Kaduna State

By Muhammad Sabiu

On Wednesday, shooters suspected of being kidnappers abducted 22 people and injured four others in Idon, Kajuru Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

Mr. Aboki Danjuma, a resident of the Idon community, said the criminals arrived around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday and started shooting sporadically.

Justina Joseph, Mary Joseph, Rejoice Joseph, Stephen Joseph, Samson Ladan, Christiana David, Boniface David, Helen Aminu, Mirabel Aminu, Precious Philemon, Nelson Philemon, and Christian Philemon were among those taken away by the bandits, according to a councillor in the Kajuru Local Government Area of the State, Bala Jonathan.

Yosi Gabriel, Stephen Clement, Jinkai Musa, Derrick Obadiah, Daniel David, Paul David, Istifanus Peter, Miracle Matthew, Jesse Charles, and Favour Daniel are among the other names on the list.

According to him, David Maigaya, Micah Musa, Josephine Matthew, and Marshall Musa were the four injured people.

Since the time of posting this story, ASP Mohammed Jalige, the Kaduna Police Public Relations Officer, has yet to confirm the killings.

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

The worsening fuel scarcity that hit Kaduna State has forced several motorists to abandon their vehicles in queues at many filling stations when petrol was not available to go back home.

The Daily Reality visited some filling stations and observed that long queues have risen exponentially. Motorists were seen in the early hours, precisely, 6.30 am, queueing at Mobil Fuel Station, Independence Way, Kaduna, where PMS was dispensed via only one nozzle point with four orders inactive.

Also, at the filling stations on Constitution Road, Ali Akilu Road, Yakowa Way, among others, fuel attendants were seen turning back motorists.

The development came almost one week after the import of millions of dirty PMS from Europe into Nigeria disrupted the fuel supply system of the country, leading to long queues nationwide. The situation has resulted in total confusion and long lines of vehicles at various filling stations in the metropolis.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

Potable water scarcity has been one of the major problems facing residents of the Kanuda metropolis for a long time. Stories of potable water scarcity in places like Rigasa, Kawo, Barnawa, Tudun Wada, Kabala West, Unguwar Kanawa, Unguwar Rimi, and others have, in the past years, remained a recurring issue with most of the past administrations failing to arrest the situation till date.

Although the past administrations failed at finding a lasting solution to the water scarcity, nearly all of them committed a large chunk of money to the rehabilitation of water facilities in the state. 

As of now, an investigation by The Daily Reality reveals that water scarcity across the metropolis becomes worst during the dry season when the majority of those that could not afford sachet water, borehole water resolve into patronising a series of questionable water sources available to them. 

It has been discovered that most of the administrations put up measures at making the corporation effective and efficient, the Kaduna State Water Corporation (KSWC). Still, the efforts were not all needed to tackle the chains of problems facing the corporation.

Most of the residents that spoke to The Daily Reality (TDR) in the affected areas expressed displeasure. However, they are pleading with the administration of Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i to pay attention to the issue before the expiration of its term.

By Sumayyah Auwal Usman

Suspected assassins have killed the Director of Operations of the Kaduna Geographic Information Service(KADGIS), Malam Dauda, in the early hours of Friday. 

It was gathered that the assailants attacked the victim’s house located in the Barakallahu community in the Igabi Local Government Area of the state where they assassinated him. Sources have confirmed to The Daily Reality that the assailants killed the victim and took off, leaving all valuables in the house.

Attacks by terror groups on communities in Kaduna have become rampant, with hundreds of people killed or kidnapped in 2021. Despite the heavy deployment of security operatives to the area, the attacks have continued.

By Muhammad Sabiu

On Monday, February 7, 2022, the Kaduna State Government said that troops had rescued seven people in the state who had been kidnapped.

Security forces revealed to the government that the troops rescued seven persons from bandits who attacked Ungwan Garama in the Maraban Rido General Area of Chikun Local Government, Kaduna State, according to Samuel Aruwan, the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs.

The troops, he claimed, got distress calls alerting them of a bandit raid and swiftly engaged the attackers.

The criminals were forced to flee due to the soldiers’ superior firepower, he continued.

Security authorities, according to him, were able to exploit the criminals’ escape path and recover seven abducted people, adding that all of the rescued victims have been reunited with their relatives.

By Safiyanu Ladan

The Kaduna state government has directed teachers in public schools to transit to four days working in a week, which the state adopted last year.

In line with the new arrangement, the teachers will now work from Monday to Thursday instead of Monday to Friday regular routine.

This development has generated a lot of condemnation across the state, as many people fear that it will further cripple the already fragile education system.

According to these critics, Governor El-Rufai had come up with stringent education policies ranging from competency tests for primary school teachers, which saw the sacking of thousands of primary school teachers, to the closure of schools due to the covid-19 pandemic and insecurity.

These aforementioned measures have invariably affected the impartation of knowledge and created a considerable gap that requires concerted effort to fill.

Staying at home during this period created an overwhelming experience for children and parents. It has also affected the way they learn. Having learnt that the future of their children’s education is at stake, parents were left with no other option than to hire private tutors for their wards, as the resumption date was still sketchy.

Noted for being a hub of intellectual activities in Northern Nigeria, the state has recently grappled with reduced access to classroom education due to those challenges.

And now, with this government’s directives of transiting the teacher’s working days to four in a week in place of the regular working days is tantamount to reducing the access to classrooms that has a far reached negative impacts on students.

Given the foregoing, the decision of the government to make teachers in public schools resort to four days working is ill-fated.

Safiyanu Ibrahim wrote from Kaduna via uncledoctor24@gmail.com.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Lawrence Aklogado, a final year student of the Faculty of Law, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has launched a campaign to donate cardigans for Almajiri roaming the streets of Zaria in the harmattan cold.

Mr Aklogado launched the kind and caring campaign on Monday, January, 31 and tagged it as “One Almajiri, One Cardigan.”

In an interview with The Daily Reality, Mr Aklogado stated his reasons for the campaign.

“Zaria was 4° degrees sometime last week. I walk to lectures every morning by 7 o’clock and see two categories of people. The student, staff and workers all rolled up in thick clothing yet complaining of the cold and the Almajiris who are putting on thorn clothing and yet not complaining of the cold.

These guys are white from head to toe, some of them not even having footwear. I only imagined how this period is hard for them. So I sat down and thought of how I could help. I don’t have money to buy cardigans and share because, truly, I was broke, and I don’t want to start telling anyone to please donate money for the almajiri. So the idea came to tell people to donate a cardigan for the almajiri.”

I designed the flier and started sharing it. The response was huge on the first day. And I am glad.” Mr Aklogado said.

When asked further on his target, he said, “My target is 100 plus cardigans for the Almajiris, and I have gotten 25 thus far. I go from hostel to hostel, and the main challenge is most students have just a cardigan too, but I am not giving up though”

The campaigner has been applauded by many people for the thoughtful and kind gesture.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Three hundred eighty-seven (387) people were murdered in the communal clashes in Kauru and Zangon Kataf, according to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

On Wednesday, he stated this at Agwatyap’s palace in Atak Njei, Zangon Kataf.

The Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, who represented El-Rufa’i at a meeting with traditional, religious and community leaders at the palace of Agwatyap, urged the communities in Kauru and Zangon Kataf to stick to the law and avoid generalizations that exacerbate the security situation in the areas.

He further called on the communities in Kauru and Zangon Kataf to keep recourse to the law.

During an emergency meeting with traditional rulers, Aruwan, who was escorted to the conference by security chiefs, also stated that the counter-killings were unacceptable.

By MMuhammad Sabiu

Suspected bandits kidnapped an unknown number of traders from Birnin Gwari Local Government in Kaduna State on Wednesday.

According to a witness, the gunmen blocked the roadway between Birnin Gwari and Kaduna at Unguwar Yako bush, where the traders were taken.

According to the source, the abducted people were among dozens of people travelling on business from Birnin Gwari and nearby areas in Niger State to Kano.

The source was quoted as saying, “We were travelling in a convoy with security escorts but they (bandits) abducted those who moved ahead of the convoy, which made them easy preys for the bandits.“We came and met about four empty vehicles, while seeing the bandits moving into the forest with the captives.

The soldiers are tracing them, we are stranded at a dangerous spot in the forest (Unguwar Yako) while the security escorts are chasing to rescue the abducted traders.”

As of the time of filing this report, police in Kaduna have not released an official statement on the incident.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Troops in Kaduna State have reportedly neutralized bandits and foiled a planned attack on Fatika town of the state.

A release issued Monday, 10-1-2022 by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, disclosed that five members of the militant group were killed in the process.

Aruwan Said that the troops who conducted clearance patrols in Giwa local government area received credible intelligence of terrorists’ movement.

However, he added that, “the troops then mobilised to Marke and Ruheya in response.”

“The outlaws were sighted and attempted to escape the advancing forces. The troops however cut off their escape route at Kwanan Bataro, and engaged them in a firefight, during which five of the terrorists were neutralized. The troops returned to base after clearing the area,” he stated.

The statement stated that governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed satisfaction at the operational feedback.

El-Rufai has also commended the troops for their proactive and sharp response to the intelligence received, encouraging them to keep up the intensity in the ongoing offensives against terrorists in the area.