s identities were known but nothing has been done in that regard. In his words, “Whoever is supposed to be in charge of security of this country clearly is not in charge of security. And nobody seems to know who is in charge of security. ...
Thirteen killed in Katsina bandit attacks
Thirteen people died on Friday when villagers fought back against armed cattle thieves in Katsina State where rustling has been on the increase. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Gambo Isah, confirmed this to Channels Television on Saturday. Also speaking to AFP, the PPRO noted that residents of four villages, organised in local militias, took on the livestock rustlers. “Thirteen people were killed and others injured in the process,” Isah said. “We keep telling people who are only armed with muskets and machetes to avoid confrontation with bandits who came with Kalashnikov rifles”. Northwestern Nigeria has been wracked by years of violence between rival communities over land, attacks by heavily-armed criminal gangs and reprisal killings by vigilante groups. Cattle rustling and k...
Official: 400 bandits killed in airstrikes in Katsina, Zamfara
The Defence Headquarters says the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has neutralised no fewer than 200 armed bandits in multiple air strikes in Katsina and Zamfara. The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja said the operations were in continuation of the offensive to rid the country of bandits and other criminal elements. Enenche said that close to 200 bandits were killed in multiple air strikes conducted at Ibrahim Mai’Bai’s Camp in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina and Kurmin Kura in Zurmi in Zamfara on May 22 and May 23. He said the air strikes were executed, following confirmation that the two locations were being used as hideouts for some bandit leaders while also serving as collection points for rustled cat...
Nigeria’s president urges farmers to increase food production
President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Nigerian farmers to increase their food production as Nigeria has ‘no money’ for food importation. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Nigeria has restricted food importation as the country strived to produce a lot of the food it consumes. The country also shut its borders with neighbouring countries, largely to prevent the importation and smuggling of items such as rice, poultry and petrol. The borders are still shut but were also closed to human traffic following the coronavirus pandemic, although smuggling and other illegal activities still go on with the connivance of corrupt security officials. Buhari gave his advice to the farmers while addressing journalists after observing this year’s ‘Eid’ prayer at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Sunda...
Presidency: No discrimination against any state
File Photo The Presidency says no state will suffer any such discrimination in dealing with security and all other matters on account of their political differences with the government at the centre. Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement issued to announce a massive plan by the Ministry of Defence to launch “Operation Accord” in the North West and North Central States. Shehu said the plan, whose arrangements had been concluded, was a major military exercise aimed at flushing out insurgents from the contiguous states of Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and parts of Kebbi State. He said while Tuesday’s Senate resolution was “perfectly in order”, it was important to state that, in his duty as Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari had already approved th...
Ogun confirms 25 new coronavirus cases
The Ogun State government has confirmed 25 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 178. A statement on the official Twitter page of the state government on Wednesday said the 25 patients have been quarantined across the treatment and isolation centres in the state, as contact tracing continues. “As at 20th May, 2020, the NCDC announced that 25 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in Ogun State, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 178.” “The 25 patients have been quarantined across the Treatment and Isolation Centres in the State, as contact tracing continues. “The State has now discharged a total of 69 patients who tested negative to the virus and are now back with their families. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC...
NCDC: Only one coronavirus test conducted in Kogi
No more than one test has been carried out in Kogi State since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Nigeria on February 27. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reports that, as of May 18, 35,983 tests have been carried out across the country, while 5,959 have been confirmed positive for the virus. According to the NCDC update on the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, which was made available on its website, Kogi recorded the lowest number of tests with no confirmed case. This was followed by Cross River State with seven COVID-19 tests conducted but no positive case. Lagos State, which had the highest number of tests at 14,886, also topped the list of confirmed cases at 2,550. Similarly, the Federal Capital Territory was reported to have conducted 4,688 tests and confirmed 418 cases, while ...
NMA: Eight doctors test positive for coronavirus in Zamfara
No fewer than eight doctors are confirmed to have tested positive to coronavirus disease in Zamfara, the state’s branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has said. The NMA Vice-Chairman in the state, Dr Mannir Bature, made the disclosure during a chat with journalists in Gusau on Wednesday. He said: “Out of about 80 confirmed cases recorded so far in the state, 10 per cent are doctors who came into contact with the virus in the line of duty while trying to save lives, especially at emergencies. “We are however happy to note that out of the number, sixty per cent have been discharged from hospital while the remaining are fast responding to treatment,” he said. Dr Bature also said 30 other doctors who came into contact with their infected colleagues went into self-isolation in order t...
Zamfara denies recording 10 new coronavirus cases
Zamfara Government on Tuesday said the figure of 10 new COVID-19 cases in the state announced on Monday by the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) was wrong, as the state had only recorded two new cases. Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, the state Commissioner of Health told newsmen in Gusau that the state government had alerted the NCDC of the error and demanded that it be rectified. “We were shocked and bewildered by this latest figure from the NCDC which said 10 new cases were confirmed when we know it was only two. “Our records have shown that when results from the center returned, we had a total of 76 cases made up of 45 discharged persons, 26 in isolation and five dead, so we didn’t know where NCDC got the additional eight. “We approached the center which could not give a convincing explan...
