By Uzair Adam

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has assured Nigerians that the enrolment, verification, authentication, and modification of National Identification Number (NIN) data are progressing smoothly, in preparation for the NIN-SIM linkage deadline set for September 14, 2024.

Kayode Adegoke, the Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, stated that more than 10,000 enrolment centers across Nigeria and the diaspora remain operational to cater to the needs of the public.

He urged Nigerians and legal residents to visit these centers for NIN enrolment and reassured them that the process is free from extortion and unethical practices.

Adegoke also informed the public that those wishing to modify their NIN data can do so via the NIMC Self-Service portal.

The NIMC reaffirmed its dedication to providing top-quality identity management services while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards extortion and unethical conduct.

For further enquiries, the commission directed users to its official website.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has been appointed Chairman of the Committee on Polio Recurrence Mitigation in several states across the country.

This was announced during the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, where key national issues were deliberated.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, Ph.D., who represented Governor Inuwa Yahaya, stated that the governor’s appointment was driven by his leadership as the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum and his remarkable achievements in the health sector, particularly in vaccination efforts.

Dr. Jatau explained, “During the NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, we addressed critical issues affecting the states and the nation, including the resurgence of polio in five states—Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi. With Bill Gates and Aliko Dangote in attendance, the gravity of the situation was recognized, and it was decided to establish a polio committee, with the Governor of Gombe State appointed as chairman.”

He added that the meeting also tackled the destruction of roads and bridges caused by recent flooding.

The Vice President directed states to submit detailed reports of the damages, including photographs, by Monday next week.

Dr. Jatau used the opportunity to share insights from Gombe’s inclusive governance approach, where traditional, religious, and community leaders, alongside stakeholders, play active roles in decision-making and implementation to ensure more efficient and effective outcomes.

“When the discussion on vaccines arose, I highlighted our commitment in Gombe, where we apply a system theory approach by involving traditional rulers, religious and community leaders in healthcare efforts to achieve comprehensive coverage. Engaging these leaders builds public trust, leading to stronger support for health programs,” he noted.

He also addressed the challenges posed by “socially hard-to-reach groups,” where cultural, philosophical, and ideological barriers limit access to vaccination.

The Deputy Governor emphasized the importance of addressing these barriers to ensure optimal vaccine coverage and called for research into local herbal remedies as a pathway to affordable healthcare.

“I urged donor agencies to sponsor research into the production of vaccines and medicines from indigenous plants. Since many imported medicines are derived from plant and animal products, and we have similar resources in abundance, tapping into our local potential would be a better solution.”

On nutrition, the meeting emphasized identifying local food sources that can provide balanced diets to reduce malnutrition. Dr. Jatau stressed that proper nutrition is vital to public health, which in turn supports the growth of other sectors of the economy.

By Uzair Adam

The Nigerian Army has apprehended 23-year-old Adeleye Ayomide, suspected of being the killer of Christiana Idowu, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), who was abducted in Lagos State.

The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the handover of the suspect on Thursday, following an investigation into the incident.

According to Lagos Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin, Ayomide was handed over by the Nigerian Army’s 9 Brigade at about 2 p.m. on September 5.

The late Christiana was kidnapped along the Ikorodu-Yaba Road on August 19, sparking public outrage, especially on social media.

The hashtag #JusticeForChristianah has gained traction, with many Nigerians calling for justice.

A user on social media, going by “Man of Letters,” shared details of how the suspect, who was reportedly in a close relationship with Christiana based on their interactions on Instagram, was tracked down.

Security operatives traced Ayomide through his mobile phone, leading to his arrest at his parents’ house in Ikorodu.

Among the evidence recovered from the suspect was the victim’s blue ITEL A56 phone.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to bring justice for the slain student.

By Sunusi Abubakar

With a growing prime working-age population, considerable natural resources endowment, good economic potentials, large labour forces, highly motivated entrepreneurs, vast domestic market, strategic coastal locations, large and fragile agricultural land, and developing ICT sector, Nigeria has favourable economic potential which could lead her to be among the top 20 economies in the world. 

But problems like corruption, nepotism, political instability, inadequate infrastructures and poor economic management are failing its journey to greatness. Unfortunately, all the aforementioned regressive factors are not natural but a breed of artificial additive called colonialism.

Colonialism was first practised by empires such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Egypt, and Phoenicia. From about 1550 B.C. onward, these civilisations all extended their borders into surrounding and non-contiguous areas and established colonies that used the physical and population resources of the people they conquered to increase their own power. This resulted in capitalism and imperialism and metamorphosed into neo-colonialism. 

Ancient colonialism is seen worldwide as the origin of capitalism, which is said to be the source of the power and accumulation of Western countries. 

Capitalism is said to emanate from the Cambridge School, a group of economic philosophers. The group was led by the neoclassical economist Alfred Marshall, with Walras, Merger, and British economist John Maynard Keynes on the board. The system always accepts the market system as the best way to organise economic activities in society. They believed in allocating resources through the market forces of demand and supply. 

For them, the commodity is said to be a thing when it is produced to make money. They maintained that the source of their capital accumulation is through profit gained and plough back for future profit, but many people are against this idea. They were cautioned by German economist and human rights lawyer Karl Marx, who described the process as primitive. 

Marx argued that their capital is wherever in the world, made initially through the enclosure movement, dislocation of feudal agrarian productions, huge price inflation, monopolies of trade, acquisition of colonies, extortion enslavement, entombment in the mines of the aboriginal population, looting of indie and Africa as well as hunting of black skins. 

However, capitalism is seen worldwide as the maceration of the proletariat, a low class in society. Capitalism always favoured the bourgeoisie, the owners of the means of production. Moreover, the history of capitalism can only be completed by mentioning the name of the Italian philosopher Machiavelli. 

Machiavelli was the founder of the theory of Mercantilism and a major contributor to the development of capitalism. Mercantilism is an economic system which supports the development of capitalism and the exploitation of the proletariat through the accumulation of monetary reserves by positive balance using the import and export of finished goods. 

Shortly after some economic revolutions that emancipated some countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia, the colonial masters, who were the champions of capitalism, veered to continue their colonial agenda through imperialism. They came up with an idea that saw the integration of world financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank to recolonise former colonies through debt conditionalities. Many African countries fall into their trap. Some managed to escape while others were still bedevilled by it.  

As imperialism seemed ineffective, those colonial masters changed their sinister agenda to neocolonialism. Neocolonialism is also a system that is aimed at giving developed economies indirect control over their former colonies and access to their system of economy, politics, militarism, idealism and other policies to achieve two objectives:

1. Keeping those colonies within the world capitalism system.

2. Preserving the condition of exploitation and unequal exchange between developed and developing economies. 

Like other developing economies, Nigeria is also suffering from the problems of neo-colonialisation.

Neocolonialism paved the way for the developed economies to wage a silent war on Nigeria’s industrial sector indirectly through the development of manufacturing industries and technological advancement. They electrified, mechanised, and chemicalised our agricultural sector. Their dominance mandated our farmers to use pesticides, insecticides, and other agrochemicals mainly produced in their countries. 

Moreover, education is also a victim of neo-colonialisation in Nigeria. The educational sector in Nigeria is neocolonialized through privatization. The government has intentionally neglected our educational sector, leading citizens to enrol their children in private schools at home and abroad. 

Neocolonialisation has also victimised Nigeria’s political landscape. It also affects our system of administration, military,and foreign policy. Western countries have an indirect involvement in Nigeria’s electoral processes through this. They use observation to interfere cunningly in the choice of our leadership. 

However, the ongoing insecurity problems affecting Nigeria are another form of neocolonialism. It is through which Western countries exploit our economy and enjoy the remaining in the name of peacekeeping, intelligence assistance and arms procurement.

With these problems on trend, this is a healing time. It is a time for reflection on what can be done to help Nigeria cunningly harness its economic potential. It is a time to preach against government policies that align with a neocolonialist agenda through dialogue and moral suasion. 

If we fail to reflect as a nation, Nigeria is bound to go back into the decades of direct subjugation, economic exploitation and brutality.

Sunusi Abubakar wrote via muhammadsunusi29@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam

The Barau I Jibrin Foundation (BIJF), established by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator (Dr.) Barau I Jibrin, has published the list of beneficiaries for its 2024 foreign postgraduate scholarships.

The scholarships focus on fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics technology, cybersecurity, and forensic science.

A statement issued on Thursday by Ismail Mudashir, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Senator Barau, revealed that students from Kano Central, Kano North, and Kano South Senatorial Districts have been selected to pursue advanced studies abroad.

The scholarship initiative aims to foster academic excellence and support technological development in Nigeria.

The scholarships were designed to address the shortage of skilled professionals in these specialized areas.

Admission letters will be distributed to the beneficiaries on Monday, September 9th, 2024, at the Amani Event Centre in Kano.

This move aligns with Senator Barau’s commitment to educational empowerment and the promotion of expertise in cutting-edge technological fields.

By Uzair Adam

Two children have been confirmed dead, and a couple sustained injuries after a two-storey building collapsed at Noman’s Land in the Fagge Local Government Area of Kano.

The incident, which occurred early Thursday morning, was confirmed by Dr. Nuraddeen Abdullahi, the Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Kano.

According to Abdullahi, NEMA received a distress call at around 2:00 a.m. from a concerned citizen reporting the collapse. A rescue team was immediately dispatched to the site.

“Four individuals were rescued from the rubble, including a husband, wife, and their two children. Unfortunately, the two children were pronounced dead, while the parents were taken to the Armed Forces Specialist Hospital for medical treatment,” Abdullahi said.

Search and rescue operations are still ongoing, with teams from the Kano State Fire Service, Police, Red Cross, NSCDC, and SEMA working to find any remaining victims.

By Uzair Adam

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has called on the military under the Theatre Command, North East ‘Operation Hadin Kai,’ to step up operations to eliminate Boko Haram remnants hiding in the Sambisa Forest, Mandara Mountains, and border areas between Gwoza and the Republic of Cameroon.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Ndume expressed concern over recent terrorist attacks, which have negatively impacted farmers resettled in liberated communities such as Ngoshe, Kirawa, Warabe, Wala, Pulka, and Gwoza town.

The insurgents have been looting unmatured crops, further hindering the economic recovery of these areas.

Ndume urged the military and other security agencies to intensify efforts to clear the terrorists still present in the Sambisa Forest and other hideouts near the Cameroon-Nigeria border.

He also praised Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for his significant contributions to the reconstruction of 10 Gwoza communities destroyed by the insurgents.

Additionally, the senator lauded the military for deploying a medical doctor to Ngoshe, providing free medical services to over 10,000 people in the area.

During a visit to his senatorial district, Ndume distributed agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, insecticides, and cash, to farmers.

He also provided solar streetlights and inspected land designated for the construction of 500 housing units to resettle displaced persons in Warabe, part of Governor Zulum’s rebuilding initiative.

Ndume expressed his gratitude to the community and urged for continued development, while acknowledging that Zulum’s efforts have surpassed expectations.

By Aisar Fagge

“I will facilitate connections between the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Federal Ministries, as well as international donors like the United Nations,” said Aminu Magashi Garba during a courtesy visit to the ministry on Tuesday, as part of his commitment to support vulnerable populations, including the less privileged and disabled in the state.

Magashi, founder and CEO of the Aminu Magashi Foundation (AMG), also announced technical support for the ministry, a gesture commended by Hajiya Amina Abdullahi Sani, who is the commissioner of the ministry.

Hajiya Amina assured the foundation of her commitment to collaboration, aiming to enhance the ministry’s impact on the people of Kano State, especially the vulnerable and disabled.

During the visit, Magashi pledged to support the ministry in several key initiatives, including convening a one-day stakeholders’ forum on the proposed Kano State Humanitarian Agenda, organizing a two-day working visit to Abuja to explore partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the United Nations Office of the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator.

He also committed to assisting with the development of the 2025 Annual Operational Plan and a five-year strategic plan for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Other support initiatives from the foundation include assistance with establishing the Kano State Humanitarian Investment Trust Fund and the Kano State Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee on Humanitarian Response.

In her remarks, the commissioner highlighted the present administration’s commitment to supporting vulnerable populations, which led to the establishment of the ministry, reiterating her dedication to working with the foundation to further this mission.

Dr. Magashi praised her leadership and urged the commissioner to engage stakeholders for further interventions. He also encouraged the ministry’s directors to develop annual operational and strategic plans for the future.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Notorious bandit leader Bello Turji has released a video message urging an end to the violence between Fulani and Hausa communities.

Turji, who has been linked to various criminal activities, including kidnapping and armed robbery, appealed to his fellow Fulani and Hausa people to lay down their arms and work towards peace. 

The video message, obtained and translated by PRNigeria, reveals Turji’s concerns about the ongoing conflict, which he believes is unwinnable and will only lead to further bloodshed.

He claims that the violence has resulted in the loss of many lives, including those of his own relatives, and that his group had taken up arms in self-defence. 

Turji also criticised the government and security forces for failing to protect Fulani people, alleging that they have been targeted and killed.

He warned that his group would continue to fight if the killing of Fulani people does not stop. 

Turji also called on community and religious leaders to facilitate peace talks, stating, “We need peace, and we need it now.”

This unexpected plea for peace comes amidst ongoing violence and insecurity in the region, with many calling for an end to the bloodshed and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Gombe State Executive Council has approved the revitalization of 82 primary healthcare facilities across the state’s 11 local government areas to ensure affordable and quality healthcare for all citizens.

The Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Ethical Orientation, Mijinyawa Ardo Tilde, announced this after the 41st Executive Council Meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babu Habu Dahiru, explained that the approval was aimed at providing at least two primary healthcare facilities in each of the state’s 114 political wards.

This initiative, according to the Commissioner, will complement the 64 facilities revitalized under the World Health Organization’s Impact Project and the additional 10 facilities supported by UNICEF.

The revitalization efforts will include equipping facilities, drilling boreholes, installing solar power, and renovating infrastructure, including staff quarters.The Executive Council also approved N1.1 billion for the transportation and logistics of medical equipment donated by the World Medical Relief in the USA to Gombe State.

Furthermore, the Council ratified the 2025-2027 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), encompassing the Economic and Fiscal Update, Fiscal Strategy Paper, and Budget Policy Statement.

The Commissioner of Finance, Mohammed Gambo Magaji, explained that the MTEF would serve as the basis for preparing the 2025 appropriation bill.Additionally, the Council approved a Monitoring and Evaluation framework to measure and assess performance across government agencies, staff members, and the Executive Council.

The Council authorized the payment of N265 million as promotion arrears to staff of Gombe State University (GSU).The Executive Council also approved N394 million for the completion of projects at the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, including fencing, gully erosion control, and consultant payments.

Also, the Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, Sanusi Ahmad, announced the approval of N575 million as counterpart funding to construct a mini-hydroelectric power station at Balanga Dam. This station, according to him, will generate 320 kilowatts of electricity for irrigation and rural electrification, to be implemented in collaboration with the European Union.

The Commissioner of Works, Housing, and Transport, Engr Maijama’a Kallamu, said the Executive Council approved N2.23 billion for the construction of a 7.5-hectare mechanic village near the recently commissioned Ibrahim Dankwambo Mega Motor Park. This project includes land procurement, infrastructure development, and other essential facilities.

The Commissioner also announced Council’s approval of N779 million for the installation of additional solar-powered streetlights in the state capital.