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–News Desk

The Governing Council of Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) has appointed Professor Aliyu Abdullahi Turaki as the new Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University.

The appointment was sequel to the recommendation of the Senate and subsequent approval of the Governing Council at its 26th meeting held from 10th to 11th May 2023.

The appointment is for a term of two years at the first instance and takes effect from Thursday, 11th May, 2023.

Prof. Aliyu A. Turaki attended Sabon Garin Rikoto Primary School from 1978 to 1983, where he obtained his Primary School Leaving Certificate. He then proceeded to Government Science College, Birnin Kebbi, where he obtained his Secondary School Certificate in 1990. He obtained B.Sc. and M.Sc. Biochemistry from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, in 1996 and 2006, respectively.

Prof. A.A. Turaki obtained his PhD in Molecular Biology at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom in 2014. Between 2007 and 2008, he also obtained Postgraduate Certificate in Food Safety and Certificate in Applied Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) from University of Greenwhich and Royal Institute of Public Health, UK.

The new Deputy Vice-Chancellor comes with over 2 decades of professional experience. He started his teaching career as a Lecturer at the College of Agriculture, Zuru, in 1998. He joined the services of Federal University Birnin Kebbi on 26th May, 2015 as Lecturer I at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where he rose through ranks to become Professor in 2022.

Prof. Turaki served in various capacities in the University setting. He had been the Director of Academic Planning from 2021 to date; Deputy Dean, Postgraduate School from 2021 to date and Senate Representative on Council from 2021 to date. He also served as Deputy Director, Academic Planning from 2015 to 2021 as well as Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from 2018 to 2023.

Prof. Turaki published papers in both local and international journals. He is a member of several professional organizations. He was born on the 5th of October, 1970, in Zuru, Kebbi State. He is married with children.

In another development, the Vice Chancellor, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, has approved the reappointments of the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kasimu Shehu, as Director, Research and Innovation; Prof. Isa Garba Abor of the Department of Mathematics as Director, Consultancy and Entrepreneurship as well as Prof. Kabiru Jega Umar of the Department of Chemistry as Director, School of Basic Studies.

The appointments take effect from April 27, 2023.

Similarly, the Vice Chancellor approved the appointments of Prof. M.D.A. Bunza (Biological Sciences), as Director, General Studies; Dr. Sirajo M. Bakura (Computer Science) as Deputy Director Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES); Dr. Abubakar Musa Shinkafi (Computer Science) as Deputy Director, Entrepreneurship; Dr. Ahmad Saidu (Nursing Sciences) as Deputy Director, School of Basic Studies and Mal. Yazid Salihu (ICT Directorate) as Deputy Director, Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Their appointments take effect from 27th April 2023.

The new appointees are charged to bring to bear their wealth of experience in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A joyous celebration of a wedding ceremony in Kano turned into a very traumatic incident as some of the guests died and eight others ended up in hospitals after drinking tea prepared with local leaf, Zakami and unidentified pills.

The incident occurred on the weekend in Sheka, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.

Alhaji Usman Musa Zakari, the ward head of the area, confirmed the development to journalists on Wednesday.

Zakari said the figures circulating about the number of victims were baseless and unconfirmed, giving the name of the deceased as Mubarak Bala, also known as Diga and Ibrahim Khalil.

According to him, “It is true that the incident happened. It happened when the persons drank a tea prepared with a local leaf called Zakami and a combination of other drugs. Two persons died, and eight others were hospitalised.

“Although there are different versions of the stories being peddled, I delegated persons who went on a fact-finding, and we gathered that only two persons lost their lives. Someone told me four had lost their lives and I asked him to take me to the houses but he later told me that the figure was hearsay.

“Eight other persons were hospitalised after drinking from the tea, but they have all been discharged and going about with their day-to-day activities.”

However, the spokesperson of Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, said no formal report was made to the police division of the area.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive Officer of Meta, has announced that Whatsapp will unveil the first WhatsApp smartwatch later this year.

Zuckerberg disclosed this in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The smartwatch will enable Whatsapp users to make phone calls and reply to messages.

“Announced at Google I/O that we’re shipping the first WhatsApp smartwatch app on Wear OS later this year. You’ll be able to start new conversations, reply to messages, and take calls on your wrist,” he posted

By Uzair Adam Imam

A patient in Ilorin has met with a sad fate when one Ayodele Joseph, the Chief Medical Director of Ayodele Hospital, sedated and raped her iside the hopital.

A police report revealed that Dr. Ayodele sedated the patient and eventually raped her without her consent.

It added that the doctor sedated the patient and raped her when she went to the hospital for medical treatment.

Ayodele was arraigned on a two-count charge of act of gross indecency and rape, contrary to sections 285 and 283 of the penal code.

The Daily Reality, through the police report, learned that the victim, who fell under the doctor’s trap, is also a professional nurse.

“Investigation into the matter however led to the recovery of the video recording containing sexual action of the defendant on the victim while medical text also confirmed that the said nurse was assaulted and raped”, the charge sheet disclosed.

Gbenga Ayeni, the prosecutor, informed the court of the gravity of the offence and the motion attached to the police report, which sought to remand the suspect.

The court granted Ayeni’s prayer for remand while the matter was adjourned to May 18th, 2023.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
President Muhammadu Buhari asked the Senate on Wednesday to approve a $800 million loan to fund the National Social Safety Network Programme.
 
During the Senate’s Wednesday plenary session, Ahmed Lawan, who is the President of the Senate, read a letter from Buhari that contained the request.
 
The money, according to the President, will be distributed to 10.2 million low-income and destitute households for a period of six months, with a predicted multiplier effect of 60 million people.
 
To ensure proper implementation, the president therefore asked the lawmakers to take action quickly.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A 56-year-old man recounted how he punched his wife, Atinuke, into a coma over a dispute in Akure, the Ondo State, a development many people have frowned at.

The man, who simply identified himself as Akure, was said to have been a famous Lagos state ex-boxer.

The man said he punched his wife because she was very stubborn and refused to give him a television remote control when he requested it.

The Daily Reality gathered that the ex-boxer has since been arrested and detained by the police detective in the state.

It was learned that the suspect, who is also a driver, returned home on a fateful day and wanted to watch a programme on the television, but the wife insisted on watching another programme.

According to a source, “The husband asked the wife to hand over the TV remote control to him, but she declined. The husband did not waste time as he descended on her with several punches on her face.

“It took the intervention of neighbours to rescue the woman from her husband after the children ran out screaming and crying for help.

“When the neighbours entered the house to rescue the woman, they met her on the floor lying unconscious, and they quickly rushed her to the nearest hospital,” the source added.

According to the victim’s sister, the woman was rushed to the hospital and has been responding to the medical treatment.

Mr Funni Odunlami, the state police spokesperson, couldn’t be reached for comment.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A terror struck on Kagarko area of southern Kaduna when bandits reportedly stormed the palace of the Emir of Kagarko and kidnapped nine of his children and his youngest wife.

Several reports from the state indicated that the bandits, who stormed the area around 11:15 pm, also took away the emir`s grand children and three other residents in the area.

An anonymous source revealed that no sooner had the bandits arrived at the area than they headed directly to the Emir`s residence.

He stated that, “They took away his youngest wife, nine children and grandchildren but the wife escaped and returned back home.

”The bandits also went ahead to kidnap a lady, three other young men and subsequently injured one Audu of Ungwan Pah.”

Meanwhile, The Daily Reality gathered that the victim has been taken to the hospital where he is receiving medical treatment.

“The bandits also killed one herdsman in Kuchimi village and looted seven shops in Janjala village (both in Kagarko LG) on their way back,” the source added.

DSP Muhammed Jalige, the Kaduna Police spokesman, could not be reached for a comment at of the time of filing this report.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
At least 40 worshipers were on Sunday reportedly abducted by bandits while on congression at Bege Baptist Church, Madala, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
 
The incident was reported on Monday by Rev. John Hayab, leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria’s Kaduna State branch.
 
According to Hayab, the incident took place at 9:30 a.m., during the worship time.
 
He was quoted as saying, “The worshippers were in the Sunday service in the Church when around 9:30 am they heard gunshots very close to the Church. The gunmen attacked the Church and went away with 40 worshippers.”
 
However, he added that 15 of the kidnapped worshippers managed to escape, leaving 25 others in the kidnappers’ hideout.

By Uzair Adam Imam

There was a gun battle between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and drug traffickers in Lagos that lasted for about thirty minutes on Thursday.

The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, stated this in a statement he issued to journalists on Sunday.

Babafemi added that acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives had laid an ambush on the traffickers along the Eleko Beach road in Lekki and at 4:51 am on Thursday.

He further stated that two long trucks conveying the illicit consignments were flagged down, but rather than stopped, the trucks escorted by armed men sped off, as a result of which there was an exchange of gunfire that lasted 30 minutes

He stated that “After they were overpowered by the NDLEA operatives, the truck drivers and their armed escorts escaped into the bush, abandoning the trucks and the drug consignments.

“While one of the trucks painted red has 149 jumbo bags weighing 6,548kgs, the second one with blue colour has 53 big bags with a weight of 2,304kgd, bringing the total number of bags to 202 and gross weight of both to 8,852kgs.

“Meanwhile, operatives are already on the trail of the drug lord who shipped the illicit consignment into the country,” Babafemi said.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Hajiya Turai Yar`adua, the wife of a former Nigerian President, the late Umaru Musa Yar`adua, went on a mental trip lane as to when her husband was alive and how his good memories crossed her mind daily.

Turai, who spoke on the 13^th memorial of the death of her husband, described how life has become difficult for her years after her husband’s demise to the world of our silent fathers.

She said that she still regrets her last moment with Yar`adua to the extent that she often quarrels with herself about why she left the place he was lying to break her fasting.

She stated, “I was fasting on that day. In fact, I had been fasting non-stop from when he took ill and even after he died, I did not stop. So when it was time for me to break my fast, he was lying down looking at me.

“I felt he did not want me to leave, so I told him I was going to break my fast. He then shook his head, and I left. I was later called, and I met him struggling with his breath. That moment still lingers in my mind. I even quarrelled with myself on why I left to break my fast, I should’ve stayed.”

She went on to say, “I think about him every day. Every day seems like any other day. The only difference is that today, people gathered to pray for and eulogise him, and I’m happy. I thank them.

“He was simple. Worldly things did not carry him away. For example, he could continuously use a wristwatch until the strap gets broken into two. Then, unless I see it, he would continue to use it like that,” she stated.

“My husband was not taking alcohol, would not go after women, and was not corrupt. He was a straightforward person who did not attach importance to worldly things. Even leadership, Allah destined he would be, but he wasn’t that ambitious about it”.

“Our marriage was full of happiness. People were saying they had never seen our kind of relationship. I was like a new bride every day. That was why he always returned home straight from the office.

“So, even if I travelled, he would be the first person I would call once I reached my destination. That was what I really missed. The first time I travelled, no one called me to say, ‘Turai, how was your trip?’ That was the first time I cried over his death,” she stated.