*50 Persons Rescued

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Another boat mishap, the second within 5 weeks, has occurred in Niger state taking the lives of 29 travelers.

The incident happened at Gausawa in Malale ward of Borgu local government area of the state.

According to reports, the accident occurred on Tuesday when the boat conveying 90 passengers ran into a tree stump and capsized.

It was learnt that search and rescue operators were able to rescue 50 passengers and recovered 29 corpses from the river.

Two other passengers were said to be missing.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, when contacted confirmed the tragic incident.

Baba Arah said the boat took off from Tungan Sule in Shagunun ward of the local government and was heading to Dugga village.

Baba Arah added that the incident happened yesterday, 2nd September 2025 (Tuesday) at about 11:30am and the cause was attributed to overloading and collision with a tree stump.

He said “search and rescue operations” were still in progress” for possible recovery of the missing persons.

On July 27 this year, a similar accident occurred when a boat carrying 39 passengers from Guni to the weekly Zumba market across the River Kaduna capsized, resulting in the death of 13 passengers while 26 others were rescued.

Those that died in the accident were 8 women 3 men and 2 children.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The police in Minna Niger State have said that no fewer than 30 miners were at the weekend arrested from an illegal mining site in the state capital with several of the illegal miners escaping on seeing the law enforcement agency.

The arrests come almost a week after a mining pit in the state collapsed trapping several people.

The State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement that several items including 69 shovels, 182 head pans, 33 diggers, 38 plastic containers, and one hoe were recovered from the illegal mining site.

Wasiu Abiodun said after the screening of the suspects the minors among them were released while the adults would be charged to court.

Last week and almost one year after the mining pit in Galkogo town of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State collapsed trapping over 50 miners with 8 of them eventually confirmed killed, a similar incident took place at Farindoki in the same local government area claiming the lives of four miners.

While locals claimed four people died, police however confirmed that only two miners, Buhari Kano and Mallam Tasiu both from Kano State were killed in the incident.

It was learnt the collapsed mining pit was operated by the same company where 8 people died last April.

According to eyewitnesses the miners were involved in their illegal business when suddenly it caved in trapping the workers.

The police spokesman has also announced the arrest of two suspects, 20-year-old Abdullahi Sani of Rafin-Daji, Abaji area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, at Gidan-Gwona, and Danlami Bala with a fabricated AK-49 rifle and magazine containing three live 7.62mm caliber of ammunition.

Wasiu Abiodun said the suspects would be charged to court on the completion of investigation.

•Ex-gov visits site, seeks increased education of citizenry, death toll rises to 100 

•NEMA gives relief materials

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Another tragedy was Monday averted in Niger State, barely 48 days after the disastrous incident in Dikko, when a tanker, although ladened with groundnut oil, overturned in Bida town.

Despite the huge loss of lives and property recorded in the Dikko incident in which the death toll has now been officially put at 100, several youths rushed to the collapsed tanker to scoop for its content – the same action that caused the loss of valuable lives and property.

Eyewitnesses told ĚÇĐÄĘÓƵ that a handful of security men around the Yeso area (Bida city centre), where the tanker overturned, managed to keep some of the youths away from the overturned tanker.

The eyewitness said the place, where the tanker overturned was between two petrol filling station, which could have led to a serious disaster.

The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr Kumar Tsukwan, confirmed the incident, describing it as “one accident too many.”

Tsukwan blamed the accident on “our bad roads and overloading of vehicles playing the road”

He explained that his men in conjunction with other security operatives were able to stop people from scooping the content of the overturned tanker, which he confirmed was conveying groundnut oil.

The Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA)  Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, also confirmed the story.

Meanwhile, a former Niger State governor and the senator representing Niger North Senatorial District, Abubakar Sani Bello, has visited the site of last Saturday’s Petrol Tanker explosion and called for increased enlightenment of the populace on the dangers of inflammable materials.

This was as the death toll from the disaster had reached 100, while the National Emergency Management Agency, hasreleased relief materials to relations of the victims.

Bello, who is  Senate Committee Chairman on Foreign Affairs, expressed his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families just as he also described   the incident as “an avoidable tragedy”

Also, the Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA, has now put the death toll in the disaster at 100 with some of the deceased dieing in the hospitals where they were admitted.

The Director General of the Agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, in an update said so far, 69 people had been confirmed injured in the accident while 20 shops were burnt.

The Director General said the Gurara Local Government has been directed to immediately carryout a clean-up of the explosion site in order to make the area habitable saying that the Agency will monitor compliance with the directive

The National Emergency Management Agency NEMA also on Monday delivered  relief materials which included  200 bags, each of both rice and maize, 50 cartons of ground nut oil, 20 bags of salt, 20 cartons of Maggi, 20 cartons of tomatoes paste and medications to relations of the deceased

Mrs Zubaida Umar  Director-General of NEMA, delivered the items saying it was a way of further showing empathy with the relations of the deceased by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the 2023 governorship election in Niger State,  Alhaji Isah Liman Kantigi, has expressed his support for the current governor of the state, Alhaji Muhammed Umaru Bago, in the 2027 governorship poll.

But the PDP leadership in the state, has responded, saying,”Kantigi is on his own”.

Speaking at a virtual press conference, Kantigi who placed second behind Bago in the 2023 governorship election stated emphatically that he would not run for governor in 2027.

He hinged his decision on the performance of the All Progressives Congress APC Governor in the state, saying he should be allowed to complete the good works he has started and therefore urged political leaders in Zone A to unite behind Bago for a second term.

He emphasised the importance of allowing the governor to complete the “significant projects” he has initiated across the state’s local government areas.

“With the emergence of Umaru Bago as governor, he has embarked on an unprecedented array of projects. What he needs now is our prayers and support to fulfill the New Niger Agenda, free from any distractions.” Kantigi declared

But, in a swift reaction the state Chairman of the PDP, Mr Tanko Beji, distanced the party from the remarks of its 2023 governorship candidate.

According to Beji, in a telephone interview, Kantigi “was not speaking for the party and he cannot speak for the party.His opinion is personal”

He said at the appropriate time the PDP would pick its candidate for the governorship election either Kantigi is interested or not, adding that, “He (Kantigi) has aired his view, his view is personal, his view is not that of the party.”

Beji took a swipe at Kantigi for abandoning the party since he lost the last governorship election, saying, “Since the election he (Kantigi) has moved to Dubai. Nobody has said anything.”

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government has blamed the acute shortage of potable water which has lingered for three weeks  in Minna, the state capital, and its environs on the activities of vandals.

However, independent investigations have shown that the state Water Board lacks the needed chemicals purify water to be pumped to its customers.

A public enlightenment statement issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and Dams claimed that vandals have sabotaged some water pipelines and other installations, making it difficult for the board to perform its constitutional duty to the people.

The statement signed for the Commissioner, Water Resources and Dams, Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan Gwagwa, by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Akilu Musa Kuta, “warn vandals and thieves to stay away from government water property, as the government will no longer tolerate any act of sabotage.”

It stressed that “the government will henceforth not hesitate to prosecute those found wanting.

“The public is hereby informed that the state government will monitor and keep surveillance of its property, inventory and water stocks,” but cautioned those in the act to desist, as the government will not shield them.

The statement did not state where the vandals operated and destroyed water installations but submitted that the “state water revitalization programme has resuscitated and repaired broken pipes, maintained both water transmission and distribution network, in order to bring water to households, marketplaces, farms and small enterprises, as well as improve the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project for the masses across the state.”

Independent investigation, however, revealed that absence of water treatment chemicals was responsible for the inability of the board to perform its role to the public.

According to the investigations, “Contractors are owed huge sums of money resulting in their refusal to supply the chemicals to the board until outstanding debts are settled.

“We have been expecting supply from our contractors for three weeks but they are yet to supply us,” a senior official of the state water board said on the condition of anonymity.

“Even the skeletal services we are rendering have been stopped,” the official said, adding that: “We are expecting money from the state government.

“Following the development, water vendors are now making brisk business as a truckload of twenty gallons now sell for between N1,000 and N1,500 depending on the location in the city.”

The vendors claimed that borehole owners from where they fetch water were charging them not less than N800 for each truck load.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Bugged by the increasing number of pensioners and the amount paid as pensions and gratuities, the Niger State Government has begun the verification of all pensioners in the state and local government services.

So far, the government had in the last 8 months paid N5.5 billion to retirees in the state and local government areas with nearly 2,200 retirees benefiting.

Findings revealed that 9 batches of pensioners of the state civil service were paid with batches 8 and 9 receiving their full entitlements while two batches from the local governments were paid their full pension.

Despite the payments it was gathered that the bills have continued to rise making it almost difficult for the Pension Board to meet its obligations to the huge number of retirees.

As a result, the Pension Board has directed a screening of all retirees under a programme tagged “Am Alive” verification.

Under the scheme, according to a memo sent to the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners NUP Niger State Chapter, each retiree is to present himself physically twice a year at any commercial bank for data capturing as an assurance that the pensioner is still alive.

According to the memo signed by the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the State Pension Board, Alhaji Nasiru Saidu Namaska, the “Exercise will be conducted twice a year at intervals of six months

“To ensure a seamless process the board will collaborate with all commercial banks and provide any necessary support to make the exercise convenient for the retirees”

Confirming the authentication of the memo, the Director General said the step was taken because ” Next of Kins” of deceased civil servants have always failed to report the death of their parents to the board thereby continuing to draw the pension of those concerned since they have access to the bank accounts of the departed worker

This development, Namaska said, has made it impossible for names of deceased pensioners to be deleted from the pension pay roll and new pensioners enlisted.

The director general said the biometrics of the pensioners will be captured and the bank will transfer such information to the board adding that only those whose information are transmitted from the banks will receive their pensions.

He added that special arrangements have been made for both the sick or retirees that are outside the country for adequate and seamless participation in the exercise.

Namaska maintained that the verification ” will give chance to new entrants and also reduce monthly liability”

ĚÇĐÄĘÓƵ on Monday observed that many retirees thronged the commercial banks in Minna the state capital for the verification.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN has said the much sort-after change in the country can be speedily achieved through the education of the girl child.

Chairman of the Association, Most Reverend Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, made this known in a presentation at the Conference of Traditional and Religious Leaders on the Significance of Girls Education in the North Central Geo political Zone of the country, held in Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday.

Reverend Yohanna submitted that girls’ education is also “a beacon of hope that illuminates the path towards a more equitable and prosperous future for all”.

He added: “It is through education that we break-down barriers, challenge stereotypes and build a world where every girl is valued, respected and given the chance to fulfill her potentials”.

The clergyman therefore admonished Nigeria and Nigerians “to continue to champion girls’ education as a cornerstone of progress and a cornerstone of a brighter tomorrow”.

He said as traditional and religious leaders their influences are also crucial in shaping attitudes towards girls’ education within their communities, adding that “they hold the power to challenge harmful stereotypes and advocate for policies that promote gender equality.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, in an address also stressed the need for the Girl Child to be given equal opportunity with her male counterpart to pursue her education to any level adding that marriage and religion should not debar the girl child’s education.

Alhaji Abubakar commended the developmental strides of the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Umaru Bago, saying, “within a short time he has transformed the state” and also “turned the state to a whole construction site”.

Governor Bago in his speech disclosed that the state government has introduced a foreign scholarship scheme for female students to study Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing and Engineering.

Bago also revealed that women have been introduced into tractor operation under the governments food production scheme adding that not less than 1000 women are now tractor operators.

The event witnessed presentations by girls from public primary and secondary schools in Minna

*Procures 200 new ones

Laleye Dipo in Minna

In a bid to improve electricity supply to parts of Niger State, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has committed to his administration overhauling 600 defective electricity transformers of different capacities.

Speaking on Wednesday at the flag off of the “Bago Electrifying Niger State” project, the governor said already 60 of the transformers have been repaired.

The governor explained that the state which is hosting four hydro-electric dams in Nigeria “cannot continue to depend completely on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), for the repairs or procurement of transformers”.

He disclosed that about 200 transformers procured by his administration are set for distribution to “deserving communities” which he believed would boost their economies.

Bago also disclosed that the government had paid over N1 billion debt owed to the AEDC after which the government “established a partnership that would ensure Nigerlites enjoy consistent power supply with AEDC.”

He urged both the AEDC and the benefiting communities to protect the transformers before appreciating the company in charge of the transformers for doing a good job so far.

The Director General, Niger State Electricity Board, Alhaji Yakubu Mohammed Katamba, said the project, which is in line with the “New Niger Agenda” of the present administration is aimed at reducing the cost of procuring new transformers by about 80 percent and saved the state N20 billion.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State agricultural revolution under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has received a big boost following the decision of a Chinese firm to invest over N1.094 trillion in the recently established Special Agro- Industrial Processing Zone in Minna, the state capital.

The Commissio    ner for Commerce and Investment Alhaji Aminu Sulaiman Takuma who disclosed this at the signing of the agreement and it’s groundbreaking in Minna at the weekend said the investment is one of the positives from the recently held Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which he described as “a major breakthrough in the state’s efforts to boost its economy and create job opportunities for about five thousand women and youths”.

According to him, “We have taken a significant step towards transforming the agricultural sector through a partnership with Chinese investors and have secured an investment worth $684 million (N1.094 trillion) in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) from China Overseas Engineering Group Company Limited (COVEC) and China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC)”.

 Takuma added that the scheme will transform the agricultural sector in the state into “an internationally competitive sector across Africa”.
The project he said will “focus on high-potential commodities” thereby   promoting increased productivity, value addition, market access, and private sector investment”

In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, said the project is expected to revolutionize the agricultural landscape by stimulating socio-economic growth and development in the state.

Usman added that, “with the support of COVEC and CREC, Niger State is not only poised to become a model for agricultural transformation in Nigeria, but will attract significant investments from local and international partners.

“The program will boost agricultural productivity and make the state a hub for agro-industrial processing and generate thousands of employment opportunities for locals”.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government is soon to unveil a one-year entrepreneurial training for civil servants retiring from the service.

The State Head of Service Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Idris disclosed this in Minna at the weekend at a birthday party Organised in his honour by friends and relations.

Sadiq said the plan is to expose the retiring civil servants to gainful projects they can fall back on after leaving the service.

He explained the entrepreneurship programme “will offer a comprehensive one-year preparatory course in entrepreneurship for civil servants nearing the end of their careers adding that the initiative is also aimed at “smoothening the transition from public service to private enterprise, ensuring financial stability and continued productivity post-retirement”.

“Our civil servants have dedicated their lives to the betterment of Niger State. It is our duty to ensure they are well-prepared for the next chapter of their lives,” Sadiq said.

He declared: “The programme will equip public servants with the skills and confidence to embark on entrepreneurial ventures, contributing to both their personal well-being and the state’s economic growth” before also emphasizing that the initiative is in alignment with the state government’s broader goals of fostering economic development and reducing dependence on public sector employment.

Sadiq urged civil servants in the State to exhibit values such as “integrity, dedication to duty and loyalty in the discharge of their responsibilities”.

The Permanent Secretaries, Public Service Office and that of Establishment, Dr. Joseph Kolo James and Hajia Aisha T. Usman praised the celebrant   for his reliability, simplicity, accommodation as well as selfless service to humanity.

They described the appointment of Abubakar Sadiq Idris as the Head of Service by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago as a “testimony to his capacity to reposition civil service for optimum productivity and also add value to the New Niger Agenda of the present administration.

Until his appointment as Head of Service, Alhaji Sadiq Idris was the Permanent Secretary, General Services, office of the Secretary to the State Government SSG.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Confusion reigns supreme as over 4,000 political appointees in Niger State stormed the Government House in Minna for the verification of their appointments.

The verification of the letters of appointments followed the discovery of equal number of ghost political appointees on the payroll of the government.

The state Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, according to findings, personally discovered the inflation of the number of appointees he made and therefore asked for the verification. The appointments were said to have been increased from 3,000 to 8,000 appointees.

As a result of the insertion of ghost appointees on the payment voucher it was learnt that the government must have lost close to N1.6billion monthly which made the governor to raise the eyebrow and asked for the investigation.

The verification is being conducted by the man the governor put in charge of the issuance of appointment letters to the appointees.

Each of the appointees was asked to present his/her letter of appointments, their BVNs as well as the last bank payment slip.

When the auditing started last Wednesday, it was a rowdy session at the government house, a development that made the Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, to intervene by  urging the “appointees” to remain patient and go through the exercise with decorum.

However, when the man in charge of the verification, Kabiru Shehu, appeared at the government house, he was booed and was almost lynched but for the intervention of government house security.

The verification was therefore abruptly stopped without any notification of when the exercise will recommence.

The Special Adviser Political and Strategy  to Governor Bago, Alhaji Nma Kolo, confirmed to ĚÇĐÄĘÓƵ that auditing of political appointees was directed because of the inflation in their numbers.

Assuring them that salaries of the appointees will be paid as soon as they are verified, Nma Kolo said the exercise was necessitated by some civil servants also collecting salaries of political appointees.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

At least 14 bodies out of the 150 passengers declared missing when a boat conveying 300 passengers capsised in the River Niger on Tuesday have been recovered.

The bodies were recovered by local divers drafted to the river for search and rescue operation Initially 150 passengers in the ill-fated boat were rescued alive.

The boat was said to be conveying its passengers from  Mundi community in Mokwa local government after they celebrated the religious festival of Maulud Nabiyyi at Gbajibo village.

It was claimed that a top religious leader from one of the communities in the area was in the capsised boat.

But the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Hussaini told ĚÇĐÄĘÓƵ that: “ For now we are not concerned about the calibre of people, what we  are concerned about now is how to rescue those remaining from the river.” 

It was, however, gathered that majority of those in the capsised boat were from Kwara state.

The Public Relations Officer of the N-Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission(N-HYPPADEC), Alhaji Nura Tanko said officials of the commission have been drafted from Bida to Mokwa to join in the rescue operation. 

Adding that the Managing Director Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa will be in Mokwa  today to assess the situation 

The circumstances surrounding the capsize of the boat are still unknown but it was believed to be associated with overloading.

The boat reportedly capsised at about 8.30pm on Tuesday upstream Jebba dam on the River Niger .

According to a statement by the  Director General of the NSEMA made available to newsmen yesterday, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, local divers have succeeded in rescuing alive150 of the 300 passengers.

“Thanks to the prompt response from the community volunteers,  over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far” Baba Arah said adding: “The search and rescue operation is still ongoing to locate more survivors.”

“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, and Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee,” Baba Arah said.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

At least 14 Bodies out of the 150 passengers declared missing when a boat conveying 300 passengers capsized in the River Niger on Tuesday night have been recovered.
The bodies were recovered by local divers drafted to the river for Search and rescue operation.”
Initially, 150 passengers in the ill-fated boat were rescued.
The boat was said to be conveying it’s passengers from Mundi community in
Mokwa local government after they celebrated the religious festival of Maulud Nabiyyi at Gbajibo village.
It was claimed that a top religious leader from one of the communities in the area was in the capsized boat though the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA, Ibrahim Hussaini told ThISDAY that: ” For now we are not concerned about the calibre of people, what we are concerned about now is how to rescue those remaining from the river”.
It was however gathered that majority of those in the capsized boat were from Kwara state.
The Public Relations Officer of the N- Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC, Alhaji Nura Tanko said officials of the Commission have been drafted from Bida to Mokwa to join in the rescue operation, adding that the Managing Director Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa will be in Mokwa on Thursday to assess the situation.
The circumstances surrounding the accident are still unknown but it was believed to be associated with overloading.
The boat reportedly capsized at about 8.30pm on Tuesday upstream Jebba Dam on River Niger .
According to a statement by the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency NSEMA made available to newsmen on Wednesday morning (today), Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, local divers have succeeded in rescuing 150 of the 300 passengers.
“Thanks to the prompt response from the community volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far,” Baba Arah said, adding that: “The search and rescue operation are still ongoing to locate more survivors.”
“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, and Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee,” Baba Arah said.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

In what can be described as an independence Day Tragedy, no fewer than 150 passengers in a boat carrying over 300 passengers are feared dead when the boat capsized on River Niger Tuesday night.
The boat was conveying the passengers from Mundi community in Mokwa local government, area of Niger State after they celebrated the religious festival of Maulud Nabiyyi at Gbajibo village.
Circumstances surrounding the accident are still unknown but it’s believed to be associated with overloading.
The boat reportedly capsized at about 8.30pm on Tuesday upstream Jebba Dam on River Niger.
According to a statement by the Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba, Arah, local divers succeeded in rescuing alive 150 of the 300 passengers.
“Thanks to the prompt response from the community volunteers, over 150 persons have been rescued alive so far”, Baba Arah said, adding, “The search and rescue operation is still ongoing to locate more survivors.”
“NSEMA is directing and monitoring search and rescue operations in collaboration with the State Ministry of Transport, and Mokwa Local Government Emergency Committee” Baba Arah said.

*60.55% of candidates passed with 5 credits and above, including English, Mathematics

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The National Examination Council NECO, on Thursday in Minna, Niger State released the results of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination it conducted 55 days ago.
The result showed that 828,284 candidates passed with five credits and above including English and Mathematics which represented 60.55% of the 1,367,736 candidates that sat for the examination.
Releasing the result the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Council Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushsihi disclosed that 1,147,597 candidates recorded five credits and above irrespective of English and mathematics.
Professor Wushsihi further disclosed that 8,437 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractices as against 22,030 in 2023.
He disclosed that during the conduct of the examination, 40 schools were found to have been involved in “Whole School (Mass) cheating in 17 states
“They (schools) will be invited to the Council for discussion after which appropriate sanctions will be applied,” Wushsihi declared.
He however declared that “One school in Ekiti was recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in 2 core subjects and 01 Science Subject”.
In addition, the Registrar disclosed that 21 Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision,aiding and abetting abscondment, extortion, drunkenness and negligence in 12 states.
A total of 1,376,423 candidates were registered for the examination with 706,950 being males and 669,473 females with 2267 of them being candidates with Special needs.
Wushsihi asked candidates that sat for the examination to check their results on NECO website.

• Ask govt to listen to the cries of the people

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Former Military Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar on Tuesday in Minna Niger State took a critical look at the condition of living of Nigerians concluding that: “The hardship in the land is getting out of control.
“Everybody is crying of this hardship and it seems to be getting out of control, people cannot afford three square meals, the issue of transportation, the hike in fuel, the hike in school fees for the children and the lack of funds in everybody’s pocket is making life difficult for everybody”.

General Abubakar made the remarks in his residence when he received the leadership of the Campaign for Democracy and Human Rights led by Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi who paid him a birthday visit during which they asked him (Abubakar) to prevail on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to find solution to the hunger in the land.

General Abubakar said: “We will continue to encourage the government to introduce measures to soften the hardship” adding that ” the federal states and local governments should see how they can cushion this economic hardship”.

The former military Head of State said he belongs to a forum that had made recommendations to the federal government on the way out for the economic hardship in the land.

Said he: “I will like to intimate you that in some of the proposals we have given to government on another platform, (He did not mention the platform) that giving palliatives is not the answer to the high prices of food and other items in the country.”

He said, “There is need for government to flood and saturate the communities with food, let them (government) buy food and sell it at lesser prices to the people so that people will try to buy some of these food items depending on their pockets/ income.

“We have passed these recommendations to the government, we hope they will implement it”.

On the planned #Endbadgovernance protest slated for 1st of October, he appealed to Nigerians to maintain peace, adding, “For God sake, when you demonstrate do it peacefully”.

He recalled that in the last demonstration, “We saw unnecessary, uncalled for carnage, theft and criminalities,” adding that “people instead of demonstrating went about looting even private houses, private individuals suffered in the hands of the demonstrators

“If at all we are going to demonstrate, let us know this is why we are demonstrating, let us not inflict hardship on fellow Nigerians.”

To the government, General Abubakar said it should listen to the demonstrators, stressing that, “You cannot beat a child and prevent it from crying.”

Earlier, the leader of the delegation Comrade Abdullahi Jabi said that they were at his residence to rejoice with him on the celebration of his birthday and prayed for long life and good health for him.

Jabi solicited the support of the former Nigerian leader for the implementation of some of its programmes, especially in the area of mobilization of Nigerians for active participation in governance.

He drew the attention of their host to the prevailing hunger in the land and urged him to help prevail on the federal government to solve the problem.

Laleye Dipo In Minna

Three former Nigerian rulers met behind closed doors in Minna Niger state on Sunday.
The trio are former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar
At the meeting which took place at the uphill residence of General Babangida was former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau.
The trio were earlier reported to be waiting for former President Obasanjo at the IBB mansion.
Details of the meeting were not known but it was speculated to be around the security situation in the country and the refusal of the Peoples Democratic Party to sign a Peace Accord ahead of the Edo governorship election.
It was gathered that the meeting lasted about two hours after which former President Obasanjo returned to Abuja.
Obasanjo had arrived the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Airport at about 4.30pm in a Gulfstream 5 aircraft and
departed in the same aircraft at about 6.30pm.
He was received at the airport by some protocol officers from the Niger State Government House.
The Niger state government provided the vehicles that took the former president to the IBB’s residence and back to the airport.
The same protocol officials also saw him off at about 7pm.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State Police Commissioner, Mr. Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman has put his officers and men on ” Red Alert” with few months to the end of the year.

Danmammam also asked the public to be extra security conscious and report suspicious situations to the police and other security agencies for immediate intervention during the period.

The police commissioner made the remarks in a statement made available to newsmen in Minna with the caption: “Niger State Police Command Strategizes and Beef Up Security for Ember Months,2024”.

The statement signed by the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Wasiu Abiodun, noted that the directive is because “The months of September to December are customarily known and referred to as “Ember Months” and usually associated with an upsurge in social, economic and political activities culminating in the rise in human and vehicular movement.

The statement read: “This unfortunately also culminates in increased crimes as armed robbery, house/shop breaking, theft of vehicles, traffic violations and other related anti-social behaviour”.

As a result, the statement said, the Police Commissioner has directed Area Commanders, Tactical Commanders and DPOs to emplace robust crime preventive measures and ensure effective visibility policing with adequate community/stakeholders’ engagement for intelligence gathering and responsive policing as mean of proactiveness within the Ember months to ensure safety of lives and property.”

According to the statement an Operation Order for the season had been drawn and adequate number of police personnel mobilised, and alerted across the state with effective deployment of Operation Flush and other operational assets of the Command to different strategic locations within the major cities of the State to tackle prospective urban crime.

Meanwhile the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC Niger State Command has apprehended two people for allegedly vandalizing electric cables at the Niger Farm in Bida.

State Commandant of the Corp Mr. Adamu Abdullahi Kambara who disclosed this in a statement made available to the press in Minna did not disclose the names of the suspects but said they are currently undergoing interrogation pending when they will be charged to court.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

With 40 % of the total cattle in West Africa and over 150 million livestock, Nigeria can generate over N150billion annually from its export if the new Ministry of Livestock Development is well handled, a Senator in the 9th National Assembly from Niger State, Senator Bima Enagi has said.

Senator Bima emphasised that export of livestock “can be the game changer” the nation needs to diversify from oil.

Addressing newsmen in Minna, Niger State on Monday, Senator Bima lauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for establishing the livestock ministry saying that the policy will not only reduce to the barest minimum frictions between herders and farmers but be “the game changer” the country needs in its drive for foreign exchange”.

Bima lamented that the country has not been able to participate in the livestock export sector and continues to import meat, skins and other dairy products largely due to lack of right policies, laws, and investment in the sector which the new ministry will correct.

Bima explained that he realised the importance of the livestock sector especially in the area of revenue generation and provision of protein to the people which was why he sponsored the Bill – “National Livestock Identification and Management Bureau Bill” – in the 9th Assembly which scaled through the 1st and 2nd readings.

He regretted that during the public hearing the then Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development and its agencies raised some “misplaced concerns” that halted the progress of the Bill.

“It is therefore inspiring and reassuring to see the bold steps being taken by our visionary President to frontally address the longstanding challenges in the livestock sector and promote an efficient and sustainable sector.”

Bima said: “If knowledgeable, experienced and practical people are put to head the ministry, the sector will provide more job opportunities, improve the welfare of livestock farmers, prevent cattle rustling and clashes between farmers and herders, and also address food safety concerns and animal health.”

In addition, he submitted that the ministry will provide international market access, provide database of animals (from birth to the table) and on the macro level as well as diversify the economy.

Bima however suggested that: “There is an urgent need to create cattle grazing paths that will make this country the giant of Africa which we claim to be particularly in the agricultural sector”.

The senator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “for the bold steps he has taken so far to reposition the national economy” and pleaded for support of Nigerians for the administration for the sustenance of democracy.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

No less than 48 people have been confirmed killed in a petrol tanker explosion that took place on Sunday afternoon along Lapai- Agaie road in Niger state.
50 cows were also burnt in the incident that occured when the petrol tanker collided with a truck loaded with travelers.
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) which confirmed the incident in a statement said the truck was carrying some people and cattle from Wudil in Kano state to Lagos.
The statement said two other vehicles, a crane and a pick-up, van were also burnt in the accident.
According to NSEMA, men of its rapid response team have been despatched to the scene to “conduct search and rescue operation” adding that it believed that more corpses are still trapped inside the trucks.
The statement said the 48 corpses recovered had been given mass burial in Agaie town.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Commander Training and Doctrine Command TRADOC of the Nigerian Army, Major General Kevin Aligbe, has emphasised the need for regular training of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces to put them in proper perspective to combat insurgency in the country.

Major General Aligbe made the remark in Minna on Tuesday at the beginning of a leadership training workshop organised for military personnel from various formations in the country.

He noted also that training of the personnel was also necessary to ensure their effective service delivery.

His words: “TRADOC, as the training arm of the Nigerian Army, is dedicated to the continuous training and retraining of personnel. The command would not relent in its mandate of imparting knowledge to its personnel and equipping them to address the current security challenges facing the country”.

Major General Aligbe therefore urged the participants to apply the knowledge gained from the workshop to combat current security challenges, assuring them that they would be better equipped for future operations

In his address, the Chief of Doctrine and Combat Development at TRADOC, Major General Jamiu Jimoh, highlighted the objective of the workshop to include providing effective tools and strategies for team management, aimed at enhancing decision-making abilities in military leadership.

Major General Jamiu Jimoh who was represented by Major General Anthony Obiwulu, Director of Doctrine, noted that the workshop would further assist commanders at all levels in leading their subordinates effectively during military engagements while fostering cohesion for better operational outcomes.

“Let me quickly remind us that effective and pragmatic leadership is essential for the success of any military operation within a joint environment

“It is therefore important for us as seasoned officers of the Nigerian Army to imbibe the spirit of good leadership towards our subordinates, both in peace and war, to achieve positive outcomes in our operations,” he added.

Major General Jimoh also reflected on the Nigerian Army’s experiences in combating insurgency over the past decade, noting that the workshop would not only expose participants to effective and visionary leadership but also better position and equip them for future training and operations.

The workshop themed “Enhancing Doctrine and Combat Development in the Nigerian Army for Effective Leadership in a Joint Environment,” is designed to enhance the leadership skills and capacities of Nigerian Army personnel operating within a joint environment.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Judicial Service Commission (NSJSC)  has dismissed three officials of the judiciary and demoted one other for alleged misconduct.

Those  dismissed are: Mohammed Abubakar, Ahmed Usman and Usman Isah, while Fatima Sambo was demoted by two grade levels. Their dismissals were contained in a  statement signed by the Secretary, NSJSC,  Hajiya Hauwa Kulu Isah,  a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Minna.

 According to the statement, the dismissal was as result of acts of serious misconduct in contravention of provision 58 of the Commission’s regulations.  

The three dismissed staff one of them who is a traditional title holder in Nupe land, Mohammed Abubakar (Galadiman Raba Nupe) according to Hajiya Kulu Isah, “was found culpable under regulation 58 (1) (1) (111) and (v) for disobedience of lawful orders (i.e refusing to proceed on transfer and absent from duty from November 2023, till date without leave or reasonable cause).

“In his response to a query by the commission, he admitted to being a personal assistant to a traditional ruler for some years now.”

The statement  read in part:  â€śThe NSJSC in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the1999 Constitution (as amended), has at its 143rd emergency meeting held on the 22nd  of August 2024, dismissed three staff and demoted one other under the provisions of Regulations 72 and 73 of the Commission’s Regulations 2018.

“The three dismissed staff who are all from the High Court division are: Mohammed Abubakar (Galadiman Raba Nupe), Ahmed Usman, and Usman Isah,while Fatima Sambo was demoted by two grade levels.

“The dismissal of the three staff  was as a result of acts amounting to serious misconduct in contravention of Regulation 58 of the Commissions Regulations.

“The Commission found their actions highly reprehensible and a serious misconduct”

According to the statement Ahmed Usman, a senior registrar at the probate department, was indicted for gross misconduct and misappropriation. He was found to have misappropriated funds to the tune of over N600,000 by an investigating committee.

“This action contravened the provision of regulation 58 (1) (III) (V) & (VI).

“Usman Isah, a principal registrar, II attached to Magistrate Court 3, Minna, was found guilty of being absent from duty without leave or reasonable cause, under regulation 58 (1) (III). He was found to have abandoned from his duty post for over six  months.

“Fatima Sambo, a senior registrar at the probate department, was found guilty of negligent conduct and misappropriation of probate funds by an investigating committee.

“The commission reiterated its resolve to apply appropriate sanctions against erring staff to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary and maintain public confidence in the system,” the  statement said.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Niger State acting Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has said the 13 Maigiro villagers in Shiroro Local Government, who lost their lives last week were not  killed by bandits at the Internally Displaced People’s Camp.

Garba made the clarification in the village at the weekend after attending a 3-day prayer for the repose of the souls of the deceased.

The clarification, Yakubu said, was necessitated by the claims that  bandits attacked and killed the villagers at the IDP Camp, insisting that there was no attack on the camp, so no one was killed there.

Narrating how the 13 victims died, the acting governor said the deceased along with others returned to their ancestral homes  from the IDP Camp for farming purposes “unfortunately they met their untimely death in the hands of the bandits.”

Garba also said the state government was doing everything possible to return peace to Shiroro and other areas where bandits have held sway assuring them that very soon, government’s efforts would start yielding fruits.

He conceded that  insecurity was affecting the outcome of the Agricultural Revolution of the present administration in the state despite the huge investment, as farmers were being chased out of their communities by bandits.

“We have a target but we are yet to meet that target, until we eradicate banditry  in every nook and crannies of our communities the government will not rest,” he said, adding that, “We are yet to meet this target and expectations but we are determined to meet it.”

Garba said some progress had been made in the fight against banditry, and that, “In the last two years, one cannot cross to Kuta, which is the headquarters of Shiroro local government without a second thought, but now people  go beyond Kuta to as far as Zumba and other adjoining communities.

“Government is doing everything humanly possible to change the narratives and break the pool of insecurity in the state, particularly in areas bedevilled by banditry,” he submitted.

He also used the opportunity to appeal to the federal government to intervene by bringing back the military withdrawn from Allawa community  five months ago, saying the restoration of the military base  would enable members of the community  go back to their normal ways of life.

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has supported the plan of the state government to tackle the Almajiri menace in the state.

The monarch gave the backing when a committee set up by the stated Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, to handle the problem paid him a visit at the Wadata Palace in Bida.

According to the Etsu Nupe, the task ahead of the committee “is enormous and requires commitment and dedication because of the large number of people involved.”

Alhaji Abubakar said attempt in the past to control and regulate the Almajiri system failed due to lack of proper mechanism put in place and inadequate funding, before charging the present administration not to fall into the same pit.

He conceded that  children “are entitled to seek Islamic knowledge anywhere, but the practice of knowledge by children should be controlled and not allowed to roam the streets begging.

“These children spend quarter of their time begging instead of seeking knowledge, we and the authority are very concerned, this trend must be corrected appropriately.”

The traditional ruler, therefore, advised that the government initiative meant to address issues of Almajiri should be implemented directly from the office of the governor for close monitoring and supervision.

The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Shuaibu Gwada, in an address said the system meant for the children to seek knowledge unfortunately has become a problem over the years due to neglect and proper care for the children.

Shuaibu Gwada said: “It is regrettable the number of children roaming the streets rather than seeking knowledge in its true sense has continued to rise to the extent that they now pose serious social and  security challenges to the country because they can easily be lured and recruited by hoodlums and bandits to cause mayhem in the land.”

He said the committee has already met with the Ulamas “because they are the one from the grass roots and they will carry the message so that the issue of Almajiri would be addressed at once for the benefit of society.”

Laleye Dipo in Minna

A 400 level student of the Department of Animal Production Oluwaseyi David Adebayo has died hiking in Minna.

Oluwaseyi Adebayo was said to have gone on the hiking expedition with some of his colleagues on August 10 when the incident happened.

It was gathered that the deceased slipped from a hill and landed in a fish pond where he died.

ĚÇĐÄĘÓƵ learnt that the locals in the area where Adebayo died refused to release the corpse until some rituals are performed to avert similar occurrence for 7 other people.

The University authority was said to have refused to accede the request but later some concerned people saved the situation by paying the required amount and provided a white ram for the sacrifice.

The Public Relations Officer of the University Mrs Lydia Legbo when contacted after 4 days said the university was not aware of the development.

However the Student Union Government of the institution while confirming the incident in a statement titled “Condolence Message”, said, “We regret to announce the Passing of Oluwaseyi David, a 400Level Student from the department of Animal Production (SAAT), who died earlier today during an Hiking Event with his Level mates near the Talba Dam in GK Off-campus”

“Our Prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved. We pray God grant them the Fortitude to bear this Irreplaceable Loss and May the Gentle Soul of Oluwaseyi David rest in Perfect Peace”.
The message by Comrade Moshood Abdulwarris Olamide Olamide, the Student Union Government Public Relations officer said the University Management “has warned Students to avoid any form of Outdoor Events near waterways and also Swimming in water bodies of undefined depth.