Month: February 2022

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has invalidated the ward and local government congress by the APC faction led by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau in Kano.

The court has rejected the judgment of an FCT High Court, which declared the Shekarau faction victorious.

The courts’ decisions were delivered on Thursday morning by Justices Haruna Tsammani, B. I. Gafai and J. Amadi.

APC crisis is one of the issues that has been raising dust between the factions long since Shekarau was declared to have defeated Ganduje.

The court has also described the crisis as an internal matter, not a pre-election matter.

Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice for Kano State, Barrister Lawan Musa, said that the judgment of the lower court had been set aside.

Barrister Lawan Musa, “The judgment of the lower court has been set aside for lack of territorial jurisdiction and also because it is an intraparty affair.

The third ground is that even the originating process used to file the case was wrongly done, as such, even the originating process was set aside. All the decisions are unanimous,” he added.

By Muhammad Sabiu

On Wednesday, shooters suspected of being kidnappers abducted 22 people and injured four others in Idon, Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

Mr. Aboki Danjuma, a resident of the Idon community, said the criminals arrived around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday and started shooting sporadically.

Justina Joseph, Mary Joseph, Rejoice Joseph, Stephen Joseph, Samson Ladan, Christiana David, Boniface David, Helen Aminu, Mirabel Aminu, Precious Philemon, Nelson Philemon, and Christian Philemon were among those taken away by the bandits, according to a councillor in the Kajuru Local Government Area of the State, Bala Jonathan.

Yosi Gabriel, Stephen Clement, Jinkai Musa, Derrick Obadiah, Daniel David, Paul David, Istifanus Peter, Miracle Matthew, Jesse Charles, and Favour Daniel are among the other names on the list.

According to him, David Maigaya, Micah Musa, Josephine Matthew, and Marshall Musa were the four injured people.

Since the time of posting this story, ASP Mohammed Jalige, the Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer, has yet to confirm the killings.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Emeka Nwogbo, a teacher at Arise and Shine Nursery and Primary School Asaba, apprehended over allegations of beating his 19-month-old pupil, Obinna Udeze, to death, has debunked the allegation.

Nwogbo argued that there must be other underlying issues that killed Udeze as he claimed the child didn’t die while he was punishing him.

He stated that he flogged the late Udeze as he had to whip ’a baby’ and that the child was punished because he pushed another child.

The teacher said, “I did not cane the child to death; I flogged him as I’m supposed to flog a child. I flogged him as little as I could; I did not kill the child.

“I am not responsible for his death. They should go and check this thing very well. I flogged the child because he pushed another child and hit the other child’s head,” he added.

The 19-month-old pupil breathed her last after allegedly being given 31 strokes of the cane by the school owner on Monday, February 7, 2022.

The baby had fallen into a coma after he was beaten while the beating left several marks on his body, and died five days later at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, the state capital.

While addressing the journalists, the state police commissioner, Ari Muhammed Ali, said a” post mortem examination will be carried out to ascertain at least the cause of death.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

 The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has said that the federal government is ready to meet with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on all issues they have raised.

Adamu said that he was surprised by the decision of the union to embark on a four-week strike. 

He added that the decision of the university lecturers came abruptly amidst ongoing meetings that aimed at resolving the menace.

The minister stated this on Wednesday while fielding questions from State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja. 

However, despite several negotiations, the minister also cleared the government of any fault over failure to reach an agreement with ASUU. 

According to him, “ASUU, unfortunately, they have gone on strike, and I am looking for them because all the issues are being addressed. The last thing that happened was that our committee looked at their demands, but there are renegotiations going on. They submitted a draft agreement which the ministry is looking at.”

Speaking on ASUU’s draft agreement, Adamu said, “A committee is looking at it. Immediately it finishes, the government is meant to announce what it had accepted. Then suddenly, I heard them going on strike.”

Clearing his name over allegations from ASUU about his absence from meetings, the minister said, “ASUU will never say that. I always call the meeting myself. The meetings I didn’t attend were those that happened when I was in hospital in Germany.

“We want a peaceful resolution. The federal government is ready to meet them on all issues they have raised, and if there are so many meetings and the gap is not closing, then I think it’s not the fault of the government.

Asked about the possibilities of reconciliation between the FG and ASUU  before the end of the 30-day strike, he said, “I can’t give you time. I am ready to reach an agreement with ASUU now, but since I’m not the only one, I can’t give you time, but certainly, we are going to reach an agreement very soon.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

A senior lecturer with the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Dr Ibrahim Siraj, has described the four-week strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as a necessary evil Nigerians must learn to live with.

Siraj said that as we could not stop the strike, we could do whatever we could to minimize the ‘losses’ that come with it while anticipating the benefit.

The academic who disclosed this on his social media platform stated that if only we could use some formulas, we are all winners – driving many benefits from the strike.

The writing he titled, “How to Make the Month-Long ASUU Strike a Win-Win Situation”, provided some formulas which he married them up with the benefits worth driving if put into practice.

Dr Siraj wrote, “Federal Government is given an ample opportunity to study ASUU demands, engage in serious and sincere negotiation and finally seal a deal. This will save the system from further disruption and damage.

“And with the countdown to 2023 general elections just starting and political activities expected to reach their peak later in the year, no better time than now to do it. They can resolve this one and concentrate on their politicking. Win.”

He added that “for lecturers, this is a time to sort out all issues relating to continuous assessment (CA), have some rest, finish writing that paper, gain some renewed energy and hope for the best from the struggle. In-sha-Allah it will usher into a better university system: better teaching and learning conditions, better remuneration, and more productive scholarship. Win.”

Moreover, Siraj stated that this is also an opportunity for the students to prepare for the coming exams “eat up the notes, ‘cram’ the handouts and do additional reading and consultation on the topics. This could translate into better performance and ultimately higher grades. Win”.

“Final year students could use the window to invest more time in writing their projects. So, in addition to aiding timely completion, it could also enhance the quality of the output. Win,” he stated.

The lecturer stated that the adjustment in the calendar means that BUK students will spend a better part of the blessed month of Ramadan at home. Thus, he said, “this means students and teachers will have more time to devote to seeking Allah’s pleasure in the holy month. Win.”

By Umar Haruna Tami

I am still jealous of his passion for knowledge in his life. From Literature-in-English to entrepreneurship, you can spend several hours discussing the trends in these fields with him without losing interest in the discussion. And what strengthens my jealousy is his ability to put the knowledge into practice for the benefit of himself and the development of society as a whole. This, I understand, is the reason why he has been teaching for over two decades.

Rising from primary and secondary school teacher to the assistant director of education in the Local Education Authority and as communication officer at NBAIS, these years of experience have prepared him to teach at various higher learning institutions. He has taught in various colleges of education and the Al-Qalam University, Katsina.

Dr Ibrahim Hassan teaches in the department of Islamic Studies, Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina. There, he devotes his intellect to imparting knowledge to the younger ones who, I believe, are lucky to have a dedicated lecturer who is versed in Qur’an education, Hadiths and Islamic Shari’ah. Given that he is blessed with the ability to dissect complex issues found in Islamic Shari’ah, where he specialised at the PhD level, it is understandable that his journey into academia is the best way to impact society.

In this struggle, he becomes the first coordinator of the institute of Qur’anic Studies in Funtua. The institution is affiliated with the Institute of Education, A.B.U Zaria. This makes him the first person to establish an institution of learning in the whole Katsina State that is affiliated to A.B.U Zaria.

Again, he pioneered Abdullahi Aminchi College of Advanced Studies in 2012 with a budget of less than three hundred thousand naira. The school has now graduated over three thousand students, with many furthering their education to degrees and master degrees. In addition, he has co-founded other diploma programs such as Justice Mamman Nasir College of Legal Studies and a diploma program in Cherish Dual Mode University.

I marvel a lot at his commitments and achievements in education. It’s believed that giving education to people is equal to giving them hope for living a better life. However, in a selfish society, such as the one we live in today, people like this are blessed with the courage to work hard to see that education becomes the reason people succeed. Understanding this, Dr Ibrahim has been going to the length of sponsoring the people that lack the resources to get an education. In fact, he has sponsored a large part of my undergraduate education, to which I am forever grateful.

In my interactions with him, I have realised that living one’s life with purpose is the surest way to greatness. And it is for this purpose one can make extraordinary impacts in the society in which he lives. Observing him, I have also come to understand that altruism keeps a society’s wheels of development in motion and that once we learn that our salvation from the threats of failure depends solely on the salvation of the other members of the society. Therefore, we have to build a solid foundation that would allow us to live in peace and harmony.

He has good ways of motivating people to take responsibility for their lives and look at the world from different angles. While he believes that every graduate can succeed through decent education, he motivates people to pursue entrepreneurship. My last encounter with him has changed the way I see the world in many ways by simply asking me what struggle to make my ends meet I am into. The question had instantly sent ripples in my mind, and I began to reflect deeply on what purpose my existence in the family of eleven children suppose to serve.

Our society struggles to find its bearing in this disrupted economy and social order. And what’s left for us if we are genuinely aiming to restore the sense that our society used to have? It is to work hard and effectively to ensure that we open doors of opportunity to the younger ones to get a good education which will give the other parts of the society the chance to work accordingly for brighter social health. Dr Ibrahim Hassan is a model for teachers to work with this purpose.

Umar Haruna Tami writes from Funtua, Katsina State, and can be reached through umartami1996@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has commended the Road Transport Employers Association Of Nigeria (RTEAN) for creating many job opportunities for the youth.

 Ganduje lauded the contribution of the association to the growth of the economy through the creation of job opportunities for the youth in the transportation sector.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Hassan Musa Fagge, disclosed this in a statement signed Tuesday. 

The Governor, represented by his Deputy Dr Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, made the statement when he launched the RTEAN at Kwanar Dawaki Motor Park new office on Tuesday. 

Ganduje said, “we are really proud of you (RTEAN) having recognised your contribution to the improvement of the transport sector through engaging our youth to have jobs he said.”

He added that RTEAN was complementing the state government’s effort to ensure that the youth have jobs by employing thousands of workers in Kwanar Dawaki Moto Park.

However, the Governor also urged the leadership of RTEAN to continue to enlighten their members about traffic rules and proper maintenance of their vehicles.

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

The worsening fuel scarcity that hit Kaduna State has forced several motorists to abandon their vehicles in queues at many filling stations when petrol was not available to go back home.

The Daily Reality visited some filling stations and observed that long queues have risen exponentially. Motorists were seen in the early hours, precisely, 6.30 am, queueing at Mobil Fuel Station, Independence Way, Kaduna, where PMS was dispensed via only one nozzle point with four orders inactive.

Also, at the filling stations on Constitution Road, Ali Akilu Road, Yakowa Way, among others, fuel attendants were seen turning back motorists.

The development came almost one week after the import of millions of dirty PMS from Europe into Nigeria disrupted the fuel supply system of the country, leading to long queues nationwide. The situation has resulted in total confusion and long lines of vehicles at various filling stations in the metropolis.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Abba Kyari, the former chief of the Police Intelligence Response Team, is in a new quagmire after officials from the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) indicted him in a sting operation.

Mr Kyari, who is awaiting extradition to the United States on charges of cyber fraud, faces life in jail if convicted of distributing cocaine by a competent court.

After the NDLEA declared Kyari wanted and posted a video of him peddling cocaine, the police apprehended him on Monday.

Kyari was charged with official corruption, tampering with narcotic exhibits, and other unprofessional behaviour, according to the police statement.

As a result, Kyari has been handed over to the cops for further investigation and prosecution under the NDLEA.

Henry Kelechukwu, a legal expert, claimed that Kyari’s prospects of receiving a prison sentence were high.

He added that every case contains gaps to be exploited, but this one is particularly close-knit. The reason for this is that the offences for which he is being charged have an appearance of strict liability, which means that you don’t even have to establish intent; of course, this relies on the charge that the prosecuting agency wishes to bring against him.

In relation to this, an NDLEA act has it that “(a) Any person, who without lawful authority imports, manufactures, plants, or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin, and other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.

“(b)export, transport, or otherwise traffic in the drug popularly known as cocaine, LSD heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable upon conviction to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

“(c) sells, buys, exposes or offers for sales or otherwise deals in or with the drug popularly known as cocaine, LSD heroine or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life.”

By Hussaina Sufyan Ahmed

Following up on the meeting between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government in the early morning of February 14, 2022, has declared a four week comprehensive and total strike.

On Monday, the President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, announced the strike at a press conference.

The strike takes effect from Monday, February 14, 2022.

He said, “The union tried to avoid the strike, but the Federal Government was unresponsive to the union’s demands.”

Prof. Osodeke also said that ASUU NEC faulted the creation of new universities.

“NEC resolved to embark on the four-week roll-over total, and comprehensive strike as the government has failed to implement the Memorandum of Action it signed with ASUU since December 2020.