Month: July 2022

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Within 48 hours, in the most populous black nation in the world, an Assistant Commissioner of Police was gruesomely murdered. Boko Haram insurgents infiltrated a prison in the country’s capital and released their members. The president’s security team and media convoy was attacked, leaving two injured.  

All these are happening amidst biting inflation that has enthroned hunger in the country. Nobody seems concerned about students of public universities in the country that have been at home for several months. Scores have already taken to cybercrime as an alternative to education.

Just like in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, everything that holds us together as a nation is seemingly crumbling. It is unbelievable that it is happening under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch, a man who is reputed for diligence and integrity.

It is saddening that the man Nigerians unreservedly love and elected to lead them is good at only travelling. While the nation burns and desperately needs succour, the president is on his way to Senegal.

Reports indicate that the president has made 11 international trips in five months. Sadly, the president’s official trips are not translating to anything good for Nigeria.

Buhari’s tenure ends in ten months, but will Nigeria survive these months’ hunger, insecurity and absence of education?

Deedat wrote from Lokoja, Kogi State, via ahmadzakari111@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin (Mr. J) 

It is heartbreaking and horrible that in a country that operates democracy, a nearby house is turned into a medicine store, and no matter the condition of a patient, they can’t be treated in the maternity when it’s raining. Windstorms blew off the roof some time ago. This has been the condition the people of the Komi community found themselves in for a long time despite reports that the gory images of the worn-out structure of the maternity have been submitted to the relevant authorities.

The 22-year-old maternity with a 6442 target population has been in deplorable condition for about 7-8 years.  Owls and other birds made their nests in its ceiling before the damage worsened to the extent that they had no option but to vacate. The staff in the structure reportedly killed two puff adder snakes.  The maternity clinic was built in 2000 by the then Funakaye Local Government Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Abubakar BD to ease people’s lives.

Not more than a month ago, the price of 25 litres jerrican of water skyrocketed from 100 naira – which has been viewed as expensive to any subsistent farmer – to 250 naira forcing many people to sleep on empty stomachs and animals stood thirstily. Until the rain became steady, the rain-softened earth dams retained some water, and the community breathed a sigh of relief from the cancerous lack of drinking water.

As part of their contribution towards curtailing the damages before it went beyond control, every civil servant in the community was tasked with a sum of one thousand naira monthly, which was used in repairing damaged places for a couple of months.

What has been happening could be viewed as an infringement of the right to health guaranteed in chapter 2, section 17, subsection 3(d) of the 1999 Federal Republic of Nigeria constitution. Under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the  ‘Right to Health’ has been guaranteed.

Also, it has been accorded recognition by many international treaties in which Nigeria is part and parcel. These include the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination (CEFD), the convention on the rights of the Child (CRC), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) among others.

It is high time the government came to the rescue of this community. Likewise, non Governmental Organizations and well-to-do individuals should, for a matter of help, come to their aid too.

Muhammad Rabiu Jibrin (Mr J) wrote from Gombe via muhammadrabiujibrin@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Reports coming from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, have disclosed how suspected gunmen stormed Kuje Prison last night, leading to the escape of no fewer than 900 inmates.

The Daily Reality learned that high-profile Boko Haram and bandits were among the 900 inmates that escaped from the prison.

Our reporters gathered that there had been sounds of explosives and gunshots from the attackers around 10 pm on Tuesday.

The attack which lasted for good two hours claimed the lives of many officials of the correctional facility and dozens of security operatives were seriously injured.

According to a source, “the Kuje prison has been compromised with explosives by the invading terrorists. They stormed the facility around 10.05 pm. They were heavily armed. At least 900 inmates escaped.

“The invaders used dynamites and destroyed the heavily fortified facility, including the Central Terrorism Unit (CTU), freeing all the terrorists there,” the source said.

However, the Nigerian Correctional Service commandant, Umar Abubakar, disclosed in a statement that the armed squad of the service in collaboration with other security agencies responded to the attack.

He said, “I wish to confirm that at about 2200hrs, some yet-to-be-identified gunmen attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kuje, in the Federal Capital Territory.

“However, men of the Armed Squad of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other security agencies attached to the Custodial Centre have responded, normalcy has been restored to the facility and the situation is under control.

By Abdulrahman Yunusa 

Upon all the existing factors that are enough to be the reasons for one’s resignation as an elected leader in Nigeria, I don’t know what often shields them from towing on to that path. Despite the gruesome killing, kidnappings, molestation and other unfavourable crimes thriving in our localities, they remain in power.

There is no “Resignation” in the vocabulary of Nigerian leaders. Because you hardly see them making resignations when things tend to go out of their control. Sadly, they prepare to die in power than live outside the power. 

Unlike our shabby mentality, those who have tried and failed in saner climes mostly took the most honourable decision by relieving themselves of the burden threatening their yoke. Some resign for reasons which we might eye as petty ones. Some quit for being unable to deliver the political promises they have made during the campaign. Some leave for failure to secure the lives of their people, which is one of the best reasons for one to vacate.

That silly mentality should be tamed with immediate effect. Else the next generation will suffer at the hands of evil beings who will soon assume the mantle of leadership and keep subjecting the lives of millions of people to excruciating pains. 

Enough is enough. Just tender resignation whenever conditions warrant that. Don’t subject the lives of millions of people to jeopardy for political greediness. Instead, learn to relinquish your position for the sake of your people. Maybe that will be the only positive impact you will ever make for your people.

The social, political and economic vicissitudes we are facing incessantly in Nigeria are the result of our leaders’ greediness. It’s simple to get that when you analyze and evaluate the current scenario in the country. 

Recently, Zamfara State Governor openly admitted that his govt has failed to discharge its primary responsibility, which is the protection of the lives and properties of its people. He urged them to pick firearms to defend themselves against bandits.

That pathetic scenario is enough to tell you they are more concerned about their political seats than the lives of their people, which are ideally more worthy than their useless thrones. So they can’t tender resignation later to let the better hands have the chance to try their luck. Instead, they rather remain there and keep watching their people dying mercilessly in cold blood. 

No wonder, as the saying goes, “Da na gaba ake koyi“, people learn from their elders. Buhari is the president who enjoys more power than any other person within the polity. He should therefore be the best object of emulation. But, no, he too does not care about the lives of his citizens. Hence, the governors follow suit, despite the sheer incompetence and ineptitude, coupled with the I-don’t-care attitude they exhibit at the extreme. Yet, they don’t mind resigning or taking any proactive measures. God is watching!

Until we console our greedy minds to do away with that uncultured culture of political greediness by learning how to vacate position when things tend to get out of our control, we shall find it difficult to scale through the dark ocean. 

May we scale through the dark ocean soon, amin.

Abdulrahman Yunusa is a social and political affairs analyst. He writes from Bauchi and can be reached via abdulrahmanyunusa10@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Aminu

Kano State Police Commissioner, Samaila Dikko, has donated N8, 900,000 to families of the deceased police officer who lost their lives while serving the Force.

The next of kin to the seven families of the late police officers were given cheques of the money on behalf of the benefitting families.

In a statement sent to The Daily Reality, Police spokesman in Kano, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the gesture was to ease the suffering of families before the entitlements of the deceased are paid.

“The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi presents cheques amounting to Eight Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N8,900,000:00) to seventeen beneficiaries under the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, psc(+), NPM, fdc Family Welfare Scheme.

The beneficiaries that were presented with the cheques are the Next of Kin of deceased Police Officers.”

CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi famously known by the good people of Kano State as “Nagari-Nakowa” urged the beneficiaries to judiciously use the money for the upkeep and welfare of the families.

He further stated that “the IGP’s welfare scheme was meant to ameliorate the suffering or hardship faced by the deceased immediate family before the benefits of such officers are paid. CP concluded his remark by praying for the departed souls,” the release noted.

The beneficiaries promised to make good use of the money as it comes at the right time for the families.

SP Kiyawa, however, did not mention how much each family received.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, disclosed that the Advance Security Team of President Muhammadu Buhari was attacked near Dutsinma, Katsina State, on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

“The Presidency has described as sad and unwelcome, the shooting incident near Dutsinma, Katsina State, at the convoy of cars carrying the Advance Team of security guards, protocol and media officers ahead of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Daura for Sallah.” Mr Garba wrote in a statement .

Mr Garba assured Nigerians that the attack was repelled by the military, police and DSS personnel accompanying the convoy.

However, he also stated that two persons in the attacked convoy were receiving treatment after sustaining minor injuries.

“Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered. All the other personnel, staff and vehicles made it safely to Daura.” Mr Garba wrote

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Hours after meeting President Muhammad Buhari, GCFR at the State House, Abuja, the outgoing Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo has passed away.

Mele Kyari, the NNPC GMD, announced Barkindo’s demise in the early hours of Wednesday .

“We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.” Mr Kyari tweeted.

Barkindo who was received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House on Tuesday died at the age of 63. The president had described him as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria during Barkindo’s visit to the State House

Barkindo was appointed as OPEC Secretary General in 2016 and his tenure comes to an end on July 31.

By Muhammad Aminu

Bandit-terrorists killed an assistant commissioner of police, Aminu Umar, in a gun duel in Zakka Forest of Safana local government of Katsina State on Tuesday afternoon.

The terrorist-bandits numbering over 300 hundred ambushed the ACP alongside his Officer while on operation at the said forest.

Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gambo Isah, disclosed this in a statement to journalists in Katsina.

ACP Aminu Umar who was the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dutsinma Area Command, was overpowered by the heavily armed terrorists.

“Today 06/07/2022 at about 1130hrs, a distress call was received that terrorists numbering over three hundred (300), on motorcycles, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles and General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ambushed ACP Aminu Umar, Area Commander, Dutsinma and team, while on clearance operation of recalcitrant bandits/terrorists, in Zakka forest, Safana LGA of Katsina state. Consequently, the Area Commander and one other gallantly lost their lives during a cross-exchange of gunfire, the statement said.

CP Idrisu Dauda sympathised with the families of the deceased over the tragic loss.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Idrisu Dabban Dauda, psc +, fdc, on behalf of the officers and men of the Command, expresses his deep sympathy to the family of the deceased and pray to almighty Allah to repose their souls in Jannatul Firdausi.

He reaffirms the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to the ongoing onslaught against terrorism in the state until it is completely rooted out.

By Aminu Mohammed

I nurtured my desire to study abroad during my undergraduate days at the Department of Political Science and International Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It was the era when ABU was the hotbed of Marxism and radical thinking in the North, led by the late Marxist historian Dr Bala Usman and others like Dr Bako, Prof. Sadiq and Prof. Ayo Dunmoye. I was fascinated by the writings of Karl Marx and Max Weber, which prompted my desire to study in Germany.

Germany is the wealthiest country in Europe and a global leader in education and research. It is the land of scientists like Albert Einstein, Max Plank and philosophers such as Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Goethe, among others. The education in Germany is top-notch, especially in medical sciences, natural science and engineering. Studying in Germany is also cheaper and more cost-effective compared to other countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Many of you may wonder why I choose to write on this topic, considering the high cost of studying abroad. Many of you may still think that only the elite can afford to send their children to foreign universities and others from a humble background are not capable of doing so, probably due to their circumstances.

I want to tell you today that you should perish such thoughts that have limited our people, especially in the northern part of the country, making them doubt their abilities. I want to tell you that there are no limits to where you can go and what you can achieve if you believe in your dreams and work towards them. We live in an era of information technology where you can use your smartphone to search for information that will aid you in improving your life and career. There are many Nigerian students from the Southern part of the country; most do not have wealthy parents and are thriving in this environment.

Studying in German universities is tuition-free for both local and international students. There are two options: you can either study through scholarship or self-sponsorship by taking care of your living expenses on your own through a system called blocked account. The first option is highly competitive and more tedious than the second one. Therefore, I suggest that people without solid financial capacity focus on the first option by applying for a scholarship. You can check the universities’ websites offering your courses and see the requirements for obtaining the scholarship.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) currently offers scholarships to students from developing countries for the 2023 academic session. The scholarship covers everything, including a monthly stipend of 861 euros for master’s students and 1200 euros for doctorate students. So, you should apply as soon as possible before the deadline. It would help if you had an outstanding grade in your first degree, a minimum of two years of work experience, a good motivation letter, and volunteering experience, among others, to be accepted for the scholarship programme.

The second option, through a blocked account, requires a lot of money, which means that you are on self- sponsorship, hence will cater for your living expenses which include payment for accommodation, health insurance and other costs in Germany. This option is for those who can afford the blocked account stipulated by the German authorities, which is currently 10,332 euros approximately (N6.7 million). You must deposit this money in a German bank after getting admission before securing a study visa. Most students who arrived in Germany for studies used Fintiba bank, a financial institution based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Once you get admission, you can check the website of the German embassy in Abuja or Lagos, look for the requirements for the study visa, and then apply for a visa appointment. I will advise that after getting admission, you check the official website of the German embassy in Nigeria or visit the embassy in Abuja or Lagos to get information on how to deposit the money in Fintiba bank. Don’t give your money to anybody.

You can go to any Nigerian bank to do the international transfer to Fintiba bank once you get the details on how to go about it from the German embassy. The money belongs to you and is for your living expenses here. Once you arrive in Germany and go through a system referred to as legitimization at the bank, Fintiba bank will then transfer 848 Euro monthly to your account for 12 months. The money will not be transferred in bulk to your account but bit by bit.

.Of course, you can work here and earn money to support your living expenses. Students are entitled to 20 hours per week and can work more than 20 hours during holidays, especially when the university is on break. Most international students work here and earn good money. An hourly wage depends on cities, but it is mainly between 10.45 to 16 Euro per hour (N6, 500 to N10, 000) depending on the city and company you work for. Wages in bigger cities like Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Dusseldorf are higher than in smaller cities like Kiel, Flensburg, Cottbus, Magdeburg, etc.

Public universities do not charge tuition fees in Germany. Depending on the University, you only pay a semester fee (alias social fee) ranging from 200 euros to 380 euros per semester. For instance, students in my university pay 264 Euros per semester. This covers dues for the student union and transportation. In other words, students do not pay whenever they board a bus or train, as the semester ticket covers the fare for buses and trains within the city of Kiel and up to Hamburg. So, our semester ticket covers movement throughout the state of Schleswig Holstein and Hamburg.

Most Nigerian and international students I have met here are on self-sponsorship. Theystudy and also work to take care of their living expenses. There is always a part-time job available for students, especially in big and smaller cities, and you can take advantage of that to earn money for your upkeep. Some students focus on studies only during the semester and only work during holidays, while some attend lectures on weekdays and only work part-time during the weekend. The choice is yours.

I must emphasize that studying in Germany is tough, and you must put much effort to succeed. People fail here quickly, especially students who focus on work without paying much attention to their studies. But the main thing is to strike a balance between your studies and part-time work, if you want to achieve your goals. Of course, many students have been able to secure jobs after their studies here. A lot of Nigerians that I know here work after completing their studies.

Moreover, for those apprehensive about their religion, there is a large population of Muslims in Germany, mainly from Turkey, Syria, and Egypt, among others. There are mosques everywhere. At least we have six mosques in my city, with even a mosque mainly for Africans to perform their prayer.

I still reiterate that you can do everything independently with your computer or laptop. You do not need the help of anybody or an agent to assist you in applying for admission, scholarship or the visa process. Don’t fall for any scammer. You can do this from beginning to end on your own until you find yourself in Germany. You don’t need to know anybody to be able to secure admission, scholarship or visa to Germany. I arrived in Germany in 2018 without knowing anybody or even a friend. My communication was with the University strictly. If I can do it, you too can do it. So, believe in your abilities and go after your goals. I wish you all the best in your endeavour.

Aminu Mohammed is at the School of Sustainability, Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel, Schleswig Holstein, Germany. He can be reached at gravity23n@gmail.com or 219013@mail.uni-kiel.de.

By Muhammad Aminu

The Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano Hon. Shehu Wada Sagagi has called on the National Chairman of PDP Dr. Iorchia Ayu to quit his position in the interest of the party.

Hon. Sagagi made the call today during a press briefing in Kano.

Hon. Sagagi said for peace, unity and giving a sense of belonging to PDP members from the southern part of the country, the national chairman should pave way for a southerner to replace him.

“In the interest of unity and success of our party, I would like to call on the national chairman of our party Dr. Iorchia Ayu to please honour his promise that he earlier did, that in case a Northerner emerged as a flagbearer of the party, he promised to resign.

“So I will like him to toe the path of honour so that unity returns to the party, so that Atiku Abubakar will be successful in the 2023 election because the Southerners in our party need to be given sense of belonging,” he said.

The PDP Chairman further said: “A situation where the national Chairman is from the North, Chairman of Board of Trustees is from the North, the Chairman PDP Governors Forum is from the North and the presidential candidate is also from the North, I think there is no sense of fairness.”

Hon. Sagagi emphasised that unity and success of the party should be the priority while the Chairman should consider his resignation as a necessary sacrifice for the PDP.

“I call on Dr. Ayu, as a statesman, to honour his promise and consider it as a sacrifice he should make for the party to move forward. And So, his resignation will go a long way in forging unity in the party so that at least a southerner should emerge as a National Chairman of the party for unity to prevail and peace will return to the party.

“And we promise to be law-abiding members of the party and we will heavily campaign for our presidential candidate Alh Atiku Abubakar to win the forthcoming 2023 general election,” he added.

The Chairman further dispelled the rumour that they are hobnobbing with other political parties and candidates other than PDP.

He added: “On behalf of the Kano State Executive Committee (SEC), I dispel the rumour that we have any association with any political party or candidate. Our party still remains people’s Democratic Party PDP and we are committed to its success at all levels.

“We call on the party SEC in the State and our governorship candidate to engage in aggressive Party membership drive in all the wards and 44 local governments in the Kano State for the success of the party in 2023.”

Hon. Sagagi also appealed to aggrieved members of the party to sheath their swords and join hands with them for the success of the PDP.

“We would like to use this medium to call on all aggrieved members of the party to sheath their sword to come and let’s join hands to work together as a party so that victory is ours in 2023.”

He commended SEC and party members in the State on the successful primaries. He congratulate all candidates who emerged successful after the primaries at the state and national levels.

“I congratulate the national leadership of the PDP for the successful national convention. I applauded the Election committee together with all our party men and women in Kano State for their dedication and commitment.”