Local

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i has approved the appointment of Professor Abdullahi Musa Ashafa as the new acting Vice-Chancellor, Kaduna State University.

Ashafa, a professor of diplomatic history and the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), was announced by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Halima Lawal.

Before his appointment, Prof. Ashafa was Head of History Department, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies and the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Kaduna State University.

Ashafa served as Vice President, Historical Society of Nigeria, North West Zone. He is also a Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

By Muhammad Sabiu

Reports reaching The Daily Reality have indicated an angry mob in Chinade town, Bauchi State’s Katagum Local Government Area, set fire to a suspected motorcycle thief.

According to a source in Chinade, the crime occurred on Sunday, and the suspect took the motorcycle from Hardawa Market in the state’s Misau LGA.

He said the suspect fled with the motorcycle but was apprehended and beaten to a pulp before being set ablaze in Chinade town.

Ahmed Wakil, a Superintendent of Police for the state police, confirmed the homicide in a statement and stated the investigation was still on.

“The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, Umar Mamman Sanda, has ordered a thorough investigation into the barbaric and dehumanising act of jungle justice meted out to the suspect by some irate youths in Chinade.

“While reacting to the ugly incident, the CP frowned on the action of the irate youths, who, instead of taking the suspect to the police for proper investigation and prosecution, mobbed him to death for allegedly stealing a motorcycle without any recourse to the law,” the statement of the police commissioner read.

Communities in Bauchi State State have for over a long time been badly affected by the activities of motorcycle thieves, who, in many cases, would gruesomely murder the owner of the bike before snatching it.

Considering what reports have indicated, the Bauchi metropolis could be the most affected place in the state with respect to such criminal acts.

By Muhammad Aminu

Bandits-cum-terrorists have killed at least three people in Gayawa village of Bukuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

They also kidnapped 23 people from Gayawa village and two other villages of Takalafiya and Kairu.

The attack was reported to have taken place in the early hours of Tuesday, June 7, 2022.

A Village head from one of the affected areas who did not want his name mentioned told The Daily Reality that the attack had displaced many villagers.

“We are restless and have been turned into displaced persons by the Dogo Gudale’s terror camp who attacked us today and kidnapped our 23 youths between the age of 19 and 35 years.”

He said the terrorists have moved them into their den to farm for them and expose them to other inhumane labour. 

“This has been his usual cruelty to our people. This is why my people ran away from the village to escape being kidnapped, killed, molested or held for ransom,” the monarch said.  

Twenty-two-year-old Balki Adamu, whose husband was among those abducted, expressed fear that the terrorists may demand ransom to release her husband. 

“My greatest fear is that the terrorists should not ask for ransom because we have no money and no assets to sell out for his freedom,” she said.

A member representing Bukuyum South at the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Sani Dahiru, told journalists that activities of terror groups had made seven villages in Kyaram Ward under his Constituency unaccessible. 

He said: “Zamfara State Government, in synergy with Nigeria’s security agencies, are tirelessly working hard to end the scourge of the insecurity affecting the areas.”

“As you might have been briefed on the situation in the affected areas, Zamfara State Commissioner for Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs has already put everything in place to respond to the IDPs’ immediate need.”

Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara State, Mohammed Shehu, told our reporter, “the Command is presently contacting its sources in Bukuyum LGA for quick response to the latest security breaches in the areas.”

By Muhammad Aminu

At least one person was confirmed dead and another injured after a newly constructed three-storey building collapsed in Unity Road, adjacent to Kwari Market in Fagge local government of Kano State.

The building was undergoing finishing touches and consisted of shops before it collapsed around 12 40pm Tuesday afternoon, leaving two workers affected.

Operatives of Kano State Fire Service who rescued and took the victims to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital said one person was confirmed dead while one other was wounded.

The spokesman for the Service, Saminu Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, “Two people were trapped. We rescued one alive. One dead.”

Abdullahi added: “Around 12:40 pm were called that a building collapsed at Unity Road. Our officers arrived almost instantly and rescued one worker alive but injured. And another one was confirmed dead. The injured is receiving treatment at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.”

The building was positioned in a very tight location amid other storey buildings.

Collapsing of buildings has become prevalent in Nigeria, usually due to poor supervision and the use of substandard materials.

An eyewitness told The Daily Reality that the building had been recently erected, and it was only finishing touches that remained before the collapse.

By Muhammad Aminu

Kano Metropolitan local governments remain in perpetual acute shortage of water supply despite budgeting 12 billion Naira for water supply in the last two years by the State Government.

In 2021 and 2022 budgetary allocations, Kano State Government earmarked six bn each fiscal year for the Kano State Ministry of Water Resources for its activities, including tackling water shortage in the state.

However, residents of different communities in Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Nasarawa, Tarauni and Ungogo Local Government Areas continue to face acute water scarcity as Kano State Water board could not meet up with the city’s water demand amid excruciating heat waves that require plentiful water to survive.

Many residential areas visited by The Daily Reality reporter remain at the mercy of water vendors, who are the leading suppliers of water for household consumption and daily need in the ancient city.

A resident of Fagge, Kabiru Sani, said that water had become a scarce resource that they use consciously to save themselves from the difficulty of sourcing it. “We are really suffering from lack of water. So we now use boreholes, and some good Samaritans that have boreholes in their houses often connect it to walls outside their houses so that their neighbours can access.”

Unlike Kabiru’s area, Abubakar Adam said their primary source of water supply is water vendors who supply them with water and some time. “We buy a 25-litre jerry-can at the rate of N50 on normal occasions, but when things are terrible, we buy the same jerry-can for ₦100.”

Ja’afar Musa said in their area, around Tal’udu, sometimes they get water at the mercy of good samaritans who supply them water in water tankers to ease off their suffering.

In the Dorayi Karama area, Haruna Bala told The Daily Reality that water vendors are their “Steady and reliable water suppliers.” Tap water comes to us sometimes once a month. The only well close to my house, which we abandoned, come to our rescue, but it cannot provide sufficient water to the neighbourhood.”

Other areas in the inner part of the commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria, such as Tal’udu, Mandawari, Fagge, and Sabon Titi, often get respite from water tankers that supply water to the areas by good spirited individuals and, on some rare occasions, by the government.

In Dan Agundi, people resorted to fetching water to their houses from nearby mosques that make water provisions for worshippers to perform ablution.

“I once bought a 20-jerry-can cart of water from the vendors at ₦2000 because there was no electricity and not many water vendors then,” said Kabiru Idris of Kofar Nasarawa in Kano city.

Generally, the water supply problem cuts across all nooks and crannies of Kano with a varying effects from one location to another.

Some water vendors who spoke to The Daily Reality said they are also affected by the erratic power supply that makes it challenging to have a constant price for their supplies.

Rabiu Hussaini said he supplied a cart of 20-jerry-can for ₦1000, “I sell one jerry-can ₦50, but when there is no light sometimes, I sell more than that up to 100 per one because where we buy the water from also increase the price.”

He added that “We used to pay N70-100 per cart with 18 or 20 jerry-cans, but now we pay 120 – 200 to get water from the managers.”

Mohammed Sani, who survives on his water vending business, said they are finding things hard despite their crucial work of serving the water supply needs of the residents. He lamented that “We use our energy to do the work. We buy water from boreholes or tank owners before supplying it to the people. Then, we hire the cart, and we pay a tax of ₦50 daily.”

For Sunusi Idris, whose sole essence of leaving home to live in Kano City is working and gathering some money for his family’s needs. “I make a maximum of ₦5000 on a good day, but sometimes I make just ₦2000 a day.”

The vendors, however, complain that apart from the tax they pay, police and KAROTA officials charge them fines for any slightest misdemeanour.

This is coming despite Kano State Government’s yearly pronouncements and allocations to provide the state with adequate, portable drinking water.

Earlier during budget defence and presentation, the then Kano State Commissioner for Water Resources, Sadik Wali, said six bn was budgeted for the Ministry in 2022 in addition to loans secured from France and support from donors.

Sadik Wali told the press that Tamburawa and Challawa Water Treatment Plants were to be rehabilitated. “Our major focus is the provision of portable water supply, especially in the face of health challenges recorded in the state and also rehabilitation of our existing infrastructure….”

The Commissioner further said that “Tamburawa Water Treatment Plant has a capacity of 120 million litres per day while Challawa Water Treatment Plant has a capacity of 90-120 litres per day.”

He acknowledged that they are only running the plants at 40 – 70 per cent capacity subject to availability or otherwise of energy through electricity or generating set.

Kano State Water Board Managing Director, Dr Garba Kofar Wambai, earlier apologised to the residents over the inability of the board to supply water to the people.

The Daily Reality could not find any response from the Kano State Ministry of Water Resources for the lingering water problem in the state as the Commissioner for water resources, Sadiq Wali, resigned his position in March to pursue his gubernatorial ambition.

By Muhammadu Aminu

Legal Aid Council of Nigeria has refused to provide legal aid services to a controversial Kano cleric, Abduljabbar Kabara, who is standing trial for alleged blasphemy.

The Daily Reality earlier reported that the cleric sacked his previous legal teams over a misunderstanding.

Justice Ibrahim Sarki Yola earlier urged the Council to provide pro bono legal services to the cleric to enable him to have a fair trial.

The Council argued that Sheikh Kabara does not deserve its services because he earns more than Nigeria’s minimum wage (30,000).

According to the Council, it is also out of its jurisdiction to defend an alleged blasphemy case.

The prosecuting counsel, Yakubu Abdullahi, appealed to the Judge to allow the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to provide lawyers for the plaintiff.

Justice Yola, however, denied the request and directed that a letter should be written by an independent lawyer, Barr. Dalhatu Shehu to defend the cleric.

Sheikh Kabara has been facing trial for charges related to blasphemy in an Upper Shariah Court in Kano, although he denies the allegations.

Justice Yola adjourned the case to June 9, 2022, for a continuation of the trial.

By Aminu Adamu Naganye

Kano State Fire Service said fire incidences have killed 14 people and destroyed properties worth over 17 million Naira in the month of May in the State.

This is contained in a statement of monthly of activities of the service made available to journalists in Kano Wednesday by the Service Public Relations Officer, PFS Saminu Abdullahi.

The statement added that 112 people were rescued at different locations by the officers of the Service.

PFS Abdullahi further revealed that People’s properties worth over 52 million naira were saved.

The statement reads in part: “State Fire Service received emergency calls from our twenty seven 27 fire stations across the State in the month under review. We received 59 fire calls, 74 rescue calls and 19 false alarms.

“Estimated properties destroyed by the fire :#17,730,000.00k; estimated properties saved# 52,080,000.00k; the total number of deaths in the month of May we registered 14 lives were lost.

“The number of people that we successfully saved from different incidences 112 people.”

Meanwhile, PFS Abdullahi further said 20 animals were burnt to death while three people were hospitalised in Unguwar Gyartai community of Kunchi Local Government Area of Kano State on Tuesday.

The PRO noted that 20 other people were rescued while eight local food storage (silos) were burnt to ashes in the inferno.

He said Firemen from nearby Bichi Fire Station were mobilised were they saved numerous animals and houses adjacent to the scene of the fire incident.

“Twenty (20) sheep’s and goats burnt to death, and one (1) sheep, one (1) goat were rescued…eight (8) local food storage (Rumbu) well alight.

“While fire escalated to one ground floor of about 200 X 200ft used as a dwelling house with four (4) rooms involved.”

“With good effort of our men, the fire became under control, and successfully saved Twenty (20) rooms, Two (2) local food storage, and forty (40) domestic animals from the fire and control the spreading of fire to the near by structures.”

PFS Abdullahi therefore called on the general public to always abide by the fire safety guidelines to save lives and properties.

By Muhammad Aminu

A Nigerian based agro-allied company, Silvex International, in partnership with a UK and US based Kingston Organic and Regen Farm have trained 220 farmers from Kano and Jigawa States on climate smart agriculture in Ajingi Local Government Area of Kano State.

At least 30 field officers were equally trained in the programme.

This was made known in a statement by the Vice President-Nigeria Operations, Kingston Organic PLC, Sunusi Bature.

Bature said that the programme is part of the Silvex’s preparation for the full scale implementation of this new innovation of producing organic foods in Nigeria.

The training conducted in Ajingi Local Government with 220 farmers and 30 field coordinators from Kano and Jigawa States focused basic concept of the regenerative agriculture, digital platform for farmers and contract farming.

The statement reads: “The farmers were sensitized on the techniques involved in producing organic food items with a priority given to hibiscus, sesame seed and groundnut. The participants are expected to step down the training to other farmers across the two states of Kano and Jigawa.”

“Silvex International Limited with the support from the British FCDO LINKS Project has already enrolled thirty thousand (30,000) farmers in its digital platform for the regenerative and climate smart agriculture in Kano and Jigawa states and it’s expected to onboard up to one hundred thousand farmers by the end of 2022.”

“The digital platform gives access to real time and verifiable data on the farmers and their activities at the farm, which include farm size, socio-economic profile, weather condition, date of planting, projected date of harvest and expected yield.”

By Murtala Uba Mohammed, PhD

“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” Harvey S. Firestone

One interesting thing with the practice of Western democracy which we copied is the periodic nature of  elections taking place after every couple of years (four years in our case in Nigeria). The year  2023 is a milestone because for the first time Nigeria is practicing an uninterrupted democratic rule for 24 years after long years of military rule. The year is important not only because it is an election year; other issues such as campaigning, bargaining and renewal of (traditional) promises are fundamental. This is what happened in ideal democracies. However, to the contrary, ours is characterised by party swapping and decamping, often termed in Nigeria’s Glo-English as cross carpeting. It is the time whereby any politician wanting to be elected, re-elected, who had not gotten what he wanted or felt threatened in his political party, decamps to another party. Nigeria’s democracy is not ideology-base and therefore political parties have neither manifesto nor specific mission, therefore, politicians find it easier to jump from one party to another, and whoever moved to a new party has the audacity to paint and cast his old party in dark. It is fascinating to note that none of the key politicians in the country (particularly in Kano State) could not be found wanting if party swinging case is to be opened up. Therefore in my opinion, it is a waste of time to discuss whether one political party is better or worst than others in Nigeria. They are birds of the same feather, as Hausa people say “ba wani nagari a kashi, duk ɗoyi ne”.

In spite all these challenges and disappointment, the electorate still have something to hold unto, light is always found at the end of the tunnel; and no matter how dark the night is, the dawn is inevitable (komai nisan dare gari zai waye). The beauty of democracy is that people have the “right” to change their leaders through popular votes. The election time is the best decision period people ought to utilize to gain best leaders/representation for their community. However, it is only when a community has estimates of its problems that they can think of its commensurate solutions.

Here, it is important to highlight some of these problems in order to prepare the people’s mind on issues to bargain in order to vote for any candidate in the next election.

Although, Kano which is the most populated state in Nigeria, a commercial nerve centre of northern region and equally a port of entry into the West African Saharan Hinterland is not with its perculiar problems. The first and the most problematic of all the issues is that of poverty.

Kano gave birth to the most richest person in Africa and the most richest black person on earth today, but a large segment of its population are perpetually and incredibly poor.

The recent multidimensional poverty index (MDPI) for the state according to multidimensional poverty network report was 43.4%, putting the state as the 9th poorest states in the country. Based on poverty headcounts 2019, the state had 55.1% of the population living below poverty line. Agriculture which as the mainstay of the economy has been largely relegated and therefore majority of the farming is mainly subsistence. The state is one of the most richest in terms of surface water wealth – with almost 23 dams, but only a small percentage of state’s irrigation potential is being explored. In effect, the rural economy remained largely untapped. This necessitated the rural folks to send their children to cities, disguising as Qur’anic disciples and using the Almajiri system as a camouflage, while in reality they are lured by the urban Eldorado treasure, which unknown to them is a mirage.

Majority of these children engage in begging under the scorching sun on the Metropolis’ street, harassing and disturbing the peace of the city’s visitors. It is this influx of beggars (from the state’s rural areas and neighbours) into the city that qualifies it to be unilaterally declared as the Beggars Medina, and also, this uncontrollable influx continues to aggravate the level of crime in the metropolis. No thanks to extensive presence of illegal/informal areas in the metropolis that host and serve as a breeding ground for criminals. Urban Kano is therefore a security risk city, considering the recent cases of phone snatching and use of weapons to force people to surrender their properties in many parts of the metropolis.

In spite all its commercial history, long tradition of industrialism and market potentials due to large population; commercial activities in the city is not appreciating in recent time as expected.

Polices of the federal and the state government and a sheer negligence, since the return to fourth republic, are reducing the city’s trading status from that of a leading wholesaler to a mere retailing economy.

The modern industries (built during colonial and early post colonial period) had already started collapsing due to the dwindling power supply coupled with stiff open competition with imported goods and poor management by those that inherited the industries. The traditional cottage industries that Kano is known for such as tannery, dyeing, blacksmith and weaving are fast disappearing and approaching  extinction. Although, recently the city is witnessing proliferation of plazas and departmental stores, it is also experiencing fragmentation of stores and evolution of small containers and cage-like stalls. These small containers and stores are just pointer to the low economic status of the traders and indication that retailing economy has taken over with higher preference by the city dwellers.

Another developmental challenge which the state faces is the notorious on-street trading. People turn road shoulders and pavements into trading shops in and around all metropolitan markets, the worst case is that along Murtala Mohammed Hospital in the Old City. The implication of this, among other issues, is its effect on worsening the traffic congestion, causes road accidents, distorts the aesthetic nature of the road and disturbs the refuse management.

Population explosion is another challenge facing the state. Base on the population resources nexus, increase in population always comes with a corresponding demand for resources including physical (such as land for agriculture, housing and trade) and financial (for infrastructure, health and education). Kano State is both most populated state and one with highest population growth in the country. Currently the city had over 15 million residing population and an annul growth of rate 3.2%. 

With the highlighted issues above, it is clear that all is not well with our dear state. In order to govern the state properly, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT) are worth considering. The state’s strengths include population, size, history and resource endowment; the weaknesses are in certain traditional and cultural beliefs, literacy and the people’s addiction to everything informal. The opportunities include markets, being a metropolitan to its negbourhood, availability of labour; and its threats include competition with other state’s, Kaduna State under El-Rufa’i in particular who is trying to utilize any slight opportunity, capitalizing on low farsightedness of recent leadership, low power supply as well as climate and environmental changes.

Therefore, to set a new development agenda for the state this time, the voters have to make good use of their rights to bargain for the best leadership. The leadership should no longer be a status-core ante, where people are chosen for their party or their allegiance and alignment with certain candidates or groups. Candidates should only be chosen for their articulated ideology and good blue print for the state. The candidates also, should be chosen mainly if they can make an excellent use of the Kano Opportunities and Strength to built the state and its people, cancelled the weaknesses and avert the threats which shield our progress and are currently ascending the state off the developmental larder. To do that, a patriotic, conscious group and individuals have to rise and set a new agenda with respect to agriculture, by making it better through developing the farmers’ capacity, making it more attractive through increase in yield and marketability, and by making it more permanent through irrigation. Agricultural value chain should be well understood and every level should be made robust to improve people’s economy. Education for development should be made a priority and skills and its utilization (not necessarily through lengthy education) must be on the top agenda. Rural development and rural infrastructure provision must be our focus.

Epoch had gone when our villages should be proud with who will make our village better and not who is our son. Kano City and Mega settlement (including all the emirates headquarters)  planning need to be revisited, redefined and total compliance should be ensured. A new administration to come should be one that will ensure power supply to the state in order to revive the industries and revolutionize the society for better.

The media has a role to play here. The over twenty conventional media that Kano State have need to help in this case by changing their focus, borrowing leaf from best global practices. The focus should be behavioral change, public education and enlightenment (rather than propaganda) and specialized programs (distinct from imitation). Patriotism and state’s/nation’s pride as well as good attitude should be inculcated especially among younger generations who should be seen as the future for the state.

Murtala Mohammed can be reached via: murtalamuhammadu@gmail.com. Mutala teaches Geography at Bayero University, Kano

By Muhammad Aminu

The senatorial candidate for Kano Central district under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdulsalam Abdulkarim, popularly known as A. A. Zaura, has vowed to put an end to the domination of Kano politics by the duo of Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Sen. Ibrahim Shekarau.

A.A. Zaura emerged as the candidate of the APC for Kano in the just concluded primary election.

The APC candidate made the vow while addressing jpurnalists in Kano in his campaign office.

He said joining forces between the two former governors would only hasten their end politically.

“Shekarau and Kwankwaso, who are joining forces in the forthcoming General Elections, should know that their times are up politically and they should go and rest”, he said.

According to Zaura, “Before the so-called two political giants – Shekarau and Kwankwaso – wake up from their slumber, I will defeat them on the day of our election and this is a promise.”

“Although I humbly respect the dou of Ibrahim Shekarau and Kwankwaso as my former bosses and two former Kano State Governors, but that is by the way, because it will not stop me from beating them hands down on the day of the election.”

Zaura, who had wanted to contest governor of Kano State rescinded and opted for senator, would square it up with the incumbent Senator and former Kano State governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

“Before, I was facing the entire Kano but now I’m facing only 15 Local Government Areas, so the likes of Shekarau and Kwankwaso should know that their political era is over. They should go and rest.”

He said that his emergence as the candidate of the APC proved to his adversaries that their campaign of calumny against him did not work.

“Despite what they did to me, I’m extending my hands of cooperation to them. They should come and join the winning train because ours is the winning team God’s willing.

Commenting on the APC’s zoning of the president, Zaura said despite his loyalty to Tinubu, he would respect the ultimate decision of his party as a loyal party member.