​Quit notice: Fulani leaders say only 107 herders from Oyo state relocate to Kaduna, not 4000

Some Fulani leaders at Ladduga grazing reserve in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna state, together with other stakeholders, have disputed the 4,000 figure published by the media, saying that only 107 herders from Oyo state relocated to Kaduna.

Malam Ardo Goge, Leader of the Fulanis at Ladduga, told some Peace builders and Journalists, who visited four of the new settlements of the Fulanis from Oyo state, due to the quit notice given to them, that only 107 of them relocated with their children, women and elderly.

Goge explained that the returnees were initially from the community before they left for the South, saying: “They left the area eight years ago to the South in order to feed their animals and now they are back.”

According to him, the returnees were peace loving herders, with a good record of promoting peaceful co-existence, even before they left Ladduga community to the South, saying that no herder would arrive Ladduga without the knowledge of the community leaders.

He challenged journalists and NGOs to prove that over 4000 herders had arrived Ladduga as earlier published in the media, saying that the media should always cross check their facts before posting their news, to avoid unnecessary suspicions.

“These herders were our own people and we have been living with them in peace and harmony for many years, before they migrated to the south, and now they are back due to threat of attack. They are not foreigners, they are Kaduna state indigenes, it is the crisis that brought them back.

“we have given them place to stay and we have cleared the bush for them to build new homes with their families,

‘”But they lack many things like social amenities, clothes, foods as they came into the state without their normal cows and other animals we are used to seeing them with”

Dr Saleh Momale, a former Permanent secretary of the Kaduna state peace commission, who is also a resident of the community, said he had been part of the fact finding mission to Ladduga community.

Momale said that since the report that over 4000 Fulani herdsmen arrived Ladduga community, he had spent a whole day in the forest with some Fulani Leaders moving round to ascertain the number of those Fulanis that relocated from the south.

“From the facts and figures, we only received the report of only 107 Fulani migrants from the South, who were originally Fulanis from the area that came back home” he said.

He stated that some of the Fulani herdsmen complained of lack of shelter, food and warming cloths against the harmattan.

Ibrahim Abdullahi, one of the returnees, reiterated their needs to include food and shelter, as their children were sleeping in open spaces and the ”weather is really cold”.

He called on Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs), Civil society organizations, NEMA, SEMA, The Red Cross, Interfaith mediation centre and public-spirited individuals to come to their aid.

Abdullahi also appealed to Miyetti Allah and all Fulani organizations to come to their rescue as they were really in need of help.(NAN)

​COVID-19 vaccines not mark of ‘666’, Anglican Primate assures Nigerians

The Primate of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, has urged Nigerians, especially Christians to ensure that they were inoculated against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic when general vaccination commences in the country.

Ndukuba said this at the February 2021 Standing Committee meeting of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, with a church service at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra.

A full text of the meeting obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday quoted Ndukuba as saying that many Nigerians had become complaisant about COVID-19 because of the unfounded campaign against the vaccines.

“COVID-19 is already in our villages and communities; we have lost some members to COVID-19 infections. Many people are very complaisant and careless because they believe it is a rich people’s disease or it is not real.

“COVID-19 is real and it kills. Some people are peddling unfounded campaign against the COVID-19 Vaccines; they suggest that anyone receiving the vaccine will receive the anti-Christ number 666.

“Let it be clear that COVID-19 is a virus that is ravaging the world and killing people. We give glory to God that we have higher survival rate in Nigeria,” he said.

“This disease is like Polio, Yellow Fever and other virus diseases that we receive vaccines to prevent. Those who are infected are being treated and many recover.

`The medical personnel administer drugs to cure them which does not initiate them with the 666. This vaccine is like any other that we receive to prevent diseases caused by virus.

“The End Time signs are here but the severe persecutions and tribulations have yet to come fully. We should be careful not to propagate stories that are not true and which can only be destructive to the lives of our people.”

He urged Nigerians to live in faith and righteousness, and also engage in fasting and prayer to fight the pandemic.

The Anglican primate also urged Nigerians to always observe the protocols as issued by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

“Everyone should keep the non-Pharmaceutical procedures such as keeping social distance, use of face mask, hand washing with soap under running water, the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and others.

“It is a virus and an enemy of our lives and at the name of Jesus Christ, COVID-19 must be destroyed; God has preserved our lives till today and He will protect and keep us till the end.

“We plead that the federal and state governments should procure vaccines and give to all our citizens, especially the most vulnerable group. The incidence of the COVID-19 has exposed the poor state of Nigerian healthcare delivery system,” he said.

He appealed to the Anglican dioceses and parishes to intensify the establishment of health clinics and hospitals that would carter for members, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Ndukuba appreciated all doctors, nurses and frontline health workers who had bravely stood for the sick and citizens infected with coronavirus.

“We commiserate with all those who lost their dear one in this pandemic. May God stand by us and carry us through this challenging period victoriously,” he added.

​We are not calling off strike now – SSANU, NASU

The industrial action embarked upon by members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated InstitutionsNASU, will not be called off on Monday as being speculated in some quarters.

Speaking with Newsmen yesterday, the National President of SSANU, Mohammed Ibrahim, said those saying the unions had agreed to call off the strike were not saying what truly transpired at the weekend’s meeting the unions held with the government team.

“Even though those speculating that used the words ‘likely to call off the strike’, but that is still not the true position of things. We did not make such a promise. What happened at the meeting was that the government team made some offers to us and as representatives of our people, our duty is to take the offers to our people.

“Those speculating that are just trying to do their jobs to please those who sent them. Their job is to prevent strike from taking place, but now we have a full blown strike on hand. After our meeting, there was no way we would have reported the outcome of the meeting and the offers to our members, as the weekend had set in and now to think we would likely call off the strike on Monday is not feasible.

“What is going to happen is that on Wednesday, we are going to meet with our people and get their opinions about the offers made. They are the ones who gave us the mandate for all we are doing and they are the ones to determine the next line of action,”he said.

Ibrahim did not comment on the claim that the government offered to add some money to the share of the two unions from the Earned Allowance that has created animosity between them and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.

Out of the N40 billion the Federal Government earmarked for the payment of the allowance for university workers, ASUU is reportedly taking about 75 percent of the sum leaving the rest to the non-teaching staff unions.

The Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, had at the weekend said the striking workers would likely call off their strike on Monday following a meeting he had with them.

Recall that SSANU and NASU, acting on the aegis of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, started an industrial action two weeks ago after a three-day protest to press home their demands from the government.

Among the issues in contention is the call for the abolition of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, IPPIS, the payment of dues of retired members, better funding of the university system, stoppage of the usurpation of non-teaching staff headship of some agencies by teaching staff among others.

​COVID-19: Police arrest 46 in Delta for violating curfew

The Police Command in Delta has arrested 46 persons for violating the state government’s night curfew to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

The suspects were among a total of 98 criminal suspects arrested by the police across the state for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping and rape.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Ali, who presented the suspects on Saturday in Asaba, advised parents to warn their children and wards against indulging in crime.

The police boss reiterated the commitment and determination of the command to make Delta a safe place for all residents.

He disclosed that all the suspects would be charged to court at the completion of investigations into their various crimes.

“We are all aware that in the effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the state government imposed a curfew from 10 p. m to 4 a.m.

“But these 46 young men and women, arrested in different spots in the state, chose to violate the curfew order that is meant for our common good.

“The command carried out night raid to enforce the restriction of movement and arrested these suspects, comprising 36 males and 10 females.

“Because ignorance of the law is no excuse, the police will charge these curfew violators to a mobile court,’’ Ali said.

​Kaduna Electric Penalizes Customer for Bypassing Meter 24hrs after Installation

Barely 24 hours after the installation of a free meter under the Federal Government’s National Mass Metering Programme, a customer at MPH Estate, Millennium City, Kaduna has had the meter by-passed. 

The customer whose property located at 189, Ahmed Makarfi Street, MPH, Mortgage 1 where the meter was installed and bypassed has admitted culpability and has been served a retroactive billing and loss of revenue penalty as stipulated the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The letter highlighting the penalty reads: “During the on-going mass meter deployment at Ministerial Pilot Housing Scheme- Urban Shelter, meter number 58000654408 was installed in your premises on 27th January 2021 to ensure optimum energy accountability. 

“In a quest for an excellent service delivery, your premises was re-visited on 28th January, 2021 to inspect / monitor the meter performance. It was discovered that your installed meter (58000654408) was externally bypassed through load diversion by peeling the retilence cable on the red, yellow and neutral phases of the incoming supply to the meter, thereby preventing the meter to register consumption (feeding from – 11KV Urban Shelter Feeder) resulting to loss of revenue. The energy utilized was not accounted for”.

Reacting to the development, Kaduna Electric’s Chief Marketing and Revenue Assurance Officer, Abubakar Jimeta, decried what he described as a sad and unfortunate development.

He said it is frustrating that customers who have been yearning to be metered will turn round to sabotage the system to enjoy free electricity. 

He said these are some of the challenges the company has been facing which makes energy accountability difficult and hinders the desired progress in the sector. 

He appealed to customers to work with Kaduna Electric to stamp out the menace of energy theft for good.