Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday visited the Sokoto Airport on his way to Zamfara for a one day working visit. He was received at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and his Kebbi State counterpart Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
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The committee set up by the Sokoto State Government to verify the actual number of students entitled to scholarship has uncovered 706 fake students and those not qualified for the scheme, thereby saving almost N30 million of tax payer’s money.
Making this known while presenting the report to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in Sokoto, chairman of the committee, Ambassador Shehu Wurno, said the committee visited 40 tertiary institutions within and outside the country and verified 14, 532 state indigenes qualified for the scholarship.
“We have confirmed that the sum of N544, 613,724.00 was the total cost of students registration for the year 2016/2017 academic session while the sum of N143,560,855.00 was calculated as allowances to the number of verified students totalling the sum of N688,174,579.00 amount owed as students registration and allowances for the current 2016/2017 session,” the chairman said.
In his remarks, Governor Tambuwal said his administration will continue to give priority to the education sector.
He said as part of government’s commitment to boost funding, education levy was introduced by the government where civil servants and political office holders are taxed to complement other sources of funding.
“We have so far saved the sum of N260 million through the education levy. We hope to liaise with the state consultative committee on revitalisation of education, headed by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad, to continue our work in the education sector,” Tambuwal added.
The Governor assured that all the recommendation of the committee will be implemented by the government.
While commending the members of the committee for a diligent job, Tambuwal said no investment in the education sector is too much to make.
He equally tasked commentators to always cross check fact before going public, adding that proper checks and balances have been put in place to ensure transparent handling of all public funds in the state.
A member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Abdullahi Wammako, (APC-Kware/Wamakko), who died on Friday has been buried according to Islamic rites.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Wammako, 50, died in Abuja after a brief illness.
The Chief of Imam of Wamakko, Alhaji Shehu Ardo, led the funeral prayer conducted at the Wamakko Central Mosque, Wamakko.
The prayer was attended by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, his predecessor, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, the National Vice-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), North-West, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, members of the National and State Assemblies and the state executive council members.
Until his death, Wammako was the Vice-Chairman, House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
He was the Yariman Abdullahi Wammako and has been representing his constituency in the house since 2011.
Wammako, a younger brother to Sen. Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto State), is survived by a wife and five children.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Friday while expressing his shock over the late lawmaker’s death said: “Hon Wamakko was a dedicated lawmaker who had the progress of Kware/Wamakko federal constituency, Sokoto State and the entire Nigeria at heart. As we mourn his painful untimely departure, I pray that God will bring solace to his family who will miss him the most and grant him eternal rest”.
The Sokoto Independent Power Project requires additional N1.6 billion to be completed and put to full use, chairman of the state technical committee on the project, and former Minister of Power, Engineer Bello Sulaiman, has said.
Speaking when he presented the report of his committee to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal in Sokoto, Sulaiman said so far, the sum of N3.2 billion has been expended by the government on the project.
“We believe that if this recommendation is diligently implemented, the 38mw project should come on stream fully in the next four months. Our report has provided detailed ways in which the project can be completed,” he said.
On the problem of fuelling the engines for the project, the committee advised the state government to change the present specification of diesel-powered engines to LPG or liquefied natural gas.
“We believe that diesel is not the long term option if we are to get the full benefit of the project. We all know the problems associated with diesel supply in the country, so we have recommended to that LPG or liquefied natural gas should be used to power the engines,” the former Minister added.
He said the 38mw project is viable and of great importance to the development of the state.
In his remarks, Tambuwal commended the members of the committee for the excellent job done, and assured that the report would be studied and implemented.
He said the state Executive Council will intervene to ensure adequate funding for the balance of payment required to complete the project.
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.
Gunmen who kidnapped a 27-year-old businessman, Alhaji Abubakar Kakirko from Kikirko Village in Sokoto State, have reduced the ransom they demanded from N500,000 to N200,000.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Abdulkadir, who gave an update on the abduction to newsmen in Sokoto on Thursday, said that the abductors were in touch with Kakirko’s family.
Kakirko Village is in Wurno Local Government Area.
”We believe that they are holding the victim in the vast, notorious Gundumi Forest on the Sokoto-Isa Highway.
” They are constantly changing SIM cards, but we are tracking them; we are monitoring them,” Abdulkadir said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the abductors seized the businessman in the early hours of June 16 in the presence of his wife and three children.
Also, the commissioner of police told journalists that the command arrested no fewer than 120 urchins at various black spots in Sokoto metropolis in the last two months.
”They were arrested in areas such as Iraqi, Kwanni and Runjin Sambo.
”The command seized dangerous weapons such as cutlasses and sharp and long knives from them.
” They have been charged to court and are remanded in prison custody.
” This is the result of the patrols we carry out on daily basis from 10.00p.m. to 4.00a.m.,” he said.
Abdulkadir appealed to residents of the state to promptly report suspicious persons or movements to security agents to ensure peace and security.
A section of the Old Market in Sokoto, was engulfed by fire Friday night.
Goods worth millions of Naira were on Friday night destroyed by fire at a section of the Sokoto old market.
NAN reports that dozens of shops containing assorted food stuff, cooking oil, detergents and other household items were consumed by the inferno.
A similar incident occurred on July 24, 2016 at the textile section of the market.
The Head of Operations, Sokoto State Fire Service, Mr Mustapha Mohammed, told NAN that ” the inferno started at around 9pm yesterday night”.
” But we were able to put it out in about two and half hours, with the assistance of the affected traders and other good Samaritans.
“There was no loss of life. A fireman suffered a dislocation in his right leg but he is responding to treatment.
” The cause of the fire is not yet known, but, there was no public power supply when the inferno started.”
Mohammed stated that the department would conduct thorough investigations to unravel the cause of the fire incident.
A cross section of the affected traders told NAN that ”we have resigned our fate to God.”
Mohammad Chika, one of the affected traders, called for assistance to enable them recoups their loss.
”We are appealing for an urgent support from the state and Federal Government, as well as other well-meaning Nigerians,” he told NAN.
NAN observed that the reconstruction work was still on-going at the site of the 2016 incidence with the affected traders still displaced.
A Corps member, Anthony Ochai, from Benue State, has died of heart failure in Sokoto, the State NYSC Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Abubakar, has said.
Abubakar made the disclosure in Sokoto on Friday, during the passing out ceremony of 1,411 corps members deployed to the state under the 2016 batch ”A”, Stream One.
He said:” The late corps member was serving at the Government Secondary School, Tsamaye, Sabon-Birni Local Government in the state.
” The deceased was resting after a football match between the various batches of the scheme, suddenly he just collapsed and died.
” His remains were brought to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto and it was confirmed that he died of heart failure.”
Abubakar further stated that the late corps member hailed from Ugbokolo village, in Ukopo local government of Benue state.
The coordinator also said that the remains of the late Ochai would be buried on Friday in his home town, in Benue State.
Abubakar further disclosed that 10 corps members had their service year extended by between three months to one year, for abscondment.
In the same vein, 10 corps members were given state merit awards, while four others received the Chairman’s commendation certificate.
He added that 85 other corps members were given commendation letters for outstanding performance.
Abubakar advised the outgoing corps members to continue to be good ambassadors of the service.
NAN
The Sokoto State Government says it has earmarked over N5.4 billion to feed no fewer than one million students in its primary and secondary schools in 2017.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Alhaji Mainasara Ahmed, disclosed this in Gusau on Thursday.
He spoke at a three-day workshop organized by a USAID-assisted Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy and Development (LEAD) Project being implemented in Sokoto and Bauchi States.
”These pupils and students are currently studying in both boarding and non boarding schools across the 23 local government areas in the state.
”This money also includes the homegrown school feeding programme to be jointly undertaken by both the federal and state governments.
”The gesture is aimed at shoring up students’ enrolment, retention and completion, especially girl child education,” he said.
Ahmed disclosed that the state government had established the female education, secondary education and examinations boards to improve the standard of education in the state.
NAN
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal along with the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on Wednesday flagged off a rice outgrowers’ scheme which will cover 25,000 hectres of farmland across some selected local government areas of Sokoto state.
Speaking at the site of the event which held in Goronyo Dam, Dangote said the project will within the next three years produce at least one million tonne of high quality parboiled rice for Nigerian market.
He said to achieve this, his company plans to cultivate 160,000 hectres of irrigable rice farmland in selected states, including Sokoto, which will be cultivated to grow paddy during two cropping-season per year.
“With this, we hope to achieve a minimum yield of five to six tonnes per hectre. Our plans is to off-take not less that 80 percent of the paddy produced by the outgrowers. We will also develop our own farm operations to include seed multiplication capabilities,” he added.
According to him, Dangote Rice Limited aims to boost the local economy, create jobs along the value and make a significant contribution to the transformation of subsistence farms into market-oriented agribusinesses.
In his remarks, Tambuwal commended Dangote for siting the project in Sokoto State, saying the renewed efforts of his administration in the sector has started yielding the desired result.
The Governor said education and agriculture have remained the two top sectors in the priority list in the state in the last two years, revealing that this year, Sokoto has allocated more to agriculture than all states of the federation.
“We have had series of visits to different countries and signed various MoUs with many organisations and entities, Dangote inclusive, with a view to uplifting agriculture in the state.
“So the Dangote Rice Project in Sokoto State will not only provide food security and employment to our teeming unemployed youths, it would ensure the overall development of agricultural activities in the state,” he added.
Tambuwal assured that all necessary incentives have been put in place to ensure smooth operation of the scheme.
In his remarks, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, urged the people to embrace this opportunity to improve their farming technique and standards of living.
He said the people of Sokoto are grateful for the opportunity and will mobilise needed resources to ensure its success.