News

Dantata loses wife in Saudi Arabia

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Elder statesman and billionaire Alhaji Aminu Dantata has lost his wife to the chilly hands of death.

Hajiya Rabi Tajudeen Galadanci, the second wife of the billionaire, passed on after a protracted illness in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The deceased septuagenarian is survived by her husband and six children. Her children include Tajjuddeen Dantata, Batulu Dantata, Hafsa Dantata, Jamila Dantata, Aliya Dantata and many grandchildren.

A grandson of the deceased, Sunusi Dantata, confirmed her demise on his verified Twitter account. “Please pray for our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Haj. Rabi, wife of Alh. Aminu Dantata, who died yesterday after a protracted illness!

“May Allah forgive her, accept her good deeds, and grant her the highest rank in Paradise, Ameen!“Innalillahi Wa Inna Ilaihirrajiuun” He tweeted

Ramadan: Dr Bichi distributes foodstuff worth millions

By Lamara Garba Azare

A chieftain of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Kano State and former Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), Dr Abdullahi Baffa Bichi has distributed essential commodities worth millions of Naira to the needy as part of a humanitarian gesture to ease the suffering of the populace.

The items, which include rice, cooking oil, noodles and other commodities estimated at several hundreds of millions of Naira.

Interestingly, the commodity was given across the board irrespective of the party affiliations of the beneficiaries.

Those who benefitted from the gesture prayed to Allah to reward him abundantly.

A widow with 7 children who said she travelled from a far distance to come and collect the gesture burst into tears of joy when she was given 25kg of rice, noodle and cooking oil, saying the last time she saw rice was about a year ago.

“We have no words to thank Dr Bichi. If he had known how happy we are now, certainly, he would further understand the suffering of many of us. To be frank with you, the last time I cooked rice in my house was a year ago when I was passing by the Kabuga area, and I saw a large crowd of women going inside BUK quarters to collect food items. I joined them, and luckily I was given too.”

The coordinator of the distribution exercise, Honourable Ghali Mu’azu, said several thousands of people male and female from across the state have benefited from the gesture.

According to him, this gesture had been instituted by Dr Bichi for a long period of time, spanning over two decades, and priority was given to the elderly and those with physical challenge cutting across all strata of people.

“We gave out to every lucky person irrespective of his political leaning. Ours is to touch humanity by giving it to the needy among the populace,” he said.

Mr Ghali commended the compassionate attitude and benevolence of Dr Bichi, who he described as kind-hearted and a man with a big heart.

Much-awaited debate between Dr. Dutsen Tanshi, Sufi clerics suspended

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The Bauchi State Government has suspended the much-awaited debate between a controversial cleric, Dr Idris Abdulaziz Dutsen Tanshi, and other scholars who tagged his recent comments about “seeking humanly impossible” help from Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as inappropriate.
 
The suspension, according to the state’s Sharia Commission, is until further notice.

Recall that during a Ramadan Tafsir session, Dutsen Tanshi was quoted as saying, “We don’t need help from Inyass; we don’t need help from Tijjanni; we don’t need help from Abdulqadiri; we don’t need help from Shehu Usman. In fact, even from the Prophet. That’s the end of it.

“Whose help do we need? Allah. It’s left to them to twist my words. The Prophet himself said, ‘If you need help, seek help from Allah.'”

Consequently, in a letter the Bauchi State Shari’a Commission sent to the cleric late yesterday night, it says, “I am directed to write and formally inform you of the reschedule[d] date of the interactive session earlier slated for Saturday, 8th April 2023.

“That the new date will be communicated to you accordingly, please.” 

Former Nasarawa deputy governor kidnapped

By Muhammadu Sabiu  

Professor Onje Gye-Wado, a former deputy governor of Nasarawa State, has been abducted by gunmen who are believed to have entered his town, Gwagi, in the early hours of Friday. 

According to a family member who confirmed the occurrence, the kidnappers entered the property through the fence, broke in through his wife’s window, and then took him to an unidentified location. 

The source said, “His wife came in for Easter celebration and they broke into the house through her widow and took him away to an unknown destination. We are hoping that the security agencies will make efforts towards rescuing him unhurt.” 

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the abduction and said the police were making efforts to rescue him unharmed.

Buhari fires NIPC boss

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, Saratu Umar.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Thursday.

According to Mr Adesina, the President has communicated the directive of Umar’s termination of appointment to the Honourable Minister of Trade and investment, Otunba Richard Adeneyi Adebanjo.

He also stated that the president ordered that the most senior director in the commission takes over immediately.

The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has terminated the appointment of Hajiya Saratu Umar as the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), with immediate effect.

In a directive to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo CON, the President also mandated the most senior Director in the Commission to immediately take over in the interim. “

Saudi Arabia offers £100m to manage national team

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
According to a report by the Daily Mail, Jose Mourinho, the manager of Roma, has been offered more than £100 million to coach Saudi Arabia in a two-year contract, making him the highest-paid manager in history.
 
Al-Nassr have expressed interest in Mourinho, according to the English news outlet on Thursday.
 
The 60-year-old Portuguese coach signed a contract with Roma in 2021, and his current deal with the Serie A side extends through 2024.
 
Nonetheless, there have been disagreements about transfers and disappointments with Roma’s results this year.

Nigerian Army launches TV series on fight against terror

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

The Nigerian Army, via its verified social media accounts, announced a new TV series entitled Lahira, a Hausa word for the “hereafter”, and urged Nigerians to watch it.

The show has been produced to highlight the struggle of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to combat terrorism and restore peace nationwide.

The post reads:

“Kindly watch LAHIRA, a TV series that dramatizes the efforts and achievements of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in combating terrorism and restoring peace to affected communities within the country. LAHIRA series is aired on DSTV Africa Magic Channel 151 every Tuesday by 9 pm.”

Several people praised the new development, adding the application of non-kinetic measures to tackle insecurity is effective. However, others criticize the Army for misplacing priority.

FUA staff develops app to ease navigating buildings and offices

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A staff of Federal University, Kashere, has developed a moblie app to aid lecturers and visitors navigate their way in the university.

The genius staff, Usman Shehu Muhammad, hailed from Fagge, Kano revealed his technological exploitation in a Facebook post on Monday.

Mr Shehu created the Federal University of Kashere Mobile GIS, a mobile software that aids navigation in the university.

Muhammad said in a post: “I’m to introduce a newly developed Android Application, called FUK Mobile GIS. The purpose was to make it easy for visitors, students or lecturers to identify and navigate buildings within the University.

“The application interface is simple to use, it displays the University logo and gives a lists of drop down building names which you can click to search for a building.

Each search you make it displays the hole University buildings in the map highlighting the needed building also a fastest rout either by car or by foot is calculated, identified and drown on the searched map, the map also shows the picture and attribute information about the building like the name of the building, address, distance by foot or road taking.”

He also revealed that the said app would soon be uploaded to Playstore.

Jigawa records 8 deaths, 141 new cases of cerebrospinal meningitis

By Muhammad Suleiman Yobe.

Jigawa State Ministry of Health has confirmed 141 new cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis that claimed eight lives in the state.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Salisu Mu’azu, confirmed the cases to Daily Reality in Dutse, the state capital.

The Permanent Secretary, who spoke through Dr Sabi’u Muhmmad of the disease control department in the ministry, outlined some areas in Kaugama, Birniwa, Gumel, and Maigatari Local Governments the cases were identified.

Dr Muhammad said 134 out of the 141 patients were infected by Neisseria Meningitis type C, and 6 contracted Strept pneumonia while one was identified with Neisseria Meningitis type X and among the cases identified, about eight death were recorded.

He said that all measures had been put in place to avert the pandemic. He further advised communities in the affected areas to be conscious and refer a suspected case to the nearest general hospital for all necessary action. The state government has procured free medication for patients with such cases.

Gunmen abduct 10 Kaduna students

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The Kaduna State Government confirmed reports from security agencies on the recent kidnapping of about 10 students in the state’s Kachia Local Government Area.

This is contained in a statement released on Tuesday in Kaduna by Mr Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs.

He noted that the 10 students are from the Government Secondary School, Awon (a day secondary school).

“The exact location of the incident is yet to be ascertained, but detailed reports being awaited will clarify whether the incident occurred within the school premises or elsewhere.

“The government will issue a public statement accordingly when these reports are received,” he said.