TheNewsGuru

Tag: Katsina State

  • Police foil attack on Katsina community, rescue 9

    Police foil attack on Katsina community, rescue 9

    The Police Command in Katsina State said it foiled an attack on Kirijam village in Mahuta community, Dandume Local Government Area of the state.

    The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Gambo Isa, said this in a statement on Friday in Katsina.

    “On July 1, at about 11.00 p.m., bandits in their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked Kirijam village, Mahuta Ward of Dandume LGA and kidnapped nine persons.

    “On receipt of the report, the DPO of Dandume Division led a team of policemen and blocked their possible exit route at Kadawan Maikomo village, in Sabuwa LGA,” said Isa.

    He said the bandits followed the route and fell into a police ambush, and that the team engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel and successfully repelled the attack.

    “The doggedness, uncommon courage and tactical operational strategy adopted by the Police officers made the bandits flee into the forest with varying degrees of bullet wounds.

    “In the course of profiling the scene, all the nine abducted persons were rescued unhurt and some GSM phones and food items stolen from the village by the hoodlums were also recovered,” Isa said.

    According to him, the command is urging members of the public to cooperate with security agencies working at the frontline areas by giving them credible information on bandits and their collaborators.

    He said, “The public should assist the security agencies with credible information, especially on those supplying criminals with arms and ammunition, informants and other essential commodities.

    “The Command assures members of the public that they remain resolute and committed in the ongoing fight against recalcitrant bandits until they are arrested and dealt with according to the extant laws of the land.”

  • Hon Kiyawa salutes Katsina Governor, Masari @71

    Hon Kiyawa salutes Katsina Governor, Masari @71

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Tijjani Kiyawa on Saturday has congratulated Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari as he clocks 71.

    Kiyawa in a statement issued and signed by him described the governor as a man with integrity laced with abundant humility.

    “Today as always, I will continue to respect you for all you stand for as my father, political leader and you always remain my point of reference.

    “Your golden heart speaks volume as you have touched so many lives in which I proudly to say that you brought me into limelight, my history will never be complete without mentioning your name.

    “May Allah continue to bless you as you remain steadfast in governance and all spheres of life”.

  • Aminu Bello Masari: A negotiator and bridge builder @71 – Ogunsola

    Aminu Bello Masari: A negotiator and bridge builder @71 – Ogunsola

    By Kemi Ogunsola

    Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, current Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari is one Nigerian politician that has seen it all from the Green chamber to the Katsina State Government House.

    Masari could be best described as a negotiator and bridge builder particularly the manner he recently managed security matters in his home state, Katsina.

    He epitomises humility of the highest order believing in the principle of first among equals as speaker of the House of Representatives from 2003-2007.

    No speaker of the Green Chamber in Nigeria has equalled his ability to attend to individual and political affairs of his members.

    No matter the distance, Masari attends functions of members across Nigeria building bridges of friendship.

    As an active committee member on Water Resources, Members of his Committee after seeing how he conducted himself as their colleague had no choice than to openly campaign for him to emerge as speaker in 2003.

    As speaker, Masari openly canvassed against third term agenda.

    It’s on record that Masari remains the only speaker who hired apartments to harbour all his aides.

    He is one politician that has held political offices at both the local and National levels without blemishes.

    At the state level, Masari has maintained a cordial relationship with the three arms of government in the state.

    He is one Governor that has remained glued to the state visiting Abuja only when it’s absolutely necessary.

    Aminu Bello Masari (born 29 May 1950) is a Nigerian politician and current Governor of Katsina State. He was the speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.

    Masari contested for the office of Katsina State Governor in the 2011 election under the platform of defunct Congress for Progressive Change. He lost the Election to PDP’s Ibrahim Shehu Shema.

    In December 2014 he emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 2015 elections.

    Aminu Bello was declared winner of the 11th April 2015 Katsina State Governorship election, defeating Musa Nashuni.

    Aminu Bello Masari was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Katsina State on 29 May 2015.

    Aminu Bello Masari was elected for a second term as Governor of Katsina in the March 9, 2019 Katsina State gubernatorial election under the platform of All Progressives Congress having polled 1, 178, 864 votes against Peoples Democratic Party’s Senator Garba Yakubu Lado who had 488, 621 votes.

    Kemi Ogunsola, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja

  • Senator Mandiya hails Katsina Gov, Masari @71

    Senator Mandiya hails Katsina Gov, Masari @71

    …says Masari is an embodiment of humility

    The Senator representing Katsina South District, Bello Mandiya has hailed the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari as he clocks 71.

    The Senator in a statement issued on Friday described the Governor as an embodiment of humility embracing peace at any given opportunity.

    May Allah continue to bless and prosper “my Governor who treats every human as an equal and bearing no grudges against anybody.

    “He is truly a peacemaker at governance in Katsina State and Nigeria in general”.

  • Flash: Fire razes Katsina Central Market [PHOTOS]

    Flash: Fire razes Katsina Central Market [PHOTOS]

    Properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed by fire at Katsina central market.

    Firefighters are still battling to contain the inferno which started around 8:30a.m on Monday.

    See photos below:

     

     

    Details later…

  • CAN reacts on release of Kankara schoolboys

    CAN reacts on release of Kankara schoolboys

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna chapter, says the release of Kankara school children abducted by gunmen in Katsina State is cheering news to all.

    Rev. John Hayab, Chairman of the chapter gave this commendation in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna.
    Hayab however said that the spirit and tempo that government and the security agencies deployed to get the children back home should be sustained and engaged to get others still in captivity to return home.

    He said could imagine the joy, peace, and excitement of the parents and all well-wishers on the heels of the good news heralding the school children’s return.
    He noted that to make many more homes, families and communities happy, we appeal to the government to double her effort to rescue many more Nigerians that are in the dens of bandits, criminals and terrorists.

    “I appeal the government and security sgencies to sustain the temple so as not to allow the criminals to regroup or re-strategies.

    According to him, Some Nigerians have suffered untold tragedy and many are still suffering in the hands of bandits.
    Therefore, we pray to see that the evil stops and a new lease of life of peace and harmony take over the country.
    He said CAN equally appeal that the same tactics engaged to get the 344 students released should be urgently deployed in getting others out of captivity.

    “Some of the Chibok girls are still there, we can’t forget them.
    “Our prayer is that Nigerians will celebrate this Christmas and enter the New Year with hope for a secured nation,“he said.

  • Police rescue 80 students abducted from Islamic school in Katsina

    Police rescue 80 students abducted from Islamic school in Katsina

    Gunmen on Saturday night abducted students of Islamiyya schools in Mahuta town, Dandume LGA, Katsina State.

    But they have now been rescued, according to the Nigeria Police Force.

    This is coming two days after the release of 344 students of Government Secondary School in Kankara LGA of the state.

    The Islamic students were on their way back home after they attended a maulid procession at Unguwar Al-Kasim, a nearby village.

    Maulud Nabiyyi is Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.

    The students, numbering about 80, were rescued by a combined team of policemen and local vigilante group in the area, according to the police.

    It was gathered that the rescue team engaged in a fight with the bandits around 3am and chased them away.

    Spokesman for Katsina state police command, Gambo Isah has confirmed the incident.

    Isah said the students were accosted by the bandits, who had already kidnapped four (4) persons and rustled twelve (12) cows from Danbaure village in Funtua Local Government Area of the state while trying to escape into the forest.

    On receipt of the report, he said, the DPO led Operations “Puff Adder,” Sharan Daji and vigilante group to the area and engaged the bandits into a fierce gun duel.

    “Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the eighty-four (84) kidnapped victims and recovered all the twelve rustled cows. Search parties are still combing the area with a view of arresting the injured bandits and recovery of their dead bodies. An investigation is ongoing,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Finally Katsina Govt confirms release of Kankara schoolboys

    BREAKING: Finally Katsina Govt confirms release of Kankara schoolboys

    Reports reaching TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) has it that the schoolboys kidnapped by bandits from Government Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State at the weekend have been rescued.

    A senior Spokesperson to Governor Aminu Masari confirmed the release of the schoolboy abducted at the Government Science Secondary School Kankara on Thursday evening.

    Also, according to several sources involved in the matter, all the abducted schoolboys were released, and would soon be allowed to be reunited with their families after checks have been conducted.

    The schoolboys boys are currently in Tsafe, Zamfara, where they would be brought to Kankara on Friday.

    Earlier, a video emerged reportedly from Boko Haram, showing dozens of young boys in a forest begging the Nigerian armed forces to stop looking for them.

    The terror group said they are the children kidnapped from their school last Friday.

    For two nights, the parents of the abducted Kankara schoolboys have been keeping vigil at the school premises.

    Meanwhile, Governor Masari himself has called President Muhammadu Buhari to brief him of the rescue of the abducted schoolboys.

    Following the briefing, President Buhari welcomed the release of the kidnapped students, describing their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community.

    In a short remark shortly after their release was announced, President Buhari expressed the nation’s appreciation for the steps taken by all involved to make their release possible.

    President Buhari specifically cited what he called the “spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release.’’

    He commended the nation’s intelligence agencies, the military and police force for providing the environment for safe release of the hostages.

    “The Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and the army worked extremely hard. As soon as I got the information I congratulated them. The Armed Forces know their job. They have been well trained and properly motivated.”

    On the issue of detainees held elsewhere in the country by either terrorists or bandits, the President gave assurances that his administration is aware of its responsibility to protect the life and property of the Nigerians.

    President Buhari urged the citizens to be patient and fair to the administration as it deals with the problems of security, economy and corruption.

    He noted that the administration was fully aware that it was elected to resolve challenges.

    “When we came, we made efforts that yielded the return of the Chibok Girls. When a similar incident of school abduction happened at Dapchi, we successfully returned all but one of the more than one hundred abductees. When this latest incident happened, we put in our efforts and today we have this result to show.”

    The President pointed to the successes of the administration in dealing with security in the South South and North East.

    He said the North West now presents a challenge which his administration is determined to deal with.

    “We have a lot of work to do, especially now that we have re-opened the borders. It is unfortunate that the bandits and terrorists continue to get weapons even under the circumstances of the border closure. We are going to dare them. We will deal with all that,” the President further assured.

    He prayed for the full recovery of the students, whom he said had endured significant hardships in the course of their six-day ordeal.

    The President assured of the determination of his administration to return to safety all citizens held against their will.

  • Protest rocks Katsina over abduction of schoolboys

    Protest rocks Katsina over abduction of schoolboys

    There was a protest in Katsina State on Sunday over the abduction of many schoolboys from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in the Kankara Local Government Area of the State.

    The protesters demanded the prompt rescue of students abducted by bandits on Friday night.

    The protest was led by a woman who identified herself as one of the mothers of the abducted students.

    The protesters went around the school’s premises and some parts of the town with placards conveying various messages, among which are ‘Government must speak out’, ‘We want our children back’ and ‘We want security in Kankara’.

    The protesters also chanted songs seeking the rescue of the abducted students.

    Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups has threatened to mobilise students and youths to go on protest in Katsina state if the abducted students were not rescued on time.

    The chairman of the North-West zone of the group, Jamiu Aliyu who addressed a press conference in Katsina said, “We condemn in totality this barbaric act and call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits, we equally stress the inability of the government to protect those young, innocent, vibrant students from this horrible attack as uncalled for.

    “Failure of the government to rescue the missing students within the shortest period of time, CNG will not hesitate to mobilize hundreds of thousands on the streets of Katsina state for a continuous protest, until the students are fully rescued, even if it’s going to cost our lives.”

    Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has queried the Buhari Presidency over the unwarranted tear gas attack by the police on the sorrowing parents of the kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state.

    The PDP described as disturbing that such callousness could be meted on the grief-stricken parents after President Muhammadu Buhari, who had gone holidaying in the state, failed to protect their children from terrorists.

    It is indeed sad that instead of going after terrorists and insurgents, that struck few hours after a holidaying President Buhari and his security machinery took over the state, the state apparatus of power is being used to inflict further pain on the helpless victims.

    Such display of insensitivity further foregrounds the lack of empathy by the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and serves as a sad reminder of how it also blamed the 43 farmers recently slain by terrorists in Borno state, instead of taking steps to apprehend the assailants.

    Indeed, our party shares the pains and sorrows of these parents who have been under serious torment since President Buhari arrived Katsina for his needless holidays.

    The PDP therefore calls on the Buhari Presidency to immediately apologize to Nigerians and the parents of the kidnapped students as well as take steps to ensure disciplinary actions on those who ordered the tear gas attack on the parents.

    Our party also restates our call to President Buhari to go in search of and rescue the students, who were kidnapped while his security machinery was in charge of the state.

    The PDP reiterates its stand, in solidarity with the people of Katsina state and other patriotic Nigerians, not to rest until President Buhari finds and rescues each of these young ones.

  • Police kill 5 suspected bandits in Katsina State

    Police kill 5 suspected bandits in Katsina State

    The Police Command in Katsina State said it had killed five suspected bandits in Safana Local Government Area of the state.

    The spokesman of the command, SP Gambo Isah, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Katsina.

    Isah said that the suspects were killed on Oct. 27 at about 04:00 hours at Tsaskiya community in Safana local government area.

    “Based on credible intelligence, the command in collaboration with the military, succeeded in repelling coordinated attack by bandits on revenge mission on Tsaskiya Community of Safana.

    “Bandits numbering over 200 armed with sophisticated weapons like General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and AK 47 rifles, shooting sporadically, clandestinely attacked the village through three entry security barricades.

    “The combined security teams engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel and as a result, five suspected bandits were killed and many escaped with gun shots wounds,” he said.

    He further said that the hoodlums shot and killed one Rabe Bala, 30, a lunatic, when they sighted him in the village.

    The police spokesman explained that the hoodlums kidnapped three women who ran into a nearby bush path for safety while on their way out of the community.

    He said that search parties were still combing the nearby bushes with a view to recovering more corpses and arrest the injured bandits.