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Tag: Borno State

  • Borno PDP crisis deepens, as faction suspends legal adviser, others

    The crisis rocking the Borno chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took another twist on Monday with a faction suspending the state deputy chairman, Alhaji Bunu Satomi and the legal adviser, Mr Abdu Jidda from the party.

    A faction led by Satomi had last week suspended the state chairman, Alhaji Zannah Gaddama, for anti-party activities.

    But Mr Amos Adziba, the state publicity secretary of the party, said in a statement in Maiduguri on Monday that the action was null and void.

    Adziba said that an extraordinary meeting of the party had also suspended Satomi and Jidda from the party.

    “The meeting today which was summoned by the state secretary on the directive of the state chairman and had in attendance the state chairman, secretary, members of the state working committee.

    “The meeting also had in attendance the 27 local government chairmen and other stakeholders in accordance with sections 35 and 36 of our party constitution.

    “We resolved as follows; that Satomi is hereby suspended as the state deputy chairman, Mr Peter Sabo to replace and oversee the office affairs of his office pending investigation.

    “The Jidda is hereby suspended and replace by Mr Ali Azur with effect from now and to oversee the office affairs of the legal officer pending the investigation,” Adziba said.

    He also announced the suspension of four other members of the party who took part in the meeting that suspended Gaddama from the party.

    “We urge party supporters to remain calm and be law abiding as this decision was not taken based on ignorance or prejudice but in accordance with the constitution of the party as we are bent on ensuring the party remains in good shape,” Adziba said.

  • Zulum swears in 19 new Commissioners

    Zulum swears in 19 new Commissioners

    Gov.  Babagana Zulum of Borno on Monday swore in 19 new Commissioners.

    The swearing-in comes two months after Zulum dissolved the State Executive Council ahead of the All Progressives Congress primaries.

    The Chief Judge of Borno, Justice Kashim Zanna administered the oath of office on the Commissioners through the representation of a High Court Judge, Justice Fadawu Umaru.

    The event also witnessed the swearing-in of a new permanent secretary, Alhaji Abu Abadam, a senior director at the ministry of water resources.

    The governor urged the new officials to exhibit exemplary leadership and diligence in the running of government affairs.

    He called on them to give him good advice to move the state forward.

    He said all commissioners should form working relationships with their permanent secretaries.

    He said the commissioners should hold regular meetings with stakeholders in their ministries and forward resolutions and recommendations to him through the office of the SSG.

    He urges them to take the lead in promoting punctuality at work reminding them that office hours remained 8 am to 4 pm except on Fridays when work ends at noon.

  • 20 missing Chibok Girls still in Sambisa Forest – Rescued girls

    Mary Dauda and Hauwa Joseph, the two rescued girls abducted from the GGSS Chibok in Borno in 2014, have revealed that more than 20 missing others are still in Gazuwa camp in Sambisa Forest, eight years after being kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.

    Gazuwa camp is  acclaimed Headquarters of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, Boko Haram faction, formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari, located about 9 kilometres to Bama Local Government Area of Borno.

    They disclosed this while interacting with newsmen on Tuesday in Maiduguri,  at a news conference at the Command and Control Centre Maimalari Cantonment.

    Marry Dauda, who recounted her experience in the hands of the insurgents, said she could still vividly recall her compulsory marriage eight years ago after she was abducted at the age of 18 years.

    Dauda said that she walked through the deadly forest for many days before she found help.

    Like the others conscripted by the militants, she had been told that she would be hunted down and killed if she deserted.

    She said “I took excuse from Malam Ahmed, that I will be visiting my relative from Chibok in the town of Ngoshe and he gave me one week. That is when I began my journey for freedom.

    “I left Sabil Huda, popularly known as the camp of Abubakar Shekau and proceeded towards Njimiya and Parisu, where I met some of the Mujahedeens. They asked where I was going to and I told them I was given permission to visit my sister in Ngoshe.

    “I finally arrived Gava village in Gwoza, after walking for many hours through the deadly forest under hardship condition. I asked some people to direct me to the home of daughter of Chibok.

    “After meeting her, I told her of my plans to return home, she told me she had wanted to come with me but her husband has placed her on strict surveillance for attempting to run. I then left her and proceeded toward Ngoshe town.

    “On my way, I met an old man who promised to help me to escape. But he told me that it won’t be possible in the afternoon untill the sun had set. At about 8 p.m., he took me to Ngoshe town and told me to pass the night in the outskirt of the town and proceed the next morning.

    “When the day broke, I took myself to some soldiers where I was rescued with my baby,” she said.

    On her part, Hauwa Joseph said she was forcefully married to Amir Abbah, Commander of Boko Haram (Munzul), at Gazuwa camp who was later killed during an encounter with the troops of the Nigerian Army.

    She said that she voluntarily escaped from the camp of the terrorists during massive incursion of the troops of the Nigerian army into their camp in Gazuwa on June 12.

    Joseph said as people were running the same direction where the sect members are hiding women and Children, she took a seperate route to escape from the terrorists camp.

    She said on her way, she met with some of the insurgents who asked her where she was going, but she tricked them and told them that she was following some women to hide in the nearby forest.

    “I slept under the tree with my child, then proceeded the next day untill I arrived the road where I approached a military check point. Initially, they thought I was a suicide bomber, but when I explained my self, they took me along with them.

    She thanked the military for rescuing her, saying that she hoped other girls still in the camps of the terrorists would be rescued.

    Maj. Gen. Christopher Musa, The Theartre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai North East Joint Operation, said that both girls were among the list of the missing Chibok girls.

    Musa said that the girls were rescued due to a massive military operation in Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountain, and the Lake Chad area.

    “We are putting more efforts to ensure that the rest of the girls are rescued through the ongiong Operation Lake and Desert Sanity,” he said.

    Also, Major General Waidi Shuaibu, The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Army, said the girls were rescued between June 12 and 14, around Bama and Gwoza general area.

    Shuaibu said the girls had received necessary medical attention and would be handed over to the appropriate authorities shortly.

    Boko Haram kidnapped 276 female students, aged between 16 and 18 from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.

    Over 100 of the girls were still missing as at April 14, 2021, seven years after the initial kidnapping.

  • Abducted wife of Niger APC chairman rescued by police in Borno

    Abducted wife of Niger APC chairman rescued by police in Borno

    The Borno Police Command says its operatives have rescued Habiba Baffa, the abducted wife of Usman Baffa, Chairman, All Progressives Congress, (APC), Magama Local Government chapter in Niger.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abdu Umar, confirmed the rescue while handing over the victim to her family in Maiduguri on Thursday.

    Umar said that Mrs Baffa was abducted from her home in the Tunga area of Minna, the state capital, on Sunday.

    Umar said: ”The attention of men of the command was drawn on Wednesday, at about 1400hrs, by the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, a woman named Habiba Baffa, was found in Kano motor park.”

    He said that she was rescued and brought to the command, adding ”during profiling, it was discovered that she was abducted by four unknown gunmen to an unknown destination only to find herself in Borno”.

    Umar said that the husband was contacted through the help of the victim where he came from Niger to reunite with his wife.

    Narrating her ordeal, Habiba told newsmen that the gunmen stormed her home at about 5 a.m. and asked where her husband was.

    She said they also requested a huge amount of money which she gave them.

    “They later asked me to enter their vehicle and took me away. I only woke up to find out that I was in Borno,” she said.

    On his part, Baffa thanked God that his wife was rescued and lauded the Nigerian Police Force for their efforts.

    He said: “The kidnap was targeted at me, but since they could not find me, they took my wife.

    “Honestly, I could not sleep or eat, I was very traumatised. I cannot imagine being without my wife,” he said.

  • BREAKING: 204 Boko Haram terrorists surrender in Borno [PHOTOS]

    About 204 Boko Haram terrorists and their family members have surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Bama Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the Nigerian Army made this known on Wednesday, revealing that profiling of the surrendered Boko Haram terrorists was ongoing.

    According to a statement by the Nigerian Army, the feat was achieved as a result of ongoing offensive onslaught against terrorism in the North East region of the country.

    The statement reads: “The ongoing offensive onslaught against terrorism in the North East region recorded another feat today, 15 June 2022 as 204 Boko Haram fighters including their family members surrendered to troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Bama LGA of Borno State. Profiling of the surrendered terrorists is ongoing”.

  • PHOTO: Troops find Chibok girl kidnapped in 2014 during patrol

    The Nigerian Army has said troops of the 26 Task Force Brigade have found Mrs Mary Ngoshe, who is believed to be one of the girls kidnapped in 2014 from Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that Boko Haram insurgents attacked the GGSS in the middle of the night on the fateful day in 2014 and abducted 276 schoolgirls while they were preparing for their terminal examination.

    The incident was followed by a global outcry that birthed the #BringBackOurGirls movement, and despite continued efforts to secure the freedom of the girls, only 103 had been rescued before Ngoshe is now found.

    According to the Nigerian Army, she was found with her son around Ngoshe in Borno State on 14 June 2022 withe the Army saying further exploitation was ongoing.

    See photo below:

  • PDP guber primaries: Jandor wins in Lagos, Jajari in Borno as 2 flag bearers emerge in Ogun

    Two factions of the Ogun Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held parallel governorship primaries in Abeokuta on Wednesday to elect governorship flag bearers for the party ahead of the 2023 elections.

    The faction which had the state party executives on ground held its primaries at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) where Ladi Adebutu emerged as the candidate.

    The other faction which produced Segun Sowunmi, former spokesman for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its governorship candidate held its primaries at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abeokuta.

    Adebutu, who once represented Remo North Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives defeated three other contestants.

    The exercise was supervised by a 5-man Electoral Committee from the National Headquarters headed by Prof. Akase Sorkaa.

    Announcing the result of the election at exactly 10:50pm , Sorkaa said Adebutu polled 714 votes to defeat Sowunmi, Jimi Lawal and Abimbola Abodunrin who all polled zero vote.

    He encouraged all the delegates to elect candidates that would be acceptable to the people.

    In his acceptance speech, Adebutu expressed satisfaction on the conduct of the exercise, saying he was happy with his election as the candidate of the party.

    He noted that it was high time an environment of hope was created.

    Earlier, in the parallel election that produced Sowunmi, the chairman of the electoral committee, Mr Abayomi Daniel announced Sowunmi the winner of the election after the votes were counted.

    Abayomi said Sowunmi contested against two other aspirants, Lawal and Adebutu who were not physically present but were represented by their agents at the primaries.

    According to him, Sowunmi polled 555 votes to defeat his closest rival, Lawal, who scored 30 votes while Adebutu polled 15 votes.

    According to Daniel, a total number of 778 delegates were accredited, 702 votes cast, while three votes were voided.

    “By the power conferred on me by the national leadership of our great party as the chairman electoral committee of the PDP governorship primary election in Ogun, I declare Segun Sowunmi winner of the election, haven polled the highest number of votes and he is hereby returned and elected,” Daniel said.

    Sowunmi in his acceptance speech, commended members of the party for their support and promised not to let them down.

    He called on other aspirants to work together with him to secure victory for the party in the 2023 general elections.

    “I humbly accept the nomination as candidate of the PDP,” he said.

    Jajari wins Borno PDP guber primaries

    Alhaji Mohammed Jajari has emerged governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general election in Borno State.

    Jajari polled 487 votes to defeat Mohammed Imam who polled 362 in the primary election held on Wednesday in Borno state.

    Announcing the results, Abdulrahman Bobboi, the Chairman of the Governorship Primary Committee for Borno state, declared Jajari as the winner of the primaries having scored 487 votes.

    Bobboi said that the total votes cast in the election was 849 votes.

    The Chairman urged them to accept their result as a will of God noting that nobody was a winner or looser.

    He urged members of the party to work together to ensure its victory in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

    Jandor clinches PDP guber ticket in Lagos

    The Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Movement, Dr Olajide Adediran (Jandor) on Wednesday clinched the PDP  ticket for the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State.

    Declaring the result in Ikeja, the Chairman of the Lagos PDP Electoral Committee/Returning Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, said that Adediran scored 679 votes to defeat his contender, Mr David Vaughan who polled 20 votes.

    Ogidi, who noted that there were 775 ad hoc delegates for the primaries, said that 709 were accredited for the election.

    According to him, 10 votes were voided in the election.

    Ogidi said: “The total number of accredited voters is 709, and Olajide Adediran got 679 votes, DAKOVA (David Kolawole Vaughan had 20 and we had 10 voided votes.

    “Haven  satisfied all the requirements in our guidelines, I want to announce Dr Olajide Adediran as our candidate after scoring the highest votes of 679. He is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

    Meanwhile, Ogidi, before announcing the result, said that delegates from Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government failed to see reasons  with the committee over  alleged discrepancies on delegate list.

    He, however,  commended the aspirants and delegates for their peaceful conduct and sportsmanship throughout the process.

    “I want to thank all of you for your patience and I want to congratulate the two contestants for your spirit of sportsmanship, especially DAKOVA. He is a true sportsman,” Ogidi said.

    In his victory speech, Adediran, who acknowledged the aspirants that stepped down for him and his contender, said he was ready to  face the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He pledged to sit with all aspirants and leaders of the party to tap from their wealth of knowledge and experience in a bid to win Lagos state for PDP.

    Adediran, who applauded all the delegates for their trust in giving him the party’s ticket, promised to bring governance to the grassroots.

    Also, Vaughan, who accepted defeat, said he  vied for the ticket with a well mapped out strategy  to transform Lagos state.

    He promised to support and back Adediran”s  ambition.

    Four  contestants including  Otunba Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, Mr Adedeji Doherty, Mr Ade Dosunmu and Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour stepped down from the race.

  • 2023: Zulum dissolves cabinet

    2023: Zulum dissolves cabinet

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has dissolved the state executive council with effect from Thursday (May 5, 2022).

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Administration and General Services, Mr Danjuma Ali, issued in Maiduguri.

    It said: “The Governor has approved with immediate effect the dissolution of members of the State Executive Council.”

    Ali explained that the dissolution was to create enabling environment for interested members of the executive council to legally participate in forthcoming primaries and congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said that Zulum expressed his deepest appreciation to them for their unquantifiable contributions while they held offices and wished them the best of luck in their future endeavours.

  • Zulum appoints 3 new Permanent Secretaries

    Zulum appoints 3 new Permanent Secretaries

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has approved the appointment of three new Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service.

    This is contained in a statement by the state Head of Service, Mr Simon Malgwi, on Friday in Maiduguri.

    Malgwi said the appointment was inline with the powers confer on the governor by Section 208 (2) (C) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

    He listed the appointees to include Garba Musa, Grema Fannami and Ahmadu Umara.

  • SS2 student slits throat of 11-year-old junior student in Borno

    SS2 student slits throat of 11-year-old junior student in Borno

    A Senior Secondary 2 (SS2) student of Elkanemi College of Islamic Theology in Maiduguri, Borno State, identified as Umar Goni has been arrested for slitting the throat of an 11-year-old junior student of the college, Jubril Sadi Mato.

    According to reports, Umar slit the throat of Mato with a razor during a confrontation behind the hostel of the school on Wednesday night January 19.

    The culprit was said to have been angered that the junior student refused to run an errand for him.

    Jibrin was found lying unconsciously in a pool of blood at the backyard of their hostel and rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and is in a critical state.

    A teacher at the school who spoke to newsmen blamed the attack on the inability of teachers in the school to discipline the students, majority of whom are from rich and influential homes and because of the handouts they receive from their parents.

    The suspect is said to currently be at the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

    Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has constituted a five-man committee, and ordered an investigation into the incident.

    The committee is headed by Alhaji Saddiq Kadafur, Ministerial Secretary of the State Ministry of Education.

    Members of the committee include a representative of the Commissioner of Police, Borno State Command, and a representative of DSS, Borno State Command.

    Other members of the committee include a representative of Commandant, NSCDC, Bomo Stare Command, and Hajiya Hadiza Nasir Wali, Director Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, who will serve as secretary to the committee.

    The State Government mandated the committee to investigate and arrive at the remote causes of the incident and suggest ways to curtail its re-occurrence in the future.

    The committee has one week to complete the assignment and submit its report to the Commissioner, Ministry of Education.