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Tag: Borno

  • PDP secretary alleges hijack of congress materials in Borno

    PDP secretary alleges hijack of congress materials in Borno

    The Borno Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that materials meant for Saturday’s congress of the party have been hijacked by a group.

    Alhaji Yusuf Dikko, the state PDP secretary, disclosed this when he spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri, adding that a complaint has been sent to the party’s zonal and national headquarters on the matter.

    Dikko blamed the problem on the former governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Mohammed Imam and the immediate past state PDP chairman, Alhaji Zannah Gaddama.
    “We have forwarded complaints to the zonal and national headquarters of the party and are still waiting for response,” he said.
    Dikko said that he was aware that some members were bent on destroying the party in the state.
    “Since our inauguration we have received series of complaints from wards and local government on the activities of those people who wanted to destroy the party for their selfish interest like they did in 2019 general elections,” he said.
    Reacting, Gaddama, faulted the claim, saying that the PDP ward congress would hold on Saturday as scheduled across the state.
    He said that the materials were not hijacked as they were received from national headquartres.
    “Those forms are on sale and we went and purchased them. If they claim that we hijacked them, the national secretariat is there, security agencies are also there, why don’t they report us to them.
    “All we know is that ward congress will hold on Sept. 25, while local government congress will take place on Oct.5. The state congress is slated for Oct.16,” Gaddama said

  • Borno JSC sacks two Sharia Court Judges, demotes two others

    Borno JSC sacks two Sharia Court Judges, demotes two others

    The Borno State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has sacked two Sharia Court Judges.

    A statement on Tuesday in Maiduguri signed by an official, Mr S.K. Jidda, for Secretary of the Commission, said the decision was taken after the meeting of the commission.

    “The commission with immediate effect removed from the service of the judiciary, an Upper Sharia Court Judge, Alkali Mohammed Hassan Yakub.

    “This is as a result of the investigation of a petition to the office of the Chief Judge by Kwayam Development Association.

    “The Chief Judge referred the petition to the Public Complaints Committee of the judiciary which found that the judge allowed himself to be used as a tool of persecution.

    “Also removed from service is Higher Sharia Court Judge, Alkali Ibrahim El-Hassan, for sitting outside his territorial jurisdiction.

    “The commission demoted a Senior Magistrate Grade 1 to Magistrate Grade 1 and a Higher Sharia Court Judge to Sharia Court Judge Grade 1.”

    The statement also announced the elevation of 11 Higher Sharia Court Judges to Upper Sharia Court Judges based on their unblemished service and passing of examination.

    It also announced the promotion of five Higher Sharia Court Judges to Senior Sharia Court Judges, and the promotion of two Sharia Court Judges to the rank of Higher Sharia Court Judges.

    “One Sharia Court Judge is transferred to ‘Sulhu Door’ of Borno Amicable Settlement Corridor (BASC) where his skills may be more appropriately utilised,” the statement added.

  • Borno declares cholera outbreak, 43 killed

    Borno declares cholera outbreak, 43 killed

    The Borno state government on Tuesday declared an outbreak of Cholera in the state.

    The declaration followed the death of 43 persons who suffered from the disease across seven local governments of the state.

    Juliana Bitrus, the Borno State Commissioner for Health, said 559 suspected cases have so far been recorded but only 57 out of that number were hospitalized.

    According to her, the outbreak was detected in seven local governments, including Gwoza, Kaga, Hawul, Magumeri, Damboa, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere.

    Gwoza has the highest prevalence with 72 suspected cases, 18 deaths and 35 persons currently on admission.

    Out of the seven local governments, Maiduguri has the lowest suspected cases and recorded no death.

    The Commissioner noted that isolation wards have since been established in secondary health centers for the management of the disease.

    Cholera spreads through contaminated food and water, with symptoms such as diarrhoea and dehydration.

  • Insecurity: We’re lucky to have Buhari in government – Shehu of Borno

    Insecurity: We’re lucky to have Buhari in government – Shehu of Borno

    The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar El-Kanemi, yesterday, said the people of Borno State were lucky to have President Muhammadu Buhari in government as his reign has changed the tide against insecurity significantly.

    This is as the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has also lent his support to the Boko Haram terrorists turning themselves in to the Nigerian troops, saying the move should be seen as a welcome development and should be encouraged to end insurgency in the NorthEast.

    The Shehu of Borno, who spoke when Lawan paid him a courtesy call over the loss of his elder brother, said his people had “seriously suffered as a result of Boko Haram crisis,” but added that they were “lucky” to have the Buhari government, which eventually changed the tide.

    According to him, all the local government areas in the state, which were under the control of Boko Haram had been taken back by the troops, adding that normal business activities had also returned in the state.

    He also rejoiced at the news that Boko Haram elements were surrendering, saying, “it’s a welcome development”, because “Borno is a home of peace and we are for peace.”

    Recently, there had been reported cases of thousands of Boko Haram insurgents laying down their arms and surrendering to government troops in the North East zone.

    Specifically, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State disclosed last week at the State House, Abuja, that 2,600 repentant Boko Haram insurgents were currently being profiled in Maiduguri by the state government in collaboration with the military and other security agencies.

  • Whereabouts of 10 percent of Borno population unknown – Zulum

    Whereabouts of 10 percent of Borno population unknown – Zulum

    Borno Governor Babagana Zulum has disclosed that the whereabouts of no fewer than 10 per cent of the population of the State is unknown as a result of insurgency.

    Zulum, who disclosed this to journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, also said more than 100,000 people have been killed in the last 12 years of the insurgency.

    The Governor, who said he discussed the report of the surrendering of Boko Haram insurgents with the President, further said he did not see any reason why those who surrendered should be rejected.

    Zulum also said there are a total of 2,600 surrendered insurgents now in custody, emphasising that not all of them are criminals.

    He said among those that surrendered were innocent people forcefully conscripted to join the Boko Haram sect while some are teenagers.

    While declaring his total support for the insurgents that have surrendered, he said the Borno government was not contemplating giving the repentant terrorists any dine for them to surrender.

    The Governor, who said he had been attacked by the insurgents for about 50 times, also promised to support victims of the insurgents.

  • Five children playing with disused grenade killed in Borno

    Five children playing with disused grenade killed in Borno

    Five children were reportedly killed when a disused grenade they were playing with exploded outside Ngala, a Borno community near the border with Cameroon.

    “The five children picked up the explosive while herding in a field outside the town and it exploded in their hands as they were playing with it,” anti-jihadist militiaman Umar Kachalla said.

    “Two of them died on the spot while the other three died in hospital in Mada, inside Cameroon,” he said.

    Another militiaman, Umar Ari, gave a similar account of the incident, which happened on Thursday.

    In August 2014, the Boko Haram jihadist group seized Ngala along with the nearby trading hub of Gamboru.

    The two towns were recaptured in September 2015 by Nigerian troops with the help of Chadian forces following a months-long offensive.

    Ari said unexploded mines and grenades from the conflict still litter the surrounding countryside and many children had been killed or injured.

    In December 2019, nine people were killed and 26 injured when an explosive device went off on a crowded bridge linking Gamboru and Fotokol.

    Residents blamed the explosion on a grenade disguised as a toy that, they said, had been given to some children as a gift by a Boko Haram insurgent.

  • Church demolition exercise turns violent in Borno, one shot dead, five injured

    Church demolition exercise turns violent in Borno, one shot dead, five injured

    One person has been killed and five others injured during a church demolition exercise by the Borno Geographic Information Service in Moduganari area of the capital city.

    An eyewitness said the officials showed up on Thursday morning at about 10 am in a heavy-duty vehicle with instructions to demolish a local church EYN Moduganari. The move was resisted by members of the church.

    Some members – mostly residents of the community – also tried to film with their phones which were promptly seized by the CJTF personnel before opening fire.

    The police intervened to control the CJTF members and debrief the team.

    The body of the casualty has been taken to the state specialist hospital while those injured are currently being treated.

    Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State Mohammed Naga is at the hospital with the injured. He, however, declined commenting on the incident saying he will brief the press when he has details of the matter.

    Meanwhile, Governor Babagana Zulum has ordered the Borno police command to immediately probe the incident.

    He condemned in strong terms, the firing of gunshots by a member of the security task force as well as some persons who hurled stones at the task force during the encounter.

    Zulum equally commiserated with families of the person who died and those injured.

    Governor Zulum who spoke with Bishop Mohammed Naga also condoled the Christian community, leadership and family of the EYN church in Borno over the sad event.

    He also directed his deputy Umar Kadafur to visit the hospital – where the injured persons are receiving treatment – to empathize with them, and also take over the cost of their treatment.

  • Seven feared dead in Borno as Red Cross food handout turns into stampede

    Seven feared dead in Borno as Red Cross food handout turns into stampede

    Seven women were trampled to death in northeast Nigeria on Thursday in a crush during a food distribution by the International Committee of the Red Cross, a medical worker and residents said.

    Thousands of people thronged the distribution site in the town of Monguno in Borno State to receive aid from ICRC, but the situation turned chaotic, leading to a stampede, the sources said.

    Monguno, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) north of the state capital Maiduguri, houses tens of thousands of internally displaced people who fled their homes to escape jihadist attacks and live in sprawling camps.

    “We have taken dead bodies of seven women to the hospital along with four others who are critical,” anti-jihadist militia member, Bello Maikudi, said.

    “There was a stampede as women jostled to collect food vouchers brought by the ICRC,” said Maikudi who was involved in the rescue operation.

    Monguno resident Ibrahim Ismail gave the same toll and said it was an ICRC handout event.

    Fatima Sator, ICRC spokeswoman in Nigeria, said the event was one of the agency’s routine distributions of nutrition for pregnant and breast-feeding women.

    She did not give details on the number of casualties or the cause of the incident.

    “We are concerned and shocked by the loss of the life,” Sator told newsmen.

    She said ICRC was offering assistance for those wounded.

    A medical worker at the general hospital in Monguno confirmed receiving the casualties from the site.

    “We have received seven dead bodies and four injured from the venue of the (food) ticket distribution,” the medical source said.

    “All the victims are women. Two of the injured are pregnant,” said the medical source who asked not to be identified.

    Displaced communities in Monguno live largely on food handouts from international charities.

    Nigeria’s jihadist conflict has killed 40,000 people and forced around two million out of the homes since 2009.

    The violence has spilled into parts of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, creating a dire humanitarian crisis.

    In February 2020, 20 people were trampled to death in a stampede for food and money for refugees in the southeastern Niger town of Diffa.

  • ‘Over 17,000 Babies Born In Borno IDP Camps Since 2019’

    ‘Over 17,000 Babies Born In Borno IDP Camps Since 2019’

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said that 17,053 babies were given birth to by Internally Displaced Persons in 18 locations in Borno state alone.

    This is coming days after Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno expressed concerns over growing cases of drug abuse and prostitution in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.

    The UN agency said that the figure represents information of babies who have been registered between 2019 to May 2021.

    Mr Frantz Celestin, the IOM Chief of Mission, IOM, said that the agency collaborates with the National Population Commission and UNICEF to issue birth certificates to the children.

    According to him, the identity of the children was very important and also falls within its Displacement Matrix data which it shares with other stakeholders intervening in the North East.

    “We do biometric data collection so that we know exactly the number of people who have been displaced so that the service we provide to them can be effective.

    “This is important for food distribution, for non-food items distribution, it is also important for medical provision.

    “Some of the work that we do on our displacement matrix data is to work with the population commission and UNICEF to provide birth certificates to those under five who were born in the camps.

    “On the number of children that were born in the camps, I know last time I checked, those we had taken the biometrics and issued with birth certificates between 2019 and May 2021 were 17,053,” he said.

    The IOM’s Chief said the data helps it to identify those who have been displaced, adding that “if you don’t have an identity you do not exist in the eyes of the government and the law”.

    He said that it was important for the IOM that in spite of the conditions that they find themselves, the children were identified.

    Celestine however said that it was unfortunate that many people in Nigeria only identified the IOM with retuning of migrants, pointing out that the work of IOM goes way beyond that.

    “In Nigeria, IOM is celebrating its 20th anniversary. But there are a lot of people who don’t know the extent of IOM’s presence in Nigeria, they see IOM as managing migration or just bringing people back from Libya. But there is a lot more to what we do.

    “We are the biggest shelter providers in the North East, the biggest camp managers – managing 115 camps.

    “Also, we have 19 mobile teams looking after the mental health of those who have been traumatised by Boko Haram.

    “We have migration data collection and management, and this is where most people have come across our data and they don’t know that it is Nigerian Data.

    “If you hear that 2.1 million people have been displaced in the North East, that is our data.

    “The displacement tracking matrix collects these data, provide it to the humanitarian community so that they can do targeted and specific interventions,” he said.

  • We’ve saved N400m from teachers’ verification exercise in Borno – Zulum

    We’ve saved N400m from teachers’ verification exercise in Borno – Zulum

    Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno says his administration has saved over N400 million from the verification of teaching and non-teaching staffers of public primary schools in the state.

    Zulum made this known in Maiduguri on Tuesday while inaugurating the Need Assessment Team on Education and Health in the state.

    Zulum said that the team was saddled with the responsibility of finding out what needed to be done to improve the quality of education and healthcare services in rural areas in the state.

    He said that his administration had renovated and constructed many schools and health centres in rural areas to improve education and primary healthcare delivery.

    The governor stressed the need to know the number of qualified staff members and facilities needed to make them function properly, in line with his government’s 10-point agenda and 25-year development plan.

    He added that membership of the assessment team, comprising all members of the House of Assembly, local government chairmen, commissioners, permanent secretaries and primary healthcare coordinators, among others, would be divided into three groups to handle the three senatorial districts.

    Zulum said that the team was expected to visit schools and health centres in each local government area to ascertain the number of staffers, those who were qualified, what their needs were and other vital information for government to know what to do within the next two years.

    According to him, it is no longer acceptable for top government officials to continue to send their children and wards to private schools with qualified teachers, leaving children of the rural populace to continue to attend public schools without qualified teachers.