APC threatens to expose Mbaka over impeachment comments

By Victor Habila

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, against making statements that could cause instability in the country, threatening to expose him to the Pope.
Mbaka had called on the National Assembly to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari if he fails to resign over increased insecurity in the country.

Reacting to Mbaka’s statement on Friday, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Yekini Nabena, said it was unfortunate for a man of God “who is supposed to deploy all known spiritual means of averting crisis but rather threatening a democratically elected government for his own personal benefits while pretending to be speaking for the people.”

While making reference to the book of Mark 4: 35-40 where Jesus Christ calmed the storm when a wild storm came up and the waves crashed over the boat, Nabena said Jesus did not blame anyone but prayed and calmed the storm.

“One would wonder who Father Mbaka is emulating because the Lord Jesus Christ did not threaten to bring down the government during his own time, in fact, Jesus Christ obeyed and honoured constituted authority. That’s why he paid his tax.

“We are calling on Father Mbaka to concentrate on his spiritual calling and stop speaking like politicians who it is obvious he (Mbaka) has been dining and wining with. If Mbaka has found another political ally, it is better to leave a political message for politicians.

“Calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to either resign or be impeached because of the current challenges is ungodly. Father Mbaka should not, however, take his luck too far because there is a lot to tell the Vatican and the Pope about his person and his sources of inspiration”, Nabena said.

The APC chieftain also called on other clerics to “emulate the likes of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG and Pastor WF Kumuyi of the Deeper Life Bible Ministry and many other true men of God who will rather fast and pray to avert a crisis in the country instead of threatening the government of the day”.

​Food crisis looms, Shittu warns FG

A big-time farmer and member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Shittu Mohammed has called on the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government to take deliberate steps to avert the looming food crisis now staring the country in the face in the wake of increasing security challenges in the land.

Shittu gave the warning when he appeared on the Arise Television Morning Show programme monitored by our correspondent.

According to him, millions of farmers including himself are finding it almost impossible to tend their farms as a result of the activities of Boko Haram, bandits, and kidnappers, who in the past few weeks have killed hundreds of Nigerians.

He said: “We are looking at this issue as a joke but this is something that can cause food scarcity in Nigeria. What I want to urge us as farmers, as Nigerians is that we should not politicize what is happening today. If by next year, we are unable to go to our farms and we don’t have sufficient food, coupled with COVID-19, and we can’t import food, where shall we be?

“Can our silos which house food take us for a year or two? The answer is no. A few months from now, there will be a food crisis and in order to avert that, all of us must join hands together to deal with this problem. To do this, we must look at the root cause. Government must invest in the security and welfare of the people.”

He narrated his experience thus: “As a farmer, it is saddening what is happening in Nigeria. In the past five years, we’ve been able to develop over 5, 000 hectares in Swashi with the hope that we can contribute to the growth of agricultural industrialization. But with what is happening now, it very sad. As I am talking to you now, I cannot go to Swashi now, which is in New Bussa; even here in Wagu in Niger state by Gurara, I can’t go there because my family told me recently that look, “you can’t go out of this place.” They said if I get kidnapped, what will they do? This is the same story with millions of other farmers.

“Today, the security and welfare of the people are getting eroded. We should stand up as a people and get a solution to this. The root cause of this problem is poverty and this is due to the lack of employment opportunities for the young ones. The young ones are roaming about without jobs. The Nigerian government must come up with deliberate policies to provide employment opportunities for them (the unemployed).

“The advantages we have are enormous. In terms of mineral resources (aquatic, agriculture, and solid minerals), we have them in abundance. We must start fashioning our economic programmes in line with our culture and beliefs. The same goes for our political system. The capitalism we opted for is killing us because it has no room for welfarism. We sold our companies between 1999 and 2007 and yet, they are not working.

“Only recently, I took delivery of maize seedlings from Zaria but can I go and plant them? The answer is no. I am saddened. I can say that I am not happy as a farmer, I am not happy as a Nigerian,” he lamented.

Source: Vanguard News Nigeria

​BREAKING: Gunmen abduct Edo varsity don

Prof. Osadolor Odia, of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Ekpoma, has been reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen at his farm at Egoro, Ekpoma, in Esan West local government area of Edo.

Odia, a Professor of Engineering and former Head of the Department of Mechanical, Engineering at the AAU, was said to be on his way to the farm when the incident occurred.

A family source, who pleaded anonymity, said the professor’s abductors had already made contact with the family asking for a ransom of N18 million.

‎“I can confirm that Odia was kidnapped today on his way to the farm and a ransom of N18 million was demanded by the kidnappers.”

‎When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the university,  Edward Aihevba, said he received the news of the abduction as general information.

Aihevba stated that he had no details of how the incident happened.

Similarly, Spokesman of the Police Command in Edo, Kontongs Bello, said he was not aware of the incident and promised to ‎contact the Divisional Police Office in charge of Ekpoma.

Source: Ashnews online

​Northern group implores international community to facilitate Biafra state

Coalition of Northern Groups has called on the international community to help Biafra state gain its independence from Nigeria.

The group, which comprises 52 northern associations, in a communique, by its spokesperson, Abdulaeez Suleiman, lamented the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, saying, “The world should keep in mind that by far, a destabilised Nigeria will certainly threaten the peace and security of entire sub-Saharan Africa.

“The CNG hereby resolves to call on our friends and the international community, the UK especially, to understand that our bilateral friendship is guided by the principles of sovereignty, promotion of peace and the standards that guide legitimate interference.

“Hence, their intervention, exclamations and actions should not be drawn to discountenance the effort of the Nigerian state to protect citizens from violence and terror.

“We finally wish to renew our request for the global community’s intervention in persuading Nigerian authorities and the United Nations to facilitate the final actualisation of the Biafran dream by the Igbo.

“The world should keep in mind that by far, a destabilised Nigeria will certainly threaten the peace and security of the entire sub-Saharan Africa.”

“In the South, gangs of armed IPOB militia, violent secessionists and an assortment of militant groups appear to sense a huge vacuum in the capacity and political will by the Federal Government to challenge them, which they exploit with disastrous consequences on the nation’s security assets and specifically on northern communities and individuals living as minorities in the South while the presidency wallows in deflecting the issue.”

It added that “is now taking a more ominous and repulsive form and context with an open declaration of violence and anarchy against other parts of Nigeria and the Nigerian State.”

Source: TG News

Zailani Care Foundation Receives 22-seater Bus from Kaduna Assembly Speaker

In his quest to ensure that their activities reach all nooks and crannies of Kaduna State and beyond, the Chairman Northern Speakers Forum and Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rt Honourable Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani (Garkuwan Musabakar Al’Qurani) has donated a 22-Seater Toyota Coaster Bus to Zailani Absolute Care Foundation.

This was contained in a statement signed by SA Media and publicity to the Speaker, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani, dated Tuesday April 27, 2021.

According to the statement, Zailani who is the Grand patron of the foundation, made the presentation on Tuesday, at a private ceremony in Kaduna ably represented by his Chief of Staff Haruna Jafaru Sambo.

The statement informed that the Kaduna Speaker, who is also the Chiroman Dan Darman Zazzau urged the executives of the foundation to make judicious use of the vehicle in furtherance of the aims and objectives of the humanitarian Organisation.

Recieving the vehicle, Chairman of the foundation, Comrade Tasiu Musa assured that they would use the vehicle to contribute positively in impacting on the society.

“We are indeed grateful to you our patron for this noble gesture. This is a big boost to our activities.

“Since inception, the Zailani Absolute Care Foundation has hit the ground running and has touched lives all across the state.

“We are grateful for your support all through and the many lives that have been touched are also praying for Allah’s blessings upon you so that many others can get succour,” Tasiu said.

Ramadan: Minister, Christian leaders, breaks interfaith iftar with Sheikh Dahiru

By Victor Habila, Kaduna

Former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, has led a delegation of Christian leaders in Northern Nigeria to the residence of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi in Kaduna state to break Ramadan interfaith iftar fast to strengthening Christians-Muslims relationship in the region.

Addressing journalists shortly after the breakfast  at the Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi’s Kaduna Residence, Dalung said it has become imperative that Christians and Muslims must live together as one family under God, in view of the fact that both of them worship one God and are the descendants of Adam and Eve.

He added that the interfaith iftar will also encourage religious tolerance, better understandin, and promote  peaceful co-existence between both religions.
He emphasized  that it is only when the adherents of the two major faith coexist that sustainable peace can be achieved in Nigeria.

 The former Minister further mentioned that many national issues disturbing peace stability in the country were discussed, stressing that he believed if sheikh Dahiru Bauchi  Can Talk to those at the top level, they would surely listen to him,so as to save the nation against the increasing daily reports on killing and kidnapping and other banditry activities that is bringing the nation back words.

 According to him, “Nigeria is facing tough time due to the internal problems the nation is facing , hence the need to joined hands with every stake holders to save the country against the increasing insecurity challenges bedeviling peace stability in the country.”

“We believe if you talk, they listen, because God has given you what it takes to be a real leader and a good preacher.”

He further stated that  “We appealed that you should take to the elders in the regions and other stakeholders, so as to end the worries the region is facing as a result of continuous Boko haram insurgency, banditry attacks and other criminal activities that is taking place in the entire 19 northern region.”, He said.

Also speaking, Pastor Yohanna Buru the general overseer of Christ Evangelical and Life intervention ministry equally described the Sheikh as an ardent of peace and unity.in the country.

He said the interfaith iftar became necessary in order  to show solidarity with Muslims in the holy month, while urging them to pray for peace stability in the country and pray for the security men and women that are at the battleground with the insurgents.

The Christian cleric pointed that, they used the Ramadan season to boost inter-religious harmony and preach the message of peace and unity among Muslims and Christians.

In his words “Ramadan season provide golden opportunity for Christians all over the world to strengthens good relationship with their neighbor muslims ”

 “We also use the period to feed prison inmates, orphans, the less privileged and Internally Displaced Persons, widows and women living with HIV/Aids to show them love and cares.”

Pastor Buru noted that since the beginning of the year 2021 Ramadan, the church has distributed bags of grains and other foodstuffs to the poor muslims,so as to enable them have enough food to eat during the season without going out searching for what to eat.

 He disclosed that the church is also planning to share food during the sallah for the IDP and other poor muslims.

On their part, Pastor John and Christopher with reverend Joshua Ahmed, jointly emphasized on the need for state and federal government to be organizing annual interfaith iftar Breakfast for muslims and Christians youth, saying that will them to shun all forms of hate speeches, vengeance attack and religions discriminations in the communities.

Responding, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi called on scholars from the two faiths to pray for peace and unity of the country, as well as for leaders to succeed in the discharge of their responsibilities. 

He expressed optimism that in spite of the various challenges, Nigeria would remain one indivisible entity. 

The muslim scholar thanked the minister for mobilizing Christians clerics from various states to join him in breaking Ramadan with other muslims scholars.

IGR: More than 50 villages disserted, Says Gov Bello

By Victor Habila

Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello says not less than 50 villages across  five Local Government Areas have been disserted thereby causing humanitarian crisis in the State. 

Governor  Abubakar Sani Bello stated this when he declared opened a two day workshop on strategies for enhancing Internally Generated Revenue of Local Government Councils in Minna,Niger State . 

The Governor who acknowledged that  the workshop is apt, stressed the need for local government Councils to look inwards and strengthen Internally Generated Revenue by expanding the tax net so as to meet the increasing demands in their Local Government Areas in particular and the State in general. 

He noted that the present IGR cannot sustain the developmental aspirations of the State particularly with the security challenges that have bedeviled some parts of the State, emphasizing that while Government is making efforts to boost its revenue, it must block leakages, cut down cost, adding that it will not hesitate to do away with Local Government Staff that are not adding value. 

“As we speak we have not less that 50 villages deserted across 5 local governments now where do we get the resources to take care of them if 80% of our resources goes to those that do not add value to the system.”

“Now we have to deal with humanitarian problems and security problems all these require resources that we do not have. So the only way we can survive is to increase our IGR. 

“At the moment we have over 3,000 IDPs in Minna, apart from other local governments, he said. 

The Governor urged participants to be attentive, actively participate and make meaningful contributions that will give them more insight into strategies of enhancing IGR for socioeconomic development at the local government levels. 

Chairman, Local Government Service Commission  Muhammad Ahmed Dabban and the Permanent Secretary of the Commission Nuhu Garba Ngaski in their separate remarks explained that the workshop was organized for Local Government Directors of Administration and Finance, Revenue officers as well as heads of finance of development areas in Niger State.

They both said that the workshop is primarily to ensure proper and accurate implementation of financial memoranda, have internal control system for enhancing revenue collection by the councils, enhance capacity as well as improve the quality of participants in their respective duties among others at the local government levels. 

The Resource Person Malam Haruna Yahaya, who gave the synopsis of the workshop said the objectives of the workshop was to ascertain full understanding of revenue profile , develop comprehensive strategies to ensure enhanced revenue based of each local government and to promote transparency as well as accountability towards proper accounting for the revenue. 

He said five papers are expected to be delivered at the workshop.

Gov. Ganduje Approves Reposting of 4 Perm Secs, Posting of 1 Newly Appointed

By Victor Habila

To further consolidate effort in taking the state civil service to greater heights, in tandem with the global best practice, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has approved the re-posting of 4 Permanent Secretaries and posting of 1, newly appointed.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar , the Governor said the development “…is one of the routine processes in the state civil service. When our most senior public servants are swapped to get genuine acquaintances with other parts of ministries, departments and agencies.”

He directed those affected to keep the momentum with vigour, dedication to duty and quality leadership, insisting that, “It is your leadership style that navigates our strong public service to keep on moving in positive direction.”

The Permanent Secretaries are; Eng Muhammad Adamu Musa from Due Process Bureau to Civil Service Commission, Sani Abdullahi Kofar Mata from Ministry for Rural and Community Development to Ministry of Planning and Budget.

Others are Abba Mustapha Dambatta from Ministry of Planning and Budget   to  Due Process Bureau, Salisu M. Gabasawa from Civil Service Commission  to Ministry for Rural and Community Development, and Amina Muhammad Usman – Newly Appointed, posted to Ministry for Housing and Transport.

Governor Ganduje urged them to always use IT-based initiatives in the discharge of their responsibilities. Adding that, “In this world of technology and scientific advancement, your knowledge and use of modern ideas are always welcomed.”

​Again bandits kill 6 as Kaduna govt condemns attack on church

Suspected bandits have again invaded Bagoma village, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna and killed six persons, Daily Trust reports.

The state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the killing, also condemned the Sunday attack on Haske Baptist Church in Chikun LGA by bandits.

The commissioner gave the names of the six victims as Bala Gwamna, Kasage Ali, Mai Jakki, Makeri Kugu, Haruna Kawu and Ali Agaji.

He said one person, Salisu Gwamna, older brother of the deceased Bala Gwamna, was injured in the attack.

The commissioner further said it was reported to the government that armed bandits equally attacked Amfu village in Kachia LGA, in which one Mrs Rahila Dauda was shot dead.

On the attack on Church at Manini in Chikun, he said: “Kaduna State Government has condemned in the strongest terms the attack by armed bandits on a place of worship on Sunday morning in Manini village, Chikun Local Government Area.

“Attacking innocent worshipers who were exercising their natural and lawful right to assemble in worship, represented the worst kind of evil.

“The Governor sent heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and to the Haske Baptist Church.

” The Governor prayed for the repose of the souls of the slain in all the attacks. He also wished the injured victim a speedy recovery.”

He also said the partially burnt corpse of a seven-year-old, Abubakar Sarki Musa, was found in an uncompleted building in Hayin Danmani area, Rigasa, Igabi LGA.

One Saddique Umar, an 18-year-old resident of the area, confessed to killing him, after luring the boy into the deserted building in a bid to steal a phone placed in his possession.

Kaduna State Police command also confirmed the church attack in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer ASP Jalige.

He said a preliminary investigation conducted so far revealed that four people were missing which arouse a suspicion that they might have been kidnapped by the hoodlums, while two others sustained gunshot wounds.

He said normalcy had since been restored as security has been beefed up in the area with a view to forestalling the recurrence of the dastardly attack while concerted effort was ongoing to locate the missing persons.

(Daily Trust)

Just in! Kaduna Speaker Suspends Aide Over Report Against el-Rufai

The office of the Speaker, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Yusuf Zailani has suspended his PA, Al’ameen Muhammad Sameen over a post disparaging the Kaduna State Government.

The Speaker in a statement signed by his SA Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani, made available to newsmen late Saturday, said the suspension takes immediate effect.

According to the statement, the letter conveying the suspension was signed by the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Haruna Jafaru Sambo.

It explained that the suspension followed a publication on Hausa 7 Nig, which attributed a disparaging post from the PA to the office of the Speaker

The statement described as unprofessional and a dent on the journalism profession, publications by some Kaduna based media, who publish news materials without adhering to the ethics of journalism.

He tasked the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to be proactive and weed out quacks giving journalism which he described as a noble profession a bad name.

“It is sad that such media houses mislead the public through fabricated or twisted items,” he added.

Zailani warned journalists to always publish only verifiable facts to avoid being on the wrong side of the law.

Recalled that the that Hausa 7 Nig had published a report, which motive is yet to be ascertained as at time of filing this report.

The medium quoted the Speaker, Rt. Hon Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani saying el-Rufai is destroying masses in Kaduna State, when literally translated from Hausa language, in which it was originally published.

The medium said that Zailani mentioned this through his PA, Al’ameen Muhammad Sameen on his personal Facebook page, where he was alleged to have said, “they are destroying people in Kaduna may God see us through”.