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Tag: Kwara

  • Gov. AbdulRahman appoints Sulyman as new Attorney-General

    Gov. AbdulRahman appoints Sulyman as new Attorney-General

    Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has appointed Mr Senior Sulyman as the new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice for the state.

    This is contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ravi Ajakaye, on Wednesday in Ilorin.

    He said that Sulyman was until his appointment, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education in the state.

    He said that the new Attorney-General was a 2008 law graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    He added that his former ministry would be overseen by the Permanent Secretary, pending the appointment of a new Commissioner.

  • Support your prayers with positive attitude, Saraki urges Muslims

    Support your prayers with positive attitude, Saraki urges Muslims

    Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerians to support their prayers for the country with positive attitude.

    The former Kwara State number one citizen congratulated Nigerian Muslims for the successful completion of this year’s (1443 AH) Ramadan fasting and also for the Eid-el-Fitri celebration.

    Saraki in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, head of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office, advised Nigerians to support the numerous prayers they have made during the holy month concerning their nation with positive attitudes which are necessary for nation-building.

    He added that Ramadan symbolizes almighty Allah’s way of teaching humanity the attitude of living a virtuous life where people keep away from all forms of impurities and experience denial of several forms of comfort to appreciate what the less privileged experience as they suffer deprivation.

    “While all of us seek to stay away from activities that are injurious to our health, our nation, and our fellow human beings and seek to live a decent life during the fasting period, we should make this solemn and God-fearing way of life a permanent thing.

    “We should all extend the lessons of Ramadan to the way we live with our neighbours. We should seek peace at all times, promote tolerance of people who speak different languages with us, and worship God in different ways. We should respect the laws of the land and exhibit discipline at all times. Our level of patriotism should increase after Ramadan. That is what this just ended holy month signifies.

    “I do not doubt that millions of Nigerian Muslims who just completed their fasting as well as their Christian brothers and sisters who earlier this month completed the Lent period of fasting prayed for Nigeria. It is the cumulation of all these prayers that have kept this country going despite all the serious challenges confronting her. I believe God will decisively intervene in the affairs of our country and save her from all the existential threats.

    “As the 2023 general election approaches and we gradually commence the process that will lead us to the polls when we will have the opportunity to elect new leaders that will save the country, I pray for genuine guidance from Almighty God for all the citizens of this country, particularly the ones that are of voting age. May we choose right and may our choice ultimately lead to the redemption, rebuilding, rededication, development, and fixing of the country”, Saraki prays.

  • Gov. AbdulRazaq salutes workers on May Day

    Gov. AbdulRazaq salutes workers on May Day

    Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has congratulated the entire workforce in the public and private sectors of the national economy.

    AbdulRazaq commended their commitments to national growth and support for government’s programmes and policies in the state.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, and made available to newsmen in Ilorin on Sunday.

    The governor said workers were the main drivers of government policies and the engine room of any economy.

    He reiterated the commitment of the administration to prioritise workers’ welfare at all times.

    “I align myself with compatriots worldwide to celebrate workers whose toiling keeps the economy running against all odds and to appreciate workers and their families.

    “Today reminds us that, behind the success of any of our programmes, projects and policies as an administration are thousands of workers whose ingenuity, patriotism and hard work are always the secrets of such successes.

    “Workers in the services of the state government under our administration can rest assured of our commitment to their welfare at all times, the unique implementation of the full components of the minimum wage attests to this.

    “We will always accord them the dignity and respect that they deserve, and invest in their growth as resources permit, while they reciprocate same, as always, with giving their best in the service of Kwara people.

    “Finally, we again send our commiserations to the labour unions in the state, and nationally, on the recent losses of some key unionists.

    “We pray to God Almighty to repose the souls of the departed and comfort their families,” AbdulRazaq said.

  • INEC commences distribution of over 44, 000 PVCs in Kwara

    INEC commences distribution of over 44, 000 PVCs in Kwara

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kwara will on Saturday commence the distribution of over 44, 000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to newly registered voters in the state.

    INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Malam Garba Madami, disclosed this to newsmen on Friday in Ilorin.

    Madami said that the collection of the PVCs would take place in all the 16 local government offices of the commission and added that they were for those who registered between June and December 2021.

    “In Kwara State, we have received 44,506 PVCs,” Madami said.

    He urged the new registrants within the period to approach INEC offices across the 16 Local Government Areas in the state for collection.

    The resident electoral commissioner added that the collection would be from 9a.m. and 3p.m. daily except on weekends.

    He appealed to the people of the state to avail themselves of the opportunity of devolution of registration to wards to register for their PVCs.

    Madami warned the people against double registration, adding that it was a criminal offence to register more than once.

    The REC urged Nigerians that just turned 18 years and above or those who had not registered before now to start the process online.

    According to him, they should log on to CVR.inecnigeria.org and visit the registration areas at the local government INEC offices or INEC state office to complete the registration.

    Madami implored the eligible residents to take full advantage of the rotational exercise at the ward level to register.

    Newsmen reports that the third quarter of PVC registration ended on March 30, while the fourth and last quarter commenced on April 17 and will end in June.

  • N33m: EFCC arrests 30-year-old man for allegedly defrauding Emir in Kwara

    N33m: EFCC arrests 30-year-old man for allegedly defrauding Emir in Kwara

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zonal Command, has arrested a 30-year-old man who allegedly defrauded the Emir of Okuta in Kwara of N33, 399, 999.

    Alhaji Idris Abubakar, the Emir of Okuta in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara, was a former member of the House of Representatives

    A statement signed by the Spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, made available to journalists on Monday in Ilorin, said that that the suspect, a native of Stwue in Konshisha LGA of Benue conspired with others at large to defraud the Emir.

    Uwujaren said that the suspect deceived the traditional ruler into believing that he had a container of goods meant to be used for the development of the community.

    He said that the container needed to be cleared at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.

    “In a petition dated November 30, 2021, the Emir alleged that a group of fraudsters, who operate as syndicate called him on phone sometime in 2020 that they had a container to clear in Abuja.

    “The caller requested for the said amount of money to clear his container at the airport.

    “He provided different accounts for the Emir to pay the money into, one of which included that of Fidelis Poor,” he said.

    Uwujaren said that the people later called the Emir and directed him to call one Evangelist Rose Marry Oni (JP) for handing over of the container.

    He said that all efforts made by the Emir to collect the goods or get his money back had proved futile.

    “The Commission upon the receipt of the petition commenced discrete investigation into the matter, which led to the suspect’s arrest,” he said.

    Uwujaren said that the suspect would be arraigned at the conclusion of investigations, adding that other members of the syndicate would soon be arrested.

  • [WATCH] Kwara gov’s aide beaten, arrested for assaulting traffic warden

    [WATCH] Kwara gov’s aide beaten, arrested for assaulting traffic warden

    The Police Command in Kwara has arrested Mr Musibau Esinrogunjo, the Special Assistant on Rural Mobilisation to Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for assaulting a traffic warden on duty along Ahmadu Bello Way, Ilorin.

    A video clip on how the governor’s aide was allegedly caught by policemen with a cartridge and substance suspected to be hard drug had gone viral on social media.

    In a statement on Sunday in Ilorin, the command’s Spokesman, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, however said Esinrogunjo was not arrested for involving in arms and drug dealings but arrested for traffic offence.

    The statement explained that the aide slapped the traffic warden after being caught committing a traffic offence by driving against traffic, thereby causing a serious traffic hold-up at the area.

    “The attention of Kwara State Police Command has been drawn to a video clip making the rounds on some social media platforms depicting a scene of a man later identified as Comrade Musibau Esinrogunjo, being interrogated by a group of people over the recovery of some quantities of substance suspected to be Indian hemp and a cartridge wrapped in a
    paper.

    “He was also seen being slapped by an unidentified person.

    Watch video:

    “The Command wishes to set the record straight. The video in question was posted by a mischievous individual to achieve a result still unknown to the command.

    “What actually transpired in the day was that, the man in the video later identified to be one Musibau Esinrogunjo was caught committing a traffic offence by driving against traffic, thereby causing a serious traffic hold-up at Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin.

    “The traffic warden on duty who arrested him for the offence was delt a slap by Mr Esinrogunjo and his aide.

    “Which drew the anger of passersby around the vicinity. They attempted to physically assault him, but for the prompt arrival of police officers that rescued and took the parties to the police headquarters, the closest police formation to the scene.

    “A search conducted in the vehicle of Mr Esinrogunjo resulted in the recovery of a substance suspected to be Indian hemp and an item that looked like a cartridge wrapped with charm.

    “The incident was looked into by a very senior police officer in the command, Esinrogunjo was later identified to be Special Assistant to the state governor.

    “He was warned to desist from such behavior in future and the traffic warden assaulted by the Esinrogunjo was pacified and asked to go back to his duty post, while Esinrogunjo was also released.

    “The command wishes to reiterate that, at no time was the suspect Esinrogunjo arrested for being in possession of weeds or bullet.

    “It was a case of driving against the traffic and physically assaulting a police man that brought him to the police headquarters.

    “The physical assault on Esinrogunjo was from aggrieved passersby that followed the parties to the police headquarters and the men were arrested, reprimanded and equally released.

    “The Command has nothing to do with the video in circulation.

    “Esinrogunjo was arrested for traffic offence and assault which had been satisfactorily dealt with,” the statement read in part.

  • Iyiola Oyedepo declares interest in Kwara South senatorial seat

    Iyiola Oyedepo declares interest in Kwara South senatorial seat

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, has declared interest to contest for the Kwara South senatorial seat in 2023.

    Oyedepo, a lawyer, made his intention known on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin.

    “I want to pick the Senate seat of the Kwara South senatorial district. I want to displace people who are there now, especially, the one from the south, Sen. Lola Ashiru.

    “I want him to start to pack his load. By the grace of God, I shall win. I am prepared for the contest, fully prepared,” Oyedepo said.

    The party chieftain said he was interested in the senate seat to do things better than those that have gone there.

    “I have antecedent that I can rely on. I am more qualified than any of them that have been there before,” he said.

    Oyedepo, who is also the Chairman of the Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, declared that he has the qualification and experience to serve as a senator.

    “I operated in the executive as a commissioner in the state in 1992; I have been a party stalwart and party chairman in two political parties.

    “I was the chairman of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN), and I made a lot of impact, tremendous impact in that party. Later, I became the chairman of PDP.

    “What I use the PDP to achieve is what made people be in the Senate and House of Representatives now.

    “If there is anybody that is qualified more than any of them, I am the person.

    “Apart from that, I have been in the legislature. I was a member of Kwara House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003; my records are there which I will bring out when the contest begins,” he added.

    “I am sure that if you tell them that I am going to the senate, they know that I will do it better than all of them that have gone there from the south.

    “Is it knowledge, or how to do things in the senate that they can do better than me?

    “I am a lawyer, apart from being in the legislature, from being in the party structure, or being in the executive, I understand the judiciary as a lawyer, I have traversed all other areas.

    “Who amongst them that had gone before me or are there now that can boast of such credentials? So, I am going to the senate by the grace of God,” he added.

    Oyedepo said that he was one of the few that fought day and night to defeat the Saraki dynasty in Kwara.

    “I did not ask for any position, other than to go on working day and night to ensure victory for our party, for the success of the party.

    “Today, majority of those in power, either at the senate or at the state level reaped from our efforts. We worked and they reap from our efforts.

    “Many of them didn’t do any work other than saying they are part of the party and they won, some of them even said they became senators within 30 days,” he said.

    Oyedepo declared that some of them in the party have been working for 18 years to ensure success for the party and freedom for the Kwara people.

    He added that before he became the chairman of PDP, he has been attacking the establishment in form of written articles, books, and petitioning the EFCC and ICPC.

    “When I became the chairman of PDP, I am the first person to institute radio political broadcast in this state,” he said.

    Oyedepo added that radio political broadcast was his initiative which he used to sensitise and mobilise the people of the state to vote out PDP in 2019.

    “The radio political broadcast worked and that is why many of them are in the senate now, in the House of Representatives, they are in the executive in Kwara, they are in the legislature in Kwara,” he said.

    Oyedepo added that he would roll out his plan as soon as INEC give the go-ahead for the political campaigns.

  • NSCDC warns fuel marketers against hoarding, hiking price

    NSCDC warns fuel marketers against hoarding, hiking price

    The Kwara Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has warned petroleum marketers against hoarding and selling fuel above the recommended pump price.

    The warning is contained in a statement signed by Mr Babawale Afolabi, spokesperson of the command and issued to newsmen on Sunday in Ilorin.

    “They should not create artificial scarcity, through hoarding of the products,” the statement said.

    It quoted the State Commandant, Mr Makinde Ayinla, as giving the warning while inspecting some petrol stations in Ilorin.

    “The Command will not hesitate to seal any erring filling station and prosecute the owners,” he said.

    The commandant, represented by Mr Yusuf Ayinde, Head of Anti-Vandal Unit, read the riot act to the stations that reportedly refused to sell fuel.

    “Based on intelligence , some filling stations had been accused of selling petrol for as much as N250, which is above the recommended pump price of N165,” he said.

    The statement said that some fuel stations “were caught in the act and were ordered to revert to the recommended price.”

    Some of the stations visited were NNPC in the Surulere Area, Topland and Demo at Amilegbe, Total Comfort and Oilfield at Ita-Amo.

    The statement said the exercise would continue on Monday with the inspection of more filling stations.

  • Police nab suspected transborder kidnapper in Kwara

    Police nab suspected transborder kidnapper in Kwara

    The Kwara Police Command has arrested a transborder suspected kidnapper, Mohammed Alo, in the forest of Baruteen Local Government Area of the state.

    This is contained in a statement issued by the Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ajayi Okasanmi, on Monday in Ilorin.

    He said that the suspect, a citizen of Benin Republic, was arrested while in search of some suspected kidnappers hibernating within the forest of Baruteen.

    He added that the arrest of the suspect was made possible with the assistance of local vigilance men who, he said, accompanied the policemen to comb the forest.

    He also said that dangerous weapons and a large sum of money were some of the items recovered from the suspect.

    “Acting on an impeccable intelligence, a team of detectives headed by the Divisional Police Officer, Kosubosu, assisted by a local vigilante, stormed the forest within Kosubosu in Baruten axis, in search of some suspected kidnappers hibernating within the forest.

    “One locally made gun, one machete, one Jack knife, two telephone handsets of different make, one Bluetooth and cash sum of 2 million, three hundred thousand naira (N2,300,000:00)” were recovered from the suspect, he added.

    The PPRO said that the suspect confessed to being a member of a transborder kidnapping gang, whose other gang members are now in Benin Republic.

    He assured that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

  • Many injured as protest breaks out over use of Hijab in Kwara school

    Many injured as protest breaks out over use of Hijab in Kwara school

    A number of persons on Thursday sustained various degrees of injuries as protest over the use of Hijab thickened in Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo, in Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a man in his early 20s was seen being rushed to a nearby hospital after he was reportedly shot at.

    NAN recalls that the use of Hijab had generated controversy in some missionary schools in the state over the past few months.

    The State Government had on Jan. 25, restated its policy and directed management of schools in the state to allow the use of Hijab by willing Muslims without forcing it on anyone or turning them back for using it.

    Some Muslim parents and their wards were seen on some major streets of Ilorin on Wednesday protesting against the management of Oyun Baptist High School for turning back some students for wearing Hijab.

    A government delegation, led by the Commissioner for Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Kawu, had twice visited the school to resolve the matter.

    Another delegation led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Mohammed Saifudeen, also visited the town for the same reason on Thursday.

    Fracas however erupted on Thursday when some Muslim parents stormed the school premises to protest the rejection of their wards and members by the school.

    Eye witnesses told NAN that the peaceful protest later degenerated into violence when an unidentified man rushed to the school to inform other protesters of a machete cut.

    This triggered an angry reaction from the Muslim protesting parents as they looked around for various weapons to defend themselves, but the police swiftly dispatched them.

    The police fired warning shots into the air and also use teargas to dispatch the protesters in order to control the situation as unidentified persons from inside the Oyun Baptist High School, were seen throwing missiles at those outside the premises.

    Normalcy was however restored by a combined team of police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    Confirming the development, the Public Relations Officer of the Kwara Police Command, SP Ajayi Okasanmi, said security personnel had been deployed to the scene to restore peace.

    Okasanmi told NAN that normalcy has returned to the school and that security operatives would remain there until the area was safe for the residents.