News

By Muhammad Sabiu

The former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, has passed on after sustaining injuries after he was shot in the neck.

NHK and Jiji news agency reported confirmed that Abe died in hospital

NKH stated, “According to a senior LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) official, former prime minister Abe died at a hospital in Kashihara city, Nara region, where he was receiving medical treatment. He was 67.”

This is coming a few years after Abe stepped down as the Asian democracy’s prime minister due to his ailing condition.

Media reports have quoted the President of France, Emmanuel Macron to have been “profoundly shocked by the despicable attack” on Mr. Abe.

The National Youth Service Corps has denied reports that 21 female corps members were raped during a robbery on Wednesday.

The scheme confirmed that, contrary to the reports, no physical harm was inflicted on them, and no corps member was raped.

In a statement obtained by journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Chinyere Ekwe, the Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of NYSC, clarified the matter.

She was quoted as saying, “In the said story making the rounds, it was alleged that gunmen attacked, raped, robbed and dispossessed Corps Members of their valuables at Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where they reside.

“To put the unfortunate incident in proper perspective, the State Coordinator, NYSC Akwa Ibom State, Chinyere Ekwe in the company of the State Police Commissioner, Olatoye Durosinmi, visited the Corps Members for an on-the-spot assessment.

“While there, it was confirmed that 21 corps members occupy the said property. The interaction with the corps members further revealed that an attack on them was actually carried out by thieves at about 1 am this morning.

“In the process, the invaders took their valuables including phones, laptops and some cash. They confirmed that no bodily harm was meted on them, and no corps member was raped.”

Violent attacks are not only quotidian in the Northern part of the country; the South also suffer from activities of hoodlums and terrorist organisations like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Southeast.

By Muhammad Aminu

The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 24-year old ex-convict for burglary alongside his accomplices in Tudun Murtala Quarter of Nasarawa LGA in the State.

The Police said at least 32 phones had been recovered, mostly Android phones, from the suspect.

According to a statement from the Police Spokesman Abdullahi Kiyawa, the suspect, 24-year old Umar Salisu who had been previously convicted for similar offence, confessed to breaking a shop and stealing the phones.

The statement said: “Sustained efforts coupled with intelligence-led follow-up resulted in the arrest of the principal suspect, Umar Salisu, ‘m’, 24 years old, of Tudun Murtala Quarters Kano.

Two other suspects were arrested for buying thirteen (13) of the stolen mobile phones from the suspect, with an effort for more recoveries.

Kiyawa said “He was arrested two years ago for theft of ten (10) Mobile Phones, charged to court and sentenced to two years in the correctional centre without an option of a fine, where he served for the period and was recently released.

“He begged not to be charged to the same court because the Magistrate warned him.”

According to Kiyawa, the Police has earlier received a complaint of burglary in the area where around 40 mobile phones were stolen.

“On receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi raised and instructed a team of Detectives led by SP Abubakar Abdulmalik, Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Zango Division to trace and arrest the perpetrator(s).

The team immediately swung into action,” it added. Kiyawa said that the suspects would be charged to the Margistrate Court that once convicted him after discreet investigation. He called on the residents to continue supporting the Police in discharging their responsibilities diligently

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

Ibrahim Adamu, a Microbiology student from the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, Katsina, Nigeria, has won the 2022 Wellcome Sanger Institute Prize. Ibrahim, who hailed from Ingawa Local Government of Katsina State, became the second person in Nigeria to win the prize.

The Sanger Prize is an outreach competition aimed at undergraduates studying genomics relevant courses who live and study in low or middle-income countries. This year students from 138 countries of different universities and faculties participated in the competition.

As usual, the winner of the Sanger Institute Prize will be offered a three-month internship with a research group at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The internship prize will cover all essential expenses, including travel costs, visa costs, training and research costs, accommodation and reasonable food costs during the three-month internship. The winner will also receive support and mentorship from the Institute, the scientific programme they work with and the team that administers the fund.

When contacted by The Daily Reality on how he knew and applied for the competition, Adamu explained that: “A friend shared a link with me in December 2021. I then contacted my academic advisor, and he encouraged me to apply. He connected me with Dr Adesoji Ayodele Timilehin and Dr Aminu Ado. These two wrote reference letters for me.

“I was also supported and mentored by Dr Adesoji throughout the process. I spent many sleepless nights reading research papers, books and reports to prepare for the essay competition. My Mentor rejected my first essay trial. So I wrote another one, and he suggested some edits for me.

“Anybody willing to apply should have a broad understanding of genomics, read a lot, and seek professional mentorship in all the application processes! Mentorship is the key! Without it, I would not have made it even to the first stage! So be focused and PRAY hard”, Adamu said.

Ibrahim concluded, “I will be available to guide any potential applicant in the future.”

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 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 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.”