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Tag: Kaduna State

  • Muslim group attends Christmas service, presents gift in Kaduna

    Muslim group attends Christmas service, presents gift in Kaduna

    A Muslim group, popularly called the Shiites, on Sunday attended a Christmas church service at one of the largest denominations in Zaria, Kaduna State, as a sign of love and efforts to strengthen religious tolerance.

    The prayer session was held at the Church of Brethren in Nigeria (Ekkelisiyar `Yan Uwa Ta Nigeria (EYN), Samaru, Sabon Gari, Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The group also presented a gift to the church to further stem love to boost religious tolerance among the two faiths.

    Speaking to newsmen after the service, Leader of the team, Prof. Isah Mshelgaru, said the essence of attending the service was to rejoice with Christians on the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

    He added that the visit was to rekindle and cement the existing relationship between the two faiths.

    “Islam says if someone is not your brother in faith, he is your brother in humanity and we share this humanity with everybody, either Muslim, Christian or whatever,’’ he said.

    “We decided to attend this church service today because today is Christmas Day, a day that the birth of Jesus Christ is being celebrated over the globe and we feel that we also have our concern to share with them the feelings of the day Jesus was born.

    “The coming of Jesus to this world is a blessing to everybody, so we wish that we should come and celebrate this glorious day with them,” he said.

    Mshelgaru said that as Muslims they considered Christians as their fellow brothers and sisters in humanity, stressing that they are at the church service to join them in celebrating and sharing the joy of this day with them.

    “As they (Christians) attach importance to this day so also we attach so much importance to the day and that is why we came today to clear all the unnecessary imaginary boundaries that have been created between Muslims and Christians.

    “This is important now that the country is facing multiple security challenges that require all hands to be on deck in order to overcome them,” he noted.

    In his message to other Nigerians, Mshelgaru advised Nigerians to come together irrespective of religious, tribal or political divide to save the nation.

    Similarly, Rev. Tijjani Chindo, the Resident Pastor, EYN Church, Samaru, Zaria, noted that the church received the Muslims with joy and appealed for the replication of the gesture across the country.

    He added that the purpose of the coming of Jesus Christ was to salvage humanity (without segregation) from the bondage of sin.

    “We are all one, as the Lord has told us to love one another and extend the good tidings of salvation which the Christ has brought to the world.

    “He (Christ) has come in a humble way; we are celebrating his coming in a humble way, we are not differentiating ourselves with Muslims. Today we are celebrating the good news that the Lord has come,’’ he said.

    Chindo also advised Nigerians to be more prayerful and seek for God’s direction as the 2023 general election approaches.

    He added that eligible voters should elect leaders peacefully and elect leaders who have the wherewithal to salvage the nation from the socio-economic challenges bedeviling some parts of Nigeria.

  • 48 hrs to Christmas: Tears as families hold mass burial for 40 Christians allegedly killed by terrorists

    48 hrs to Christmas: Tears as families hold mass burial for 40 Christians allegedly killed by terrorists

    A mass burial has been held for 40 residents killed by bandits in Mallagum and Sogwon communities in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    It was gathered that all the victims are Christians of Catholic and ECWA dominations.

    Terrorists had on Tuesday attacked the two villages, killed a number of residents, burnt down houses, foodstuffs and properties worth millions of naira.

    Family, friends and well-wishers wept profusely as those killed were buried on Thursday.

    They gathered at Government Secondary School, Mallagum to pay their last respect to the victims.

    The Anglican Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Danladi Kundi led the burial after a prayer session by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese.

    Many communities in Kaduna have been living at the mercy of terrorists and bandits, who have been killing, maiming and kidnapping residents with reckless abandon.

    It was gathered that some of the victims were also buried on Wednesday.

    Source: Sahara reporter

  • Insecurity: Soldiers kill ten bandits in Kaduna state, recover items

    Insecurity: Soldiers kill ten bandits in Kaduna state, recover items

    The Nigerian military operating under the umbrella of  Operation Forest Sanity on Friday killed ten bandits in separate operations in three Local Government Areas of Chikun, Birnin-Gwari and Giwa of Kaduna State.

    The was made known by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, on Friday in the state.

    He said the troops made contact with bandits and killed eight while recovering four motorcycles and three mobile phones in the first successful mission.

    He added that the troops also engaged bandits in a second mission and recovered two motorcycles and killed two.

    According to him, the soldiers were on top of their game and overran the bandits by killing ten altogether.

    He said, “In a similar operation, troops neutralized two bandits during clearance patrols along the Sabon Birni-Maidaro-Dogon Dawa-Galadimawa-Kidandan-Fatika axes. The troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, two magazines loaded with 52 rounds, six motorcycles and three mobile phones.

    “The troops also dislodged camps around Garke and Galadimawa in Giwa LGA, recovering three Dane guns, two magazines, some military uniforms, and nine motorcycles.”

    “The troops also dislodged camps around Garke and Galadimawa in Giwa LGA, recovering three Dane guns, two magazines, some military uniforms, and nine motorcycles.”

     

  • Uba Sani will be a worthy successor – Gov El-Rufai

    Uba Sani will be a worthy successor – Gov El-Rufai

    Gov. Nasir El Rufai has promised to relocate from Kaduna state on May 29, 2023, after handing over to his successor, so as not to interfere with the incoming administration.

    The governor spoke at a Town-Hall meeting, organized by the central senatorial zone on Monday in Kaduna.

    He expressed optimism that Sen Uba Sani will succeed him, saying that he will not make any input in the running of the next All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

    El Rufai said that the next governor will be guided by God if he has a pure heart, adding that Senator Uba Sani is a good man who will also make an excellent governor.

    He described Sen Uba Sani as a worthy successor who will take Kaduna state to greater heights when voted as governor.

    He said that he has known the senator for over 20 years and he has proved his mettle politically.

    El Rufai advised the people of Kaduna state not to inundate him with requests for notes to Uba Sani, to be given appointments or contracts when he becomes governor.

    Speaking at the event, Senator Uba Sani said he has been a student of Malam Nasir El Rufai’s School of Governance and Policy in the last 20 years and he has acquired several ‘’degrees’’ as a result.

    ‘’In this school, there were some people who entered before me, people like the Secretary to the State Government, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who is my senior. However, the school has no graduation date. So, we are still learning,’’ he said.

    The senator who promised to continue with the policies and programmes of the El Rufai administration, praised the governor for re-engineering governance in Kaduna state.

    ‘’Before the coming of this administration, government’s resources were being shared amongst a few elites, after payment of salaries. So, there was nothing left for development, in spite of the huge resources that Kaduna state was receiving as federal allocation.

    ‘’But Nasir El Rufai changed that narrative by improving education, revamping healthcare and building infrastructure that is benefitting the good people of Kaduna state, instead of a few people’’ he added.

    The APC gubernatorial candidate said that the result of the massive investment in education has started bearing fruits because Kaduna state in the fourth state in the country whose students scored five credits, including English and Mathematics, in the Senior Secondary School examinations.

    Uba Sani who said that government can not shoulder the funding of education alone, called on wealthy individuals to sponsors promising but indigent students to tertiary schools.

    Reports say that Uba Sani recently gave scholarships to 280 students in Kaduna state tertiary schools to enable them continue with their studies.

    The senator also said that Gov. El Rufai has empowered traders, by instituting a mortgage arrangement whereby they will pay in installments towards owning their shops.

    He recalled that shops were allocated to top government officials and party chieftains in the past, as a way of patronage, who in turn sublet them to traders at exorbitant prices.

  • Crisis: Kaduna NNPP Chairman finally resigns, dumps party

    Crisis: Kaduna NNPP Chairman finally resigns, dumps party

    Mr Ben Kure, the Kaduna State Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPC) on Thursday resigned from the position.

    Kure said this in a statement in Abuja, saying he has also resigned his membership of the party.

    He said that his resignation was due to the crisis that engulfed the party, saying there had been some irreconcilable differences between himself and the state governorship candidate of the party, Alhaji Suleiman Hunkuyi.

    “Since the nomination of Hunkuyi as the party’s governorship candidate, it had remained divided.

    “This has negatively affected our planned massive mobilisation of the electorate toward the expected landslide victory in 2023 poll.

    “This is largely due to the overbearing nature of Hunkuyi who has been trying to hijack the functions of the office of the state chairman,” he said.

    Kure alleged that the governorship candidate had been undemocratic and disrespectful to elders and prominent members of the party in his conducts.

    “This has created division in the party, forcing prominent members to defect to less popular parties, while depleting our support base,” he said.

    The chairman said that the situation had affected the party negatively, saying that few months to 2023 general election, it had remained invisible.

    “This most unfortunate situation is caused by the manipulative tendencies of Hunkuyi and his group, who have shown utter disregard to party’s constitution,’’ he said.

    Kure said that many prominent politicians who had earlier indicated interest in joining the party due to the founder Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso had left.

    “It is sad that most of the people surrounding the governorship candidate lacked quality. All others who had shown interest at the beginning have been forced to leave.

    “Up till now we have been unable to commence campaign because of the personality of our governorship candidate, even while banking on the popularity of Kwankwaso,’’ the chairman said.

    He said that the state executive had made efforts to steer and reposition the party but to no avail as they were sabotaged by some allies of the governorship candidate.

    “I have sent reports to the National Secretariat of the party on the disturbing state of the party, including the despotic interference of the governorship candidate in party administration.

    “As party chairman, I have conveyed directives as ordered by the national secretariat, only for Hunkuyi to stop it,’’ he added.

    Kure said that planned Youth Walk for Kwankwaso recently organized by state executive and all NNPP candidates.

    “Only Kaduna state couldn’t organise the walk as other states have successfully done that,” he said.
    Kure said that he had reported the governorship candidate suspected anti party activities to the national secretariat and the party leader.

    “I don’t believe in the candidacy of Hunkuyi for so many’ reasons, he is just there to block chances not really to contest.

    “I am a serious politician and will not align myself with unserious people,’’ he said.
    Kure said that he forwarded his resignation letter to the National Secretariat on Dec. 5, but was persuaded to stay on for amicable resolution of the crisis.

    “I received personal insults in social media on daily basis; it has gotten to a point where I can’t tolerate it any more.

    “I therefore wish to inform you and all my supporters and associates that I have resigned as the Kaduna State NNPP chairman.

    “I have also resigned my membership of the party,’’ he said.

  • NAFDAC raids Zaria market, seizes unregistered, expired drugs worth N20m

    NAFDAC raids Zaria market, seizes unregistered, expired drugs worth N20m

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Monday seized unregistered/expired aphrodisiacs, and other drugs worth N20m in Kaduna State.

    The agency made the seizures during a raid in 26 shops at the Sabon Gari market in Zaria LGA of the state.

    The seizures were microgynon, drugs meant to be distributed free to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and oxytocin (injection for women who delivered), which required specific temperature to be stored, but were found in the open.

    Addressing newsmen after the raid, the Deputy Director in charge of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC, Kaduna Office, Mr. Tamanuwa Andrew, said the countinuous excercise was aimed at ridding markets of substandard and falsified medicines.

    He noted that falsified, expired, and substandard medicines posed great challenges to the entire world, including Nigeria being a developing country.

    “The seized aphrodisiacs, were found to contain up to 200 strength milligrams which was more than 100mg that the agency registered,” he said.

    He mentioned some of the challenges to include increased hospital admission, development of resistance and treatment failure which ultimately resulted to death.

    He also noted that the unpatriotic business men/women, targeted medicines with high volume of use such as anti malaria, antibiotics, antihypertensive, among others, for treatment of diseases.

    The deputy director explained that one of the strategies NAFDAC employed to reduce or minimise the menace of substandard and falsified products was by countinuous mop up of the products from circulation.

    He appealed to the public, especially health practitioners, to assist the agency in the fight against substandard drugs, while strongly kicking against self medication .

    He said investigations of those found wanting would begin and upon conclusion, they would face the necessary regulatory sanctions or prosecution as the law enshrined.

    He restated their committment to ensure safe markets where consumers would buy the right and quality assured medicines and other consumables.

  • Asaba 2022: Team Kaduna male team wins gold in volleyball

    Asaba 2022: Team Kaduna male team wins gold in volleyball

    Kaduna state defeated Ogun state 3-2 (25-21, 24-26, 25-23, 17-25, 15-13) to win gold in the Men’s volleyball event of the men’s volleyball at the Asaba 2022 National Sports Festival on Friday evening.
    Team Kaduna was very outstanding in the final event as they put up a spirited performance against team Ogun at the Men’s final.
    Kaduna surprisingly took the first set by 25 to 21 points in a set that saw the Ogun players struggle to get their rhythm. The second set produced a spectacular display from both sides as Ogun won by 26 to 24 points.
    The young Kaduna players held Ogun state ransom in the third set 25 to 23 points before Ogun came back from behind to win the fourth set by 25-17. Kaduna finally cruised to victory in the fifth set winning by 15 to 13 points.
    The Coach of Kaduna men’s team, Adamu Nitte expressed delight over the win against highly rated Ogun state.
    Nitte revealed that most pundits did not give Kaduna state the chance of winning the finals adding that the Ogun team crushed all their opponents before entering into the finals.
    He said 10 players out of the squad are making their debut at the National Sports Festival.
    He said, “I am overwhelmed and cannot express myself because I am overfilled with joy. Kaduna was not the favourite to win the National Sports Festival but God is our strength and fortress.
    “Ogun state is a very good side looking at their statistics but my boys did not respect them. 10 of my players are playing the National Sports Festival for the first time and this win will further boost their profile”.
    He commended the Chairman of Kaduna State Volleyball Association, Engineer Musa Nimrod for believing in the team.
    Meanwhile, Rivers State beat Kano state to win the men’s bronze at the 2022 National Sports Festival.
  • AIDS: One out of 100 people positive in Kaduna – KADSACA

    AIDS: One out of 100 people positive in Kaduna – KADSACA

    Dr Isa Baka, the Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Aids Control Agency (KADSACA), said a survey had revealed that one out of 100 people is positive to the Aids virus in the state.

    Baka made this known shortly after a walk, in commemoration of the World AIDS Day, on Thursday in Kaduna. The theme of the year’s’ World AIDS Day is “Equalise to End AIDS: Equal Access to Treatment and Prevention Services’’.

    He said the present statistics was a remarkable development against previous survey which gave 11 of every 100 people in the state.

    Baka added that the AIDS prevalence in Kaduna, which is at 1.1, being a survey carried out by the state government itself, was later done at the national level, where that of Kaduna was confirmed as very accurate.

    “At the national level, the prevalence of the virus (AIDS) was at 1.4 (four people out of 100 test positive), while that of Kaduna is confirmed to be 1.1, was in determination of the state government and KADSACA’s efforts to ensure minimal prevalence of the virus,” he said.

    He said as part of efforts to continue reducing the prevalence of AIDS in the state, government initiated programmes across the 23 LGAs.

    He said one of the UNICEF anchored programmes, which is the ‘Adolescent and Youths Living With HIV and AIDS’ programme, was present and effective in at least, 18 LGAs and 24 sites in the state.

    “There is also a partner agency, the Centre for Integrated Disease Health Project in Kaduna State, which we are collaborating with; their programme spans across the 23 LGAs, having 56 sites all across.

    “There is a programme in both rural and urban places; it is misunderstood that the rural people have more prevalence of AIDS, the difference is just level of awareness; but in every rural area, there is at least one general hospital and one primary health care centre.

    “They provide testing, counselling, treatment and monitoring services; one good thing about the programme is that the Kaduna Government is one of the first in the country to make provision for the services free for every citizen,” Baka said.

    The executive secretary lamented that the virus (AIDS), which did not have genetic code, was a disturbing problem which made it difficult for scientists to find vaccine for it.

    “The virus fits mainly the genetic code of the victim, as such if you try to kill it, you are killing the victims cells because it infects and destroys the blood cells and then keeps multiplying,” he said.

    He, however, said with diligent efforts, the joy was that scientists were able to find drugs that suppresses the virus and prevent it from infecting its host cells which stops it from destroying the host immune cells.

    He explained that women were more susceptible in being infected with the virus, noting, however, that it didn’t imply that they were more in number of having the virus than men.

    “It is a misrepresentation of the disease that more women test positive to it than men; the difference between both gender suffering from it is very minimal,” he said.

    The executive secretary called on people to abstain from indiscriminate sex and always use contraceptives as the situation may be.

    “Where people have unprotected sex, upon realisation, they should immediately wash themselves up and go to hospital for preventive treatment within 24 hours.”

    He also called on health workers to ensure safety by using preventive equipment, and adhering to guidelines and rules in treatment and examinaton of patience.

    He also advised on proper screening of blood, before ingesting patience who are in need.

  • Peter Obi condemns assassination of Labour Party women leader

    Peter Obi condemns assassination of Labour Party women leader

    Peter Obi has expressed shock over the death of the Labour Party (LP)’s Women Leader in Kaura, Kaduna State, Victoria Chintex, saying the development is a huge loss.

    Chintex was assassinated by gunmen who invaded her residence yesterday. The assailants also shot her husband who is being treated in a hospital.

    While reacting to the incident, Obi, who is the party’s presidential candidate, took to his official social media accounts to grieve.

    “I am shocked by the mindless killing of Mrs. Victoria Chintex, the Labour Party’s women leader in Kaura, Kaduna State, by yet-to-be-identified gunmen. Her death is a huge loss to her immediate and extended family, and to our Labour Party. She lives on in our hearts,” he tweeted on Tuesday, hours after the news broke.

    “Her killing, and the loss of many innocent lives across the nation to gunmen and terrorists, are the reason why I must prioritize the war against insecurity as my first task in the office. We must not allow the waste of human lives in Nigeria under any guise.

    “May the soul of the Late Mrs Victoria Chintex rest in perfect peace! My sincere condolence to her family.”

  • Kaduna NNPP Crises: Stakeholders threaten court action over guber candidate

    Kaduna NNPP Crises: Stakeholders threaten court action over guber candidate

    Some stakeholders of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kaduna State, have threatened to take legal action to compel the party to drop Malam Suleiman Hunkuyi, as its governorship candidate for 2023.

    The stakeholders had on Sunday staged a protest at the party’s secretariat, urging the party to drop Hunkuyi as its candidate for 2023 general election.

    A spokesperson for the group, Malam Ibrahim Murtala in Kaduna on Monday disclosed that they have started compiling signatures from stakeholders, in preparations for the legal action against the party.

    “We insist that Hunkuyi must step aside as an option or we will be forced to obtain a court injunction to stop him from contesting,’’ he said.

    Murtala said that the group has sufficient evidence to show that the governorship candidate was not committed to the course of the party.

    “We can’t afford to loose election in the state, because of a mistake in fielding a wrong candidate for the election.

    “We have written several letters to state party executives apart from verbal complains but we are yet to get response.

    “Therefore, we have no option than to go to court for justice, we can’t afford to sacrifice the hardwork and dedication of the teeming supporters of our party because of some selfish interest,’’ he said.

    Speaking on the issue, Mr Ben Kure, the state NNPP Chairman, said that the party was working toward resolving the issue.

    “It is true that we are having some concerns over our ability to win the 2023 governorship election, this is largely traceable to the governorship candidate himself, ” he said.

    Kure said that some chieftains of the party, were not happy with the emergence of the party’s candidate for the 2023 poll.

    “So, whoever feels that this is wrong can challenge it in court, every member of the party has right to challenge any decision,’’ he said.

    Kure said that the choice of Hunkuyi was circumstantial as it was done in a haste.

    “Let me tell you that the only way to succeed in the governorship election is to get a substitution, we cant afford to face the election the way things are now in the state.

    “The NNPP is accepted by majority of the people in the state but the problem of factionalisation is trying to affect our strength.

    “Honestly, Hunkuyi has shown that he is not ready for the governorship contest right from the beginning, although he won the confidence of Kwankwaso and other national leaders.

    “I wonder how a candidate can win election while fighting other candidates and executives of the party,’’ he said.

    He said that the party had lost most of its members because of the governorship candidate.

    “Let assure you that the electorate will vote massively for our party especially at the presidential election, but we need to tidy up if we are still interested in capturing Kaduna from APC,” he said.

    Reacting, Hunkuyi denied having any problem with the stakeholders.

    “I don’t have problem with anybody, ” he said.