Author: Ismael Yusuf Makwarari

The Niger State Government has said that it is working to eject unqualified teachers from classrooms to allow effective teaching and learning. The government also directed the retired teachers, who live in schools’ staff quarters, to vacate for new teachers. The Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, stated these at the Annual General Meeting of Bida Old Students Association (BOSA) held at the Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, the state capital. She said the state government was embarking on rigorous screening of teachers, saying that training and retraining would be organised for all the teachers…

During the encounter, troops applied overwhelming firepower, forcing the bandits to abandon their positions and flee in disarray. Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have recorded another success in the continuation of the ongoing military operations aimed at restoring peace and security in Taraba State and parts of Benue State under “Operation Golden Peace.” On 7 December 2024, troops conducted a well-coordinated clearance operation across the general areas of Akahagu and China villages in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. The operation extended to Ikayor village, where troops engaged bandits at a camp…

Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano State, has approved the appointment of 70 lawyers to enhance the efficiency of the legal sector. Daily Nigerian reports that “The Head of Civil Service, Abdullahi Musa, disclosed this immediately after the final interview of the newly employed lawyers on Friday.” He said that the move aimed at strengthening the state’s legal sector and enhancing public service delivery. This latest step is part of Gov. Yusuf’s broader vision to provide sustainable employment opportunities and enhance the governance structures in Kano State,” he said. According to him, the initiative which aligns with the governor’s ongoing commitment…

By Abdullahi Mustapha, Borno State The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum, has commended the commitment of the Nigerian Army in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in North East Nigeria, particularly in Borno State. The Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, stated this in a press release issued to journalists. The Governor gave the commendation when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, led a delegation of senior military officers to pay a courtesy call on the Governor at the State Government House in Maiduguri. Governor Zulum extolled the Nigerian Army (NA)…

In a statement issued by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Boyo Onanuga revealed that “President Bola Tinubu has announced the appointment of Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu as Chief Executive Officer of the National Universities Commission (NUC), while Prof. Salisu Shehu has been appointed as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Additionally, Yazid Shehu Umar Danfulani has been appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI), and Jabiru Salisu Abdullahi Tsauri as the National Coordinator of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The President…

Governor Malam Umar Namadi has unveiled the 2025 budget proposal, laying out an ambitious plan of N698.3 billion to shape the future of Jigawa State. Christened “The Budget of Innovation & Transformation for Greater Jigawa,” the budget is aimed at addressing critical areas such as infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic empowerment, with a promise to deliver meaningful change in the lives of Jigawa state citizens. In a state by Chief Press Secretary to Jigawa State Governor Hamisu Muhammad Gumel explained “Presenting the appropriation bill at the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Governor Namadi described the budget as a bold step…

In an immediate statement signed by the Kano State Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, Baba Halilu Dantiye, MON, MNI, FNGE, he said, “The Kano State Government wishes to express its profound dismay and deep concern over the reported blockade of the entrance to the Kofar Kudu palace of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, by heavily armed security operatives.” According to him, “This unfortunate development has raised tensions and caused distress among the residents of Kano and the surrounding communities.” However, “The Government is committed to maintaining peace, stability, and the rule of law across the state. We…

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has handed over the remodeled Federal College of Education site in Gwoza Local Government Area to the Federal Ministry of Education. The institution, formerly Teachers College Gwoza, was owned by the Borno State Government before being remodeled and handed over on Wednesday in a brief ceremony at the council chamber of Government House, Maiduguri. The college comprises over 100 upgraded classrooms, modern laboratories, improved administrative facilities, and staff quarters for principal officers, among other infrastructures. Zulum had earlier, in addition to the upgrade and handover of a permanent site for the college, approved N200m…

Police have blocked gates leading to Bichi Emir’s palace ahead of the arrival of the newly appointed district head. A report published by Daily Trust,  read “Police also asked village and ward heads who had gathered to welcome the new royal father out of the palace.” BREAKING: Security Personnel Block Kano Emir Palace  Meanwhile, the Chairman of Biichi local government council, Alhaji Hamza Mai fFata, has asked residents to remain peaceful and be law-abiding. The chairman announced a shift in the date of the gathering scheduled for Friday by the Kano emirate. A statement signed by the local government information…

Security operatives, on Friday morning, blocked the Emir Palace in Kano and prevented Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II from attending a royal event in Bichi local government area of Kano State. An online newspaper, Solecebase, quoted a source in the Kano Emirate that Emir Sanusi II was scheduled to attend a royal ceremony to present a staff of office to a new District Head of Bichi. According to the source, Emir Sanusi II was, however, asked to remain indoors by heavily armed security operatives while the entrance of the Palace was also blocked by armoured personnel carrier (APC) vehicles.

In a statement issued in Abuja, the senators reiterated their steadfast support for Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the bill. According to a statement signed by Senator Seriake Dickson (Chairman), Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (Secretary), along with Senators Barinada Mpigi, Adams Oshiomhole, Neda Imasuen, Munir Ned Nwoko, Thomas Joel-Onowakpo, Aniekan Bassey, Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Allwell Onyeso. However, the statement reads: “After a meeting held on the 4th of December, 2024, we, the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the South-South Geopolitical Zone, met on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, to deliberate on key National issues and the role of…

The union faulted the tax bills introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying that stakeholders were not consulted. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to the Federal Government not to systematically phase out the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), which has “transformed” tertiary educational institutions in Nigeria over the last three decades. ASUU warned that suffocating the funding source of TETFund to run the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) would destroy public education in the country. “The only source of funding is from TETFund, so when you destroy it, you have destroyed public universities,” ASUU President Emmanuel…

A Kano Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Shahuci has summoned Senator Ibrahim Shekarau over a disputed plot of land he donated to an Islamic school at Layin Mai Unguwar, Sabuwar Gandu in Kumbotso LGA. Daily Trust reports that “The former governor had in 2021 donated the land to Imam Maliki bn Anas Litahfizul Qur’an Wattarbiyya Watta’alim at its graduation ceremony, attended by the Emir of Bichi and key government officials.” However, the immediate family members of the Senator entrusted with land are not comfortable with the gesture and have allegedly sold it to an individual. Parents and teachers of the…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Nigeria following official state visits to France and South Africa, where he participated in the 11th Bi-National Commission in Cape Town. The president arrived at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 9:10 pm on Wednesday. President Tinubu embarked on the trip last Wednesday, beginning with a state visit to France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit aimed to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties while fostering new opportunities for partnership in key sectors, including agriculture, security, education, health, youth engagement, employment, innovation, and…

Former Kano State Central Candidate Barr. Aisha Dankani has described the establishment of the Arewa Voters Forum as a welcome development in the Northern political system. She made the assertion when the Kano State team leader, alongside Kano coordinator Idris Ibrahim Unguwar Gini, paid her a courtesy visit to introduce the association and seek her guidance as an elder and mother of the movement. Introducing the reasons and purposes for creating the AVF, the Kano coordinator Unguwar Gini highlighted, “We strongly believe that the voter’s  card is beyond everything, and it is the only tool to elect a ruler or…

A wave of jubilation swept through Gboko, Benue State, on Wednesday as Dangote Cement Plc and six host communities signed an historic Community Development Agreement (CDA). The landmark accord, which commits Dangote Cement to multimillion-naira development initiatives, was celebrated as a transformative milestone, with the communities pledging to uphold a peaceful coexistence. His Royal Highness, Ter Gboko, Gabriel Shosum, hailed the pact as the dawn of a new era, affirming that the communities’ longstanding aspirations had been realized. The monarch extended gratitude to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, for his commitment to addressing the needs of the…

Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods, as well as shifts in growing seasons and crop suitability, are some of the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Nigeria that need to be drastically addressed, according to Prof. Sani Miko.  Prof. Miko also fingered changes in pest and disease dynamics, and impacts on livestock productivity and health as other effects of climate change on agricultural activities in Nigeria. In statement received from the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria on Tuesday, 3rd December 2024, revealed “Miko disclosed this…

The Senate leadership has directed its Committee on Finance to suspend further action on the proposed tax bill pending the outcome of a high-level meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The Deputy Senate President, Sen. BARAU Jibrin, who made the announcement today during plenary, disclosed that a special committee had been constituted to address contentious issues in the bill, with the meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, Dec 5th. The decision follows a series of deliberations by lawmakers aimed at resolving disagreements over key provisions in the proposed legislation. The contentious areas have sparked debates among stakeholders in…

Kano State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, has assured the Kano State Laundry and Dry Cleaners Association of the government’s commitment to supporting their growth and empowering them for greater self-reliance. The Commissioner made this pledge during a courtesy visit by the association to his office. In a statement signed by the Director of Special Duties Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, Sani Abba Yola, explained, “During the visit, the Commissioner lauded the association’s contributions to society, emphasizing that their services are essential for maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. ” He also encouraged the association to modernize its business operations…

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has officially signed the State Electricity Bill 2024 into law, marking a significant step towards achieving an independent power supply for the state’s residents. Governor Sanwo-Olu described the legislation as a “watershed in the production and distribution of electricity” in Lagos State. The law aims to tackle longstanding challenges in the energy sector, laying a foundation for economic growth, industrial development, energy equity, and environmental sustainability. According to him,; the bill establishes a framework for creating and administering the Lagos Electricity Market, ensuring that it operates efficiently and is financially viable. Commissioner Biodun Ogunleye stated…