Kaduna State

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State has finally ended months of speculations and permutations with the endorsement of one of his long time allies, the incumbent senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Uba Sani, to succeed him as Governor in 2023 under the All Progressive Congress (APC).

This comes barely two months after Governor El-Rufai announced that his successor would be selected from the core team of his administration since 2015.

It was learnt that the former Commissioner of Budget and Planning, and a strong contender for the gubernatorial seat, Muhammad Sani Dattijo, had been asked to pick up the senatorial expression and nomination form for Kaduna Central.

Senator Uba Sani’s endorsement is bound to encounter some stiff resistance within APC in Kaduna State as other aspirants have already purchased the nomination forms.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The management of Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna, has decided to back out of the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Association of Staff of Universities Union (ASUU) as the resumption date for academic activities is announced.

The resumption notice, which is contained in a statement by the institution’s Academic Secretary, Barrister Abdullahi Zubairu, said that “the University will continue its academic activities for the Second Semester, 2020/2021 Academic Session on Monday 9th May 2022”. 

The Daily Reality learnt that the management has decided to resume in order to avoid stoppage of salary from the Kaduna State Government. The ASUU Chapter in KASU may likely clash with the management about the new development in the institution. 

Recall that ASUU has condemned the Federal Government’s handling of the negotiation on its demands and nonchalant attitude towards the ongoing strike.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

A young ustadh identified as Muhammad Sani Lawal passed away on the night of Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Abdull-azeez Ahmed Kadir, a Nigerian journalist and the General Manager of Liberty TV and Radio, reported the incident on his Facebook timeline. 

Kadir described the young man’s death as how many Muslims would want their end to be like, calling it the “Best Death”.

Kadir posted thus:

Muhammad Sani Lawal, a young Islamic scholar, died last night in Samaru Zaria in a manner many Muslims beseech Allah to take their lives. He died not just in the Holy Month of Ramadhan, not just in the last ten days that hosts the Night of Majesty, not just in prayers, but Ta’ajud, in sujud while also leading the prayer at night.”

Kadir prayed to Allah to rest the soul of the deceased. The post has garnered many positive reactions while the story goes viral on mostly northern Nigerian social media space.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Another Kano businessman, Umar Sani, aka Magaji, was killed by suspected bandits after collecting ransom from his relatives.

Magaji, who hailed from Fagge LGA in the Kano metropolis, was said to have been kidnapped alongside five others on the highway en route to Buruku.

The bandits who spoke after they collected the ransom confirmed the murder of Magaji to his relatives. 

Our reporter gathered that the bandits called back on Thursday demanding another N20 million from his relatives despite killing the businessman. 

Hussaini Sani, an elder brother of the deceased, confirmed the death of Magaji to journalists. 

He said, “Nine of them were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road while on their way to Buruku. They later released three of them but withheld six.

“After some time, negotiation started with the families of the six people, and we later agreed to pay them collectively, only for us to see five of them coming back.

“When we asked them about the whereabouts of our brother, they confirmed to us that he was killed by the abductors. We called them (abductors) using the number they used for the negotiation. They insisted that our brother was still alive and even went ahead to demand another ransom before they would release him.

“When we insisted that we must hear our brother’s voice before paying something again, they opened up to us that he was really killed, saying he was trying to escape. But his released colleagues said he was killed intentionally,” he added.

The Daily Reality reported how bandits killed a 39-year-old businessman, Yahya Hassan Musa, hours after receiving a N6m ransom.

Musa, who hails from Kano, was roamed and kidnapped in a forest around the Mopa area of Kogi State, and the bandits reportedly demanded N10m naira before slashing it to N6m at a later date.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The mother of the missing social media critic, Abubakar Idris, aka Dadiyata, has passed on at sixty-six. 

The Daily Reality gathered that the deceased died at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna, where she was being treated.

Family members, Aminu and Usman, confirmed her death to journalists, adding that the deceased was rushed to the hospital where she had finally died. 

Usman said, “She was okay when she went to bed. However, she woke up at midnight, and she couldn’t talk. She became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital.”

Dadiyata was reportedly taken forcibly by unknown men on August 2, 2019, at his residence in Kaduna. However, until today, all attempts to trace his whereabouts have been fruitless.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Nigerian soldiers have captured a large sum of money intended to pay for the release of several captives held by armed bandits in Kaduna State.

Some of the ransom payment couriers are alleged to be security personnel, according to media reports.

Kidnapped victims, including women and children, were also rescued by troops participating in intelligence-driven military operations.

The operations, which were carried out concurrently by Nigerian Army ground soldiers and special forces from the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, resulted in eliminating several bandit terrorists.

According to an intelligence officer, troops from the synchronised operations from the 271 NAF Detachment in Birnin Gwari and the Nigerian Army FOB in Gwaska rescued dozens of kidnapped victims.

“The sum of N60,000,000 in cash, petroleum products and sophisticated weapons were recovered during the operations.

“Other items recovered by the troops from the suspects include vehicles, AK-47 rifles, magazines, various kinds of ammunition and mobile phones.

“Meanwhile, we will refer the case of the arrested couriers who mostly have identifications with security agencies to the Department of State Service (DSS) and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for further investigation,” the intelligence officer was quoted as saying.

Ishaka Mohamed

According to a New York Times bestselling author, Joyce Meyer, patience is not simply the ability to wait — it’s how we behave while we’re waiting.

Many Nigerian youths have been eager for the outcome of their applications for the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP). Well, the waiting period is almost over because forty days from now, successful Fellows will have been deployed to their host organisations. This is according to the mail sent to many applicants, a version of which has also been posted on Facebook by the official page of the scheme: Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme.

That said, I write this purposely to advise all the applicants. I have categorised them into three.

The first group are those who have been pushed by impatience into using rude comments on posts by two Facebook pages: UNDP in Nigeria and Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme. I presume they’re really fresh graduates who, probably, haven’t been following recruitment processes in Nigeria. I’ll outline only three out of the countless cases of delay in the country for them. 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) started a recruitment process in 2019 but failed to complete it until 2022.

N-Power Batch C application started in June 2020, but the deployment of beneficiaries never happened until after 15 months. 

The Kaduna State Teachers’ Service Board (KSTSB) started a recruitment exercise in 2018 but managed to employ 7,000 secondary school teachers in July 2022. In fact, as of the time of writing this article, that’s nine months after their employment, none of these teachers has been posted to a school, let alone being paid a salary.

Therefore, there isn’t any need to feel too disappointed over something that is highly expected. It’s worth stressing, however, that it’s OK to clamour for a positive change in whatever concerns us, but decorum is highly recommended, at least for a young graduate and job seeker. So, rude comments should be done away with.

The second group are the over 340,000 applicants who won’t be selected. Yes, a total of 365,679 people applied for the scheme that needs only 20,000 Fellows per annum.

With or without cogent evidence, there’ll be lamentations from almost every angle when successful applicants are eventually picked. Many will blame favouritism and the like. A good number might lose interest in applying for other jobs, claiming that it’s by whom one knows. I urge all unsuccessful applicants (yet to know, though) to avoid losing momentum because of this; it’s simply part of life.

Now, to the third group, the privileged few, I advise that you think twice before leaving your ‘small’ job for the programme. Although it’s said that Fellows will be fully paid as graduates, being deployed doesn’t guarantee prompt payments. You must be realistic to yourself by keeping an alternative means of livelihood.

Of all of the schemes I’ve observed in Nigeria, only NYSC is somehow consistent in the payment of allowances. I’ll mention three others that have significantly failed in this regard.

One, as of January 2022, many of the past N-Power volunteers were still owed stipends. That was after 18 months of exiting the programme. And even while in the scheme, a significant number of these youth often received overdue allowances.

Two, the Special Public Works Programme for 774,000 unskilled labourers ended in March 2021, but a good number of the beneficiaries weren’t paid their N60,000 stipends until after nine months (end of December 2021).

Three, some Nigerian youth were placed on a three-month paid internship called the Work Experience Programme (WEP) from August to October 2021.

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development promised each intern a monthly allowance of N30,000 within the period of their engagement.

But such never happened, as the payment commenced in November 2021 and continued, inconsistently, through February 2022.

Some may think that NJFP will be different; I pray so, too. However, the scheme has already shared a pattern with its predecessors. In August 2021, it was promised that the first batch would be inducted in about two months’ time (October), only for the statement to be changed after seven months.

Based on the above instances, I reiterate that you keep an alternative source of livelihood before engaging in the programme. This is especially important for those who’d be posted to states other than their current settlements.

On a final note, if you’re privileged to be deployed to a private organisation, make sure to sell yourself. Much as many organisations usually aim to rightsize their employee base, none will be willing to lose a diligent young graduate if you really present yourself well.

Ishaka Mohammed writes from Kaduna. He can be reached via ishakamohammed39@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari.

Shehu Sani picks the Governorship Form. However, he said he would not lie that a group paid for the nomination form.

Senator Shehu Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial district in the 8th Assembly from 2015 to 2019, disclosed this on his confirmed Facebook account on Wednesday, April 6, 2022.

“I picked my Governorship form. I suppose to lie that “a group” bought the form for me, but I can’t start with such lies. We need your support and prayers,” Sani posted

Mr Shehu Sani has long indicated an interest in contesting the 2023 Kaduna State gubernatorial election, and picking the nomination form did not come as a surprise to many.

Many people have commented on Shehu Sani’s post, wishing him well in the gubernatorial race.

“Victory all the way, Sir.” Stephanie Sewuese Shakaa, a Facebook user, commented.

Another Facebook user, Al-Ameen Jumare, said, “Best wishes, sir, our solidarity and support are priceless.”

By Musa Kalim Gambo

Before this kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism got to this scary stage, I consider(ed) Giwa my favourite and adopted Local Government in Kaduna State. This is a place where I have the largest number of friends in Kaduna State; many of these friends have come to assume the status of brothers to me. Not long ago, I visited Giwa frequently, almost weekly.

Now all things have changed. Giwa has become an epicentre of kidnapping and terror attacks on innocent individuals. Criminals attack people at home and on their farms; kill and abduct for a huge ransom. In the past few weeks alone, the rate of this criminality has intensified geometrically. Due to this tragic development, some villagers have been forcefully displaced. They have had to migrate to the Giwa town, which is relatively safer than their communities. About 3,000 of these displaced persons now take refuge in camps in Giwa town, Marabar Yakawada, and Yakawada. While a large number of the displaced persons have also moved to stay with their relatives in neighbouring towns of Sabon Gari and Zaria in Kaduna State and Funtua in Katsina State.

The families who have been sadly uprooted from their homes have obviously been denied access to the arable rural farmlands. Beyond the refugee crisis, this will result in an attendant shortage of food in the towns, which may eventually spill over to the rest of the country. Therefore, it is evident that life will not be easy for them in their camps and the host communities.

These refugees now have to contend with the gory reality in town, that while they run for their lives, they also definitely need food, medical attention and clothes to survive in their new temporary settlement. It has been reliably reported that the Giwa Local Government Chairman, Dr Abubakar Shehu Lawal, has made provisions for feeding them at various refugee camps in Giwa and across the Local Government. Also, Senator Uba Sani is reported to have delivered some relief items to the camps. This is indeed commendable. The local politicians have indicated a high level of commitment to responding to the plight of their people in distress.

However, all these are not enough. What is needed is a total end to this incessant spate of killings and kidnappings in Giwa. Within the week, this was one of the major issues raised on the floor of the House of Representatives by Honorable Shehu Balarabe, a member representing Giwa and Birnin Gwari federal constituency, in a motion of urgent public importance. Honourable Balarabe, in a very emotional tone conveying the gravity of the situation, highlighted the depth and dimension of the troubles and crises that these banditry, kidnapping and senseless killings have plunged his constituency in both Giwa and Birnin-Gwari. He called on the Federal government to direct all the relevant agencies to swing into action in order to address the crisis.

It is sad to note that the two Local governments that Honorable Shehu Balarabe represents at the House of Representatives are the two most dangerous places in Kaduna State in terms of banditry and kidnapping today. So it is easy to understand the difficult situation in which the Honorable finds himself as one of the voices of these people in Abuja. Birnin Gwari suffers way too much from the atrocious attacks of these bandits, and it also has its refugee crisis as well. However, I write on Giwa because of my deeper connection and access to the situation there.

So to an appreciable extent, it may well be concluded that the political leaders from Giwa are playing their roles to bring an end to this madness that has continued for too long. However, what remains is the commitment on the part of the federal government, which obviously does not seem to render any positive outcome yet. There has been a military presence in Giwa and other bandit infested communities. However, it has remained a puzzle that the criminals could still carry out attacks almost every day without any hindrance.

The month of Ramadan has just begun. While we keep calling on the governments at all levels to aid these communities in crises, it is also important for us to use this holy month to pray to Allah to provide succour and restore peace and sanity in the land. It is now evident that we should no longer pray for Allah to guide these criminals aright, no! They have unleashed an unforgivable magnitude of terror on our land. The least we can do now is pray for an eternal condemnation upon them, starting from here on earth. It should also be our point of prayer that whoever supports these criminals, in whatever way or means, from their informants’ right to the supply chain of their arms and ammunition, should face eternal perdition and body crippling afflictions here on earth before they meet their worse punishment in hell.

Finally, may Allah grant our leaders the will and ability to put in place the right measures to end these killings and kidnappings. At the same time, we should assist these displaced persons with the little we have in terms of food items and clothes; I have also seen a group of youths on Facebook led by the immediate past president of the Giwa Students Association, Nuhu Haruna mobilizing funds on Facebook to assist these displaced persons. We should contribute as much as we can.

Musa Kalim Gambo writes from Zaria and can be reached via gmkalim@hotmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, warned on Tuesday that Nigeria is bleeding due to the recent wave of killings.

The All Progressives Congress’s National Leader asked everyone to join hands in the fight against banditry.

This comes as Governor Nasir el-Rufai stated that Nigeria is at a fork in the road and that the country must make a difficult decision by 2023 on who will lead the country out of its various problems.

Tinubu, who was in Kaduna for a condolence visit following the terrorist attack on a Kaduna-bound train from Abuja on March 28, donated N50 million to help the state government repair and care for the victims.

“We are facing the current challenges seriously, and we have to do more. Nigeria bleeds on behalf of everybody.

“We need to fight terrorism with all our energy and whatever we have. It’s not shameful for people to be poor, but it’s unacceptable to accept poverty as a norm.

“It’s shameful to be callous, wicked and be a bully or terror to instil fear in humanity, and it’s not acceptable,” Mr Tinubu was quoted as saying.