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Tag: Katsina

  • President Buhari arrives Daura for sallah celebrations

    President Buhari arrives Daura for sallah celebrations

    President Muhammadu Buhari arrived at his country home, Daura, in Katsina State, for the Eid-el- Kabir, on Friday evening.

    Buhari flew into the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina before a helicopter ferried him to his hometown in Daura.

    He arrived in Daura a few minutes to six in the evening to the warm embrace of the Emir, Alhaji Faruq Umar, and other important dignitaries in the town.

    According to sources, the President would be in Daura throughout the Sallah period where he is expected to join his kinsmen in celebrating the Sallah.

    He is also expected to use the Sallah vacation to attend to private matters.

  • Presidency reacts to shooting on Buhari’s convoy in Katsina

    Presidency reacts to shooting on Buhari’s convoy in Katsina

    Following the attack on convoy of cars conveying the Advance Team of security guards, protocol, and media officers ahead of President Buhari’s trip to Daura for Sallah, the Presidency has described it as sad and unwelcome.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s media aide confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said the attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and Department of State Service personnel accompanying the convoy.

    ”Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered.

    ”All the other personnel, staff and vehicles made it safely to Daura,” he furtherstated.

  • Just In: Terrorists ambush, kill Police Area Commander, one other officer in Katsina

    Just In: Terrorists ambush, kill Police Area Commander, one other officer in Katsina

    Terrorists operating in the Safana Forest of Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State have killed the Area Commander of Dutsinma, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP Aminu Umar, in an ambush.

    Confirming the incident, Police spokesman, Superintendent Gambo Isah said, “at about 1130hrs Tuesday, a distress call was received, that terrorists numbering over three hundred, on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns, GPMGs, ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsinma and his team, while on clearance operation.

    According to Isah, as a result, the Area Commander and one other officer lost their lives.

    He added that the Commissioner of Police, Idris Dabban, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, has expressed his deepest sympathy to the families of the deceased, and prayed to Almighty Allah, to repose their souls in Jannatul Firdausi.

    The Commissioner of Police further reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state, until it is completely routed out.

  • Katsina, Daura Emirates suspend Eid-el-Kabir durbar

    Katsina Emirate Council has announced the suspension of durbar during the Eid-el-Kabir festivity on Saturday.

    The suspension was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday in Katsina, by the Council’s Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Sule Mamman-Dee.

    He said that the suspension was due to the current security situation in the state.

    According to Mamman-Dee, the Emir, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir-Usman, expressed deep concern over the security situation in parts of the emirate and said he would only attend the Eid prayers on Saturday.

    He explained that the Emir advised Muslims to continue to pray for the return of peace to the state and country in general.

    The durbar festival dates back to hundreds of years and involves the display of horse riding skills by districts and nobility households, who pay homage to the Emir on Eid day, known in Katsina as `Hawan Daushe’.

    The emir on his part leads a contingent of members of the Emirate Council, district and village heads in a procession of horses, known as `Hawan Bariki’, to pay homage to the state governor, a day after the Eid.

    Similarly, the spokesperson of Daura Emirate Council in the state, Alhaji Usman Ibrahim told newsmen that the council had also suspended the Sallah durbar across the emirate.

    According to Ibrahim, the Emir, Alhaji Faruk Umar-Faruk has directed all the district heads under the emirate to perform their Eid-El Kabir prayers in their domains.

    Ibrahim said that the Emir had also called on prospective pilgrims to pray for the peace and well-being of the state and the country.

  • Buhari felicitates with Masari as he turns 72

    President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State on the occasion of his 72nd birthday.

    In a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, on Sunday in Abuja, president Buhari said : “I wish you good health and long life as you continue to serve the nation with your well-known spirit of humility and hard work.”

    “Gov. Masari has written many chapters in the development of our young democracy and in Katsina, where he is about to end his two terms as Governor.”

    He noted that Masari’s immense patriotism, hard work and self-discipline would continue to be appreciated as assets of the nation.

    “May you stay healthy and live long and under your leadership, our wish for a peaceful and prosperous Katsina state will be realised,” he added.

  • Insecurity: Terrorists kill 12 persons in Katsina state

    About 12 persons have been killed in a terrorist attack early Tuesday morning in Gakurdi village, in Jibia Local Government Area of  Katsina state.

    The Katsina State Police Command  confirmed the incident to pressmen.

    The terrorists were also said to have burnt some farmlands belonging to the residents of the village during the attack.

    Findings show  that the terrorists arrived in the village on four motorcycles and started shooting indiscriminately, a development that forced residents to scamper for safety.

    The  police command spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed the incident , said some villagers who attempted to escape into their farmlands were also killed by the terrorists.

    He said the Commissioner of Police, Idris Dabban, led a team of security operatives including himself to the village for an on-the-spot assessment of the incident.

     

    Isah said, “The incident is true. The bandits were at the village this (Tuesday) morning and killed twelve villagers. Some of those killed included those attempting to escape to their farmlands. The Commissioner of Police had led a team of security operatives to the village this morning.”

     

  • Anyone above 65 years will not attend 2022 Hajj – Board

    Anyone above 65 years will not attend 2022 Hajj – Board

    The Katsina Pilgrims Board on Wednesday reminded intending pilgrims above the age of 65 years, that they would not be allowed into Saudi Arabia.

    This is contained in a statement by the board’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Badaru Bello-Karofi in Katsina.

    The board made this known during orientation for intending pilgrims and Islamic scholars in the state ahead of the 2022 Hajj operations.

    The exercise, organised in Kankia and Dutsinma Zonal Centres, was aimed at enlightening the intending pilgrims on how to purify themselves ahead of the Hajj.

    ”Saudi Arabia has indicated that people above 65 years must not be allowed to perform Hajj this year and also reminded all intending pilgrims that full COVID-19 vaccination is compulsory.

    “By full vaccination I mean the three doses and of course PCR is mandatory,” the Chairman said.

    ”Saudi Arabia has indicated that anybody above 65 years must not be allowed to perform Hajj.

    ”All intending pilgrims must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. By full vaccination I mean the three doses and of course PCR is mandatory,” he said.

    Earlier, the Executive Director of the board, Alhaji Suleiman Nuhu-Kuki commended the smooth conduct of the ongoing exercise in Kankia and Dutsinma Zonal Centres of the state.

    Nuhu-Kuki stressed the need for them to purify themselves ahead of the holy pilgrimage.

    He said the National Hajj commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has fixed N2.5 million as deposit from each intending pilgrim.

    He said about 2,146 seats have been allocated to the state for this year’s Hajj operation.

    Nuhu-Kuki said that the increase on Hajj fare followed the hike in airfare and exchange rates of dollars.

    On April 10, Saudi Arabia set an age limit of 65 for those travelling to the holy city of Mecca this year.

    Nigeria has been allocated 43,008 hajj slots for 2022 with the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory getting 33,976 seats and private tour operators sharing 9,032 seats.

    Kaduna State got the highest allocation of 2,491 seats while Abia got six with zero allocation to Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa.

    The 2022 seat allocation was based on the performance of each state in the 2019 Hajj airlift.

  • Masari appoints Chief of Staff as acting Katsina SSG

    Masari appoints Chief of Staff as acting Katsina SSG

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has appointed Alhaji Muntari Lawal, his Chief of Staff, as acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Director-General, New Media to the governor, Alhaji Al-Amin Isa on Wednesday in Katsina.

    Isa said that Lawal would replace Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, who resigned as the SSG to join the state governorship race.

    Recall that Gov. Masari after a closed-door meeting with political appointees had advised those with political ambitions to tender their resignations.

    This is in compliance with Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act recently signed into law by President Buhari which prevents political appointees from contesting elective positions without first resigning.

  • LG poll: APC wins 31 of 34 LGAs in Katsina — KTSIEC

    LG poll: APC wins 31 of 34 LGAs in Katsina — KTSIEC

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) has won 31 out of 34 local governments areas in Katsina state.

    This was disclosed by the Secretary of the Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KTSIEC), Alhaji Lawal Faskari. He further stated that the election was not completed in Daura and Funtua local government areas.

    He also said that the election was cancelled in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area due to some challenges, saying that the exercise was peaceful in all other areas.

    He added that “the exercise was peaceful, and no fewer than 12 registered political parties participated, except in Dutsin-Ma, where challenges forced the commission to use Section 60 of the Katsina State Local Government Elections Law, 2002 to stop the process.

    “The commission has so far received complete results from 31 local government areas, 328 wards, awaiting that of Funtua and Daura, while elections in Dutsin-Ma have been cancelled.

    “The commission, therefore, wishes to announce that APC has won all the 31 chairmanship and 328 councilorship seats so far collated.”

    He congratulated the winners of the elections and appreciated the political parties’ high level of maturity and sportsmanship exhibited during and after the exercise.

    Faskari added that “KTSIEC also wishes to express its gratitude to the electorate and other stakeholders, and the entire people of the state for the overwhelming support and cooperation extended to it.”

  • How Bandits swore with Qur’an in my office to deceive me – Masari

    How Bandits swore with Qur’an in my office to deceive me – Masari

    The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari has revealed how he was deceived by bandits in his office using the Qur’an.

    The Governor vowed never to believe in the terrorists.

    He noted that they deceived his government into believing that they had surrendered their weapons by swearing with the Qur’an.

    Masari said this while hosting the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, in Katsina over the weekend.

    According to Masari: “Because they (terrorists) said they are Muslims, we went as far as asking them to swear to the Holy Qur’an that they will never participate in banditry again.

    “All of them did it in this office, but even those that have been in jail for over two years that were brought out are today bandits’ leaders.

    “Anybody who says he is going to engage them on anything is free. I will pray for him but I will not do it again.”