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Tag: Kaduna State

  • UAE hospital offers to seperate Nigerian conjoined twins for free

    UAE hospital offers to seperate Nigerian conjoined twins for free

    Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE, has offered to carry out a surgery to seperate conjoined twins Hassana and Hussaina  who were born in Zaria, Kaduna State without charging a dime.

    This was made known  via a statement by the National Coordinator, Global Initiative for Peace Love and Care (GIPLC), Mr Nuhu Fulani Kwajafa  on Saturday.

    He said  the babies born at the Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital, Zaria some months ago were triplets, saying that  while one of the triplets is fine, the other two are conjoined sharing the same stomach and vital organs.

    The statement said that the Dubai hospital had earlier put the bill for the surgery to separate the girls at over $300,000, but after assessing the case, offered to do the surgery for free.

    Another hospital in London sent GIPLC a bill of £896,000 (Eight hundred and ninety-six thousand pounds) for the operation.

    Mr Kwajafa had earlier posted on social media: “Following consultations with various doctors in the UK and Dubai (UAE), we are made to understand that Hassana and Hussaina’s case is the first of its kind, and a surgical procedure to separate them would cost over $300,000.

    “After weeks of discussions with Dubai Hospital, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE, they have offered to do the surgery for free on humanitarian grounds.

    “In fact, the Chairman of the Medical City has a keen interest in the case and has also offered to send a team of doctors to Nigeria to accompany the family back to UAE, for a projected 9-month post-surgery stay for close observations to complete recovery. The surgery will be conducted by Doctors from Italy, USA and the UAE.”

    He said during one of GIPLC’s fund drives for the family’s upkeep at Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital where they have been for the past three months, Mr Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, sent N600,000 (six hundred thousand naira) for their care, and promised to be involved in their surgery.

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai also promised to do something when the bills are out for the surgery.

    Mr Nuhu Kwajafa, however, said that he is still soliciting funds to transport the conjoined sisters and their family to Dubai and for their feeding and housing in Dubai.

    He appealed to all Nigerians to support the babies.

  • Why I initiated AMCON Act amendment – Uba Sani

    Why I initiated AMCON Act amendment – Uba Sani

    Sen. Uba Sani, Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, says he initiated the amendment to the AMCON Act to recover over N4.7 trillion owed government by a few individuals.

    Sani who is also the Kaduna State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), made this known when he addressed the Political Committee of the state chapter of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in Kaduna on Friday.

    He added that the amendment of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Law, was to institute justice and equity as well as ensure transparency.

    ‘’In 2009, when banks were going down because of the global economic recession, Nigerian government brought out N4.7 trillion to buy bad loans from the banks.

    ‘’What it means is that individuals borrowed money from the banks to the tune of N4.7 trillion, the banks were going down and this will affect the entire economy.”

    He recalled that AMCON was created to take over those loans and paid money to the banks in order to keep them afloat.

    Sani said that AMCON was also mandated to recover the money, which it has been unable to do comprehensively.

    ‘’When I came into the Senate in 2019, I looked at the list and realized that 350,000 Nigerians were responsible for the N3 trillion debt.

    “And who are these Nigerians? Most of them have houses in America, in the United Kingdom and Dubai, some of them even had private jets.”

    He added that about 2,000 other Nigerians were responsible for the remaining N1.7 trillion debt.

    The committee chairman said he found the situation unacceptable, as the debtors kept frustrating AMCON’S efforts through various means, including endless litigation.

    He alleged that most of the collaterals the big time debtors pledged before taking the huge loans were properties or assets that were less in value to the loans that they collected.

    ‘’The total loans against their names, like I said earlier, was N4.7 trillion but the value of their assets was just N700 billion.

    “This means that there was insider trading, and most of these collaterals are assets located in their villages and towns,’’ he added.

    Sani explained that the amended AMCON Act, now has a clause that allows for asset tracing and seizure in any part of the country, irrespective of the one that the debtors pledged.

    ‘’Mr President has assented to the amendment on 31st November 2021, today, I was told that because of that amendment, AMCON has recovered N1.5 trillion,’’ he said.

    Sani told the labour leaders that he has so far sponsored 31 bills, out of which seven were awaiting presidential assent while some had been signed into law.

    Sani who represents Kaduna Central in the Senate, said that all the 31 bills, including the ones assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, were centred on people’s welfare.

    He said that one of the bills that sought to amend the Banks and Other Financial  Institutions Act (BOFIA) was to deepen financial inclusion for the downtrodden.

    The APC governorship candidate noted that 70% of adults in Northern Nigeria are unbanked, which partly explained the high level of poverty in the region.

    ‘’I included a clause in the BOFIA bill, mandating anyone that is 18 years and above should be financially inclusive,’’ he added.

    The governorship candidate urged the NLC to support him, pledging to deliver on his promises as he is doing as Senator.

    According to him, he has the highest bills in the Senate and will ensure that at least four of the bills passed were signed into law before the end of the present administration.

    Sani urged the NLC political committee to interrogate other governorship candidates on their performances as former legislators and other public services.

  • NAF destroys 10 bandits camps in Kaduna State

    NAF destroys 10 bandits camps in Kaduna State

    The Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch has destroyed about 10 camps and neutralized several bandits during air interdiction missions in three local government areas of Kaduna State.

    A statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna by the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, said the operations were conducted within a week.

    He said the hideout of a bandit, Alhaji Ganai, was struck and destroyed south of Kidandan in Giwa Local Government Area (LGA).

    “The bandit and several others were neutralized in the strike,” Aruwan said.

    He added that the hideout of another bandit, Ali Kawaje in Birnin Gwari LGA, was similarly targeted and destroyed.

    The commissioner said two other camps belonging to Musa Pajelo and Kachalla Bello, and other targets in Walawa area, Fadaman Kanauta and Kuduru were also destroyed.

    “Bandits were sighted and neutralized in locations 4km southwest of Alhaji Ishiaka, 6km northeast of Maguzawa, and 2km west of Yelwa.

    “Several bandits were also sighted and neutralized at Dankero, Giwa LGA,” he added.

    Aruwan said areas covered by the air operations in Chikun LGA include Gwagwada Forest, Kugosi, Godani, Twali, Gwagwada, Sarkin Pawa, Kabai, Kabusu Hills, Amara Hills, Sabon Gayan and Polewire.

    He said an active location was engaged and destroyed about 4km south of Godani.

    He further disclosed that armed reconnaissance was carried out over Rima, Riyawa, Rumana, the Kaduna Airport area and adjoining locations in Igabi LGA.

    “Other areas covered by aerial patrols  include Galadimawa, Kidandan, Dogon Dawa, Saulawa, Maidaro, Maganda, Goron Dutse, Sararai, Kushaka, Kuriga, Manini, Kuduru, Yelwa and Sabon Birni, spanning Birnin Gwari, Giwa and Igabi LGAs.

    “The reconnaissance continued along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road, Buruku, Kurmin Dande, Damba, Ungwan Yako, Udawa, Gagafada, and Kamfanin Doka,” he added.

    The commissioner also said the aerial missions extended to the Kaduna-Abuja Road and Railway, including Jaka da Rabi, Olam Farms, Rijana, Katari and Jere.

    He said normal human and vehicular activities were observed in those areas.

    “The same was the case in Hanawanka, Kukoki, Kadaga, Durumi, Pongu Geri and Kundu.

    “Fighter jets maintained presence over Ungwan Madaki in Kamazou, Chikun LGA. Kutura, Iburu, Kajuru, Kachia and Kankomi were also covered,” he said.

    Aruwan said, Gov. Nasir El-Rufai noted the report with gratitude and praised the fighter crews for their thoroughness and consistency.

    “Ground and air patrols will continue in these and other locations around the dtate,” Aruwan said.

  • Insecurity: Troops repel bandits, recover arms in Kaduna

    Insecurity: Troops repel bandits, recover arms in Kaduna

    The Nigerian Army on Sunday confirmed that its men repelled one of the bandits in Kaduna state while others were neutralized, adding that many of them also escaped with bullet wounds.

    Commissioner for Home Affairs and internal security, Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan confirmed this through a statement signed and released by him.

    He said the bandits tried to invade Kankomi, in Chikun Local Government area of the state, but the vigilant troops engaged them in fierce battle and subsequently neutralized one.

    He added that the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle, seven AK-47 magazines, seven rounds of ammunition and five locally-made grenades from the bandits.

    He added that as the troops were exploring the area, three corpses of locals were discovered.

    The statement further said that in another location, troops of Operation Forest Sanity during operations along the Gwagwada-Chikun-Sarkin Pawa axis, neutralized one bandit, and recovered AK-47 rifle, while two motorcycles were recovered from flew Terrorists’ around Kafaiyo, Dafako, Kopi and Gadani.

    He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai, while condoling with the family of those killed, praised the efforts of troops and urged them to keep up the good work

  • No attack on Kaduna-Abuja highway – KDSG

    No attack on Kaduna-Abuja highway – KDSG

    The Kaduna State Government on Thursday debunked reports of an attack on the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, in a statement issued in Kaduna, dismissed the report as mischievous, fake and unfounded.

    “The attention of the Kaduna state government has been drawn to a widely circulated message raising alarm on an alleged blockade of the Kaduna-Abuja road by bandits.

    “The Kaduna state government wishes to firmly debunk this message and advises citizens to completely disregard the mischievous circulation,” he added.

    Aruwan said that the government has been in constant touch with security agencies in the general area and fully abreast of the security situation along the road and other locations.

    He condemned the purveyors of the fake news, saying their action was very unfortunate and deliberately concocted to undermine the sacrifices of security agencies and government.

  • Bandits abduct Catholic priest, eight others in Kaduna state

    Bandits abduct Catholic priest, eight others in Kaduna state

    Eight persons including a Catholic priest, identified as Fr. Kunat have been abducted in different attacks in Kaduna state.

    The abduction was said to have taken place in Idon, Kajuru Local Government Area and Oil Village, and other suburb of Kaduna communities around the  refinery in the state.

    Reports say that the cleric’s residence at Idon was invaded at midnight on Monday and abducted him.

    Also, the attack on Oil Village allegedly occurred at about 7:45pm on Monday night, too.

    A resident of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity but confirmed the incident in a telephone chat, said the bandits, numbering about 15, invaded the community.

    He said the bandits sneaked into the community and surrounded the residence of a widow, who had gone to buy something within the neighbourhood,  but noticed some strange movements as she returned home.

    Upon returning, the bandits descended on the poor woman and her children.

    According to the resident, another widow, who also lived  in the same compound, the widow ran into the hoodlums as she  returned home from a visit within the neighbourhood.

    He said, at gun point, the bandits ordered the widow  to show them homes of residents, who owned cars and were rich, saying nine people were abducted but one person later escaped and returned home on Tuesday morning.

    According to him, “The bandits came around 7:45pm on Monday  and surrounded the resident of a widow. They were about 15 and they were well-armed. The widow went out to buy something within the neighbourhood. As  soon as she entered her house, she noticed some strange movements.

    “Suddenly, the the kidnappers swooped on her and her three children in the house. Another widow, who also lives  in the same compound was  returning home from a visit within the neighbourhood with her daughter and ran into them in the house as they didn’t know what was going on.

    Two of the bandits quickly left with the other widow and four children. At gun point, the bandits asked the widow to take them round the houses of people, who have cars and are rich in the community. They went to the first house, there was nobody. On their way to the next house,  somebody, who was driving out of the community after dropping a friend, was attacked.

    “They opened fire at the car as he was driving out and the man stopped and he was picked. As they rushed at  the man,  the woman managed to escaped into hiding. After getting the man,  they entered  another house and picked a mother and her two grown up children. The sound of gunshots on the car was what raised the alarm in the community.

    “We ran into hiding. We call the Sabon Tasha Divisional Police Station, but the personnel came about two hours after the bandits had fled. Nine people were abducted, but one person escaped as they were crossing a river somewhere along Abuja road,” he added.

    Kaduna state has suffered series of attacks and kidnappings in recent times.

  • Court nullifies PDP Kaduna central senatorial primary election

    Court nullifies PDP Kaduna central senatorial primary election

    The Federal High Court in Kaduna on Wednesday nullified the primary election conducted by the PDP for Kaduna Central Senatorial District due to irregularities.

    Delivering the judgment, Justice Muhammed Umar ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary within 14 days.

    Recall that one of the aspirants for the senatorial position, Usman Ibrahim, approached the court through his counsel, Samuel Atung, challenging the emergence of Mr. Lawal Adamu.

    The plaintiff, Ibrahim, challenged the defendant’s election on the ground of over voting and prayed the court to nullify the exercise and give every aspirant equal opportunity to test their popularity.

    Justice Umar in his judgment, said all the complaints made by the plantiff (Usman Ibrahim) were substantial, likewise the decision made by INEC to conduct fresh primary that did not later hold as a result of claims by the defendant was overruled.

    Atung, counsel to the complainant (lbrahim), during an interaction with newsmen shortly after the judgment, said the court remained the last hope of the common man.

    He said: “After the Kaduna Central PDP primary to select its candidate for the 2023 general elections, our client wrote a petition to the party’s Appeal Panel challenging the outcome of the exercise due to over voting.

    “We have a video evidence to that effect and the committee considered our appeal and forwarded its recommendation to the Central Working Committee (CWC) which in its wisdom, called for a repeat of the primary election.

    “The PDP wrote INEC, intimated the Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Corps and other relevant stakeholders of its decision to repeat the primary for Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, which was a welcome development.

    “Unfortunately on the appointed date, our client, after mobilizing his supporters to the venue of the repeat primary, only to be told that the exercise would no longer  hold due to the directives of the powers that be.

    “We came to court seeking for justice in that line and the judge has ruled that the party should follow the decision of the National Working Committee and conduct fresh one  in two weeks,” Atung said.

  • Kaduna Govt reintroduces fees in senior secondary schools

    Kaduna Govt reintroduces fees in senior secondary schools

    The Kaduna State Government on Tuesday announced the reintroduction of school fees in senior secondary schools across the state.

    The Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Halima Lawal made this known in a letter to the Principals of Secondary Schools in the State.

    Recall that the State Government had in 2019 abolished the payment of fees in schools from primary to senior secondary for all students with effect from 2020.

    The move, according to the government, was to reduce the burden on parents and to facilitate free access to education by children of school age.

    Lawal, however, said that the reintroduction of the fees at senior secondary school level was due to the dwindling resources at the disposal of the state government.

    She blamed the development on the current harsh economic conditions, which compelled the government to rescind the decision.

    “The increase in population of school children in the state necessitates the expansion and renovation of existing structures, provision of teaching and learning materials to provide a functional and conducive learning environment.

    “However, the dwindling resources at the disposal of the state due to the harsh economic conditions of the times, have made it compelling to reintroduce school fees in our secondary schools.

    She said that consequently, every student at Senior Secondary level in the state would now be required to pay a nominal fee of N2,000 for an academic session.

    She explained that each student was expected to pay N1000 for first term and N500 each for second and third term.

    “Students have the option to make full payment at the beginning of the session or in three instalments over the three terms.

    “All Principals are requested to note that the payment of the fee is with effect from the second term of 2022/2023 session. Modalities of payment would be communicated in due course,” she said.

  • [Video]: Peter Obi ordered my house arrest in Anambra – El-Rufai

    [Video]: Peter Obi ordered my house arrest in Anambra – El-Rufai

    The governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai on Monday, disclosed how Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra and presidential candidate of Labour Party for the 2023 Presidential Election, ordered his arrest in 2013.

    He disclosed this in a meeting of Arewa Joint Committee organised for presidential candidates.

    El-Rufai who narrated how the incident happened said, “In 2013, I went to Anambra state, as an official of the APC, to witness the bye-election for governorship,” he said.

    “Your next guest, Peter Obi, was governor. He got me arrested and detained for 48 hours in my hotel room. Now, I am the governor of Kaduna state. And he is coming to Kaduna.

    “In addition to the police and the SSS, I have one mechanised division Nigerian Army here, if I need to arrest and detain anyone. But we are northerners. We are civilised. We don’t do things like that.”

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  • Labour party gives reasons for cancelling 1 million-man march in Kaduna

    Labour party gives reasons for cancelling 1 million-man march in Kaduna

    A Chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) Michael Ayuba who’s running for the  position of Southern Kaduna senatorial district seat at the upper chamber has revealed why the party’s One Million march in Kaduna state was cancelled.

    Ayuba revealed that the fragile nature of Kaduna State based on intelligence reports was a big factor in the cancellation.

    He disclosed the party’s decision in Kaduna on Thursday during the harmonization of over 50 support groups in support of Peter Obi’s presidency and all the party’s candidates in the 2023 general elections.

    He explained, “We will work with security agencies to ensure that we hold the match in the next two weeks.”

    Earlier, Jonathan Asake, the gubernatorial candidate for the Labour Party (LP) in Kaduna, explained that the Obi Movement is turning into a revolution because of disenchantment, especially among the youths and the challenges other Nigerians are going through.

    Meanwhile, Moris Ikpeamaze expressed joy over his re-election and said God has vindicated him, he however, promised to work for the success of the party in the state at the forthcoming general elections.

    He reiterated that there is no faction in Labour Party , adding that there is unity in their camp.

    “let us unite and work as a team to surmount any problem that may be a hindrance to the success of the party from the presidency to the state level.”