TheNewsGuru

Tag: Kaduna State

  • BREAKING: Gov El-Rufai’s first term Deputy Barnabas Yusuf Bala is dead

    BREAKING: Gov El-Rufai’s first term Deputy Barnabas Yusuf Bala is dead

    The previous Deputy Governor to Governor Nasir El-Rufaiof Kaduna State, Barnabas Yusuf Bala is dead.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor El-Rufai made the death of 64-year-old Bala known on Sunday.

    Bala was the former Kaduna State Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the founder of the architectural firm, Bantex consortium.

    In a statement, El-Rufai described the death of his former Deputy as sad.

    The statement reads: “It’s a VERY SAD DAY: In Bantex, I have lost a dear friend and partner in the service of Kaduna State

    “In the midst of trying times, I have received with utter sadness news of the departure of my friend and brother, His Excellency Barnabas Yusuf Bala (Bantex).

    “From our days as undergraduates in the 1970s to our practice as professional colleagues in the construction industry and eventually partners in a governance project, Bantex was consistently a dependable man of brilliance and imagination.

    “He believed in the potential of our state and in the capacity of our people to work together for progressive attainments.

    “Together, we took on the task of providing new leadership for Kaduna State in 2015. He brought to his duties as Deputy Governor during our first term his unique insights as a politician with experience in navigating the diversity of our state.

    “Bantex radiated hope and optimism in the future of our state, even when the circumstances were dreary.

    “Bantex had served the people of Kaduna State in several capacities prior to becoming Deputy Governor.

    “As a delegate to the 1994 Constitutional Conference, chairman of Kaura Local Government Council and member for Kaura Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, he was a sterling symbol of representative democracy.

    “We would miss his brilliance and his commitment to Kaduna State, his easygoing manners, his sense of humour and steadfastness to his convictions.

    “I have spoken to his family and conveyed our condolence on behalf of the government and people of Kaduna State.

    “We shall work closely with his family to grant a befitting farewell to a man who gave so much to this even when hobbled by ill-health.

    “We have been blessed to know Bantex and to work with him. We pray God to grant him peaceful repose and to comfort his wife, children and the entire family in this moment of grief and loss”.

  • BREAKING: 26 students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School escape from bandits

    BREAKING: 26 students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School escape from bandits

    Twenty-six out of yet to be confirmed number of students kidnapped from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State have escaped from the hands of their bandits kidnappers.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Rev. John Hayab, who is also a member of the Baptist Church, made this known on Monday.

    Hayab said that as of Friday, there were 180 boarding students in the Bethel Baptist High School.

    He said that so far, 26 students had returned and that he was hopeful that more would escape from the bandits.

    TNG reports suspected bandits on Monday kidnapped an unspecified number of students of Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi town of Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

    The bandits invaded the school at about 2 a.m.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Kaduna, ASP Mohammed Jalije, who confirmed the incident, said 17 of the students had earlier been rescued.

    He said that the exact number of students abducted by the bandits had yet to be ascertained, adding that details would be made public in due course.

  • BREAKING: Soldiers foil attack on Oyedepo’s Faith Academy in Kaduna

    BREAKING: Soldiers foil attack on Oyedepo’s Faith Academy in Kaduna

    Soldiers on Monday foiled an attempt by gunmen to attack Faith Academy, a secondary school owned by Living Faith Church Worldwide, founded by Bishop David Oyedpo.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the school is located in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State, not far from a boarding school where many students were abducted by the gunmen in an attack that happened in the early hours of Monday.

    While the gunmen abducted students at Bethel School, the attack on Faith Academy was foiled by the soldiers.

    Daily Trust gathered that gunmen had launched coordinated attacks on both Bethel secondary school and Faith Academy in the early hours of Monday.

    A security agent confirmed to our correspondent that the gunmen broke into the premises of Faith Academy through the back fence around 1am but were repelled by soldiers, with assistance from the school security team.

    A parent, whose son attends the school, told our correspondent that the school management had last week instructed all students to go home, except SS3 students who were preparing for final year exams.

    She said adequate provision has been made to move the SS3 students to Barnawa in Kaduna south local government area where they are expected to continue with their studies.

    She commended security agents for their timely intervention, saying her son and others who were in the hostel during the attack are safe and have been evacuated from the school premises.

    When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Command through the Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said he could not confirm it but security agents were busy thwarting attacks by bandits throughout the night.

  • BREAKING: Bandits kill 7 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    BREAKING: Bandits kill 7 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Government on Sunday alleged that seven people were killed within three days by suspected bandits in Chikun, Kajuru and Giwa Local Government Areas of state.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, made this known in a statement.

    The statement said that the sad development was reported by some security agencies to the state authorities on Saturday.

    According to the statement, the security report revealed that the bandits shot four victims of kidnap dead at the outskirts of Tsohon Gayan general area of Chikun.

    “Two of the victims were from Kakau village of the same LGA. The third was identified as being from Kachia town and the fourth remains yet unidentified,” it said.

    The statement also said that in Iri Station, Kajuru council area, two people were also shot-dead by a gang of bandits.

    “Also one person, a native of Tsohon Farakwai of Igabi LGA, was similarly killed by bandits at the outskirts of Galadima general area of Giwa LGA,” it added.

    The statement said Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna had already sent condolences to their families and prayed for the repose of their souls.

    It said that the security agencies had visited the Iri Station where some victims were killed.

    The statement also quoted the commissioner, who led government delegation to the communities, as saying the state was commitment to the security and peace of the general public.

    It also urged collaboration between communities and security agencies, adding that the collaboration was critical and must be cultivated in the interests of state security.

  • BREAKING: Student feared killed as security operatives open fire on protesting students in Kaduna

    BREAKING: Student feared killed as security operatives open fire on protesting students in Kaduna

    A student of the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State has been reportedly shot dead by security operatives during the students’ protest.

    Eye witness confirmed the bloody incident to TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) on Monday.

    The students reportedly blocked the Kaduna and Jos-Nassarawa roads protesting the increase of their tuition by Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

    Details shortly…

  • Again, gunmen attack Zaria again, abduct residents

    Again, gunmen attack Zaria again, abduct residents

    Barely two days after an attack on Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna state, unknown gunmen have again attacked Kofar Gayan and Kofar Kona areas of Zaria and abducted some residents.

    ASP Mohammed Jalige, Police Public Relations Officer, Kaduna State Command, who confirmed the incidence, said he was trying to gather details to update the press.

    However, an official of Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KadVS), who spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday in Zaria, said the incident occurred between 12.01 and 1.00am on Saturday night.

    The official, who did not give details on the exact number of people abducted by the kidnappers, said the incident occurred around Government Girls Secondary School, Kofar Gayan.

    An eyewitness, Malam Abdullahi Mohammed, a resident of the area,told NAN that no fewer than 12 people were abducted during the operation.

    He added that about eight people were kidnapped from a single house, while others were picked separately.

    Similarly, daughter of one of the victims, Hafsat Kusfa,said the bandits broke into their home around 12.01 am and assembled them in front of the house.

    She added that the bandits, who were about seven in number carrying guns and marchets, took away eight members of her family,including her father, mother, sisters and brothers.

    Kusfa said her father and mother, as well as some of the kidnapped victims, were later released through the efforts of security men who intercepted the hoodlums.

    Recall that the attacked is coming barely two days after similar incident at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, where one student was killed, while two lecturers and eight students were abducted.

  • How bandits abducted 2 lecturers, 8 students at Bamalli Poly – Kaduna State Govt

    How bandits abducted 2 lecturers, 8 students at Bamalli Poly – Kaduna State Govt

    The Kaduna State Government has confirmed the kidnap of two lecturers and eight students by bandits in an attack at the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, also confirmed the death of one student in the incident in a statement on Friday in Kaduna.

    Aruwan said that security agencies had briefed the state government on the incident which took place at the main campus of the polytechnic in Zaria on Thursday night.

    He said the bandits invaded the institution’s staff quarters in the campus, shooting sporadically and in the “process, two students were hit and sustained gunshot injuries’’.

    “They were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Sadly, one of the victims died early this (Friday) morning, while the other is receiving treatment,’’ he said.

    Aruwan said Gov. Nasir El-Rufai was saddened by the incident and prayed for repose of the soul of the student killed.

    “El-Rufai wished the injured student a speedy recovery,’’ he said, adding that senior government officials and security agencies were already assessing and interfacing with the management and students of the institution.

  • Bandits kill 4, injure 1 in Kaduna

    Bandits kill 4, injure 1 in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State government on Tuesday said bandits killed four persons and injured one in Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

    The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

    Aruwan said security agencies reported the attack on Goska community in Jema’a Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the bandits invaded the community and killed four residents.

    “Two of the victims were attacked and killed on their farms by the assailants; one woman sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to hospital,” he said.

    The commissioner also said that Gov. Nasir el’Rufai expressed sadness at the reports and prayed for repose of the souls of the residents who were killed by the bandits.

    The governor sent his condolences to their families and wished the injured quick recovery.

    Aruwan said security patrols were ongoing in the general area, alongside investigations into the attack.

  • BREAKING: Kaduna postpones LG polls indefinitely

    BREAKING: Kaduna postpones LG polls indefinitely

    The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM) to postpone the July 5th Local Government Elections indefinitely.

    KADSIECOM’s Acting chairman, Ibrahim, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing.

    According to Sambo, the postponement was due to non-readiness of sensitive materials, which included batteries of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) which are yet to be delivered from China.

    “…the shipment date for the EVM battery from China to Abuja was scheduled for between 1st- 10th July 2021” Sambo said

    He added that “charging of the batteries with fixing and sorting of other relevant accessories will take 14 days – from 17th July to 2nd August 2021, respectively. While it will take two days for the distribution of sensitive election materials before the commission propose a possible election date.

    This development however did not go down well with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The PDP Secretary in the state Ibrahim Aliyu Wusono accused the commission for doing it deliberately in favour of the ruling APC, which he said appeared not ready for the election as earlier scheduled.

  • Gov el-Rufai disengages 19 political appointees

    Gov el-Rufai disengages 19 political appointees

    Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has approved the disengagement of 19 political appointees.

    This is contained in statement by el-Rufai’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye on Wednesday in Kaduna.

    The disengaged appointees are Bala Mohammed, Deputy Chief of Staff Legislative; Halima Nagogo, Special Assistant; Umar Abubakar, Special Assistant; Ben S. D. Kure, Special Adviser Political; Mustapha Nyusha and Jamilu Dan-Mutum.

    Others are Umar Haruna, Special Assistant Political; Zainab Shehu, Special Adviser Social Development; Stephen Hezron, Special Assistant to SAD SD; Mohammed Shuaibu, SSA Stakeholder Relations; Aliyu Haruna, SSA Youth; Halima Idris, SA Creative Arts.

    The rest are Aliyu Salihu, DG Public Procurement Authority; Ashiru Zuntu, SA Community Relations; Saida Sa’ad, SSA; Elias Yahaya, SA Programmes; Tasiu Suleiman Yakaji, SA to SSG; Samuel Hadwayah, SA Economic Matters; and Ahmed Mohammed Gero SSA Environment
    ”el-Rufai thanked the appointees for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours,’’ Adekeye said.

    On April 12, El-Rufai made known his plan to disengage some public servants in the state for fiscal reasons.

    He said a significant amount of the statutory federal allocations is being spent on the wages of public servants monthly.

    “Therefore, the state government has no choice but to shed some weight and reduce the size of the public service. It is a painful but necessary step to take, for the sake of the majority of the people of this state.

    “The public service of the state with less than 100,000 employees and their families) cannot be consuming more than 90 per cent of government resources, with little left to positively impact the lives of the more than nine million that are not political appointees or civil servants.

    “It is gross injustice for such a micro minority to consume the majority of the resources of the State,” he said.