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Tag: Kaduna

  • Heavy security presence in Kaduna as court adjourns el-Zakzaky’s case

    There was confusion in some parts of Kaduna on Wednesday as the Police and other security operatives barricaded all roads leading to Ahmadu Bello Way in the state capital.

    This followed the arraignment of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria(Shi’ite), Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky and wife, Zeena, in a Kaduna High Court on Wednesday.

    The development forced residents who had business to transact at the city centre to retreat home for fear of attack.

    There were social media messages which circulated on Tuesday of a possible attack by the Shi’ites over the arraignment of their leader.

    However, the Police in a terse statement warned residents to be on the alert and reminded them that the ban on procession and demonstration was still in force.

    But the Shi’ites denied any planned attack on the people of the state, noting that it was a plot by the Nigeria Police Force to smear its image.

    Not taking chances, the Police and other security operatives barricaded the major road connecting the town from the Southern and Northern axis, eliciting fear among residents.

    Stern-looking combat and regular policemen, operatives of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps and other complimentary agencies took positions at strategic locations along the Ahmadu Bello Way.

    Ahmadu Bello Way is the commercial hub of Kaduna State.

  • Gas explosion razes 15 shops in Kaduna

    A gas explosion on Saturday evening burnt down 14 shops and a pharmacy with one person injured.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred at about 5:40 pm on Ibrahim Taiwo Road by Abeokuta street in Kaduna.

    Residents mobilised to put out the fire before it spread further in the densely populated area.

    Most of the shops affected by the gas explosion contained kitchen equipment, gas cylinders and refiling facilities.

    The residents chased away fire service personnel from the Kaduna State University who arrived over an hour after the fire started.

    One of the shop owners, Mr Ifeanyi Eze said the fire started as a result of electrical surge which led to heavy explosion in one of shops selling gas cylinders.

    An eyewitness, Mr Samuel Emma said immediately after the explosion, fire emerged from the shop, adding that the owner was slightly burnt and was rushed to hospital.

    “We don’t know his situation now, but

    from there, the fire extended to the rest of the shops and only a few items were salvaged.

    “We thank God no life was lost. We called the fire service but for close to two hours we didn’t see them until one fire service vehicle from Kaduna State University came and was chased away by angry neighbors,”he said.

    A resident, Hamza Ado said: “we called the fire fighters but they didn’t come and when we called again we were told that they had no water in their vehicles.

    “It was the youth that fetched water from all available sources to control the blaze.”

  • EFCC detains former Kaduna governor, ex-minister

    Ramalan Yero, former governor of Kaduna State has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Yero was on Wednesday detained alongside a former Kaduna Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Haruna Gaiya; a former Minister of State for Power, Nuhu Way; and former Secretary to Kaduna State government, Hamza Ishaq at the EFCC zonal office in Kaduna State capital.

    The former Governor and the three others have been under investigation by EFCC since 2016, for the role they played in the disbursement of the N750 million PDP campaign fund before the 2015 general election.

    Although the four accused persons have been reporting at the EFCC office for some time, in line with the procedure for their investigation, they were however detained when they reported at the commission’s zonal office on Wednesday morning.

    The Kaduna zonal spokesman of the EFCC, Kamaludeen Gebi told Channels Television that the four accused persons will be arraigned at a Federal high court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday on charges bordering on money laundering, criminal conspiracy, misappropriation of public funds among others.

    Ramalan Yero and the three others were at the EFCC office last week Friday and were later released after they were interrogated for over four hours.

  • Again, gunmen invade Kaduna communities, kill 10

    There was pandemonium again in Kaduna State as armed bandits on Tuesday invaded four villages in Birnin-Gwari Local Government reportedly killing at least ten people.

    The bandits overran Mashigi, Dakwaro, Sabon gida, and a last village killing at least ten people, a resident said.

    “Ten bodies of people killed were recovered, while many are unaccounted for,” Malam Umar, a resident, was quoted as saying in a statement by a group, Birnin Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance.

    The armed bandits attacked the villages around 5.00 p.m. on Tuesday, with the attacking lasting for about three and half hours.

    Also, the armed bandits burnt houses and grains stock of the affected villages, the group said.

    The police confirmed the attacks but could not provide details.

    ” Yes I can confirm to you that there was an attack in Birnin Gwari, but it is sketchy for now. We will brief you when we get full details” Kaduna police spokesperson, Mukhtar Aliyu, said in an interview.

    Already volunteers from the southern axis of Birnin-Gwari and security officials were mobilised to ascertain the number of casualties, the Birnin-Gwari vanguards said.

    The affected villages are said to be in need of aid, such as food, shelter and clothes.

    “Despite these attacks and kidnappings daily along Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road, we are saluting the federal government and security agencies for deployment of personnel to deal with the situation in Birnin-Gwari. We hope more troops and special police task force will be deployed,” the group said.

    The latest attack occurred a day before the senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, raised the issue of the constant attacks on Birnin-Gwari at the Senate.

    “Birnin-Gwari, parts of Zamfara and Niger states are becoming the Sambisa of the north-west. People are killed every day. People are kidnapped every day. Villages have been raided and razed by bandits. Farmers have chosen to abandon their farms and move to cities,” Sani said.

     

  • Kaduna LG poll: APC wins 12, PDP takes five, others pending

    Kaduna LG poll: APC wins 12, PDP takes five, others pending

    The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM) on Monday declared the local government elections results for Chikun as inconclusive.

    Samuel Ndams, SIECOM returning officer for Chikun local government, who made the announcement, said only results from seven wards out of the 12 wards of the area were submitted.

    Ndams said results from five wards were not submitted at the collation centre, “therefore after due consultation with the SIECOM headquarters we decided to declare the LG polls in Chikun local government inconclusive”.

    Meanwhile, official results declared by returning officers indicate that the ruling APC maintains its lead in 12 local government areas, while the PDP won in five local government areas, even as results from three LGs are still pending, making a total of 21 LGs.

    Election did not hold in Jaba and Kaura local government areas.

    In Kubau, Muhammed Tukur Bashir, the returning officer, declared Sabo Aminu of the APC who scored 46,535 votes as the winner of the poll, beating Umar Abdullahi of the PDP who scored 13,398 votes.

    In Giwa, Abu Shehu Lawal Giwa of the APC won with 57,005 votes defeating Bello Shehu Kago of the PDP who got 2,673 votes as declared by Muhammed Sani, the LG returning officer.

    Musa Yusuf, the returning officer of Kauru local government, declared PDP’s Shuaibu Goma, who scored 24,393 votes as the winner against Bashir Tanko of the APC with 21,564 votes.

    Also, John Mallam Lugards, the returning officer for Ikara LG, has announced Ibrahim Salihu Sadiq of the APC who polled 42,312 votes as the winner for Ikara polls, defeating his PDP counterpart Abdullahi Aliyu who scored 9,248 votes.

    In Lere, Aminu Ahmed Muhammed, returning officer, has declared Abubakar Buba of the APC who scored 92,854 as the winner, beating Jumare Tanimu Magaji of the PDP with 16,231 votes.

    Micah Victor, returning officer for Sabon Gari local government, announced Mohammed Ibrahim Usman of the APC as the winner after scoring 20, 576 votes against PDP’s Suleiman Ibrahim Gambo with 9,580 votes.

    Similarly, Ahmed Kofa, returning officer for Igabi local government, announced Jabir Khamis of the APC who scored 47,630 as duly elected chairman, beating Abubakar Abubakar of the PDP with 2,449 votes.

    In Sanga, Samuel Shamaki of the PDP emerged winner of the chairmanship contest with 20,843 votes, beating Charles Danladi of the APC, who got 19,757 votes.

    Similarly, Nuhu Garba, SIECOM’s returning officer announced PDP’s Peter Agite as the winner in the Kachia local government chairmanship contest with 42,242 votes to beat his APC counterpart, Peter Dan-Baki, who got 33, 817 votes.

    Returning officer, Kaduna north LG, Umar Hayatu announced APC’s Saleh Shuaibu, who scored 168,572 votes as the winner, beating Muhammad Sabo Babayaro of the PDP who got 12,467 votes, while the PRP candidate had. 4,956 votes.

    In Zangon Kataf local government area, Elias Maza won with 55,643 votes, against the APC candidate, John Hassan with 31,514 votes.

    In Jema’a local government, Arnaold Makeri, the returning officer, announced Peter Averik of the PDP winner with 45,361 votes to beat Cecelia Musa of the APC who got 25, 973 votes.

    Lawal Abdullahi-Tukur, returning officer for Kudan LG, announced APC’s Shu’aibu Bawa-Jaja with 72,021 votes as the winner in the chairmanship contest beating PDP’s Kabiru Isiaku who got 3,394 votes

    Aliyu Umar, returning officer Soba LG, also announced that Mohammed Mahmud Aliyu of the APC who scored 40,903 votes as the elected chairman against the PDP candidate Muhammad Surajo Tukur who got 13,835 votes.

    In Zaria LG, Aliyu Idris Ibrahim of the APC won with 42,859 votes to beat PDP’s Yusuf Namadi with 16,033 votes.

    Similarly, Musa Abdullahi Mahdi, returning officer for Makarfi LG said APC’s Kabiru Musa Mayere won with 25,199 votes against Ibrahim Isyaku of the PDP who scored 13,088 votes.

    SIECOM announced APC as the winner of Birnin Gwari local government area but results not yet obtained.

    The official results for Kagarko and Kajuru LGs were yet to be ascertained, while that of Kaduna south is still being awaited.

    While the APC and the state government have commended the results so far released as reflecting the wish of the people, the PDP has cried foul, saying most of the results were fabricated.

  • Kaduna: We are more concerned with organising credible poll than APC victory – El-Rufai

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state on Saturday said that having a credible electoral process was more important than his party, the All Progressives Congress’ victory in the same poll.

    The governor said this on Saturday after casting his vote in the local government elections going on in the state.

    He noted that credible poll was more important than the victory of the APC, even as he expressed delight over the impressive and peaceful turn-out of residents for the election.

    El-Rufai said that he does not care whether his party wins or loses at the local government election as long as it was credible, free and fair.

    El-Rufai said although there were initial hiccups with the electronic voting machine, the problems have been resolved.

    The governor, accompanied by some state executives, arrived at his polling unit at 12:47 p.m and went straight for accreditation and then patiently join the queue with other voters. He cast his vote at exactly 1:09 p.m.

  • What we are doing to end killings in Kaduna, Benue, other troubled states – Buhari

    …as El-Rufai visits victims in Kaduna

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command in the violence-prone Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    The approvals are part of measures to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area, Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a statement on Monday evening.

    The emir of the town said on Monday that the death toll from the attack had risen to 58.

    Scores of people including soldiers and police officers had been killed in previous attacks by bandits in the local government.

    The president strongly condemns the latest massacre of innocent Nigerians in the area, Shehu said.

    “I am deeply outraged by this unwarranted, unprovoked and reckless destruction of lives by bandits who belong to the lowest level of civilization. I feel the pains and devastation of the families of the victims, and this administration will do everything possible to ensure we defeat these enemies of humanity,” Buhari was quoted as saying in the statement.

    Shehu said the new army battalion and the police area command are the latest in a series of law enforcement measures to ensure more effective protection of lives and property, in and around Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Nasarawa States.

    Last week the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two new helicopter gunships, for deployment to parts of the country affected by banditry.

    A Quick Response Wing has also been established by the Nigerian Air Force in Taraba State, while a Joint Military Intervention Force is fully on ground in Benue, Shehu said.

    However, despite the deployments in Benue and Taraba, killings have continued in both states.

    According to Shehu, President Buhari assures that security remains a priority for his government; and his administration will not tolerate the persistent killing of innocent people in order to set Nigerians against one another.

    “These persistent killings are not spontaneous; there are subterranean forces with a sinister agenda to instigate war in the country for selfish purposes,” the president was quoted as saying.

    “Although unconventional war is particularly complicated, our security forces are making rigorous efforts to better understand these enemies with a view to decisively checkmating their evil attacks.”

    Buhari extended his condolences to the families of the latest victims, the government and the people of Kaduna State over the tragedy. He assured that his government will never abandon them to their fate.

    Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, visited the affected Gwaska community in Birnin Gwari on Monday evening.

    At Birnin Gwari, El-Rufai met with the emir, Jibril Zubair, and community leaders before proceeding to Gwaska, the scene of the latest fatal attack.

    At the palace of the emir, El-Rufai expressed his sorrow and offered condolences to the people.

    “I came here to share the pain and anguish of our people, the predicament of innocent citizens whose lives were cut short due to the terrorism of bandits and criminals who have been tormenting us.

    “I and my team will be proceeding to Gwaska and other communities to see for ourselves and talk directly to the people. But I want to say again, that we are not sleeping and by the grace of God we will overcome this evil act and the terrorism being unleashed on our people.”

    In his response, the emir, Jibril Zubair, praised the federal and state governments for demonstrating commitment to the plight of his people.

    “We are grateful for your deep condolences and empathy. We are grateful for all your commitment to resolving the plight of Birnin Gwari people. As a member of the State Security Council, I am in the know of federal and state government commitment.

    “The IGP and the GOC were here and have confirmed the establishment of a Battalion of the army and Police Area Command. I am happy that you are going to Gwaska and other communities to see for yourself.”

     

  • Death toll in Kaduna village attack hits 45

    The death of the Saturday afternoon raid by suspected bandits at Gwaska in Birnin-Gwair Local Government Area of Kaduna State has risen from 27 to 45 on Sunday.

    Kaduna State Police commissioner, Austin Iwar, on Sunday confirmed that 45 villagers were killed by armed bandits in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state in a fresh attack on Saturday.

    The bandits attacked Gwaska village in Birnin Gwari on Saturday afternoon.

    Residents said the killings occurred around 2:30 p.m. when the bandits stormed the village in large numbers on motorcycles. They also burnt many houses in the community.

    Confirming the incident, the commission said the police have deployed over 150 personnel to the area as directed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Sunday.

    “Yes 45 people were confirmed dead and as we speak the state command have already deployed 150 policemen to the area to provide security,” he said.

    “We will also deploy another 200 police officers by next week to help protect lives and property in Birnin Gwari. We are doing everything possible to secure the area,” he said.

    On the need for the command to work with local vigilante in the area, Mr Austin said the police is already doing so and will continue to work with them in the area of community policing.

    A community leader in Birnin Gwari, who identified himself as Hussaini, said over 40 bodies were brought to emir’s place in Birnin Gwari on Sunday afternoon.

    “Some bodies that were seemed to have been burnt were already buried by their love ones at Doka and Mando villages, few kilometres from Birnin Gwari town,” he said.

    Following this latest attack, Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Sunday evening announced that the federal government has agreed to deploy a permanent army battalion in the troubled area.

  • 27 killed in gunmen attack on Kaduna village

    No fewer than 27 people have been reported killed in Gwaska village, Kaduna state, following attack by armed bandits.

    Gwaska is located in Birnin Gwari local government area of the northwest state.

    This attack occurred less than a week after 14 miners killed by unknown gunmen at Janruwa community in Birnin-Gwari area of the state

    Concise News understands that the Gwaska community was invaded by the bandits who allegedly came from neighbouring Zamfara Saturday night.

    According to residents, the gunmen shot sporadically and burnt down houses in the community.

    Sources say most of those killed were volunteers who tried to defend the vulnerable villagers from the attack.

  • God will curse Shehu Sani, two other Kaduna senators for rejecting World bank loan – El-Rufai

    God will curse Shehu Sani, two other Kaduna senators for rejecting World bank loan – El-Rufai

    …Says electorates must reject them in 2019

    Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State on Friday rained curses on the three senators representing the state for working against a World Bank loan request by the state government.

    The governor made the comment on Friday, five weeks after the senators — Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Sulieman Hukunyi (Kaduna North), and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna South) — blocked a $350m loan request by the Kaduna government.

    The state had sought to get the facility from the World Bank but the federal lawmakers said the loan would erode the economic viability of the state.

    But el-Rufai, while speaking at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress’ campaign for the local government election in the state at the Kaduna Township Stadium, described the lawmakers as the enemies of democracy.

    The governor, who spoke in Hausa, told the thousands of people at the venue that the senators conspired to stop his government from obtaining the loan to build infrastructure and develop the state.

    He said, “The senators from the state who worked against the World Bank loan are useless; they came out and said this loan should not be given. What is their reason for rejecting the loan? It is because they are haters of the masses in Kaduna State.

    “If a road project is initiated in your town, they don’t want it to be completed. If we start renovating a hospital, they don’t want it to be completed. If five schools are renovated and 10 are remaining, they will not want the remaining 10 to be renovated.

    “Today, there are no haters of the masses of Kaduna State like Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma Laah, God will curse them. God will reward their wickedness against the masses, may God never bless them. All members of the House of Representatives from this state, God bless them, may God return them to their seats in 2019.

    “Members of our state (House of) Assembly who gave us their cooperation before the World Bank approved the loan to us, may God bless them and may God return them to their seats in 2019. But those ones that are cursed, if they come to Kaduna, shave their heads and beard. They have shown that they are bastards, they have no origin, therefore, it is important to tell them that they did not originate from this state.

    “If the time for election comes, answer them with votes, show them that you don’t like them… Let them go back to where they come from. Let them go to the people they are working for to vote for them.

    “I want my people to comprehend the simple logic that the three senators representing my state at the Senate are starkly ignorant of the real indices of development and progress in a democratic setting.”

    El-Rufai also said his administration had invested considerably in electronic voting because he believed that votes must count during elections.