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Tag: Yobe State

  • Mala-Buni salutes operatives in Geidam for repelling attack

    Mala-Buni salutes operatives in Geidam for repelling attack

    Gov. Mai Mala-Buni of Yobe has commended the Nigerian Army and other security operatives in Geidam for the ”uncommon bravery” in confronting and repelling an attempt to attack the town on Wednesday by Boko Haram.

    Buni made the commendation on Thursday in a statement signed by Maman Mohammed the Director-General Press and Media Affairs.

    The governor saluted the Commanding Officer for mobilising his men to confront the ”enemy outside the town”.

    “It is heart warming that although the enemy withdrew, the soldiers gallantly pursued them and cleared an ambush mounted on their way.

    “The government and people of Yobe appreciate this act of bravery to secure the general area and allow the people of Geidam to continue celebrating the Sallah festivities peacefully” the governor said.

    He explained that such proactive measures will check the wanton attacks on innocent communities.

    “You have done us proud, the government and people of the state will continue to support you” Gov. Mala-Buni said.

    He called on the people to always volunteer useful and timely information to the security operatives to enhance proactive measures against such attacks.

    “You are advised to volunteer timely information on suspicious movements around your communities to the security and other relevant authorities to enhance timely response” he said.

  • Yobe rehabilitates cemeteries washed by flood

    Yobe rehabilitates cemeteries washed by flood

    The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YoSEMA) has begun rehabilitation of the low cost and central cemeteries washed away by rainstorm in Gashua, the headquarters of Bade Local Government Area.

    Alhaji Kaku Bukar, the Community Development Officer of the Council, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Gashua on Thursday.

    NAN reports that flood triggered by days of incessant rain recently washed away the cemeteries and exposed corpses in graves.

    Bukar said that the agency had provided trips of sand, blocks, gravels and other building materials for the rehabilitation work.

    “I can’t give you the exact quantity of the building materials provided, but I can confirm to you that the materials had reached the graveyards since July 14 as promised by SEMA.

    “The agency and some volunteer workers are currently building fences in both cemeteries. Lack of fencing is believed to be the major cause of the flood,” he said.

    The officer said the council had concluded arrangements to sand fill the exposed graves in the cemeteries on Thursday.

    Bukar said sand filling the exposed cemeteries was pertinent to prevent the spread of diseases.

    Meanwhile, SEMA has registered and provided relief materials to 150 victims of recent windstorm in Nguru Local Government Area.

    Alhaji, Usman Danyaro, Community Development Officer, Nguru Local Government Council, told NAN in Nguru, that the victims’ houses were destroyed by the windstorm.

    He said each victim received a mattress, plastic containers, soaps, detergents, bag of rice, spaghetti, semovita and sugar.

  • Constitutional review : Borno, Yobe reject state police, additional States

    Constitutional review : Borno, Yobe reject state police, additional States

    Borno and Yobe States have rejected calls for the creation of additional states, local councils and state police in the country.

    The states made their positions known in separate presentations at the ongoing public hearing on the 1999 constitutional review held on Wednesday, in Bauchi.

    Alhaji Abdulkareem Lawan, Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, said the state was opposed to the creation states and state police.

    “Borno State is already devastated for now. We don’t need additional states and local government councils, because some of the councils just bear names without people.

    “So, there is no need for the creation of state and local governments out of the present Borno State,” he said.

    Lawan stressed that Borno was also not in need of a state police, because it already had the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) which had been effective in enhancing security in the state.

    He, however, advocated for gender equality and increased women participation and other vulnerable persons in governance.

    In his submission, Mr Saleh Samanja, the Yobe state Attorney General, who corroborated earlier opinions, advocated the retention of the existing states and local councils’ structure.

    “We recommend that the existing number of states and local governments in the country be maintained and strengthened.

    “Taking into consideration that even the existing ones are not adequately funded, to execute viable developmental projects, not to even talk of creating additional ones,” he said.

    Samanja said Yobe State strongly opposed the establishment of state police as canvassed in some quarters.

    “The state police can be abused for political reasons and create more insecurity, rather, measures should be put in place to encourage Community Policing under strict supervision,” he said.

    However, Alhaji Sabiu Baba, Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG), said the State was clamouring for the creation of additional states and local councils.

    He noted that some states with a much lower population and land mass than Bauchi, already had more local government councils.

    Baba said the state was, therefore, strongly in support of the creation of a state and additional local governments out of the present Bauchi state

    The SSG said the state was also in support of the establishment of state police, so as to reduce over-dependence of the state governors on federal law enforcement agencies.

    He equally disclosed that the state was in support of gender equality and women participation in decision making and governance.

  • VIDEO: Residents flee Geidam, acting IGP’s hometown in Yobe State after Boko Haram’s invasion

    VIDEO: Residents flee Geidam, acting IGP’s hometown in Yobe State after Boko Haram’s invasion

    A video has emerged online showing residents of Giedam, a community in Geidam local government of Yobe State in their numbers fleeing for their lives after Boko Haram’s attack and invasion of the community.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG gathered that Geidam is the hometown of the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba.

    The military had said that it repelled the attack, killing over 20 insurgents and recovered a vehicle and arms.

    But the residents said the insurgents hoisted their flags in parts of the community, engaging in house-to-house preaching of their ideologies.

    After being under Boko Haram siege for over 48 hours, scores of residents, including women and children fled the community on Sunday.

    Watch video below:

    https://twitter.com/incaseJackstrik/status/1386423803392237568?s=20

  • Senate President sympathises with victims of fire disaster in Yobe

    Senate President sympathises with victims of fire disaster in Yobe

    President of the Senate Ahmad Lawan has commiserated with the victims of fire disaster at Potiskum Central Market, Yobe.

    Lawan’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Ola Awoniyi, said this in a statement in Abuja.

    “The senate president sympathises with those whose stalls, wares and other valuables were affected by the fire incident.

    “He also thanked God that the incident involved no loss of life.

    “He commended the state department of fire service for its timely intervention that prevented further spread of the fire and damage to the market,” Awoniyi said.

  • Yobe govt. orders closure of all boarding schools

    Yobe govt. orders closure of all boarding schools

    The Yobe government has announced the closure of all boarding schools in the state, as part of proactive measures to safeguard the lives of the students.

    The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Muhammed Idris, made the announcement on Monday in Damaturu while addressing newsmen.

    Idris said: “The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has ordered the immediate closure of all boarding schools in the state.

    “Students from JSS I to SSS II should vacate their schools immediately.

    “The closure of the boarding schools is informed by the security concern and the urgent need for government to be proactive in safeguarding the lives of the children.

    “All day schools are to continue with the normal academic activities,” the commissioner said, adding that further statement would be made concerning the reopening of the schools as soon as possible.

    He said the ministry was strategising on how to take learning home to the students, as it was done at the peak of COVID 19 pandemic.

    “This is because the state government, led by Mai Mala Buni, is very serious about lives of the students,” Idris added.

  • Police arrest 318 suspected criminals in Yobe

    Police arrest 318 suspected criminals in Yobe

    The Police Command in Yobe, on Sunday, said it arrested 318 suspects in connection with various offences in the fourth quarter of 2020.

    The Command’s Spokesman, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement, detailing 2020 achievements recorded in the state.

    He listed the suspects’ alleged crimes to include homicide, rape, kidnapping, theft, armed robbery and perpetrating farmers and herdsmen clashes.

    He said 250 of the suspects had been arraigned before various courts, adding that 187 suspects were standing trial.

    Abdulkarim said 68 suspects had undergone various stages of investigations while 63 others were convicted and sentenced to various jail terms.

    He said case files for 39 suspects had been moved to the state Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

    The spokesman further said that within the period under review, the command recovered two Ak-47 rifles, two Dane guns, one locally-made pistol, one single barrel short gun and 47 rounds of 9.64mm ammunition.

    Other items recovered, Abdulkarim said, include 138 mobile phones, one cow, 25 memory cards, three MP3 players, one laptop computer, one printer and 25 forged and fake documents.

    He attributed the achievements to the effective policing strategy of the command.

    He said that these were made possible due to the commitment and dedication of personnel who implemented inclusive and proactive policing strategies.

    “Such strategies include regular community engagements and cooperation from local vigilante groups in anti-crime patrols,’’ he said.

    Abdulkarim, therefore, appealed to the general public to always feed the Police with vital information for crime prevention and management.

  • Abducted Yobe district head regains freedom

    Abducted Yobe district head regains freedom

    The Police Command in Yobe on Tuesday said the abducted District Head of Mashio, Alhaji Isa Mai-Buba, has been released by his captors.

    Mashio is a district under Fune Local Government Area of the state.

    The Command’s spokesman, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, made the disclosure in a statement released in Damaturu.

    He said Mai-Buba was released by his captors on Tuesday in Damaturu, near the state airport along Gashua Road.

    “This came as a result of efforts by the joint operation of securities, where all routes linking the district with other locations were beefed up.

    “That made it impossible for the abductors to move out to their destination with the chief,” the spokesman said.

    Abdulkarim said the victim would receive medical attention for stress and fatigue before being released to his family.

    Recall that Mai-Buba was abducted by unknown gunmen at his residence on August 15.

  • Yobe Governor charts new course for APC

    Yobe Governor charts new course for APC

    The newly inaugurated Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, has pledged to restore sanity and ensure justice for all members of the party.

    Buni, who is also the governor of Yobe, made the pledge when he fielded questions from State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said: “As a former two-term National Secretary of the APC, I know the party very well and it is all about doing justice to every member of the party because without justice there wouldn’t be peace.

    “It is all about team play, I am a team player and I have a capable team that can work with me and if you don’t manage crisis, obviously crisis will manage you. so, I won’t allow any crisis to fester henceforth.”

    According to him, the party has six months within which to work and also organise the party’s convention, to elect new leaders.

    “The duration of the caretaker committee is six months within which we will do whatever we can as enshrined in our constitution to ensure that we strengthen the party and cap it up with the convention,’’ he stated.

    On the emergency APC National Executive Council meeting summoned by the former acting chairman of the party, Mr Victor Giadom, Buni said due process and provisions of the APC constitution were followed in convening the NEC meeting that gave birth to the caretaker committee he now heads.

    “About the process of convening this NEC, I want to tell you that it is a continuation of the party’s last notice, where we said we had adjourned and now, that is a continuation of the adjourned NEC meeting, all the notices were issued accordingly so in a no way are we in any aberration,” he said.

    Buni also dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the emergency NEC was summoned to whittle down the influence of the party’s stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    “Bola Tinubu is one of our leaders and a founding father of this party, I want to say nobody is happy with the current situation under which the party is operating and we are all working together to rescue the party.

    “So, this decision was taken by NEC to address some of the issues, so nobody is targeted and it is against nobody.

    “Tinubu is a founding father of this party and one of our leaders. That is all I can say for now,’’ he added.

  • Heat wave causes scare in Yobe, residents advised on safeguard measures

    Heat wave causes scare in Yobe, residents advised on safeguard measures

    The Yobe Government has advised residents to adopt safeguard measures against the heat wave (hot season) being experienced in the state.

    Dr Mohammed Gana, the state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, gave the advice in a statement he signed and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Damaturu.

    Gana expressed concern over the adverse effect of what he described as the very high temperature and intensive heat in the state.

    He therefore advised the public to wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing, stay under tree shades and environments with a lot of ventilation where the temperature is low and cool, and cut down on exercise when it is hot.

    “If you are not used to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually, and if walking or exercising in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, stop it.

    “Get into a cool area or into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint,” he added.

    Gana also advised residents to drink lot of water and schedule their outdoor activities carefully.

    “Try to limit your outdoor activity to when it is coolest.”

    He also enjoined parents not to leave children or pets in a hot car.

    “Cars can quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures, even with a window cracked open. While anyone left in a parked car is at risk, children and pets are especially at risk of getting a heat stroke or dying,” the commissioner warned.

    While advising the public to avoid hot and heavy meals as they add heat to the body, Gana also urged them to stay hydrated by drink more of fluids.

    “Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink, stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks.

    “These actually cause you to lose more body fluid. And also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps,” he said.

    He also urged the public, especially during the Ramadan fasting, to restrict activities to early mornings and late evenings when the temperature cools off.

    “Drink plenty of fluids after ‘iftar’ (evening meal) and at ‘sahur'(early morning meal) and to take more fruits and vegetables,” the commissioner suggested.

    He added that elderly, obsessed and those having background illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, heart and respiratory diseases are advised to be particularly more careful.

    Gana also highlighted some manifestations of heat disorders to include hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, very high body temperature, difficulty in breathing and gasping.

    Other disorders according to him are nausea, irritability, dizziness, muscle cramps or weakness, headache, fatigue and thirst.

    He however said heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable; though hundreds to thousands of people die every year globally as a result of extreme heat..

    Temperatures in Yobe rises up to 45 and above degrees centigrade, especially within the months of March and May before the onset of the rainy season.