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Tag: Kano

  • Eid-el-Kabir: DSS foils terrorists’ attacks on Abuja, Kano, four other states during festival

    Eid-el-Kabir: DSS foils terrorists’ attacks on Abuja, Kano, four other states during festival

    The Department of State Services (DSS) said it had foiled plans by the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWA) terrorists to attack Abuja and other cities during the recent Ed-el-Kabir festivities.

    A statement issued by an operative of the service, Mr Tony Opuiyo, on Saturday in Abuja, said the plans were to conduct gun attacks and suicide bombing on selected targets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi, Yobe and Borno States.

    Opuiyo said the mastermind of the operation was Hussein Mai-Tangaran a well known senior Commander who had been on the radar of the Service and the Nigerian Army since 2012.

    Opuiyo said that Mai-Tangaran was also responsible for the deadly attacks against worshipers at the Kano Central Mosque as well as an attack on a military formation in Yobe in 2015, which claimed hundreds of lives.

    He said that Mai-Tangaran, an IED expert, had been prepping and priming others for the perpetration of suicide bombing attacks carried out by the group in the past within the North-East region.

    He said the suspect was arrested in Kano on Aug. 31 and further exploitation led to the arrest of one Abdulkadir Umar Mohammed on Sept. 2 at Kantin Kwari market in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.

    Opuiyo said Mohammed was a fighter of the sect who left the group in the Sambisa forest to team up with others toward carrying out the attacks being planned by the group.

    He said that another accomplice in the plot, one Muhammad Ali, was arrested on Sept. 3, at Sheka area in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

    “Prior to his arrest, Ali was the financial courier of the group in Kano. He was one of the conduits through which funds and other material logistics were channeled to the group from foreign extremist elements/sponsors.

    “Like Mohammed, Ali was involved in the plot to perpetuate the planned attacks in Kano and other States in the North during the just concluded Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

    In a related development, the service said it had arrested the duo of Yahaya Abacha and Yusuf Mohammed on Sept. 3, in Kano.

    “The duo are the leading elements of a cell of the extremist group and have been hibernating and furthering the doctrines of the group in the city.

    “They were also to be responsible for operations in FCT Abuja, Kaduna and Niger States,” the operative said.

    He said the service had also arrested Abdulkarim Mohammed following credible intelligence report on Aug. 29, in Ajilani Local Government Area of Borno.

    ” The suspect has been spying on targets in Maiduguri, particularly troops’ deployments/positioning and subsequently passing same to elements of the group in Sambisa forest,” he said

    “This Service wishes to thank the general public for its support and cooperation in providing useful information on criminal and terrorist elements in their domain.

    “The Service also wishes to reiterate its stance that no matter how long, every perpetrator of violence and criminality against the Nigerian State and its law-abiding citizens, shall be made to face the full course of justice,”Opuiyo said.

     

     

  • Two NYSC members crushed to death in Kano

    Two NYSC members crushed to death in Kano

    Two members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been crushed to death in a fatal road crash near Rimin Gado Local Government Area of Kano State.

    It was gathered that they were on their way from camp in Zamfara State following its closure on Tuesday.

    The corps members, one from Kano and the other from Bauchi state, left the NYSC orientation camp in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara and were on relocation to Jigawa State when they were involved in the accident.

    Eyewitnesses told newsmen that the bus conveying them had a tyre burst and then skidded off the road and crashed, killing the two and injuring several others.

    One of the deceased was said to have been an active person while on the camp and was known by many corps members.

    The state coordinator of the NYSC, Hajiya Ramatu Sanda, confirmed the incident and prayed for Allah’s mercy for the dead.

  • Maitama Sule: Jonathan visits Ganduje, says elder statesman contribution beyond Kano

    Maitama Sule: Jonathan visits Ganduje, says elder statesman contribution beyond Kano

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan said late Yusuf Maitama Sule had promoted national interest during his lifetime.

    Jonathan said this in Kano on Saturday when he paid a condolence visit to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje at the Government House, Kano.

    ‎The former president also said that the late Danmasani’s influence and contribution to national development went beyond kano.‎

    He described the late statesman as a patriot whose interest was the growth of Nigeria and the African continent.‎

    “He was one of those leaders who shunned ethnicity, promoted national interest above all others and believed in the corporate existence of the country.

    “He was also a man of integrity, a nationalist who played a key role in the independence of the country and after independence, his exploits in Nigeria and beyond contributed to making Nigeria a great country,” he said.

    Jonathan said that the nation had lost a father, a leader and an orator.

    He commended Governor Ganduje for renaming the state-owned Northwest University after the late ‎Danmasani.

    ‎”On behalf of my family and my entire entourage, I offer my condolences to you and the good people of the state,” he said.‎‎

    Ganduje while speaking described the deceased as simple, friendly and someone who carried everybody along, irrespective of differences.

    He described the late Maitama ‎Sule as a role model who all Nigerians should be proud of.‎

    The former President was accompanied by former Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, among others.

    The former president also paid similar visit to the Emir’s Palace and the house of the deceased elder statesman in Kano city.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the two-time minister and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations died in the early hours of Monday at 88.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the elder statesman was buried on Tuesday in Kano.

     

     

    NAN

  • Maitama Sule: Buhari writes Ganduje from London, commiserates with Kano

    Maitama Sule: Buhari writes Ganduje from London, commiserates with Kano

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a personal letter of condolence to the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, in which he expressed profound shock over the death of elder statesman, Yusuf Maitama Sule, the presidency said Monday night.

    The letter, said to have been personally signed by the President, also described the death of Mr. Sule as a “heavy loss.”

    It will be delivered by the federal government delegation to the burial as constituted by the Acting President, a statement by Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, said.

    The President’s letter reads thus:

    “I have heard this morning, the death of the venerable Alhaji Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano, and one of Nigeria’s famous sons. Although, I knew he was in poor health for some time, his death nonetheless, came as a profound shock.

    “As a Minister in the First Republic, he was one of those who assisted our Founding Fathers, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to fashion Nigeria politically and lay the grounds of national co-existence.

    “Maitama Sule was blessed by God with a wonderful voice and outstanding eloquence. He served with distinction in the First Republic, the Second Military regime, as well as the Second Republic, without him being tainted with the remotest hint of scandal.

    “As a person, I found him personable with unceasing good humour. Nothing personified his faith more than the fact that on losing his sight, he did not retreat in himself sulking on account of his ill-fortune. Quite to the contrary, he honoured virtually all invitations extended to him and spoke as usual with singular eloquence and unparalleled wit.

    “In my discussions with him, I greatly valued his counsel, and I never ceased to be amazed by his concern for the well-being of his country rather than his personal interests.

    “Let me extend my sincere condolences to Your Excellency, family and friends, the Government and people of Kano, and Nigerians as a whole, for this most heavy loss. We shall not soon see the like of him. May God forgive his sins and admit him to Paradise, Amin.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the two-time minister and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, died in the early hours of Monday (today) at 88.

     

  • Maitama Sule: Kano declares Tuesday public holiday

    Maitama Sule: Kano declares Tuesday public holiday

    …as body arrives Nigeria on Tuesday for burial

    The Kano State Government has declared Tuesday as public holiday in honour of late elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the two-time minister and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, died in the early hours of Monday (today) at 88.

    This was revealed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mallam Mohammed Garba.

    According to the statement, the deceased lying in state will take place at the palace of Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to enable prominent Nigerians to mourn and pay their last respect to the elder statesman before his internment.

    The statement reads: ” The death has occurred today (Monday) of Alhaji (Dr.) Yusuf Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano.

    “Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule died at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, where he was receiving treatment for an illness.

    “Funeral prayer for the deceased will be conducted tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu, by 4:00 p.m.

    “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has declared Tuesday a work – free day in the state to mourn the death of the elder statesman.”

     

     

  • Eid-el-Fitr: Ganduje grants amnesty to 500 prisoners

    Kano State Government on Sunday granted pardon to 500 inmates of prisons in the state to mark the Eid-el-Fitr.

    The state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, granted the pardon to the inmates at Central Prison, Kurmawa in the state capital, while addressing a cross-section of the convicts, shortly after the Eid prayer in the state capital.

    The governor, who was accompanied to the prison by the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. A.B. Dambazau (retd), explained that a “committee of officials of the state government and the state command of Nigeria Prison Service had been mandated to produce names of deserving inmates, within the next two weeks.”

    He said, “200 of the prisoners, who are to be pardoned would come from the state central prison, while the remaining 300 would come from Goron Dutse prison and other satellite prisons in the state.”

    Even though many of the prisoners have expressed remorse and have changed positively in terms of behaviour, the governor stressed that there were procedures and due processes that would warrant their consideration for pardon.

    On the issue of condemned prisoners, those on life imprisonment and those in prison for many years without conviction, the governor said a committee would be constituted to review their cases and make recommendations to the government, for possible review of their punishments.

    The committee is expected to submit its reports in two weeks, he stated.

    Also, Ganduje on the occasion, declared free 50 inmates, who were earlier granted amnesty, during the state 50th anniversary celebrations in May, assuring them that they would be provided with transport fare to their various destinations.

    In his remarks, the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. A.B. Dambazau (retd), commended Kano State Government for providing land to the Nigeria Prison Service to enable it to build a 3, 000-capacity prison in the state.

    On the inmates freed by the Ganduje administration, he charged them to “go back to the society and engage in legitimate activities,” warning that if they revert to crime, chances are that if apprehended, they would not come out of prison again.

    He urged the government to work with the Nigeria Prison Service in the proposed co-location of prisons and courts to ease the problem of conveyance of prisoners to courts and to support the state command towards the success of its ongoing skills acquisition centre project at Kurmawa Prison.

    Earlier in his address, the state Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Haruna M.N. Falali, said that since its inception two years ago, the Ganduje administration had granted amnesty to over 3, 000 prisoners, saying that the government would not relent in pardoning genuinely reformed prisoners.

  • Gunmen kill police officer, one other in Kano

    Gunmen kill police officer, one other in Kano

    Gunmen suspected to be armed robbers have killed two persons including a police officer in Kano.

    A witness told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano on Sunday that the incident occurred on Saturday night around Kings Garden by Club Road in Kano metropolis.

    According to the witness, the suspects were in a car when they opened fire on police officers at a checkpoint thereby leading to the death of one policeman and one other person who was passing by.

    It was gathered that some people also sustained injuries during the attack while the suspects were said to have escaped.

    When contacted, the state police commissioner, Rabi’u Yusuf confirmed the incident saying one policeman lost his life and another person was injured

    According to him, the suspects were driving in a car when they reached the place where police were conducting ‘stop and search’ at the area.

    He said on reaching the place, the suspects started shooting sporadically leading to the killing of one of the police officers and injuring one other person.

    “As a result of the incident, one of our personnel lost his life while another person was injured,” Mr. Yusuf said.

    He dismissed some of the reports published by some online papers that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram insurgents.

    “The attackers were not Boko Haram members as being speculated in some quarters,” he added.

    (NAN)

     

  • DSS arrests high profile Boko Haram members in Kano

    The Department of State Services (DSS) in Kano yesterday arrested top Boko Haram commander, and 20 others suspects.

    The Director, Kano local office of DSS, Alhassan Muhammad, told newsmen in Kano that a 48 hours operation stopped what would have been a bloody Eid-el-Fitr in Kano.

    Muhammad disclosed to newsmen that the combat operations was jointly carried out by the police, and his men led to the arrest of the unit commander of Boko Haram who was also in charge of Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto.

    He explained that the commander also arrested alongside 30 other suspects while planning coordinated attacks during Sallah festivity in Kano and other major Northern cities.

    Alhassan said, “we have in our Custody about 30 suspected Boko Haram terrorists including a sector Commandant whom we arrested at Rijiyar Zaki and Dorayi areas of Kano in just two days”.

    He added, “our joint intelligence gathering and the synergy that existed between all the security apparatus in Kano give a moral buster to our giant efforts in tracking every suspicious movements and make it highly difficult for the terrorists to make any impact.”

    The Director revealed that “arms and ammunition, primed Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs were recovered from the suspects’ hideouts in the state.

  • Eid-el-Fitri: DSS foils plans by terrorists to attack Kano, Sokoto, others

    The Department of State Services, DSS, announced on Friday that it arrested suspected terrorists planning to attack Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri during the Sallah celebration.

    The federal government had earlier declared Monday and Tuesday next week as public holidays for the Islamic festival.

    In a statement on Friday signed by Tony Opuiyo, the DSS said, “The past few weeks, this service has uncovered a sinister plot by terrorist elements to stage series of coordinated attacks using explosives on different cities across the country.”

    Two suspects, Yusuf Adamu and Abdumuminu Haladu, were apprehended by the domestic intelligence agency during the early hours of Friday in Sokoto.

    According to the statement, Mr. Adamu and his accomplice were to command the operation in Kano.

    “However, the Service had earlier arrested the facilitator of the Kano attack, an explosive expert by name Bashir Mohammed at Unguwar Barnawa, Shekar Madaki, Kumbatso LGA, Kano State on June 20”.

    “Their plan, together with others now at large, was to assemble the explosives and use them on select targets during the Eid-el-Fitr Celebrations”.

    “Their aim was to hit on soft targets such as markets, public parks, public processions, recreation centres, as well as worship centres especially the Eid Praying Grounds and other densely populated areas during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration. The latest plan by the terrorists was to unleash mayhem on Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri,” the agency said.

    However, the service assured Nigerians that the planned terrorist attacks in the states have been foiled by the agency.

    The agency said during the arrest of Mr. Mohammed in Kumbotso, Kano, a search was conducted at his residence where it recovered “Eight (8) AK-47 rifles, Twenty (20) fully loaded AK-A7 magazines, Twenty-seven (27) hand grenades, Seven hundred and ninety-three (793) rounds of live ammunition.”

    One gas cylinder, three laptops, one mobile phone, a motorcycle, a car, and a printer were also recovered.

    The DSS also said it uncovered plans by the terrorists to infiltrate the ranks of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, which has been demanding the release of its leader Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, held without trial since December 2015.

    “This is in an attempt to assume a formidable cover to unleash violence and evoke a complete state of chaos in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during the group’s Qudus Day Procession/Rally scheduled for Friday in Abuja and several States in the Northern parts of the country”.

    “Sequel to this, the Service is warning members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) to desist from staging any form of procession or demonstration as the terrorists will seize the opportunity to unleash mayhem”. Mr. Opuiyo said.

    The rallies by the IMN had, however, been held across many cities, in a largely peaceful atmosphere, before the DSS statement.

    “The Service is working, in concert with other security agencies, to ensure that no section of the country is attacked during and after the Sallah celebrations”.

    “Law abiding citizens and residents are not only assured of their safety but enjoined to go about their normal businesses without fear of attack. It pledges to engage all stakeholders to ensure a hitch free Eid-el-fitr festival across the country,” it stated.

     

  • FG warns residents on outbreak of birdflu in FCT, Kaduna, Kano, others

    FG warns residents on outbreak of birdflu in FCT, Kaduna, Kano, others

    The Federal Government on Friday alerted the public to the outbreak of Avian Influenza or Birdflu in the FCT and seven states of the country.

    Dr Gideon Mshelbwala, the Director of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development raised the alert at a meeting with state Commissioners of Agriculture in Abuja on Friday.

    Mshelbwala listed the states affected by the outbreak to include Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, FCT and lastly Kaduna, which reported a case in May 30.

    He said that the disease had spread across 26 states of the federation and the FCT since it started in 2008 affecting 800 farms in no fewer than 123 local government areas.

    Mshelbwala, who said that there were no scientifically proven vaccines for birdflu, noted that the Federal Government was adopting quarantine, movement control, stamping out, decontamination and bio-security measures to curb the spread.

    The director expressed regret over the poor bio-security practices by some poultry farmers, adding that it was the major reason for the continuous spread of the disease.

    According to him, the Federal Government has paid over N674 million in compensations to 269 farmers across the affected states.

    “Our national action plan encourages proper regulation of the poultry industry and enforcement of annual registration of all actors along the poultry value chain including farmers, traders, egg merchants and feed millers.

    “It also encourages the creation of veterinary extension services to facilitate the control and proper inspection of poultry and poultry products,’’ he said.

    Mshelbwala said that the way forward to the containment of the disease was to ban importation of poultry and products, quarantine and bio-security measures, among others.

    He, however, warned poultry farmers against illegal vaccination of birds, saying that it was a deadly alternative to the control of the disease.

     

     

    NAN