National

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The All Progressives Congress, APC, screening committee has disqualified ten aspirants vying for the presidency on the party’s platform. 

The Chairman of the Committee, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, disclosed this on Friday, June 3, 2022, while submitting the committee reports to the ruling party’s Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, in Abuja. 

The names of the affected candidates are yet to be disclosed, but 23 aspirants participated in the screening, and only 13 were reportedly successful. 

The successful candidates are expected to participate in the primary election scheduled to hold between 6 to June 8.

By Muhammad Sabi’u

Gunmen have carried out another horrific attack in four Zamfara State towns, killing dozens of residents. According to an eyewitness, the number of villagers slain could not be determined yet, but the bandits took several of them, leaving four individuals with varying degree of injuries.

According to reports, the villages are Gidan Dan-Inna, Gwaji, Karoka in Kwai-Kwai District, and Faru, in Bungudu and Maradun local government districts.

Some eyewitnesses reveal that, majority of those killed were members of a local vigilante group who were protecting the communities, and some of the community members were attacked on their farms.

Terrorists with powerful weapons were claimed to have assaulted the villages, killing and rustling animals. The communities were reportedly attacked on Sunday evening and early Monday morning, destroying properties worth millions of naira.

When contacted, the State Police Command Spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the tragedy, adding that twenty people were slained in three villages in Bungudu Local Government and five more in Maradun Local Government Areas of the State.

Armed operatives have been dispatched to the affected and surrounding areas to protect people and their properties in the axis, he said.

By Muhammad Aminu

Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura popularly known as A.A. Zaura has emerged as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kano Central senatorial district primary election.

A. A. Zaura polled highest number of votes, 758, to defeat his main challenger Senator Bashir Garba Lado who scored 77 votes to become a distant second.

Announcing the result Saturday evening, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura who was the Chairman Electoral committee said A. A. Zaura returned elected after securing the highest number of votes.

The Star earlier reported that Sen. Lado accused Gov. Ganduje of manipulation the election for the benefit of A. A. Zaura, which he called on President Buhari and National leadership of the APC to correct the wrongs.

The other aspirants who would have participated in the process, stepped down from the contest following pressure from Gov. Ganduje.

The other two senatorial districts of Kano North and South are have single APC aspirants each.

By Muhammad Aminu

Former National Youths Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Barr Ismail Ahmed has withdrawn his aspiration to contest for Kano Central senatorial district.

Barr Ahmed announced his withdrawal on Saturday at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium, where the primary election is taking place.

A one-time presidential adviser to Buhari on Youths, Barr Ahmed, said Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje prevailed on him to withdraw from the contest earlier today, to which he obliged in the interest of the APC in the state.

Meanwhile, another aspirant and former senator representing Kano Central, Bashir Garba Lado, has accused Gov. Ganduje of manipulating the process to favour one of the aspirants.

Senator Lado alleged that Gov. Ganduje instructed party delegates and other stakeholders in the primary election to vote for his anointed aspirant, Abdulsalam Abdulkarim Zaura.

He said the conversations and instructions conveyed to delegates and other stakeholders can be retrieved from Gov. Ganduje’s and Kano State APC Chairman’s phone calls made from 11:am Saturday.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu, Inspector General of Police and other heads of security agencies to intervene to ensure a free and fair primary election is conducted to avert any possible breakdown of law and order as a result of governor’s interfere.

Like other states across Nigeria, APC in Kano is conducting primary elections for the three senatorial districts in the state, but the contest is heated in Kano Central between Gov Ganduje’s ally A. A. Zaura and Senator Lado while Aspirants for Kano South and North senatorial districts are unopposed.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has trained 18 covid-19 vaccine champions on identifying, tracking and countering Covid-19 related fake news on social media platforms.

The program tittled “Public Education on COVID-19 Vaccine Project” was aimed at sensitizing the public on the importance of covid19 vaccine and the need to take it with a view to promoting uptake of the vaccine.

Supported by MacArthur Foundation, the centre is reportedly working with 18 partner organizations and social influencers to enlighten the public about the vaccine through various activities and programmes.

However, COVID-19 is a communicable respiratory disease that terrorises the entire wold, leading to the death of number of people and set the nationwide economic back.

The details on the event was in a statement signed Saturday, May 28, 2022, by the coordinator of the campaign, Mal. Hamza Ibrahim.

The statement reads in part: “CITAD received 93 applications from young people who want to be champions and 18 of them were selected from six northern states – Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Plateau and Kogi State and trained for two days.”

“After their training they embarked on daily campaigns on the vaccine on social media. They submit reports of their campaigns at the end of every month and the reports are shared with panel of judges who review and assess and subsequently select the best three.”

“So, there is competition among the vaccine champions every month and the best three winners are selected and rewarded with gifts. This month, Hadiza Aliyu from Kano emerged in the 1st position and got Hisense refrigerator. Ashafa Abdulkadir from Kaduna and Hauwa Shettima from Bauchi State were the 2nd and 3rd position. They received plasma television and mini laptop.”

It is not known whether there will be another new competition for Covid-19 vaccine champions after this campaign has ended.

By MMuhammad Sabiu

Rochas Okorocha, who is now in the custody of the anti-corruption agency, the EFCC, was denied bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

Mr Okorocha’s counsel, Ola Olanipekun, was instead directed to notify the anti-graft agency by Justice Inyang Ekwo.

According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), Mr Olanipekun requested the court to give Mr Okorocha bail on liberal terms awaiting the hearing and resolution of an application on notice filed on May 25.

The ex-parte motion was filed on May 26 and was dated.

However, Justice Ekwo ruled that, because the case would be heard on Monday, it would be pointless to issue a bail order for the member.

The senior lawyer reportedly intimated that he had filed a motion on notice to have his client released on bail.

The judge, who set a hearing date of May 30 for the motions, told the counsel to notify the EFCC.

Following the EFCC’s allegation that it had been unable to serve Mr Okorocha despite multiple attempts, Mr Ekwo gave the anti-corruption commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be deferred, according to NAN.

After two adjournments for his arraignment, the court threatened to dismiss the case if the EFCC failed to present the senator on the next postponed date.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Ulama Forum in Nigeria has condemned the wild killing of Harira and her four kids, demanding the Anambra state government pay full life compensation to the relatives of the deceased.

Reacting with dismay, the forum also called on the Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to take measures to mitigate all forms of barbaric and terrorist acts and to also apologize to the Muslim community the world over.

The clarion call was in a statement jointly signed Thursday by Aminu Inuwa Muhammad and Dr Sa’id Ahmad Dukawa, the Convener, on behalf of the secretary to the forum.

The forum also voiced objection to the release of the IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, blaming him for being responsible for the latest crime by the group he leads in killing innocent souls.

They added that what happened just recently must be added to the list of his unrepentant crimes until the full wrath of the law is brought down on him.

The statement partly read: “While we call upon Muslims in Northern Nigeria and other places to resist the temptation of any unlawful reaction, we at the same time call on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the security agencies to demonstrate that they are capable of protecting the lives and properties of Nigerian citizens irrespective of where they decide to reside in Nigeria, just as sanctioned by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments.

“We are in such a state of grief and mental hardship inflicted upon us by IPOB that we need to say no more!!! We are watching to see whether there are responsive and responsible governments in Anambra state in particular and other states in the east where such unprovoked acts of barbarism and terrorism are being perpetrated over the years. May justice and peace prevail in Nigeria. Ameen,” the statement added.

The Daily Reality reported how the outlawed terrorist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has mercilessly murdered a heavily pregnant woman and her four innocent kids in Anambra.

The woman identified as Harira Jibril was killed alongside her four kids and six other persons of northern extraction on Sunday, May 23, 2022.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the barbaric killing of Harira Jibril and her four kids, threatening that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) should expect a tough response. 

The president criticized the killing of innocent people in the South East and other parts of the country. 

Recall that the Daily Reality reported how the outlawed terrorist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has mercilessly murdered a pregnant woman and her four innocent kids in Anambra.

The woman identified as Harira Jibril was killed alongside her four kids and six other persons of northern extraction on Sunday, May 23, 2022. 

The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Malam Garba Shehu,  disclosed this in a statement signed Wednesday, May 25, 2022.

However, the president described the incident as “wild, barbarous and wanton killings of innocent people.”

Buhari further urged citizens to avoid hasty steps or conclusions that could exacerbate the situation.

He cautioned that the general public should allow the law to take its proper course.

He added that “the public is against the indiscriminate sharing of posts on social media so as to deny vested interests who seek to divide us and create disturbance the chance to do so.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

Unknown gunmen have launched a fresh attack on Danye Gaba village, Bugaje ward in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the traumatic incident took place around 1:30am on Tuesday, March 24, 2022.

The source also claimed that the movement of the criminals was known since around 8pm on Monday and different security agencies were alerted. He, however, lamented that no proactive measure was taken until the bandits raided the community and rustled a number of cows.

The bandits have reportedly rustled over 100 cows of the residents, the development that came barely few hours after unknown gunmen roamed and killed 15 farmers at Gakurdi village of the state.

It was gathered that Danye Gaba village is said to be situated about two kilometres away from the 17 brigade, a military barracks in Katsina.

The Police Spokesman in Katsina, SP Gambo Isah, said, “Right now, we are there with the CP to assess the situation.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The outlawed terrorist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has mercilessly murdered a pregnant woman and her four innocent kids in Anambra.

The woman identified as Harira Jibril Ahmed, was killed alongside her four kids and six other persons of northern extraction on Sunday, May 23, 2022.

The proscribed group is notorious for killing and maiming unarmed civilians, especially for disobeying their illegal sit-at-home order. They also frequently attack security formations and government offices.

Recently, they routinely target Muslims, kill innocent women and children and raze down mosques and businesses owned by northerners.

They are notorious in their atrocities and they carry out their heinous acts with impunity. It was even noticed that recently, their evil sit-at-home order is getting wider recognition, to the extent that even some security locations had to obey their evil order or face their random firing squads.