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Tag: Zamfara State

  • Police rescue 9 abducted children in Zamfara

    Police rescue 9 abducted children in Zamfara

    The Police Command in Zamfara says it rescued nine children abducted by bandits from Goran-Namaye Community in Maradun local government area of the state.

    The Command’s  Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar made the disclosure in a statement issued in Gusau on Sunday.

    “On 3rd June, 2023 at about 2014hrs information received from the district Head of Gora-Namaye village in Maradun LGA that nine children comprising males and females who were sent by their parents to fetch firewood in the bush were intercepted and abducted by armed bandits.

    “Receiving the report,  the joint police and other security agencies mobilized to the scene and commenced search and rescue operation that led to rescue of the children,”

    The police spokesperson said the command had already reunited the victims with their families unconditionally.

    “Effort are still on in tracing the hoodlums for prosecution,” Abubakar said.

    Recall that bandits had on Saturday  attacked some communities in the same Maradun LGA killing some innocent persons.

  • Gov Lawandare unveils security plan for Zamfara

    Gov Lawandare unveils security plan for Zamfara

    The newly-sworn-in governor of Zamfara, Dr Dauda Lawandare said on Monday that he would collaborate with the Federal Government and neighbouring states to redesign security architecture of the state.

    He said at his inaugural speech that the security situation of the state was a source of concern for all and sundry.

    He said the new administration would pay greater attention to security by consulting with the Federal Government and with neighbouring Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna and Niger states.

    The governor said the collaboration would enable the state to galvanise ideas for lasting solution to the lingering problems of banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling that had grounded the state’s socioeconomic development.

    Lawandare promised to support security agencies in the state with necessary equipment to enhance their operations in combating crime.

    “We must put all hands on deck to tackle insecurity to enhance agriculture and industrial and educational development of the state,’’ he stressed.

  • May 29: Gov. Matawalle dissolves cabinet

    May 29: Gov. Matawalle dissolves cabinet

    Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, on Sunday dissolved the State Executive Council and relieved all political appointees of their jobs.

    An official statement, signed and issued by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs, Dr Lawal Hussein, said the dissolution takes immediate effect.

    According to the statement, the officers affected by the dissolution include members of the State Executive Council, all Commissioners and Special Advises.

    The directives also affect Chairmen of Boards and Commissions except State Civil Service Commission, State Independent Electoral Commission, State Judicial Service Commission and State House of Assembly Service Commission.

    The governor also dissolved all non-career Directors General, all Chief Executives of extra-ministerial departments, agencies and companies which are politically based, including all Sole Administrators of the 14 Local Government Councils, all Secretaries of the 14 Local Government Councils, all Councilors of the 14 Local Government Councils and all Area Development Councils.

    The affected public officers are directed to hand over the affairs of their organisations to officers next in command.

    The Chairmen of the affected Boards and Commissions are to hand over to secretaries of their respective organizations, while Sole Administrators of the 14 Local Government Councils are to hand over to their respective Directors of Administration.

    Gov Matawalle expressed his appreciation and best wishes to all public officers affected by this development for their individual and collective contributions to the development of the State during his term in office.

    Matawalle also thanked the people of the state for their cooperation and support during his stewardship.

  • Police rescue 9 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

    Police rescue 9 kidnapped victims in Zamfara

    The Police Command in Zamfara says its operatives have rescued nine people who were abducted on April 11 from Kucheri in Tsafe Local Government Area.

    The command spokesman, CSP Muhammad Shehu, said in Gusau that the victims, seven females and two males, were rescued on Thursday.

    “The rescue of the victims was sequel to credible information obtained from a good samaritan which the Police used and successfully rescued the victims hale and hearty.

    “The victims underwent medical check at the police clinic in  Gusau, debriefed by police detectives and thereafter re-united with their families,” Shehu said.

    He reassured the general public of the command’s sustained onslaught against the bandits and other criminal elements in the state.

  • Bandits abduct over 80 children in Zamfara State

    Bandits abduct over 80 children in Zamfara State

    Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State was yesterday thrown into pandemonium as bandits struck and kidnapped over 80 children.

    According to BBC Hausa, the children, between the ages of 12 and 17, were kidnapped on Friday morning.

    It was gathered that the victims were in the bush fetching firewood in the early hours when the assailants rounded them up and marched them away into the forest.

    Bandits have continued their activities in the troubled Zamfara despite several government’s interventions to tackle the criminal activity.

    Hundreds of schoolchildren have been kidnapped. Some were later released upon ransom payment.

    The abductors are yet to reach the parents to make any demands as of the time BBC reported the kidnap.

  • How Zamafara Gov-Elect, Dauda Lawal scaled many court cases to win guber poll

    How Zamafara Gov-Elect, Dauda Lawal scaled many court cases to win guber poll

    It’s no longer news that the incumbent governor of Zamfara state Bello Matawalle has been defeated by the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dauda Lawal Dare.

    Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer for the election, Professor Kasimu Shehu, while declaring the final results, said Dare scored 377,726 votes to defeat Matawalle, who polled 311,976 votes.

    Lawal’s victory has been celebrated by many PDP supporters who described his victory as God’s will considering the many legal battles he faced prior to the March 18th election.

    However, Lawal’s victory did not come on a silver platter. The road to success was pretty rough for the former First Bank director, who fought four legal battles up till two weeks to the poll before he was finally affirmed as the PDP governorship candidate.

    Lawal’s road to Victory

    Initially the Federal High Court in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, nullified the primary election that produced him as the PDP candidate.

    Recall that Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Gusau,  a former federal lawmaker, , had approached the court to nullify the primary electio  that produced Lawal, saying the election was marred by irregularities.

    Justice Aminu Bappa nullified the May 25, 2022 primary and ordered that a rerun be held.

    The governor-elect had to seek legal help to have the Federal High Court judgement’s nullified.

    Although Lawal won the rerun, his victory was put on hold as Gusau went back to the same court to contest the exercise.

    Again, Justice Bappa nullified the rerun and even added a shocker: PDP would not field any candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state, he had ruled.

    The rerun was nullified on the grounds of irregularities and non-compliance with the party’s 2017 constitution as well as its electoral guidelines for the conduct of elections.

    Lawal didn’t give up. He, Adamu Maina-Waziri, the Chairman Primary Election Committee and Col. Bala Mande (retd) approached the Appeal Court Division in Sokoto to seek redress.

    Reprieve came in 2023

    After many back and forth, the appellate court in a unanimous judgment read by Justice Abubakar Talba nullified the Federal High Court ruling and reinstated Lawal as the PDP candidate for the 2023 guber election.

    The respondents in the suit were Gusau, Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, Hafiz Nahuche and INEC.

    Justice Talba held that the appellants succeeded in proving all the seven grounds of appeal canvassed by their counsel and that the court resolved all in their favour.

    The presiding judge held that the lower court was wrong to discountenance documents submitted by INEC, adding that it (the trial court) did not stipulate the period of conducting rerun election and notices of participation.

    Supreme Court Came Through For Governor-Elect

    Not done with the Governor- elect,  Gusau again appealed the ruling at the supreme court but the ruling came out in favour of Mr Lawal when the apex court upheld the Appeal court’s ruling.

    The court, in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of justices, dismissed Gusau’s appeal, challenging the legality of the primary election. Justice Inyang Okoro who read the lead judgement said the appeal lacked merit.

    “The court resolved all the issues for determination against the Appellant and held that the appeal was unmeritorious and the same was dismissed. Parties were ordered to bear their respective costs,” Okoro said.

     

     

  • BREAKING: PDP’s Dauda Lawal defeats Gov Matawalle in Zamfara

    BREAKING: PDP’s Dauda Lawal defeats Gov Matawalle in Zamfara

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday in Gusau, declared Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)  winner of the 2023 Governorship election.

    INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Kassimu Shehu, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, said Lawal  polled 377,726 valid votes from the 14 local government areas.

    Shehu said Lawal defeated Gov. Bello Matawalle of the APC and the incumbent Governor of Zamfara who scored 311,976 valid votes.

    “I Prof. Kassimu Shehu of the Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, certify that I am INEC Returning Officer for Zamfara State.

    “That Dr. Lawal Dauda of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is declared winner and returned elected,” Shehu declared.

  • Police arrest suspected female gun runner in Zamfara

    Police arrest suspected female gun runner in Zamfara

    The Zamfara Police Command has arrested a suspected female gunrunner for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition to bandits.

    The command had also recovered 325 live ammunition of AK 47 riffles from her.

    It had also succeeded in the arrest of other suspects for alleged possession of 1000 registered MTN Sim packs.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu disclosed this in a statement issued in Gusau.

    Shehu said that the suspected gunrunner Fatima Sani, 35, was arrested following intelligence report over her alleged supply of arms and ammunition to bandits in the state from Lafia town in Nasarawa State.

    He said: ‘”On 13th Feb., Police detectives arrested the suspected female gunrunner in possession of 325 rounds of live ammunition.

    “‘The arrest followed the intelligence information obtained about her movement with the said exhibit from Lafia in Nassarawa state to a notorious bandit’s kingpin operating in Zamfara forest.

    “In the course of interrogation, the suspect confessed that she has been into the business.

    “She further informed us that she had earlier supplied three AK 47 Rifles and 1000 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition to bandits operating in the state.”

    The PPRO added that the woman, who was a native of Kaura-Namoda town in Zamfara would soon be arraigned in Court.

    Shehu added: ‘”On 15th Feb. Police received intelligence report that one suspect was seen with uncountable number of registered MTN sim cards.

    “Police operatives swung into action, arrested the suspect and conducted an on-the-spot search while the exibits of 1000 sim cards were recovered from him.

    “In the course of investigation, the suspect confessed that the sim cards were for sale to customers,” Shehu said.

    According to the spokesperson, the command had on Feb 12,  command through its community policing engagement acted on intelligence information that led to arrest of some suspected kidnappers.

    Shehu added that they were suspected to have been terrorising some parts of Kaduna, Kano and other neighbouring states for long.

    He added: ‘”In the course of investigation, it was discovered that the suspects specialised in kidnapping business where unspecified number of people were abducted and collected millions of Naira as ransom.

    “A member of the suspected syndicate, Thomas Ya’u confessed that he masterminded the kidnapping of his biological mother and three other victims.”

  • Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara Govts sue FG over Naira redesign policy

    Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara Govts sue FG over Naira redesign policy

    Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states have instituted a suit against the Federal Government seeking a restraining order to stop the full implementation of the Naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    In a motion ex-parte filed before the Supreme Court, the three states are praying the court to grant an interim injunction stopping the CBN from ending the timeframe within which the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes will cease to be legal tender.

    They submitted that the 10-day extension is insufficient to address the challenges plaguing the policy.

    The plaintiffs also filed a motion on notice to abridge the time within which the respondent may file and serve a counter-affidavit for an accelerated hearing.

    The states are seeking a declaration that the demonetisation policy of the CBN is not in compliance with the extant provisions of the constitution, and the CBN Act, 2007.

    The plaintiffs said since the announcement of the policy, there has been an acute shortage in the supply of the new naira notes in Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara states.

    They added that citizens who have dutifully deposited their old currency notes have increasingly found it difficult and sometimes next to impossible to access the new notes for their daily activities.

    Asides from the unavailability of the new notes, the plaintiffs also submitted that the notice period given by the federal government was inadequate.

    They are also seeking a declaration that the three months notice given by the federal government through the CBN is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act which specifies that reasonable notice must be given.

    They also want the court to declare that by the express provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, the FG through the CBN has no power to issue a timeline for the acceptance and redeeming of banknotes issued by the bank, except as limited by section 22(1).

    Consequently, the plaintiffs want the court to direct the immediate suspension of the demonetisation policy until the relevant provisions of the law are complied with.

    No date has been fixed for hearing.

  • TERRORISTS: NAF Jets hit Zamfara enclave, scores of bandits dead, armourer escapes

    TERRORISTS: NAF Jets hit Zamfara enclave, scores of bandits dead, armourer escapes

    Scores of bandits have been killed as Nigerian Airforce (NAF) jets hit the enclave of notorious gun runner, Mallam Ila, at Manawa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

    According to a defence operative, the gun runner was the major supplier of sophisticated weapons to the notorious terrorist, Bello Turji, in Zamfara.

    “The NAF aircraft under Operation Hadarin Daji carried out the strikes on the enclave of Mallam Ilu in the evening of 18 November 2022.

    “Mallam Ila remains a high-value target due to his closeness and association with terrorist leaders Bello Turji and Dan Bokoyo. Their foot soldiers have also been responsible for attacks in the Shinkafi general area of Zamfara State as well as parts of Kaduna, Niger, Kebbi, and Sokoto States.

    “After the airstrike on the location, multiple explosions were observed with huge fireballs, indicative of other highly inflammable materials hidden in the location. Scores of terrorists were eliminated during the operation,” the operative said.

    Another source explained that Mallam Ila narrowly escaped but sustained critical injuries following the hit from the NAF jets at the Zamfara enclave of the armourer.

    When contacted, the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the strikes and maintained that the military operations continued to curtail the excesses of bandits and terrorists in the states.

    “The NAF and other security agencies remain on track to seeing the ongoing counterterrorism effort to a conclusive end.

    “We call on Nigerians to continue supporting the security agencies with information on activities of criminal elements as solving the current security impasse requires the involvement of all,” Gabkwet added.