Tension in Zamfara NYSC camp as bandits abduct prospective corps members
By Muhammad Sabiu
Reports coming from Zamfara State in north-western Nigeria have indicated that some prospective corps members have on Tuesday been kidnapped on their way to the NYSC orientation camp in the Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.
The incident has gripped tension among corps members at the orientation camp in the state despite the police appeal for calm, assuring that “a joint search and rescue operation is ongoing to ensure [the] safe rescue of Corp members along [with] other abducted victims.”
Police spokesperson, Muhammad Shehu confirmed the abduction in a statement made available to reporters.
Some reports have it that there are still other 6 corps members that are missing as of the time of filing this report.
Below is the statement from Zamfara Police spokesperson:
Report received by the Zamfara State Police Command from the State NYSC Coordinator indicated that, two (2) Prospective NYSC Corp Members deployed from Benue State to Kebbi and Sokoto States were among the victims of abduction along Tsafe – Gusau Road on Tuesday 19th October, 2021 at about 2230 hours.
The report was received early today when the Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba N. Elkanah psc+ visited the Orientation Camp at Tsafe to assess the existing security emplacement at the orientation camp with a view to ensuring safety and security of the Corp Members.
It would be recalled that on 19th October, 2021, at about 2230 hours, a Vehicle with Reg. Number GBK 339 ZY was blocked by armed bandits while travelling from Benue to Sokoto State at near Wanzamai Village in Tsafe LGA. As a result, passengers whose identity (were) unknown, were abducted.
The Commissioner of Police while responding, informed the Coordinator that the Command has commenced investigation into the incident with a view to establishing the actual number of Corp Members involved in the abduction.
Similarly, a joint search and rescue operation is ongoing to ensure safe rescue of Corp members along other abducted victims.
The CP, in his address to the Prospective Corp Members, assures them of more Police commitment to safeguard their lives, and enjoins them to be security conscious of themselves.
Our varsities don’t deserve another strike – Buhari pleads to ASUU
By Uzair Adam Imam
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embrace peace, stating that Nigerian universities have had enough strikes.
Buhari, who was representated by Professor Ingnatuis Onimawo, made the plea on Saturday, 23-10-2021 as he was delivering a speech at a convocation ceremony in the University of Ilorin.
The president also stated that the dialogue is always better than the conflict as no any gain ever driven from crisis.
However, he added that a lot of time had been wasted as a result of Corona virus pandemic, thereby saying the university system cannot afford to withstand any crisis now.
- The president was quoted saying: “Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to members of ASUU to embrace peace. They should realise that dialogue is always better than conflict. No one gains from crisis. While government alone cannot solve all challenges facing a society, this administration is willing to listen to complaints and alternative points of views to managing a situation.”
“The university system cannot withstand any crisis now considering the time it had lost to Coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
Speaking on the issue of Corona virus, the president said: “I expect our universities to conduct researches targeted at discovering an antidote to it. Universities are expected to focus their research on challenges facing our societies and find practical solutions within the context of national development.”
“I therefore challenge the Universities to give their best in the fight against this common and unrelenting enemy of humanity. I enjoin our researchers to collaborate among themselves and look forward to bringing an effective solution to this medical challenge.”
“The nation expects University of Ilorin to play a leading role in the research efforts to develop Covid 19 in Nigeria.
“The nation expects nothing less from the Nigerian University system”, he added.
Nigerian gov’t confirms death of Albarnawi’s successor
By Muhammad Sabiu
The National Security Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, General Babagana Mungono, has confirmed Thursday that Malam Bako, the top Boko Haram commander, who recently took over the leadership of the deadly Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) from the late Abu Mus’ab Albarnawi, has been killed.
General Mungono, who spoke to journalists at the State House, stated that the military had launched an attack on the insurgents “two days ago”, which led to the elimination of the commander.
Mungono was quoted as saying, “Two days ago, the man who succeeded him, one Malam Bako, one of the prominent leaders of the Shura Council of the Islamic State of West African Province, was also taken out.
“They are also contending with leadership crisis. You know these things are also accompanied with inherent issues of trust, conflicts, mutual suspicion and other things.
He added that the efforts of the military are really making an impact in the fight against terrorists.
“So, the operations being conducted by the armed forces in the Northern parts of the country put a lot of pressure on the Islamic State of West African Province, Boko Haram and also the tangential group known as Islamic State in the Greatest Sahara,” he said.
BREAKING: FG uncovers Sunday Igboho’s sponsors
By Uzair Adam Imam
The Federal Government has uncovered the sponsors of the self-acclaimed activist, Sunday Igboho, some of whom are known to have connections with terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram.
The disclosure was made at a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, October 23, 2021, by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.
It has been reported that the government has unravelled how Igboho got money from 43 bank accounts, transferred to him by his sponsors.
According to Malami, a committee was set up to carry on an investigation on this self-acclaimed activist.
The 24-member committee comprised of members of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Information, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency and the Defence Intelligence Agency.
Malami was quoted saying: “The Federal Government has received the report on financers of Adeniyi Sunday Adeyemo a.k.a Sunday Igboho. The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited registered on 23rd April 2010.”
“Adesun International Concept Limited also has Oladele Oyetunji and Aderopo Adeyemo as Directors. Sunday Igboho is linked to 43 bank accounts in 9 banks.
“The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a Federal Law Maker in the National Assembly. A total sum of ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN MILLION, ONE AND FORTY-FIVE THOUSAND NAIRA ONLY (N127, 145,000.00) was received by Igboho from his financiers between 22nd October, 2013 and 28th September, 2020 through Adesun International Concept Ltd accounts.
“A total sum of TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THREE MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-EIGHT THOUSAND, TWO HUNDRED NAIRA ONLY (N273,198,200.00) transaction outflows was recorded from Sunday Igboho’s account between 15th March, 2013 and 11 the March, 2021.
“Investigation reveals that Adesun International Concept Ltd (belonging to Igboho) transferred the sum of twelve million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N12, 750,000) to Abbal Bako & Sons.
“It might be recalled that Abbal Bako & Sons and its promoter Abdullahi Umar Usman are suspects in the on-going Joint Terrorist Financing Investigation. Abdullahi Umar Usman is by way of financial transaction connected to SURAJO ABUBAKAR MUHAMMAD (who was sentenced to life imprisonment in UAE on charges of financing terrorism [Boko Haram]).
“This report shows the nexus between separatists’ agitation, terrorism financing and disruptions of peace in the country,” Said Malami.
Audu Bako: The military administrator who made Kano great (I)
By Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan
Audu Bako, a Police Commissioner, the first military governor of the old Kano State from April 1967 to July 1975, was a wonderful human who executed superhuman projects that were, to this day, unsurpassed. When he came, Kano was the most educationally deprived among the 12 states created in 1967. Nevertheless, he made it compete with the rest before he left.
Together with his dutifully well-meaning permanent secretaries and commissioners, Audu Bako charted a good Kano development plan that was followed by successive governments up to the year 2000. Only a few changes were effected in the last 20 years. However, he was regarded as the most insightful governor of Kano to date.
Audu Bako gave Kano life when he came despite having met only 743 staff in the entire state, most of them junior officers; no single Kano indigene that could operate a bulldozer; only 241 primary schools, 16 post-primary schools and 139 teachers; no tertiary institutions in the whole state except Bayero University College and Advanced Teachers College, ATC Kano.
With the take-off grant of N10 Million on 1st April 1968, Audu Bako created six ministries, (1) Agriculture, (2) Forestry and Community Development, (3) Justice, (4) Education, (5) Finance, Industry and Commerce, and (6) Works and Surveys, as well as three other commissioners under the governor’s office who took charge of Home Affairs, Local Government and Information Division.
To bring the government closer to people, Audu Bako established 8 administrative headquarters: (1) Kano North Central -Ɗambatta which includes Ɓaɓura, Garki, Ringim, Gabasawa, Gezawa and Minjibir; (2) Kazaure, Comprising Roni, Yankwashi and Amaryawa; (3) Gumel which includes Sule Tankarkar, Maigatari, Ɗanzomo and Gagarawa.
The fourth (4th) was Haɗejia comprising Birniwa, Malam Madori, Guri, Kirikasamma, Auyo, Bulangu and Kafin Hausa. (5) Kano West with headquarter at Gwarzo includes Dawakin Tofa, Bichi and Ƙaraye. (6) Kano South-East with headquarter at Birnin Kudu has Gaya, Jahun, Dutse, Sumaila and Gwaram. Then (7) Kano South-West -Rano, Dawakin Kudu, Kura, Ƙiru, and Tudun Wada. Lastly, (8) Kano Metropolitan that comprises Ungoggo, Kumbotso, Kano and Waje.
This way, the far-sighted governor touched the lives of everyone in the state. Among his accomplishments, Audu Bako expanded the government house, built administrative area offices, the famous Gidan Murtala, the Audu Bako secretariat and the State Fire Service. He also built the Bagauda Housing Estate at Dakatsalle, Bagauda Lake Hotel, 13 junior Staff quarters, the 500 Housing Units at Tiga workers village, the bedroom houses at Suleiman Crescent and WRECA Staff quarters at Challawa and Gari Dams.
He also built 130 housing units at the pilgrims camp and junior staff quarters at Haɗejia and Gumel. Similarly, he built Teachers’ Housing Estate at Gwammaja as well as Waziri Giɗaɗo Flats at Lagos. As for roads, he laid tarred roads at Gwagwarwa, Tudun Wada, Kano City, Gyaɗi-gyaɗi, Tarauni, Nassarawa, Sabon Gari and other places.
He dualized Murtala Muhammad Way, from Ahmadu Bello way to Triumph Junction; BUK Road, from Ƙofar Nassarawa BUK; Aminu Kano way; Triumph Roundabout -Ƙofar Mazugal, Ƙofar Ruwa, Katsina Road Junction; Ibrahim Taiwo to Ƙofar Mata, Ƙofar Ƙwaru, Ƙofar Kudu, Kasuwar Rimi to Ƙofar Nassarawa. Still, he dualized State Road from Silver Jubilee Roundabout to Audu Bako way. Others are Lagos Street, Airport Bridge, Mandawari to Ƙofar Kabuga and Suleiman Crescent.
These were part of his achievements in infrastructure. The next write up will look at his success in Kano rural areas, Agriculture, education and health sectors. Indeed there were leaders who, because of their honesty, integrity, political will and commitment, achieved, in about 8 years, what present leaders put together can not achieve in 30 years.
May we learn from this past!
Mal. Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan is a Lecturer at Alƙalam University, Katsina and writes from Kano State.
Why Not Just Make a Waqf Now?
By Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido
I begin, after praising Allah and sending blessings to the beloved Prophet peace be upon him, with three stories from Nigeria. They are all real. The first is of a rich man who died and was survived by a wife and her two children. His estate included mansions in choice areas, high worth investments, company shares, farmlands, etc. This “beloved” wife was advised to make a waqf (perpetual charity) of just a mosque as a source of everlasting reward for the late husband from the hard-earned wealth he spent his life gathering. She was reminded that less than one per cent of his wealth could do it. The wife answered in one word: “Impossible”! Rather, she offered to cook rice and beans every Friday and give to the begging Almajiris around as sadaqah. To be fair to her, she did so for some months until she met a new darling husband with whom she now enjoys her inherited, halal fortune! End of story!
The second story is that of a religious and highly influential personality who died and left behind several sons and daughters, all of whom had already grown wealthy and influential. The deceased’s bosom friend, who was the custodian of many of his possessions, approached the heirs. He pinpointed a plot of land in a choice area in one of the largest Nigerian cities and offered that if they would designate it as a perpetual charity, he would build an ultramodern Islamic centre there as a waqf for their late father. This, he said, was to create a ceaseless flow of rewards to their late father. Alas! To his face, they simply said no! And the rest is history.
The third is the story of a woman philanthropist who was the wife of an influential person. She was known for her dedication to building mosques, schools, among other charitable interventions. After her demise, the husband learned of several uncompleted mosques and schools that were part of her charitable initiatives. He called her children to a conference and suggested that from her inheritable wealth, they should dedicate what would be enough to complete such ongoing projects. And what a small portion of her wealth was that! They unanimously rejected his offer, departing in a “just give us our money” mood. It was the father who used his resources to finance the completion of the projects. I gather that he was lucky to have learned some lessons here and begin to emulate his late philanthropist wife. He actually increased his budget for Islamic philanthropy as he was already known for charity also. May Allah accept it for him, and for her.
I am sure by now you, my dear reader, have started to recollect several similar stories you have heard on several occasions or which might have even happened close to you. I also have many to share. But these ones suffice as examples. At least for now. What lesson, then, have you learned from this?
Now, remember the Prophetic hadith in which he explains that the moment a person dies, his reward fetching deeds terminate except three; waqf or perpetual charity being the first of them. The other two reward sources are the prayer of a pious child and beneficial knowledge. Interestingly, in the hadith is an equitable distribution of reward sources of some sort. The wealthy folks no doubt have access to the “lion share” in terms of perpetual charity. Beneficial knowledge is the share of the scholars essentially. For the non-rich, non-scholar believer, giving a good upbringing to his/her children guarantees them prayers from pious children and a continuous flow of reward.
Many owners of surplus resources miss the opportunity of making a waqf due to procrastination and other flimsy considerations. By doing so, they deny themselves the most important investment of their lifetime. How can Allah give you the opportunity of making an investment that may pass a millennium fetching you rewards only for you to refuse to do so? Daniel Crecelius explains to us that several waqfs, created for the provision of various social, religious, educational, economic and welfare services free of charge to the public, have survived for five centuries, and some for over a millennium. Now! Imagine yourself, in your grave, receiving “alerts” of rewards daily while charting with the Angels! Can you imagine the amount of reward you would earn by continuously creating benefits, solving problems, drawing happiness to thousands or millions of needy and poor lives for decades, centuries or even a millennium after your departure from this deceptive world? Consider the following stories.
You already know the third caliph of the Prophet, Uthman bin Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). After the migration to Medina, access to water became a great challenge for the believer. They had to buy from a Jew who owned a well called Ruma. The Jew was so wicked, charging exorbitant prices, and making life difficult for the believers. The solution was for the Muslim community to own it. The Prophet peace be upon him announced a guaranteed direct entry certificate to Jannah for whoever purchased it. Uthman did. He surrendered it as a waqf. People now could get water at zero cost. This charity became blessed and continued to expand. During the Umayyad period, it began to grow date palm trees in its surroundings. Many grew. The Ottoman Empire paid particular attention to developing the trees generating income from them. The returns would then be shared into two; a portion distributed as charity and the other saved. Later, the Saudi Arabian authorities opened a bank account in the name of Uthman Bin Affan. They save half of the returns and distribute half in charity. As the savings grew, a hotel was built in Medina, still in the name of Caliph Uthman. Half of the returns is reinvested while the other half, amounting to about 500 million Riyals annually (equivalent to about USD14 million) is distributed in charity. 1400 years of ceaseless reward, thanks to waqf!
Then the story of the great philanthropist, lady Zubaiyda, daughter of Ja’far al-Mansūr, granddaughter of the second Abbasid Caliph Abū Ja’far al-Mansūr; wife of the 5th Abbasid Caliph Hārūn al-Rashīd and mother to the 6th Abbasid Caliph, al-Amīn. Although she died in 216 AH (832 CE) in Baghdad, her source of reward is still yet to! In 186 AH (802 CE), she visited the Holy land as a pilgrim. She then noticed the serious difficulty people experienced in Mecca vis-à-vis accessing water. There were no reliable wells and springs from where to fetch portable water. The people rather relied on rainfall or poor wells that were irregular in providing water. She then ordered her treasurer to look for “world-class” engineers and professionals from different cities to embark on the work of constructing a befitting well. Having observed how difficult the project would be due to the nature of the soil which was rocky and hard, she declared her readiness to pay a dinar for every single digging, until they reached water level. Soon, highly professional engineers and experts flooded Mecca and started work, surveying between hard rocks until they were able to sink the well. In the end, they parted with the dinars and she parted with the never-ceasing reward! She dedicated the well as a waqf for the residents and visitors of Mecca. Water became abundantly available. Water scarcity became history.
But not only this. Zubayda also did a waqf for the waqf; waqf of rentable houses and landed properties for the maintenance of the water wells. The ‘Ayn Zubaydah has been described as the largest waqf known in history in terms of the cost of its capital, the magnificence of its design, as well as its contributions to welfare in a sustainable manner. Importantly, the Well of Zubaydah, as it came to be known, has remained functional and productive to date. About 1200 years? It is being utilized by the people of the city as well as visiting pilgrims to the Holy land.
Dear reader! Make a waqf. Look around you. Investigate; what is the greatest problem of the poor around you? Food? Water? Lack of a clinic? Lack of a school for their children? Lack of capital for the poor widows who need money-generating ventures? Make a waqf to provide a sustainable solution for them. Build a plaza, a shopping complex, a rentable house, a garden or buy shares and dedicate as waqf for funding such charitable courses. Do not wait for your wife to make sadaqah of rice and beans for you on Fridays! If you want to enjoy your wealth perpetually, why not just make a waqf NOW?
Abdullahi Abubakar Lamido is the Chairman, Zakah & Waqf Foundation, Gombe, Nigeria. He can be contacted via lamidomabudi@gmail.com.
Kebbi gov’t confirms release of 30 abducted students
By Muhammad Sabiu
The Kebbi State Government has on Thursday confirmed the release of about 30 students of the Federal Government College, Yauri, who were in June abducted by the terrorists operating in northwest Nigeria.
The confirmation came in a statement made available to journalists by Yahaya Sarki, the spokesperson to Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.
Recall that even as of the time of the abduction, the exact number of the kidnapped students was unknown. This makes it impossible for the government to confirm the number of students still in captivity after the release of the said 30.
Confirming the release, Mr Sarki wrote, “Today Thursday, the 21st of October, 2021 thirty (30) students of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri have arrived Birnin Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital following their release, while efforts are still continuing to secure the release of the remaining.”
He added that the students would “undergo medical screening and support while being reunited with their families.”
Although, unlike other northwestern states that have perpetually been suffering from kidnappings and killings by terrorists, Kebbi State also faces the same menace.
Tertiary institutions students to be supported as CBN donates N500 grant
By Uzair Adam Imam
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has earmarked N500 million grant to the universities and polytechnics in Nigeria.
CBN said that the effort is to help the teeming youths in tertiary institutions to promote entrepreneurship and also reduce unemployment.
In the report titled: “Guidelines for the implementation of tertiary institutions entrepreneurship scheme”, CBN made this known on Wednesday
“Five top Nigerian polytechnics and universities with the best entrepreneurial pitches/ideas shall be awarded as follows: first place – N150m; second place – N120m; third place – N100m; fourth place – N80m; and fifth place – N50m,” it said.
According to the guideline, the aim of the scheme is to promote access to finance by undergraduates and graduates of universities and polytechnics in Nigeria.
Students will be help with innovative Entrepreneurial and technological ideas to enable them build their future.
The guidline added that Individuals will be entitled to a loan limit of N5.0 million to be paid within the maximum period of 5 years at an interest rate of 5 percent for each year.
Sa’adatu Rimi college to be upgraded to university status – Ganduje
By Uzair Adam Imam
Following the lingering request by Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education (SRCE) management, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has revealed that the institution would be upgraded to the university status with the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Ganduje stated this when the management team of the institution led by Prof. Yahaya Isa Bunkure, the Provost of the College, paid him a courtesy visit.
In a release issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Abba Anwar, Ganduje said: “I am happy that the College is now a degree awarding institution. Therefore, the call for the upgrading of this College to university, is without much financial commitment.
“Because most of the facilities needed are already there. Even lecturers we need to employ Professors.
“We can see how we can pursue this, so that we can actualize it. The only thing is, it will not continue awarding Certificate of Education. But we can still move all NCE Courses to other institutions. Just as some of our institutions have already started awarding NCEs,” Ganduje said.
