Author: Sani Nura

THE Zamfara state government has taken action by ordering the closure of eleven cattle markets in various parts of the state until further notice. Munnir Haidara, the state’s commissioner of information, issued a statement on Wednesday, stating that the decision to close these markets was prompted by security reports indicating that bandits were utilizing these markets to sell off their rustled cows. The affected markets include Tsafe and Bilbis in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA), Jangebe market in Talata-Mafara LGA, and Wuya market in Anka LGA. Additionally, the closure extends to Magamin Diddi market in Maradun LGA, Galadi market in…

SUSPECTED bandits have burnt a mother, her daughter-in-law and two children alive in another attack on Sokoto community. The bandits were said to have attacked Kurya village in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State around 8:30pm on Sunday. They reportedly killed 12 villagers and abducted 3 women during the attack. A resident of the area, Yusuf Garba said one of the abductees lost her husband during the attack. “Among the victims were one woman who was burnt to death along with her daughter in-law and two children right inside their room,” he said. According to him, the attackers were…

NO fewer than eight persons have reached their early graves after a terrorists gang armed with sophisticated weapons attacked Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State. During the attack which took place on Sunday night, four persons according eyewitness, were said to have been wounded and two others declared missing. A resident told News Point Nigeria in a telephone call on Monday that the terrorists in their large numbers attacked the victims on their way back from Kukar Babangida village to Yan Gayya community. He explained that those killed ranging between 22 to 47 years are all of Yan Gayya…

THE state capital and communities of Borno and Yobe have been thrown into darkness after suspected Boko Haram insurgents destroyed an electricity tower supplying power to the city. The latest setback comes barely a year after the insurgents destroyed towers that cut off Maiduguri from the national grid for several months. This newspaper gathered that the incident took place around 11:40pm on Thursday in Katsaita village in Yobe State, Residents in the Katsaita village revealed that they heard a thunderous sound of explosion from the tower side when the incident happened. Other residents of Damaturu, who rely heavily on motorized…

IN his resolve to ensure that workers in the state prepare for, and enjoy the yuletide, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has directed the immediate payment of December salaries of all civil servants in the state and their counterparts at the local government level. The Governor directed the state Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Head of Civil Service to ensure that all workers and pensioners are paid their wages today, Thursday December 21 even if it means putting in extra hours of work. Governor Inuwa Yahaya reiterated his administration’s continued commitment to the welfare of…

THE Nigerian Correctional Service Katsina State Command said it has recaptured two inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre on October 17, 2023. This was contained in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASC Najibullah Idris, and made available to our correspondent on Wednesday Following the escape, a joint search party was immediately formed with sister security agencies, according to the statement. Their efforts first led to the recapture of Ibrahim Muhammad Lawal, also known as Abba Kala, shortly after their escape. Najibullah however noted that before recapturing the second fugitive, “the command deployed its…

A MAN has been killed by bandits in Kwalfada village in the Tsafe Local Government Area in Zamfara State for not allowing his daughter to marry a bandit. An indigene of the village, Mallam Rabo, informed The PUNCH that one of the bandits proposed marriage to one of the girls in the village but her father refused. The father, according to Rabo, decided to give his daughter to one of the men in the village instead of the bandit. Rabo said, “After the marriage was contracted, the bandits invaded the community and killed the father of the girl. “They also…

THE village head of Rakyabu village in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Magaji Sa,idu, and the Chief Imam of the village, Malam Abdullahi, have been abducted by bandits. An indigene of the area, Amadu Mohammed, told this newspaper on Monday that Sa,idu and Abdullahi were abducted in their houses by bandits on Sunday night. The bandits, according to Mohammed, demanded N5 million as ransom but the community were only able to raise N500,000. He lamented that the bandits have collected the N500.000 and refused to release the two abducted persons. He said, “When the bandits sent a message…

NO fewer than six persons died while 50 others are currently receiving treatment at Jukun Community in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba State over Cholera outbreak. The outbreak according to the locals started on Thursday when the people from the area, especially children, started passing watery stool massively without control. The Commissioner for Health Taraba State, Hon. Bodiya Buma, confirmed the incident when contacted. She said the state government was aware of the incident and is working tirelessly to control the matter. The Director of Primary Health Care of Karim Lamido Local Government, Mr Fredrick Nyanganji, who confirmed the…

ABOUT 223,910 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are facing water related challenges in various host communities in Adamawa State, Daily Trust learnt. Regional Researcher-Climate and Governance, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Dr Okem Andrew Emmanuel, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to address water capacity challenges faced by the IDPs in the state. He said the stakeholders were drawn from humanitarian organisations, community leaders and university dons, to develop a road map in order to comprehend water-related issues in the context of fragility, conflict and displacement. He added that the programme supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD),…

THE Peoples Democratic Party, Sokoto State chapter, has expressed satisfaction over the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division’s judgment upholding the election of four members of the party in the House of Representatives. This is contained in a statement made available to journalists by the spokesman for the party in the state, Hassan Sayinnawal, on Saturday. The statement reads, “Our great party, the PDP in Sokoto State, wishes to express our joy over the victory of the party’s candidates in the 2023 National Assembly election at the Appeal Court of Nigeria. “We wish to congratulate the following members of the PDP…

THE management of the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), in Katsina State Friday said the remaining four abducted female students of the university have regained their freedom. The Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the university, Prof Armaya’u Hamisu-Bichi, confirmed this to newsmen in Katsina, indicating that the freed female students were part of the five abducted by suspected bandits. They were abducted on Oct. 3 from their rented apartment, behind Mariyamu Ajiri memorial school in Dutsinma. Hamisu-Bichi disclosed that the freed female students would undergo medical checkups before they are handed over to their families. This newspaper reported that on Oct. 3, 2023,…

THE Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) Friday announced a withdrawal of its medical mission in Zurmi town of Zamfara State following continuous armed confrontations which has displaced thousands of people. In a statement by its Communication Officer, Abdulkareem Yakubu, it was noted that since December 10, some of the confrontations were occurring dangerously close to a hospital supported by MSF. “These armed clashes have provoked the displacement of thousands of people in need of security, shelter and access to basic services. Humanitarian support is needed to help those in dire need of assistance. “Faced with important security risks, MSF medical teams…

TROOPS of the Joint Task Force North West Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) in a bid to ensure the safety and protection of lives and property during the Yuletide period have intensified their onslaught against the bandits, as the troops destroyed bandits enclaves, neutralized five of them and recovered arms and ammunition in Zamfara and Sokoto states. The spokesperson of Operation Hadarin Daji Captain Yahaya Ibrahim in a statement said the troops coordinated a clearance operation on Thursday within Dada, Rukudawa, and Dumburum villages in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara state. He said during the operation, an encounter ensued between the troops…

NO fewer than 10 persons have been abducted by armed bandits in an attack on Zurmi town, the Headquarters of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The bandits invaded Zurmi town on Tuesday evening and shooting sporadically, forcing residents to scamper for safety. Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji deployed to the town engaged the terrorists in a heavy gun duel which lasted several hours. A resident of the area, Abubakar Zurmi, told News Point Nigeria that 10 persons were abducted during the attack including a nursing mother and her new born baby. “The bandits in their large numbers entered…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has arrived Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, for Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference. His plane touched down around 11:47am at the Air Force Base and observed a brief military parade. Tinubu was received by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum; former governor Ali Modu Sheriff; Minister of Defense, Abubakar Badaru; Senator Ali Ndume; among other dignitaries. The President is also expected to launch 100 buses including 50 electric vehicles procured by the Borno State Government to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on citizens. Tinubu will do this shortly after paying homage to…

GOVERNOR Dikko Radda of Katsina State, in a joint operation with a combined team of security operatives, has foiled an attack on the Zakka community in Safana Local Government Area of the state. According to a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kaula Mohammed, the team also rescued during the encounter a 33-year-old man abducted by bandits. Kaula-Mohammed said Gov. Radda was in Safana to inaugurate an empowerment programme sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Abduljalal Runka, when the operatives received distress calls that terrorists planned to attack Zakka village. He revealed that…

NO fewer than three artisanal miners have died while 11 others were injured when a mining pit collapsed in Dan Kamfani, Anka Local Government of Zamfara State. According to an eyewitness who also works around the area, the incident happened on Thursday around 4 pm. The eyewitness who pleaded anonymity because of security reasons told News Point Nigeria on Saturday that three artisanal miners were confirmed dead while 11 others were critically injured. He said the injured are currently receiving treatment at the Anka General Hospital “The mining collapsed a few minutes to 4 pm on Thursday, we don’t know…

GOVERNOR Dikko Radda of Katsina State has directed the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Hadiza Yar’adua to suspend a teacher Lawal Ibrahim for alleged sexual harassment of a female student of Government Day Secondary School, Dantankari in Dandume Local Government Area of the state. Friday’s directive came shortly after Governor Radda received a report alleging that the said Lawal, the school’s principal, was allegedly involved in sexual harassment against a female student of the same school. The governor in a statement signed by Abdullahi Aliyu Yar’adua, the Director of Press for the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari…

THE Zamfara State Government says it has recovered about 50 operational vehicles allegedly taken away by the immediate past governor of the state, Bello Matawalle. Briefing journalists on Thursday in Gusau, Sani Sambo, a spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal said the action followed the judgement by a Federal High Court in Sokoto last Friday. He said due process was carefully followed to recover the vehicles from the Gusau and Maradun residences of the former governor who earlier denied having possession of any government property when he was leaving office as governor. Sambo stated that the Governor Dauda Lawal-led administration is…