Admin

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Nigerian Military has revealed the names and identities of terrorist commanders destabilizing the northern part of the country.

On Monday, the Defense Headquarters released the names of 19 men allegedly culpable for terrorism in the North. 

According to the Director of Defense Information, Maj-Gen. Jimmy Akpor, the names were released so that members of the public with genuine information about the insurgents would contact the military. 

The military also promised a cash reward of five million naira to persons with genuine information. They urged the public to contact 09135904467 to share the information.

The names released by the Defense Headquarters include the names of the following persons : 

SANI DANGOTE – ORIGIN: Dumbarum Village. Zurmi LGA of Zamfara States.

BELLO TURJI GUDDA – ORIGIN: FAKAI Village of Zamfara State.

LEKO – ORIGIN: MOZOJ VIllage, Mutazu LSA of Katsina State

DOGO NAHALI – ORIGIN: YAR TSAMIYAR JNO Village. Kankara LGA of Katsina State

HALILU SUBUBU – ORIGIN: SUBUBU Village in MARADUN LGA of Zamfara State.

NAGONA – ORIGIN: ANGWAN GALADIMA in ISA LOA of SOKOTO State.

NASANDA – ORIGIN: Kwashabawa, Village in Zurmi LGA of Zamara State.

ISIYA KWASHEN GARWA – ORIGIN: KAMFANIN Daudawa Village of Faskari, Katsina State.

ALI KACHALLA aka ALI KAWAJE – ORIGIN: KUYAMBARA VILLAGE in Danaadau MARU LGA of Zamfara State

ABU RADDE – ORIGIN: VARANDA Village in Batsari LGA Katsina State.

DAN-DA – ORIGIN: VARANDA Village in Batsari LGA of Katsina State

SANI GURGU – ORIGIN: VARANDA Village in Batsari LGA of Katsina State

UMARU DAN NIGERIA – ORIGIN: RAFI VIllage. MADA District in GUSAULGA of

NAGALA – ORIGIN: MARU LGA of Zamfara State

ALHAJI ADO ALIERO – ORIGIN: YANKUZO Village Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State

MONORE – ORIGIN: YANTUMAKI Village, Dan LGA of Katona Stata

GWASKA DANKARAMI – ORIGIN: SHAMUSHELE Village in Zuri LGA of Zamfara State

BALERI – ORIGIN: SHINKAFI LGA of Zamfera State

MAMUDU TAINANGE – ORIGIN VARANDA Village in Batsari LGA of Katsina State

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, has pledged to cast all of his state’s votes for Asiwaju Bola Ahmad Tinubu, the APC’s presidential candidate, in the general election of 2023.

This was said by the Governor on Sunday at the Hadejia kickoff of the Jigawa North East APC gubernatorial campaign.

He noted that the event was intended to introduce to the populace the gubernatorial, senatorial, and other zonal candidates.

Bola Tinubu, according to Governor Badaru, is the only presidential candidate who can protect the nation from economic suffering and endeavour to advance national development.

He was quoted saying, “Looking at his track record and experience, I am sure he has plans and policies that will help in the development of the country.”

According to him, the huge crowd that gathered at the event is a clear indication that Jigawa State is a stronghold of the APC.

By Tordue Simon Targema

A senior colleague in the department of Geography, Taraba State University Dr Vincent Nduka Ojeh has invited me to present a talk to mark his birthday celebration with students at Omas Royal Academy, Jalingo. The topic was: Basic Tips for Academic Excellence.

Dr Ojeh has, over the years, developed the habit of celebrating his birthdays with secondary school students to mark the world “Call to Earth” day.

Over the years, he has used the occasion to share with the students, vital tips on climate change and best practices for safeguarding the ecosystem, as well as the basic tips that will enhance their academic, personality and career developments.

In the invitation call he put across to me for this presentation, Dr Ojeh said something that motivated me to develop an elaborate presentation for publication for a larger audience beyond his target students: “Bros, First Class is not rocket science, come and tell these students what the secret is.”

With these words, I have decided to give a deeper reflection on some of the vital tips that are required to propel one to academic excellence. Like Dr Ojeh rightly said, First Class is not rocket science.

After graduating with a first-class bachelor’s degree in 2014, I successfully mentored over a dozen students who also replicated the same feat both in my discipline and in other fields of study.

One thing that is obvious from the onset is that regardless of the discipline or institution, some basic tips are necessary to enable students attain this uncommon academic feat.

This essay gives a brief rundown of some of these tips with a view to guiding students on how best to attain academic excellence.

Students aspiring for academic excellence must, therefore, take special note of the following:

Avoid procrastination

This is one of the biggest obstacles to academic excellence. “There is still time” is the commonest excuse students give in their lackadaisical attitude to studies. Always endeavour to perform all academic tasks on time and don’t wait for the “last minute” as anything can come up and serve as obstacle when you are already out of time.

Always read ahead of timeand don’t wait for examination to come before you start reading. A serious student exhausts his syllabus right ahead of time and only revises during exam, while the lacklustre sorts wait for examination timetable to start reading.

At this point, tension is high, the brain is already tensed and confused, and understanding is extremely difficult.

As a serious student desirous of making good grades, read ahead of time, reconcile all grey areas right on time and prepare for examination before it eventually arrives.

Always read your notes after school

At this point, the lecture is still fresh in your memory. Go through your notes once you reach home and freshen up. Reconcile your notes with your friends, make sure they’re up-to-date and ensure you seek clarification for all grey points from your study circle, the library sources or online resources.

The mistake most students make is that they keep on taking notes and would never revisit them afterwards until it is time for CA test or examination.

Before that time comes, most salient points in the lectures have escaped their memories and reconciling the notes with the lectures becomes extremely difficult. Always go through your notes as the lecture is still fresh in your memory.

Read widely and consult extensively

Don’t limit yourself to lecture notes and hand-outs. Be hungry for knowledge and endeavour to know as much as is required of you.

Consult extensively to enrich your knowledge base. Discuss with your friends, consult your lecturers, visit the library and explore internet resources etc. to ensure that you are truly vast in your discipline- and other related disciplines too.

Knowledge has no bounds, and no knowledge is a waste, it’ll sure come handy someday. In today’s internet age, an unlimited volume of knowledge is deposited on the internet. Avail yourself the opportunity and explore extensively to satiate your academic and intellectual thirst.

Time management is of high essence

Equitable utilization and allocation of your time as a student is key to academic excellence. Sadly, most students lack this skill. As a student, you are faced with a lot of tasks- academics, social, religious, campus politics, business and lots of that.

Allocate your time for these various tasks accordingly based on priority and always make up for lost time the best you can in the interest of your studies.

Take all your courses seriously

It doesn’t matter whether it is a core course, elective or GST course. As long as you register a course, it is your course! Regardless of its status, once you register a course, your performance in it has effect on your CGPA.

The mistake most students make is to take core courses seriously, or courses with “strict” lecturers seriously at the expense of other courses.

Remember that CGPA is cumulative and performance in each course invariably affects your overall performance.

Crossbreed ideas with your mates

Studying in a group makes understanding easier. Apart from your private studies, have a group of like minds that you crossbreed ideas and enhance perspectives on issues discussed in the class.

Never allow others to dominate group discussions, always endeavour to contribute too and listen to others share their perspectives to the issues discussed as well.

That way, you’ll learn from them and refine your knowledge on your previous erroneous perspectives. Make your study groups lively, i.e. a give-and-take sort of arrangement where every member contributes to the knowledge pool for the benefit of all.

You don’t need to be stingy with knowledge, please share with others. Knowledge doesn’t finish when it is shared, but rather increases and gets more refined.

Avoid bad companions that put social life before academics

Keepingbad friends on campus is one of the biggest obstacles to academic excellence. Like the saying goes: birds of a feather flock together! Associate with like minds and people with the same priorities.

Colleagues who have different priorities have no business in your circle of friends.

To get your priorities right, you must purge your circle of friends and ensure that you only associate with like minds.

Remember, bad companions are a threat to your status as a student generally, not just your academic performance.

To be Continued

Tordue Simon Targema is a lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Taraba State University, Jalingo. Email: torduesimon@gmail.com

By Mukhtar Jarmajo

Indubitably, Bauchi State is one of the hottest political spots in Nigeria. With a very volatile electorate, the state has remained one to watch whenever Nigerians are to go to the polls. More so, especially in recent times, the opposition in Bauchi state is hardly passive. In most cases, the government in power is challenged by a strong opposition which, from recent experience, the latter defeats the former at the polls. 

For instance, in 2015, the then-opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) defeated the ruling Peoples` Democratic Party (PDP), culminating in the emergence of M. A. Abubakar as the governor of Bauchi state. And in 2019, the now-ruling PDP succeeded in ousting the APC from power. Such is the case of Bauchi State, where the electorate is apparently democratically well exposed, so much so that the political landscape is as undulating as it is sophisticated.  

And as Nigerians walk to the polls next year, the political temperature in Bauchi state is already rising, with the two main governorship contenders working hard to outdo each other. However, instead of issues to characterize the electioneering campaigns where the government in power will try to convince the electorate that it has performed well, just as the opposition APC will try to show the electorate how the former has not done well, it beats even the wildest imaginations that politicians in the state have resorted to destroying the billboards of their opponents. There is obviously no need for that.

The PDP-led government in Bauchi state can present its performance sheet to the electorate with a view to convincing the people how it delivered all the promises it made ahead of the 2019 governorship election. It should tell the world how it impacted the lives of the people. On the basis of indices, let the world learn how governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has not failed to transform education, agriculture, healthcare delivery, transportation, roads, security and the civil service in the almost past four years. 

And for the opposition APC, let it convincingly tell the good people of Bauchi state how the PDP-led administration has failed. Also, on the basis of indices, it should prove that it can do better by presenting reasons, amongst which should be the credentials of its standard bearer, Sadique Baba Abubakar. Let the world know how the erstwhile Chief of Air Staff met the Nigerian Air Force in almost the same situation Bauchi state is in today and turned around matters only to leave it a better place. 

In essence, rather than develop primitive tendencies, politicians in Bauchi state can focus on issues so that the electorate can know who is the best and can therefore make informed decisions on election day. After all, democracy is about the people in terms of their well-being and general development. 

Jarmajo wrote from Wuse, Abuja. 

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Nigeria after his routine medical check-up in London, United Kingdom.

Special Assistant on Digital Communication to the President, Bashir Ahmad, announced the President’s return in a Facebook post on Sunday.

He said, 

“President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja from London, the United Kingdom.” 

Amidst criticism of medical tourism, Buhari departed the country for the UK on October 31, 2022, for what the presidency described as a routine medical check-up.

The trip will be one of several medical trips the President has embarked on since assuming office in 2015, spending at least seven months abroad.

By Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim

Qatar is a peninsular Arab country whose terrain comprises an arid desert, and a long Persian (Arab) submerse shoreline of tantalising sceneries. It is also an industrial country with ultramodern architecture, dawning from its ancient Islamic infrastructure.

Doha, Qatar’s capital city, is well known for its elfin skyscrapers and alluring shores. It is a world-class capital city, home to the limestone Museum of Islamic Art. Thanks to the World Cup tournament, the oil-producing country is ready to spread its dominance by hosting the global spectacle this year.

However, this write-up is not purposely to eulogise Qatar or its capital city, nor attempt to lay statistical predictions of the World Cup tournament. No! But if you are an intending immigrant, if you have started giving a deposit to an agent that will take you to Qatar as a worker, if your dream is to get to Qatar and share all the pictures on WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, then fasten your seat belt. The ride is yours.

First of all, let me clarify one thing for you, my friend. Having a dream is not wrong at all; it is, in fact, something inherent in all of us. On the contrary, having the vision of migrating to any country is not wrong. So, chase your dream and work for it. However, you must be careful enough not to be fooled, enslaved and handcuffed by projections and assumptions. If you go anywhere, ensure you hold yourself tied to your honour and integrity. Make sure that your personality as a human is assured.

I write this piece to enlighten some of my people who intend to migrate, especially to Qatar. Qatar is a veiled bride if you are a third-class groom! This write-up shall unveil the bride.

This is an output of research that dip into the plight of migrants in Qatar. Perhaps, emigrants suffer in different places worldwide for specific reasons, but Qatar is uniquely infamous for its treatment of migrants.

 I watched a series of documentaries that taped agonising stories of how blacks and Asians are maltreated in Qatar. Usually, our people cooperate with agents and pay a lot of money to process their migration to countries like Qatar. Contracts are signed with promises, such as shelter, food and a monthly salary. Such deals are always mouth-watering to suffering Nigerians and others across developing countries. But they always come with unbearable prices.

 If you refer to how this write-up described Qatar in the opening lines, the least you should expect from such a country is having almost zero judicial systems that will handle civil charges in courts. But not until 2018 did the city of Doha get a labour court parlour with only six judges to address complaints of its migrant workers. It is even more baffling to hear that the labour court in Doha admitted that out of over two thousand complaints, only sixty-nine were processed (wow!).

These complaints are, in most cases, against host companies of these migrant workers whose salaries are withheld for months. Ibrahim (a Kenyan migrant in Qatar) laments in a France 24 documentary that he and his co-workers received no pay for over three months, and this practice is regular. He added that they were promised good living conditions, food and timely salaries in the contract they signed, but none of these was ever honoured. Worse still, their passports were seized, meaning they could not return home at will.

In another interview with some Philippinos working under a Qatari lady, they said that day was their first day off in their three years of work. Another one cried that he would not want his people to see his condition, and he sometimes goes out at night to snap some happy pictures, even though the police sometimes chase him!

It is disheartening that even in airports, Qatari security agents embarrass travellers and deny them basic provisions, especially if their visitor holds passports from an African country, especially a Nigerian one.

An undersecretary for the Minister of Labour admitted that despite having a tribunal now, some business leaders are opposed to them. Therefore some of the policies are purely and only theoretical. Some migrants taped in court waiting rooms appear visibly hopeless and helpless.

All these are only some of the realities in Qatar, only the victims of this ancient way of thinking can tell you how it feels to be denied your fundamental rights as a human just because of your skin colour or social status. The Doha News proclaimed how migrants build almost all the infrastructures in the country. Yet, when workers die at construction sites, the only tribute they get is having their pictures pasted on a wall. Thanks to the mobile stadium constructed for the World Cup, hundreds of people sacrificed their lives to win bread for their families.

In the final analysis, I aim to make you pause and pose a question for yourself: in what capacity are you migrating? Who are you going to work for? What type of job are you looking for? How are you planning to return home if things do not work out? But, on the other hand, what is your reward at the end if things are working?

Think twice. It is said in Hausa, “tsalle daya a ke a fada rijiya, amma sai an yi dubu ba a fito ba“, which means it takes a single jump into a well, but one will jump a thousand times without getting out.

Abubakar Aminu Ibrahim wrote from Katsina via matazu247@gmail.com.

By Habibu Maaruf Abdu

21 Kano-based Non-Governmental Organisations have organised interactive sessions with the aspirants for Kano state gubernatorial position ahead of the forthcoming 2023 elections. The two-day event took place on the 9th and 10th of November 2022 at the Babale Suite conference hall in Kano.

Convened by Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, the interactive sessions allowed the candidates to share their campaign blueprint with the NGO community and have a dialogue with them on critical thematic areas such as; Health, Education, Environment, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, Technology, Women and Youth Development, among others.

Sessions with PRP candidate Salihu Tanko Yakasai and Bala Muhammad Gwagwarwa of SDP were held on the first day.

The second day saw sessions with ADC’s Mal. Ibrahim Khalil, LP’s Engr. Bashir I. Bashir, and ADP’s Sha’aban Sharada.

It was said that plans are on the ground to organise sessions with other major contenders, such as the NNPP, APC and PDP candidates, in the coming days.

Recall that the Kano Civil Society Organizations and Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) held similar sessions with the candidates a few weeks ago.

By Muhammadu Sabiu and Auwal Umar

Nigeria has received 31 tonnes of humanitarian help from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including food and other necessities of life.

According to the UAE’s news agency, the assistance has been delivered to help Nigerians, primarily women and children, who were harmed by the recent floods that ravaged 34 of the country’s 36 states.

Dr Fahad Obaid Al Taffaq, UAE’s ambassador to Nigeria, said, “This is part of the UAE’s solidarity with Nigeria and its people in facing the impact of the floods and the casualties and material damages they caused.

“It reflects the close relations between the two countries and the leading role of the UAE in extending a helping hand to countries affected by natural disasters and the effects of climate change worldwide, including throughout Africa.”

This year, Nigeria saw the worst floods in ten years, which have been attributed to excessive rain and the discharge of the Lagdo dam in neighbouring Cameroon.

Over 600 people were killed, and 1,546 were injured by floods that occurred last month.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Four brothels along Azikiwe Street, Mile 2 Diobu in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State have been ordered to be sealed down by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

After the federal government sued Cool Breeze Hotel and Royale Hotel, who were named as defendants, the court issued the order.

In order to execute the court order, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons was in Azikiwe Street on Friday with assistance from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and court representatives.

Before the brothels were sealed off, their residents were evicted.

While granting an ex parte application from NAPTIP, the court also ordered that the brothels stay closed for 30 days while NAPTIP’s investigation is still ongoing.

The case was postponed until December 5, 2022, to allow for the investigative report.

On October 29, 2022, a team from the Nigerian Navy, NSCDC, and NAPTIP raided the Cool Breeze and Royale brothels. During the raid, some girls were rescued, including young girls who had been “forced” into prostitution. Suspected traffickers were also detained.

Nwamaka Ikediashi, the NAPTIP Commander in Rivers State, promised that after the investigation was finished, the accused would be brought before a judge.

With all sense of honour, respect and humility, your Excellency, I humbly write this letter to convey a fundamental message (worth noting) to you and members of your executive council as well as other relevant stakeholders.

Your Excellency, as you know, Kano State is among the most consequential and venerated African lands. The state hosts international and influential clerics of high repute that promote Islam and the sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to all domains in the north and beyond. Moreover, Kano has been the African commercial hub since the nineteenth century and the centre of learning and administration. For that cause, Kano is always at the front line of religious development and other aspects of human life. In addition, after the re-introduction of Shari’ah in early 2000, Kano embraced it in haste. Muslims have welcomed the development in good faith and unwavering conviction that if Shari’ah is appropriately implemented, life will become good and better in this world and have good fortune in the future existence.

Alhamdulillah! For the said development, the Kano state government established agencies to oversee Shari’ah affairs and ensure its implementation. Shari’ah commission was inaugurated as the apex body for Shari’ah matters and related business. Shari’ah courts were instituted and equipped. Well-trained experts were employed as Shari’ah judges. Zakah and Endowment (Hubusi) was founded and systemized to regulate the collection and distribution of Zakah wealth as stipulated by Allah and manage the waqf properties in the best interest of beneficiaries. The social reorientation directorate (Adaidaita Sahu) came into existence to ensure moral compliance by Muslims. The mighty Hisba Board was incorporated to complement the task of the Shari’ah Commission. The Office of Special Adviser on Religious Matters was created to support the Governor in dealing with Shari’ah functions. Above all, Shari’ah penetrates all government agencies and parastatals to the extent that it’s considered in all decision-making.

At districts and wards levels, the good people of Kano have cooperated. Groups of concerned Muslims constituted robust committees to compliment the government’s effort, namely Zauren Sulhu and its likes. They have significantly impacted the lives of ordinary people. Many such initiatives are in existence to this moment for their monumental works.

People believe that if such strategies are correctly implemented, they will bring sustainable socio-religious and economic development. It will curtail the ongoing bribery and corruption in civil service, robbery, burglary and phone snatching, immorality and other social vices. It will improve productive economic activities and reduce the high rate of poverty. It will promote Zakah awareness and boost the collection of Zakah wealth that, if used efficiently, will cater to the needs and demands of vulnerable widows and orphans as it did in history. This gesture will please Allah the Almighty; in return, He will bless Kano abundantly and ease the affairs of the state.

Your Excellency, the considerable success and giant achievements that Hisba is recording from its inception to date are commendable. Hisba is meeting its objective, mission and vision despite the factors hindering national progress. The support you are giving to the agency is laudable.

Your Excellency, what motivates and triggers me to write this letter is that the high poverty level, with over 55 per cent of the citizens being poor, is a matter of concern, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Thus, it may not be a surprise that beggars are trooping and roaming the streets today, begging and occupying masjids and other public gatherings, pleading for assistance in various forms. In addition, radio and Television stations are becoming typical to hear the voices of people echoing for help due to poverty and other reasons for the financial predicament.

Besides, I am aware that the state government created a body responsible for looking after the vulnerable and impoverished per the saying of Allahu (SWT) in the Qur’an suratul Tauba verse number 103. The matter of contention is that; is the state government aware of this situation and giving all the necessary support and attention to Kano State Zakah and Hubusi Commission to execute its responsibilities, or is the commission just becoming worthless?

Your Excellency, it’s a known fact that in early 2022 your administration engaged about 600 people in civil service as tax collectors. It’s indeed a wise decision, for it reduces youth unemployment. However, one may wonder how many zakah workers were recruited to support the activities of zakah and consolidate it to achieve its overall objective.

Your Excellency, sincerely, Kano is lagging regarding zakah collection and distribution in modern times while its neighbouring states and emirates are thriving in this noble course. For instance, in Jigawa state, Dutse Emirate alone is mobilizing zakah wealth that eclipsed that of Kano in multitude. The narration is still correspondingly in Kazaure Emirate and Hadejia Emirate, among others. By extension, Sokoto State Zakah and Endowment Commission (SOZECOM) under Malam Lawal Maidoki, Sadaukin Sakkwato, is providing leadership in the country. In other countries, poverty and unemployment are reduced to the barest minimum. These exciting stories signify that Kano state could also join the race and achieve a lot, as it has immense potential.

Your Excellency, this is a gentle reminder hoping to reach you and praying to Allah to grant you the ability to use it and make it among your legacies. Undoubtedly, instrumental Islamic economic policy will help you lay a solid foundation for uplifting the well-being of the good people of Kano state. Zakah will be a panacea to poverty, unemployment, corruption and all forms of vulnerability in Kano state. I, therefore, wish to submit that our emirates have vital roles to play in the reformation. Moreover, collaboration with key stakeholders is necessary at this stage.

Last but not least, I applaud your efforts to improve security affairs in Kano State despite worsening scenes in the country and other neighbouring countries. May Allah guard and preserve our dear Kano State and Muslim communities in Nigeria and beyond. May Allah support you and grant you maximum success in your reign and beyond. Ameen.

Yours

Aliyu Ɗahiru Muhammad

Department of Economics

Bayero University, Kano

alitahir797@gmail

4/11/2022