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Tag: Sokoto State

  • SAD: 6 dead, 19 rescued in fresh Sokoto boat accident

    SAD: 6 dead, 19 rescued in fresh Sokoto boat accident

    The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has confirmed another fatal boat mishap at Faji community in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto state.

    NIWA Area Manager in Sokoto, Mr Bala Bello, told NAN on Sunday in Sokoto that six persons died, 19 survivors were rescued while three people were still missing in the fresh mishap.

    Bello, who said the incident occured on Aug. 22, attributed it to negligence,  canoe overloading and safety rules violation.

    He explained that a team of Inspectors, comprising officials from NIWA, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Red Cross Society had visited the affected community.

    Bello said the team confirmed the casualties figures while search and rescue operations were ongoing to locate the three missing persons.

    The Area Manager reiterated that NIWA have been engaging riverine communities on safety measures, guidelines, use of life jackets and other considerations on water usage.

    Recall that Sokoto State Government confirmed the death of four passengers, 41 survivors and five  missing persons in a boat mishap on Aug. 17,  at Kojiyo village in Goronyo local government area in the state.

    The unfortunate incident reportedly occurred along the Sokoto Rima River, when the boat conveying the passengers capsized.

  • Aliyu condoles Kebbi Governor over Emir of Zuru’s Death

    Aliyu condoles Kebbi Governor over Emir of Zuru’s Death

    Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State has commiserated with the government and people of Kebbi State over the passing of the Emir of Zuru, Major General Sani Sami II (Rtd).

    Governor Aliyu described the death of the late Emir as a monumental loss, not only to Kebbi State but to Nigeria as a whole.

    He extolled the late monarch as a pious, humble, honest, God-fearing leader, and a man of integrity who devoted his life to the service of humanity.

    “The late Emir of Zuru served this country with dedication, commitment, and selflessness during his years in the military,” Aliyu said. “This is not only a loss to Kebbi State, but a loss to the entire nation. I am sure that the late Emir has left a vacuum too large to be filled.”

    Governor Aliyu further noted that the late monarch contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria during his lifetime.

    “I am very certain that we will greatly miss his fatherly advice and wisdom,” he added.

    The Governor prayed to Almighty Allah to accept the good deeds of the late Emir, forgive his shortcomings, and grant him eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus. He also prayed for Allah’s comfort and strength for the family of the late monarch to bear the irreparable loss.

    In his response, Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasiru Idris, thanked Governor Aliyu for the condolence visit and prayed Allah to reward him abundantly. He praised the age-long relationship between the people of Kebbi and Sokoto States, describing the two states as one.

    Governor Idris added that the late Emir of Zuru served the people of Kebbi diligently both as a military officer and as a traditional ruler, and prayed Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings and grant him eternal rest.

    Governor Aliyu was accompanied on the visit by APC leader Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Mai Garin Dingyadi, and other dignitaries. They also visited the residence of the late Emir to condole with his family, where special prayers were offered for the repose of his soul.

    Among those on the Governor’s entourage were Deputy Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim Kware; State APC Chairman, Isa Saddiq Achida; Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa; Chief of Staff, Government House Sokoto, Aminu Haliru Dikko, mni; commissioners, special advisers, APC Youth Leader Nasiru Italy, among others.

  • Sokoto Govt. vows to end out-of-school syndrome

    Sokoto Govt. vows to end out-of-school syndrome

    The Sokoto State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that every school-age child in the state is enrolled in school and completes at least basic education.

    The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ahmed Ala, stated this during an interview with NAN on Friday in Abuja.

    A 2023/24 report by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) revealed that Sokoto had 11,339 school dropouts, predominantly male students.

    In response, the Sokoto State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, had verified and registered about 249,523 vulnerable children, including out-of-school adolescent girls.

    According to UNICEF, 113,208 of these children are Almajiri, while 136,315 are adolescent girls.

    Ala noted that the administration of Gov. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto was fully aware of the scale of the challenge and was implementing targeted interventions to address it.

    “We are using community leaders and parents as part of the solution. So far, we have profiled 770 of such children.

    “We have also established a digital village and informal learning schools. We found that some of the children were working on farms with their parents.

    “To address this, learning centres now incorporate skills acquisition programmes, where students are paired with mentors already engaged in trades of interest.

    “This is to ensure the students are mainstreamed into such businesses after learning the trade,” he explained.

    He added that the initiative allowed girls to combine basic literacy education with skills such as knitting, tailoring, and air freshener production.

    “There is also the digital village where they gain computer knowledge and skills. With that knowledge, they can run online businesses.

    “At the end of their training, they are given starter packs such as iPads and additional learning materials through the Nigeria Learning Passport App, an online platform,” Ala said.

    The commissioner also disclosed that, in collaboration with civil society organisations, the state government was working to establish new libraries and strengthen existing ones to revive the reading culture among young people.

  • Sokoto introduces mandatory rural service to address health worker shortage – Health commissioner

    Sokoto introduces mandatory rural service to address health worker shortage – Health commissioner

    In a bold move to tackle the acute shortage of medical personnel in rural areas, the Sokoto State Government has introduced a mandatory two-year rural service for all medical professionals it sponsors. The initiative, being spearheaded by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, is aimed at correcting long-standing staffing imbalances and ensuring equitable healthcare delivery across the state.

    Under the new policy, all doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health workers trained by the state government will be bonded to serve in rural health facilities for a minimum of two years. The decision follows a comprehensive needs assessment that revealed a troubling overconcentration of health workers in urban areas, while rural communities remained grossly underserved.

    “We are not just posting them to rural areas, we are also motivating them with better pay, improved facilities, and security support,” Dr. Abubakar said in a recent media briefing. He disclosed that the policy has already gained traction, prompting interest from the education sector, which is considering a similar model to resolve teacher shortages in remote areas.

    To further encourage compliance and boost morale, the state government approved a 10% salary bonus for rural service, a measure the commissioner believes will convince many professionals to remain in those communities even after their mandatory service ends. “We’re confident that many will eventually choose to stay because of the good working environment and the incentives,” he added.

    This rural deployment strategy forms part of a broader effort by the administration of Governor Ahmad Aliyu to revamp Sokoto’s healthcare system. Notably, the state government now pays medical and health workers a remuneration package that matches the Federal Government’s salary scale, a development that has stunned organized labour and medical professionals nationwide.

    Dr. Abubakar credited this achievement to the Governor’s visionary leadership and swift approval of the health ministry’s proposal. “We made a compelling case to His Excellency that for the sector to retain its professionals, we must offer a competitive package—and he signed off. Today, Sokoto health professionals are the envy of their peers elsewhere.”

    As a result, the state has witnessed a reversal in the brain drain that once plagued its healthcare system. Many professionals who had earlier submitted resignation letters have since withdrawn them, thanks to the improved welfare provisions.

    The commissioner also emphasized the critical role of teamwork in the sector’s recent gains. “Healthcare is not a one-man show. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical scientists, cleaners—all play critical roles,” he said.

    He noted that professional associations such as the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) have applauded the administration’s commitment to staff welfare and expressed renewed confidence in its leadership.

    “These reforms are laying the foundation for a stronger, more responsive health system in Sokoto State,” Dr. Abubakar affirmed.

  • Sokoto govt to spend N998m to feed Muslims during Ramadan

    Sokoto govt to spend N998m to feed Muslims during Ramadan

    The Sokoto State Government has earmarked N998 million for the 2025 Ramadan feeding programme to feed Muslims during the Islamic fasting period.

    It was gathered that the feeding programme will take place at 155 designated feeding centres across the State.

    Speaking at the distribution of food items for the feeding centre managers on Tuesday in Sokoto, Gov. Ahmad Aliyu said each centre would be provided with assorted foodstuff and cooking utensils.

    According to him, 1,400 persons were engaged for the exercise including 610 women as cooks.

    He said that no fewer than 20,000 persons were expected to be fed in each centre on a daily basis until the end of Ramadan fasting.

    Aliyu, who tasked managers of the centres on transparency also  urged residents’ to ensure orderliness during the exercise.

    The governor announced that 990 bags of maize were also distributed to 2,400 religious leaders in another segment of the Ramadan fasting support scheme.

    He said each Mosque Imam received five bags of maize and N100,000, the Deputy Imams got three bags of maize and N50,000 each, while the Mu’adhins were given two bags of maize and N50,000 each.

    Aliyu added that 300 Islamic scholars selected from wards were also provided with N200,000 each, while another 100 scholars were given N100,000 each.

    The governor further said 10 Quranic scholars (Malaman Zaure) from each ward across the 23 local government areas have been selected to receive N50,000 each.

    He said the gesture was aimed at empowering them so as to continue rendering religious obligations at the grassroots.

    ”This support is intended to assist them and their families, with a view to enable them to focus on their vital religious responsibilities during the sacred period.

    ”The gesture is in appreciation of the numerous spiritual contributions these scholars give to people of the state in order to ensure that Islamic activities especially at the grassroots level are being run unhindered,” Aliyu said.

    In his remark, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Dr Jabir Maihula, said the exercise was expanded from the previous years, noting that it started during the administration of former Gov. Aliyu Wammako.

    Maihula said that the Ramadan feeding programme had provided Job opportunities to many people and enhanced commercial activities in the state.

  • Insecurity: Sokoto govt alerts residents on fleeing bandits

    Insecurity: Sokoto govt alerts residents on fleeing bandits

    The Sokoto State Government has alerted boarder communities and other citizens of the state to be cautious of fleeing bandits.

    Ahmad Usman, Special Adviser to Gov. Ahmad Aliyu on Security Matters, gave the warning in a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Sokoto.

    He said the move was sequel to the sustained military onslaught against the bandits in the eastern part of Sokoto State and its environs.

    He noted with delight that the joint military operations in the area had been successful, leaving the terrorists disorganised.

    ”Many terrorist enclaves were identified and destroyed, with several bandits neutralised, hundreds of kidnapped victims are also rescued in the ongoing operations.

    ”As security operatives put more pressure on the bandits, they are fleeing to other areas with their injured members.

    ”Therefore, we want our people to be cautious, as some bandits may disguise and seek refuge in villages or receive treatment at local clinics,” Usman said.

    According to him, government encourages residents to report any suspicious activities to security agencies, so as to contribute to the efforts of securing the state.

    This, he said, would facilitate in making the state economically viable, in line with Gov. Aliyu’s 9-point agenda.

  • Women lawyers get new leadership in Sokoto

    Women lawyers get new leadership in Sokoto

    The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Sokoto State branch, on Saturday inaugurated its new leadership.

    This followed a resolution passed at the FIDA members’ congress in December 2024, which appointed a three-member electoral committee led by Hajiya Aisha Dantsoho to oversee the electoral process.

    While briefing the congress, Dantsoho announced that eight positions were filled unopposed.

    “These include Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Assistant PRO, and Ex-Officio,” she said.

    Dantsoho said that the offices of Assistant Secretary and Welfare Officer remained vacant and would be filled in a by-election.

    Dantsoho further emphasised that the process was conducted transparently and peacefully, with all the elected officers meeting the constitutional requirements for the leadership roles.

    The newly inaugurated leaders were: Mrs. Zainab Aliyu as Chairperson, Amina Bodinga as Vice-Chairperson, Shamsiyya Muhammad as Secretary and Shafau Ahmad as Treasurer.

    Others included: Halima Abarshi as Financial Secretary, Safiyal Usman as PRO, Aisha Muhammad as Assistant PRO and Zainab Gandi as Ex-Officio.

    In her acceptance speech, the newly elected chairperson pledged to uphold FIDA’s guidelines and mission to promote the judicial system.

    She called on the members to remain active and committed to the organisation’s vision, while expressing gratitude for the mandate to serve.

  • Community guard unalive self after rescuing several victims from bandits in Sokoto

    Community guard unalive self after rescuing several victims from bandits in Sokoto

    A Community Guard Corps in Sokoto State (name withheld) has died shortly after participating in a joint rescue operation in which 66 victims were rescued from bandits in the state.

    TheNewsGuru gathered that the operative who was part of the operation led by the Army, which successfully rescued some victims from bandits at Tidibali Forest in the eastern part of Sokoto State mistakenly shot himself with his own gun.

     Colonel Ahmed Usman (rtd), a Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Security, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust on Wednesday, noting that the operative died as a result of accidental discharge.

    “The incident happened shortly after they had returned to their base from the operation.

    “He was with his gun when it mistakingly fired and shot him. He died shortly afterward,” Usman said.

    The Governor’s aide further reiterated the commitment of the state government to supporting efforts towards crushing bandits in the state.

    “So far 66 kidnap victims have been rescued and several bandits killed during the operation.

    “The operation is a continuous one because we want to rid the state of criminal elements, particularly bandits,” he said.

  • Gov Aliyu swears in new Commissioners, Special Advisers

    Gov Aliyu swears in new Commissioners, Special Advisers

    Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State on Tuesday swore in seven new Commissioners, seven Special Advisers, and eight Permanent Secretaries to strengthen the state’s administration.

    Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor urged the appointees to prioritise service delivery and work towards the development of the state.

    “All of you were appointed based on the expectation that you will deliver. Therefore, we expect much from you in realising our collective dream of a better Sokoto State,” he said.

    Aliyu emphasised that the appointees may be assigned or reassigned to any sector, saying that every sector was essential for efficient governance.

    He further stated, “These appointments mark a new chapter in our government’s commitment to achieving its 9-point innovative SMART agenda for the state.

    “We expect you to work harmoniously with one another and foster a positive working relationship among your officers to achieve the desired results.”

    The governor reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance policy for corruption, urging the appointees to embrace transparency and accountability in their roles while allowing piety to guide their actions.

    Aliyu also expressed gratitude to the people of Sokoto State for their trust in his leadership and called for continued support to ensure the government’s success for the benefit of all.

    The newly appointed Commissioners were: Prof. Ahmed Ladan-Ala, Prof. Isa Maishanu, Prof. Attahiru Sifawa, Dr Faruku Abubakar, Dr Abubakar Zayyana, Abba Muhammad and Mustapha Mohammed.

    The Special Advisers were: Almu Tsoho, Abubakar Ahmed, Dr Muhammad Marnona, Dr Isa Mu’azu, Umar Ahmadu, Dr Mohammed Yabo and Salisu Gandi.

    The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries were; Ado Sabon-Birni, Bashar Maigari, Muhammad Yabo, Almustapha Alkali, Habibu Isa, Ibrahim Muhammad, Lawali Sada and Muhammad Yusuf.

  • Sokoto assembly passes 2025 appropriation bill

    Sokoto assembly passes 2025 appropriation bill

    The Sokoto State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the state’s 2025 Appropriation Bill of N526.9 billion.

    The bill was passed during the assembly’s plenary session after the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Alhaji Abdullahi Zakari (APC-Rabah), presented the committee’s report.

    Recall that Gov. Ahmed Aliyu presented the 2025 budget estimate to the assembly on November 29.

    Zakari said that following the Governor’s presentation, the committee commenced budget defence sessions for the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from December 4 to December 15, through its sub-committees.

    “These engagements allowed the MDAs to clarify their budgetary needs, after which the sub-committees submitted their reports to the main committee.

    “However, some MDAs requested additional funds, and adjustments were made to cater to essential priority needs without altering the total budget size,” he explained.

    Zakari said that the approved 2025 budget comprised capital expenditure of N349.4 billion and recurrent expenditure  of N176.3 billion, making the total budget size of N526.9 billion.

    He said the committee also made key recommendations, including the need for enhanced collaboration between MDAs and the Ministries of Budget and Finance to address discrepancies in budget reporting.

    “Furthermore, on revenue generation, agencies should explore new revenue opportunities and plug leakages, ensuring full compliance with the State Revenue Integration and Consolidation Law 2019,” he said.

    The House Leader, Alhaji Bello Idris (APC-Gwadabawa North), moved the motion for the passage of the bill, which the Speaker, Alhaji Tukur Bala, subsequently put to a voice vote and unanimously approved by the lawmakers.