Nigeria

By Muhsin Ibrahim

Talk about Kannywood and, often, some people who are scarcely literate or have little knowledge of film will dismiss the entire industry as a sanctuary for good-for-nothing folks. But that is not always true.

I first met the late Malam Umar Maikudi (also known as Cashman) at the 2019 Kano Indigenous Languages of Africa Film Market and Festival (KILAF) conference. We connected immediately, discussed various issues, and ultimately exchanged phone numbers.

Although Malam was old enough to be my father, we maintained a relatively cordial relationship. He would send me some of his writings, and I would send him mine in return. We also met a few more times during subsequent editions of the KILAF conference. I am sure Alhaji Abdulkarim, the CEO of Moving Image and the organiser of KILAF, will dearly miss Cashman.

He was among the few brilliant individuals blessed with the talent to blend theory and practice seamlessly, and he excelled in both. 

Malam was a lecturer at Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, and President of the Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN). 

Malam was a bridge between Kannywood and Nollywood, as he featured in films from both industries. Many Kannywood viewers may not be very familiar with him, though.

Cashman only recently started featuring in more mainstream Kannywood productions, such as Gidan Badamasi and Labarina. As a lawyer in the latter (Labarina), who is expected to code-switch and code-mix, you can tell this actor is definitely educated. He was.

His death is a significant loss to his family, of course, and to the Nigerian entertainment industry. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant his loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss, amin.

Muhsin Ibrahim, PhD, is an academic and writes about Nigerian films. He can be contacted via muhsin2008@gmail.com.

By Anas Abbas

In a significant move, the House of Representatives has urged the federal government to take action to assist Nigerians residing in Saudi Arabia who have been adversely impacted by recent labour and immigration reforms implemented by Saudi authorities.

This call for intervention came during a plenary session on Wednesday, following a motion presented by Rep. Muhammad Bello Shehu (NNPP, Kano). 

Rep. Shehu highlighted that the Saudi government introduced substantial reforms in August 2024, which have had a profound effect on labour laws, impacting numerous Nigerians who have lived in the country for years and often support large families.

The reforms include changes to the definitions of “Assignment” and “Resignation,” the discontinuation of work permit renewals for domestic workers, and various regularisation processes. As a result, many Nigerians have lost their jobs, while others are burdened with exorbitant fees for renewing their documents and work permits.

“Some domestic workers, including drivers, have been laid off and are unable to afford the renewal fees. Many find themselves unable to leave the country due to outstanding overstays,” Rep. Shehu explained.

He also noted that the Urban Renewal aspect of the reforms has further complicated matters, as affordable rental properties have been demolished to make way for urban development, exacerbating the hardships faced by these individuals and forcing their children out of school.

The lawmaker also criticised, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for not sufficiently engaging with Saudi authorities to secure an amnesty window for affected citizens or propose viable solutions for their evacuation and return to Nigeria.

In light of these challenges, Rep. Shehu urged Saudi officials to consider granting amnesty to Nigerians who wish to return home. 

Following the motion’s adoption, the House directed its committees on Foreign Affairs, Interior, Diaspora, and Muslim Pilgrimage to collaborate with the Executive Arm. They are tasked with negotiating an amnesty option for those willing to return and ensuring their safe evacuation, with a report due back to the House within six weeks.

By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu 

To many Nigerians, the security allocations in national budgets often appear inflated. Year after year, billions are allocated to the military, defence procurement, intelligence operations, and internal security initiatives.

Yet, the level of insecurity across the country continues to raise eyebrows. The common question remains: “Where is all this money going?” It is a valid concern.

However, beyond the budget lines and official pronouncements lies a more complex reality—one that is often overlooked by the average citizen. The actual cost of warfare and intelligence operations is not just steep—it is staggering.

Take air operations as an example. Military insiders have long noted that flying an Alpha Jet for a single mission can gulp up to a million naira in aviation fuel alone.

This figure excludes routine maintenance, spare parts, logistics, or crew allowances. Multiply these flights across days and theatres of operation, and it becomes easier to understand why security efforts are financially demanding.

On the ground, the story is similar. Armoured vehicles, patrol vans, and tanks require constant fuelling, often idling for hours during missions. Soldiers deployed to remote areas require food, clothing, and equipment.

Medical support must be on standby, and when fatalities occur, families of the fallen deserve compensation. These are not occasional expenses—they are daily operational necessities.

Yet, beyond the financial weight of military engagement lies an even more fragile dimension: intelligence gathering. In parts of the country, particularly the North East, North Central, and North West, attacks by insurgents and bandits continue with frightening regularity.

People often ask: Why aren’t these attacks being preempted? Where is the intelligence? These questions are justified. Comparisons are frequently drawn to agencies like the FBI or Israel’s Mossad, known for preemptive actions.

But intelligence is no miracle tool. It relies on actionable information—gathered, processed, and relayed with accuracy. In many of Nigeria’s conflict zones, such information is scarce.

Locals often fear reprisals and refuse to share what they know. Rural and forested areas remain difficult to monitor due to the absence of surveillance infrastructure.

Moreover, intelligence work is not the sole burden of the military. It requires seamless coordination among the police, DSS, NSCDC, and even vigilante groups. Where this collaboration falters, intelligence fails.

That is not to absolve our agencies of their failings. Reports of negligence, delayed responses, and poor communication abound. However, these shortcomings, while real, are not insurmountable.

Nigeria urgently needs to rethink its approach to intelligence. There must be fresh investment in surveillance tools, inter-agency communication systems, and the training of personnel in modern techniques.

Citizens, too, must become active partners by volunteering timely and truthful information. This war cannot be won solely by the military. It requires collaboration, from the government to the grassroots.

Technology, including drone surveillance and satellite imagery, must be embraced. But more than anything else, there must be political will to treat intelligence not as a side note, but as the beating heart of our national security strategy.

Balanced expectations are also important. While it is tempting to measure Nigeria’s intelligence systems against those of global powers, such comparisons can be misleading.

Nations like the US and Israel have built theirs over decades with enormous financial commitment. Nigeria, by contrast, is still building its base. Still, quiet victories exist—many of them deliberately kept from the public domain for strategic reasons.

Terror plots have been foiled, camps dismantled, and lives saved through intelligence-led operations. These successes rarely make headlines. What are the failures, the losses, and the anguish they leave behind?

That is why we must keep asking questions—but with an understanding of the context. Accountability, yes. But also support, reform, and renewed trust. National security is not a spectator sport. It is a shared duty.

And if Nigeria is to triumph over its many threats, it must first accept that intelligence, not just guns, is its most potent weapon.

Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu writes from the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) in Abuja.

By Prof. Abdussamad Umar Jibia

Sometime in 2023, after the APC presidential primaries, I wrote to advise the flag-bearer of APC, Alhaji Bola Ahmad Tinubu, on the need to appoint a Muslim as his running mate. The reason I gave is still valid. Northern Christians (read opportunists) are a tiny minority compared to their Muslim counterparts. 

Additionally, northern Nigerian Christians are known to unleash violence against Muslims in the few areas where they form a majority. Any presidential ticket with a Northern Christian was thus dead on arrival.

Taking Nigeria as a whole, Christians are fewer than Muslims. A Muslim-Muslim ticket is thus a winning ticket. A Christian-Christian ticket will always lose. If it could win, Nigerian Christians would never allow us access to even the most insignificant positions in Government. 

But even as we were talking about Islam and Christianity, we ignored a statement credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that to the Yoruba man, Yoruba culture is more important than religion. We also ignored notes from other Muslims that Tinubu was married to a pastor who had an excessive influence on him. Whereas, going by the teaching of Islam, Bola Ahmed, a Muslim male, did nothing wrong by marrying a Christian woman, the undue influence of his wife had not been established. Hence, we ignored those notes.

Now, with a Muslim as the head and another Muslim as his deputy, what are the expectations? 

Since democracy is a game of numbers in which the majority have the way, it is highly unexpected that a minority will populate a government that came to power with the votes of the majority. That is what President Tinubu has done. 

Tinubu, a Muslim who came to power with the votes of the Muslim majority, travelled to the Vatican “with a bragging right of 62% Christian appointees”. This figure was shamelessly released by the Presidency, according to the Thisdaynewspaper. 

The presidential entourage itself is Christian. There is no single Muslim name in it except the President himself. If I may ask, is the president still a Muslim? Is he practising double religion? 

Islam doesn’t allow a person to practice two religions. You are either a Muslim or something else.  Is President Tinubu going there to worship? Of course, the Vatican is a Catholic city with no single Muslim. Why can’t he send the president of the senate, if at all, Nigeria has to honour the “Pope’s invitation”?

But appointment to public offices is only secondary. What is fundamental is the right of every Nigerian Muslim to practice their religion without let or hindrance and without another religion being imposed on them. A Muslim-Muslim presidency is useless if it cannot remove, or at worst attempt to remove, the aspects of Christianity imposed on non-Christian Nigerians in our national life. 

Only a few weeks ago, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) protested the closure of schools by some Northern states during Ramadan, claiming an attempt to “Islamize” the country. Instead of the Tinubu/Shettima government seizing the opportunity to conduct a total review of the influence of the colonial Christian religion in our national life, this government, like some cowards, succumbed to CAN’s position and asked the Federal Ministry of Education to “discuss” with the Muslim states that closed schools. 

A simple review of our working and work-free days would reveal that we are being forced to observe Christian holy days of Saturdays and Sundays as weekends, a total of 104 days per year. Again, our schools close twice a year for Christmas and Easter Christian celebrations. Yet, the Muslim-Muslim Government is not even looking in that direction. Is it timidity or deception? Either way, the disappointment is stinking.

Out of laughable ignorance, Nigerian Christians consider Israel a Christian country and Israelis as their brothers. Yes, the same Jews who proudly claim the murder of Jesus and consider his mother a whore. This ignorance is what led Pastor Adeboye to pray for Israel against the occupied Palestine. At the point the entire freedom-fighting nations like our own South Africa were filing a petition at the International Criminal Court, we saw the President’s wife receiving the Israeli ambassador at the state house.

Assuming the land and blood of Gazans were lawful for Israel, which is what Mrs. Tinubu seems to believe, what of the valid claim that Israel has a hand in the failure of our internal security by giving military training to Christian militia in the North Central? Why can’t President Tinubu launch an honest investigation into it? 

Mr. President, have we not made the wrong choice? 

On a final note, I still believe that it could have been worse if Tinubu had chosen a Northern Christian as his running mate. Of course, he would have lost the presidential election. 

Professor Abdussamad Umar Jibia wrote via aujibia@gmail.com.

By Oladoja M.O

Adeoye Hussain Chukwuebuka came in glowing, the kind of glow that only pure purpose can give. Fresh from the furnace of medical college, his results bore the scent of brilliance, his stride the rhythm of someone born to heal. His white coat shimmered in the sterile hallway lights, worn not just as a uniform, but as a covenant. His stethoscope draped around his neck like the bronze serpent lifted in the wilderness, signalling a promise of life to those on the brink of death.

He truly came in, not seeking escape or greener pastures. He came with a fire. A fire to serve, to make an impact, to stay.

But then… housemanship happened.

In just two weeks to the new life, Chukwuebuka’s glow began to dim. Not metaphorically, but literally. His cheeks, once full, shrank. His eyes, once bright, dulled. He was fatter before — not just in body, but in dreams. He came with life. The system began to drain it, slowly, ruthlessly.

At first, sleep became a luxury, unaffordable anymore. Then his sanity. Later, his joy.

Adeoye found himself in a loop of exhaustion so grave it warped reality. He would resume by 8 a.m., and wouldn’t see sleep again for 48 hours — not once, not twice, but repeatedly. As soon as he thought he could breathe, just for a minute, a call would come in — “Come to the ward”, “There’s an emergency”, “You’re needed in theatre.” Again. And again… and again.

His personal life? Hussain could see it walk off him without his approval. Even his relationship that survived the inferno of medical school was broken off simply because there was nothing left of him to give. Not even text messages. Not even voice notes. Nothing. Just like that, a life he already had in play, joyful about, phased off.

Oh! Could he even shake off one of the haunting experiences he forever wished he could have helped with? Adeoye had already been on duty for over 24 hours when an emergency struck. A baby. Not breathing. Even at his lowest point, he could not stand not doing anything to save the situation. His body moved on instinct… he rushed, assessed, and started resuscitation. But five minutes in, the rush wore off. His hands gave up. He couldn’t even lift his arms. His fingers couldn’t form pressure. His own pulse felt faint. And the baby…. The baby slipped away. Left. Not just into death, but into the cracks of a broken system.

And on the report, he had to write the truth — “Could not complete resuscitation due to extreme personal exhaustion.”

That sentence continues to haunt him.

It wasn’t just a failure of strength. It was a failure of structure. And his friends across other hospitals? They were fainting. Collapsing mid-shift. Crying in toilet stalls. Living like machines with rusting gears.

And you would think, with this superhuman sacrifice, the reward would be more than a room could contain.

But no.

The pay was barely enough to survive. But Adeoye said, and meant it — he would take less if it meant he could have a piece of his soul back. If he could breathe. If he could be human. This isn’t about money alone, but about dignity. About survival. About choosing between saving lives and watching his own slip away.

And even if he summons all the strength left in his marrow, there’s still this: no equipment. Oxygen runs out. Monitors don’t beep. Gloves tear. Syringes are blunt. Catheters are scarce. The barest minimum? A luxury. And in that darkness, they still whisper: “Do your best.”

What best? With what tools? With what strength?

Even those who still carry passion like a torch are now shivering in the cold winds of burnout. The system is crushing the very shoulders it leans on.

Why?

The answer is bitter: a workforce too thin to carry a country.

How many doctors are produced yearly? Nowhere near enough. And even among those, only a fraction secure placement for housemanship. Why? Because merit is suffocated by political interference. Only about 20% of placements are based on merit. The rest are claimed by sons of power, daughters of connections, and family friends of politicians. Many brilliant minds, like Adeoye once was, remain stranded, waiting, and wasting.

And yet, those lucky enough to be placed are punished for it. Overworked. Underequipped. Undervalued.

And Adeoye? He really didn’t want to leave. He honestly was determined to stay. He actually wanted to believe. But now? He would give anything to go.

Not for luxury.
Not for pride.
Just to survive.

This is the irony: Nigeria’s housemanship year, which is supposed to be a bridge from classroom to clinic, has become a crucible. Rather than refine, it breaks. Becomes a trapdoor instead of a launchpad. 

And this is not just about Adeoye Hussain Chukwuebuka.
It’s about hundreds. Thousands.
Many of whom came in glowing. Now walking corpses — souls intact, bodies crumbling.

They didn’t want to leave. They really didn’t.
Until housemanship happened.

Oladoja M.O writes from Abuja and can be reached at: mayokunmark@gmail.com

By Abbas Datti

I am worried by the increasing broadcast of music videos featuring women in revealing, indecent dressing by the popular Arewa24 television station. In sum, it has reached a tipping point where women featured in music videos are sometimes half-naked, in a provocative, obscene dressing. 

Considering its audience, Arewa24, whose programming is widely accessible to viewers of all ages, must be subjected to public scrutiny for continuously airing content that contradicts the Hausa culture and traditional values of our society.

Many of these music videos not only portray women in revealing clothing but also promote gestures and themes that are inappropriate for family viewing. The consistent exposure to such content, especially during prime time when children and young adults are most likely to be watching, raises serious questions about Arewa TV’s commitment to ethical broadcasting and social responsibility. Most of those video songs are being shown during prime time.

Our society, rich in religious moral character and cultural pride, has always upheld values that protect the dignity and modesty of individuals, particularly women. The portrayal of women in such a demeaning and objectifying manner is not only an affront to Hausa Fulani’s traditions but also sends the wrong message to younger generations.

We call on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and other censorship regulatory bodies to urgently investigate some content being aired by the Arewa TV station. Strict measures should be taken to ensure that all media platforms operate within the boundaries of decency, respect, and cultural sensitivity. 

Furthermore, there is a pressing need for media houses to adopt self-regulation policies and prioritise programming that promotes positive values and Hausa cultural identity. Our religion and cultural heritage must not be compromised in the name of entertainment.

The time to act is now. Authorities must rise to the occasion and safeguard the moral fabric of the Hausa people from further extinction.

Abbas Datti writes from Kano via abbasdatti448@gmail.com.

Accelerating Kano’s Future Through Technology and Innovation

Your Excellency, 

I write to you with profound optimism about the transformative potential of technology and innovation to position Kano State as a beacon of progress in Nigeria and beyond. As Africa’s youth population surges, Kano, rich in culture, commerce, and human capital, is uniquely poised to harness this demographic dividend by embracing technology as a catalyst for economic growth, social equity, and sustainable development.  

Your Excellency, I recognise and commend your commendable efforts and those of the Kano State Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, under the visionary leadership of the Honourable Commissioner, in laying the groundwork for transformative projects already in the pipeline. The recent establishment of the Kano State Information Technology Development Agency (KASITDA) is a particularly strategic leap forward, signalling the state’s resolve to institutionalise tech-driven growth. These efforts are a critical foundation, and I urge sustained momentum to ensure their timely execution. 

The recommendations outlined herein aim to complement and accelerate these existing plans, providing additional frameworks to attract global partnerships, amplify local talent, and unlock scalable opportunities. By building upon the Ministry’s initiatives and KASITDA’s mandate, Kano can fast-track its rise as a regional leader in technology-driven development.  

Why Technology Matters

Technology is not merely a tool but a foundation for modernisation. It drives efficiency, creates jobs, and bridges gaps in education, healthcare, governance and more. For Kano, where over 60% of the population is under 25, investing in tech equips our youth with skills to compete globally while addressing local challenges like unemployment, agricultural productivity, and access to public services.  

Globally, nations such as Rwanda and India have demonstrated that prioritising tech ecosystems can spur prosperity. Closer home, Lagos’s emergence as a start-up hub highlights the power of deliberate policy and infrastructure. Kano, with its strategic location, historical significance, and entrepreneurial spirit, can surpass these models by tailoring solutions to our unique context.  

A Blueprint for Transformation

To unlock this potential, I propose the following actionable initiatives:  

1. Establish Kano Tech City

Create a dedicated innovation district with co-working spaces, labs, and incubation hubs. Partner with organisations like Google, Alison – Free Empowerment Platform, Microsoft Africa, Altmentor and more to offer training, mentorship, and funding access. This ecosystem will nurture startups in EdTech, AgriTech, FinTech, HealthTech, etc, sectors critical to Kano’s economy.  

2. Revolutionise Education

Integrate digital skills into school curricula. Launch “Kano Code Clubs” and sponsor scholarships for students pursuing careers in STEM fields. Collaborate with Universities to offer advanced degrees in emerging technologies, ensuring a pipeline of skilled talent.  

3. Upgrade Infrastructure

Prioritise broadband expansion, especially in rural areas, and deploy solar-powered tech centres to overcome energy challenges. Reliable internet and electricity are non-negotiable for attracting global investors.  

4. Enact Innovation-Friendly Policies

Offer tax breaks for tech start-ups, streamline business registration, and establish a regulatory sandbox for testing solutions. Launch a Kano Innovation Fund to provide grants and venture capital. Some Innovation-Friendly Policies are outlined below;

-Tax Incentives & Financial Support

• 5-Year Tax Holiday: Exempt early-stage start-ups (0–3 years) from corporate income tax, PAYE, and land use charges. 
• Investor Tax Exemptions: Offer 100% capital gains tax relief for investments in Kano-based tech start-ups. 
• R&D Grants: Fund 50% of R&D costs for startups in priority sectors (AgriTech, EduTech, renewable energy).
• Kano Equity Fund: Establish a state-backed venture capital fund to co-invest in high-potential startups, matching private investments 1:1.  

-Ease of Doing Business

• 24-Hour Start-up Licensing: Create a dedicated tech desk at the Kano Investment Agency to fast-track business registration, licenses, and permits. 
• Regulatory Sandbox: Allow start-ups in FinTech, HealthTech, and mobility to test products for 12 months without full regulatory compliance. 
• Land Grants: Allocate subsidised land in Kano Tech City to start-ups and investors who commit to hiring at least 60% local talent.

-Talent & Immigration

• Tech Talent Visa: Partner with the Federal Government to expedite visas for foreign founders, engineers, and investors relocating to Kano. 
• Residency Rebates: Offer 50% discount on residency fees for startups that train and hire 100+ Kano youths annually.  

-Market Access & Growth

• Government Procurement Quota: Mandate 20% of state procurement contracts (e.g., e-governance tools, agri-supply chains) to be awarded to local tech startups.
• Export Incentives: Subsidise Saas (Software-as-a-Service) startups to scale across Africa by covering 30% of their cross-border marketing costs.  

-Investor Confidence & Exit Opportunities

• Investor Matchmaking: Host quarterly pitch sessions connecting startups with angels and global VC networks.
• Acquisition Support: Legal and financial advisory subsidies for startups exiting to foreign or local acquirers.  

-Sector-Specific Boosts

• AgriTech Subsidies: Free state-owned farmland for AgriTech startups piloting IoT-enabled irrigation or crop-monitoring drones.
• AI Ethics Framework: Develop Nigeria’s first state-level AI governance guidelines to attract ethical tech firms and global grants.  

-Long-Term Stability

• 10-Year Policy Guarantee: Legislate a “Kano Innovation Charter” to lock in incentives beyond political cycles, ensuring investor confidence. 
• Kano Tech Ambassadors: Appoint youth innovators as global ambassadors to showcase success stories in international media.  

5. Host Annual Tech Conferences

Showcase Kano’s potential through events like “Kano Innovates,” attracting investors, entrepreneurs, and thinkers. Celebrate local success stories to inspire a culture of innovation.  

Attracting Investment

A thriving tech ecosystem signals stability and opportunity. By cultivating homegrown talent and infrastructure, Kano will attract investors seeking opportunities in untapped markets. Public-private partnerships can further de-risk investments, while success stories will generate organic interest.  

A Call to Legacy

Your Excellency, this vision demands bold leadership. Imagine a Kano where farmers use drones to monitor their crops, artisans sell their products globally via digital platforms, and students use AI to solve community problems. Championing this agenda will secure Kano’s place as a hub of African innovation, creating jobs, reducing poverty, and inspiring generations.  

The time to act is now. Let us collaborate with stakeholders, businesses, educators, and youth to build a Kano that leads, not follows.  

Abubakar Sadiq Umar writes from Kano and can be reached via email at aserdeeq@gmail.com

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu; the Department of State Services (DSS); and the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) of abduction and torture.

He is demanding N38.3 billion in damages. According to a report by Truth Lens News, Isah alleged that Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, offered him a N100 million bribe to support President Tinubu’s re-election.

He claimed he rejected the offer due to the government’s failure to fulfill past promises.

Following his refusal, Isah stated that he was abducted on April 15, stripped of his belongings, beaten, and forced to issue a statement under duress.

He also accused his abductors of threatening to kill him and cover up the crime.

However, Seyi Tinubu has denied all allegations, stating that he has no connection with Isah and has never met him. In a post on his Instagram page, he dismissed the claims as false and an attempt to tarnish his reputation.

Additionally, a civil society group, Education for Accelerated Development (EAD), declared that Isah lacks the legitimacy to serve as NANS president, describing his accusations as baseless and a publicity stunt.

The case has sparked public debate, with many calling for a thorough investigation into the alleged abduction and bribery claims.

By Anas Abbas

The government of Plateau State , has announced the confirmation of five cholera cases, including three fatalities, alongside 20 suspected cases in the state.

During a press briefing, Dr.Nicholas Baamlong, the state commissioner of health, indicated that the confirmed cases have emerged from the Ngyong, Hurti, and Wurit communities within the Bokkos Local Government Area (LGA).

In response to the outbreak, the state Ministry of Health has initiated an incident management system aimed at implementing a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach.

The state Epidemiologist has been designated as the Incident Manager for this cholera outbreak.

His responsibilities will include overseeing the establishment of oral rehydration centers in the affected communities, as well as cholera treatment facilities at the College Hospital located in Bokkos LGA.

Additionally, he will coordinate efforts related to surveillance, case management, and risk communication.

Baamlong attributed the outbreak to several factors, including inadequate sanitation, limited access to clean water, and population displacement due to recent attacks in Bokkos LGA.

He noted the importance of evacuating suspected cholera cases to designated treatment centers promptly.

The commissioner urged residents of Bokkos LGA and neighboring areas to remain vigilant, maintain good hygiene practices, and report any suspected cases to the nearest healthcare facility without delay.

Dr. Baamlong reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of all residents in Plateau State and called on partners to assist in the ongoing emergency response efforts.

By Uzair Adam

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has issued a stern warning to local government workers who abandon their duty posts, saying such indiscipline will no longer be tolerated and could lead to dismissal.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Nasarawa State Local Government Service Commission and the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), the governor expressed concern over the widespread absenteeism among some local government staff.

Governor Sule lamented that certain employees had relocated to urban areas while continuing to receive monthly salaries, without contributing to their respective local government areas.

“I observed with deep concern that some local government workers only exist on the payroll. They’ve left their duty posts and moved to the cities, contributing nothing to grassroots development. This practice must end if we are to make meaningful progress,” he said.

He reiterated that the current administration is committed to restructuring local government operations, especially with the constitutional backing of local government autonomy.

Sule urged the newly inaugurated commission to support the government’s vision of enhancing socio-economic development in rural communities by ensuring effective local governance.

The governor also warned his appointees and elected officials to refrain from interfering in the recruitment of new teachers in the state.

He recalled that the previous exercise conducted by the Teachers’ Service Commission was marred by irregularities, which led to the removal of the commission’s chairman.

To address the shortage of educators, Governor Sule announced plans to recruit 1,500 additional teachers for both primary and secondary schools.

He said professionals have been engaged to oversee the recruitment process and ensure only qualified candidates are selected.

He called on all eligible applicants to take advantage of the opportunity, rather than complain about unemployment without making any effort.

Addressing the newly inaugurated appointees, Sule urged them to uphold integrity, discipline, patriotism, and the rule of law in their service, reminding them that public office is a trust from the people.

“In your duties, let the fear of God and the public interest guide you above personal gain,” the governor stated.