Author: Aliyu H. Mohammed, Minna

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says it is not in his character to blame past administrations for the socio-economic and security challenges in Nigeria as he is committed to taking the right actions to re-engineer the finances of the country and stay on the right path to achieve progress. The President spoke on Monday at the flag off of Agric Mechanisation Revolution For Food Security in Minna, the Niger State capital. Many current members of the Tinubu cabinet including Minister of Finance Wale Edun had blamed the current socio-economic and security challenges in the country on ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year administration. However,…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will visit Niger State on Monday, the state government has said. Briefing journalists in Minna on Sunday, the State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Hon. Binta Mamman, said arrangements have been concluded by the government to ensure a smooth visit of the President. The Minna International Airport named after Abubakar Iman will now be renamed after President Tinubu, the commissioner said. She said President Tinubu is to visit the state to commission agricultural equipment worth billions of naira procured by the state government in the state among others in the state. According to her, all necessary measures…

WORKERS in Niger State have downed tools this morning following a directive by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The indefinite strike came about after the state government failed to meet their demands. The state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Idrees Lafene, and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Ibrahim Gana, had on Monday directed civil servants in the state to commence an indefinite strike over what they described as the failure of the state government to continue negotiations on issues affecting the welfare of the workers and the smooth running of the state. The labour has asked…

A 20-YEAR-OLD newlywed, Aisha Aliyu of Nasarawa village in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State has reportedly killed her husband, Idris Ahmadu. Residents told this newspaper that the incident happened around 1am on Monday. Multiple sources said the couple got married on December 31, 2023, exactly six weeks ago. One of the sources said the couple had a little misunderstanding in the evening on Sunday and they were reconciled before going to bed, until midnight when the mother of the deceased heard him screaming. “When the mother came out alongside other residents, they saw him in a pool of…

THE Niger State government has directed the release of Aisha Jibrin, leader of the Minna protest who was arrested by the police and 24 others. Commissioner of information and Strategies, Binta Mamman stated this in her office during a press conference in the state capital on Friday. Mrs Maman also told journalists that the decision to release the suspect was a result of thorough review of the circumstances leading to the arrest of Jibrin and other women who led and took part in the protest. The protesters including women and youths were heard chanting protest songs, while security agents including…

RESIDENTS of Suleja in Niger State have taken to the street to register their displeasure over the high cost of living in the country. Wednesday’s protest is coming after a similar protest in Minna, the state capital just two days ago. Suleja, the commercial nerve centre of Niger State, is only a few kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. An eyewitness, Mr. Yazid Abubakar, who spoke to this newspaper by telephone, said the protesters stormed the popular Moroko Road where the biggest market is located in the town.  The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Leadership…

HUNDREDS of residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, on Monday, protested hunger and high cost of living in the country, blocking major roads within the metropolis. The protesters including women and youths were heard chanting protest songs, while security agents including policemen looked on. The protesters said the rising cost of food items and poor government effort to arresting the situation forced them to block major roads so that government will hear their cry. The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, while addressing the protesters, said the government is aware of the pain and hardship families are faced…

HAJIYA Fatima Hussaaina Awwal Ibrahim, the eldest wife of the Emir of Suleja, Niger State, Mallam Muhammadu Awwal, is dead. She reportedly died after a brief illness on Sunday and has been buried according to Islamic rites. The state Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago while mourning also commiserated with the Suleja Emirate and the Emir of Zazzau Suleja, over the death. Bago in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, described the death of Hajiya Fatima as a huge loss not only to the Emirate but the state. He encouraged the Emir of Zazzau Suleja to see her…

FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida has said his greatest achievements as Nigeria’s leader was to know more about the country and make friends across board, while adopting coercion and pleading as leadership styles. He said in an exclusive interview with FUT Minna Search FM Radio that he would advise younger Nigerians aspiring to lead the country to seek to know the people and understand Nigeria better. Asked to rank his achievements throughout his career, he said; “Number one is that I served the country the best I could, it may not be to your satisfaction but to the best…

THE Nigerian Air Force on Sunday said an air strike undertaken by its Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch, on Wednesday, neutralized scores of terrorists including the dreaded bandit and kidnap leader, Yellow Jambros, in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State. In a statement signed by its director of public relations and information, Edward Gabkwet, NAF said the terrorists met their end while attempting to cross Jikudna River in Galadima Kogo District, heading towards Wurukuvhi axis of Chikun LGA. According to NAF, prior to the strike, Yellow Jambros and his cohorts were trailed from Zamfara State into Niger…

BANDITS have shot dead a bus driver and kidnapped eight occupants between Luma and Babanna in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. Residents said the incident happened last Saturday. They told this newspaper that the kidnappers were demanding N17 million as ransom to release the victims. The victims were said to be on their way for the installation of the chairman of kingmakers and chief priest of Bakarabonde in Borgu Kingdom. It was gathered that the bus was set ablaze by the attackers. The Chairman of the Borgu LGA, Alhaji Sulaiman Yerima, who confirmed the incident, described it as…

A DAY-OLD baby boy abandoned in Tayi Area of Minna, the Niger state capital, has been rescued. Residents said the baby was found a few hours after he was abandoned by an unknown person Saturday evening. One of the residents, Aliyu Bala Ibrahim, said the baby was wrapped in a leather and left without clothes on him. “Ants had started crawling on him before he was found. This is the most tragic scene I’ve ever seen in my life. A capital punishment should be introduced against people that do this. “The umbilical cord is still attached to the baby. I…

GUNMEN Thursday invaded the ancient town of Zungeru in Niger State and kidnapped the former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Wushishi LGA, Alhaji Sule Muhammad. The gunmen stormed the town in the wee hours of Thursday and shot sporadically before whisking the victim away. Some residents who spoke with our correspondent said the former chairman was kidnapped at his residence around 12 am on Thursday while his daughter and son were injured by the gunmen. “When they (gunmen) came around on Thursday, they started sporadic shooting and it lasted for about an hour before they took away…

THE Niger State House of Assembly is set to enact a law that will provide six months maternity leave for nursing mothers in the state. The Deputy Speaker, Afiniki Dauda, stated this on Sunday during a training session on etiquette, protocol, security, and empowerment for female political office holders in Minna, the state capital. She said the bill was important to allow women to get the required rest after childbirth and to enhance the health of the nursing mother and her child. The all-women event organised by the wife of the governor of Niger State, Fatima Bago, was aimed at…

THE Court of Appeal Abuja has upheld the election of Joshua, the son of Professor Jerry Gana of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency Niger State, in the House of Representatives. The appellate court set aside an earlier judgment of the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, delivered on September 11, which nullified Gana’s election. The tribunal had in its judgment, voided the certificate of return issued to Gana by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ordered supplementary elections in the Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency. In a unanimous decision,a three-member panel of the…

THE police authorities in Niger State have arrested the prime suspect in the killing of a Federal University of Technology Minna lecturer, Dr Fumilola Adefolalu. On October 29, Adefolalu was found murdered in her residence in the Gbaiko Area of the town. Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed the arrest of the prime suspect, saying two other suspects connected to the crime were at large. He stated that efforts were ongoing to apprehend them. The 14-year-old teenage prime suspect is said a domestic help to late Dr Adefololu for almost three weeks, the police spokesman said. Police spokesman noted…

A LECTURER with the Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna in Niger State, Dr. (Mrs) Adefolalu Funmilola Sherifat has been found slaughtered in her residence in the Gbaiko Area of the town. The chairperson of the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) in the school Professor Gbolahan Bolarin confirmed this to News Point Nigeria. Professor Bolarin said her body was discovered on Sunday morning when her church members traced her home after she was not seen during service. Some residents said after forcing the door to her house open, she was found in…

THERE was pandemonium at Minna, Niger State Capital, when a suspected member of Boko Haram commander engaged security operatives in a gun duel in the wee hours of Tuesday. Security Operatives were said to have launched an operation at Gebganu Area of Minna, where the house of the suspect is located. This newspaper gathered that no fewer than 150 AK47 rifles, about 3, 000 live ammunitions, explosives, a rocket launcher and Anti-aircraft rifle were recovered from the house. A night watchman from the neighboring house, Mubarak Abubakar, was reportedly hit by stray bullet and is receiving treatment at the emergency…

THE Village Head of Zazzaga in Munya Local Government Area of Niger State, Mallam Usman Sarki, has been shot dead by bandits. This newspaper gathered that some bandits launched the attack on Zazzaga and adjoining communities Tuesday night. Sources said dozens other farmers including women were also kidnapped. A source who pleaded anonymity said, “the attack was launched in the night on Tuesday. They shot the village Head of Zazzaga, Mallam Usman Sarki, dead and kidnapped dozen other. For now, we cannot give the exact number of people they took away. They also rustled many cattle belonging to us.” Another…

OVER l30 farmers lost their lives, mostly women, while several others are missing in a mishap involving a passenger boat in Gbajibo Community, Mokwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State. Sources said the victims were from Gbajibo, Ekwa and Yankeiade, all in Mokwa LGA. Chairman, Mokwa LGA, Jibrin Abdullahi Muregi, confirmed the incident, saying 37 corpses had so far been recovered by local divers as at 2pm sunday. He added that efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining victims. This newspaper gathered that the incident happened on Sunday morning. Officials of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, however, said…