Sokoto State

By Anwar Usman

Sokoto State Hisbah Board has shutdown a hotel in the state capital over allegations of accommodating underage girls on its premises.

The incidence was confirmed by the Deputy Commander General of the board, Prof. Abubakar Usman Ribah, on Tuesday, saying that the action followed repeated violations by the hotel despite earlier warnings.

Ribah said the hotel was found to have breached regulations prohibiting the lodging of underage persons, describing the act as contrary to the moral and legal standards upheld by the board.

He stated that, the hotel had previously been cautioned and had also entered into an agreement with the Hisbah Board and other hotel operators in the state not to allow underage children to stay in their facilities.

“This is the second time such an offence has been recorded at the Executive Hotel, despite previous warnings and assurances by the management to desist from the practice,” he said.

He further explained that the decision to shut down the hotel was taken due to its failure to comply with the board’s directives and the conditions agreed upon during engagements with hotel owners across the state.

Riba further reiterated the board’s unwavering commitment to enforcing laws and would continue to enforce its regulations in line with the state’s religious and cultural values, emphasising that such measures were necessary to maintain public order and morality.

By Zayyad I. Muhammad 

Bandits, Lakurawa, Ansaru (Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan) and other terrorist groups have been terrorising Nigerians through killings, kidnappings, and rape. They have displaced thousands of people, carved out territories for themselves, collected taxes, and effectively governed parts of the North-West and North-Central regions.

For 13 years, the violent separatist group IPOB/ESN, designated a terrorist organisation by the Federal Government, has been operating in southeast Nigeria, terrorising the region through armed attacks on security forces, the enforcement of sit-at-home orders, and the killing and coercion of citizens to obey its directives.

For over 15 years, Boko Haram and ISWAP have established their authority on soft targets in some parts of the North-East, as well as attacking military formations, killing and kidnapping civilians, and carrying out suicide bombings against innocent people.

From the North-East to the North-West and North-Central regions, both local and foreign terrorist groups have carved out territories within Nigeria, killing and kidnapping innocent citizens, collecting taxes, imposing their own laws, displacing hundreds of people and brazenly displaying their weapons in public and on social media platforms.

On December 25, 2025, the United States, with the coordination and approval of the Nigerian government, launched 16 GPS-guided missiles at terrorist targets in parts of Sokoto State. As a result, some debris fell in Jabo and Offa. In Jabo, the debris fell on open fields, while in Offa, two hotels were hit.

Nigeria’s failure to eliminate these terrorists has brought the country to this point. No nation welcomes foreign military intervention on its soil. 

However, which constitutes a greater infringement on Nigeria’s sovereignty: the existence of local and foreign terrorist groups operating freely, killing, kidnapping, conducting suicide bombings, collecting taxes, and displacing innocent citizens from their lands, homes and places of business for nearly two decades, or a few hours of a U.S. missile strike authorised by the Nigerian government?

 Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja via zaymohd@yahoo.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigerian Air Force has paid compensation to victims and families affected by the accidental airstrike that occurred on December 25, 2024, in Sokoto State.

Those affected are residents of Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa communities in Silame Local Government Area.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.

Speaking during the compensation exercise, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, who was represented by the Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, thanked the Sokoto State Government for sustaining cordial relations between the Air Force and local communities.

He praised Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his inclusive development approach and security initiatives under the 9-Point Smart Agenda, with specific reference to the creation of the Sokoto State Community Guards Corps.

According to him, the governor’s community-based security efforts have strengthened federal operations against terrorism and banditry, improved safety in parts of the state and underscored the value of effective civil-military cooperation.

Aneke explained that the airstrike was carried out under Operation Fasan Yamma following intelligence reports that suspected armed terrorists were moving through the affected areas.

He said the operation followed several intelligence checks, but a petition submitted in April 2025 later raised concerns about civilian casualties.

“A thorough fact-finding investigation confirmed that 13 civilians were unintentionally killed and eight others sustained various degrees of injuries.

“The findings deeply saddened the Service and necessitated urgent steps to make amends,” he said.

The air chief stated that since he assumed office on October 24, the prevention of civilian harm has remained central to his leadership philosophy.

He stressed that the Nigerian Air Force exists to protect lives and property, adding that no professional military intentionally targets the people it is mandated to defend.

According to him, the compensation exercise was designed to console the affected families, promote transparency and accountability, ease tensions and bring closure, while also allowing the service to draw lessons to reduce the chances of similar incidents in the future.

Aneke revealed that the Air Force has continued to put structures in place to prevent and address civilian harm, including the introduction of the NAF Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan.

He said the framework is intended to strengthen operational planning, improve assessments and investigations, encourage continuous learning and ensure prompt response whenever civilian harm occurs.

He added that the plan applies to both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, with the protection and restoration of the civilian environment recognised as a key operational priority.

The air chief reaffirmed the Air Force’s commitment to the precise and deliberate use of force against terrorists and criminal groups.

By Tahir Mahmood Saleh

In Barden Barade, a remote village tucked within Sokoto State’s dry plains, something extraordinary happened a fewweeks ago — light returned. But not just light from a bulb. This was light that brought hope, dignity, and the promise of life.

For the past five years, the village’s only primary healthcare centre stood in silence — its doors locked, its wards dark, its beds removed. At night, when labour pains started, expectant mothers were rushed out of the village in desperation, sometimes travelling over 20 kilometres in search of care. Others gave birth on the floor of the abandoned hospital, aided only by midwives holding phone torches between their teeth.

“Many of us feared we wouldn’t survive childbirth,” said Maryam Abubakar, a mother of four. “My last child was born on a mat, with only the light of a small phone. The nurse kept shifting the torch with her mouth. I cried not from pain, but fear.” That fear is no more.

CREACC-NG, a Nigerian non-profit organisation championing community resilience and climate justice, launched the HealthVoltaic Initiative in Barden Barade. The initiative brings solar-powered energy systems to rural health centres cut off from the national grid.

With support from community stakeholders and generous partners, the team installed: A HealthVoltaic solar generator, Roof-mounted solar panels, medical equipment, including Doppler fetal monitors and digital thermometers, Rechargeable lights and fans, Beds and basic emergency supplies

For the first time in years, delivery rooms once sealed and abandoned were reopened. Midwives walked proudly into wards now lit by solar energy. Mothers now lie on beds, not mats. The hospital, which never operated at night, now runs 24/7.

“No woman will give birth in the dark again,” declared Umma Muhammad, the hospital’s Officer in Charge. “No more using torchlight with our mouths. No more mothers losing their lives because of light. This is a new beginning.” At the unveiling ceremony, Alhaji Mamman, the traditional leader of Barden Barade, stood with tears in his eyes.

“For years, we begged for help. We watched our women suffer. Today, we have light — not just in bulbs, but in our hearts,” he said as he formally launched the HealthVoltaic system. “This is one of the greatest things to happen to our community.”

The community turned out in large numbers. Women ululated. Children danced around the solar panels. The Ward Development Committee (WDC) members, who serve as custodians of the hospital’s welfare, pledged to supervise and protect the solar generator and ensure the project is sustained.

“We’ve waited so long. Now it’s here, we won’t let it fail,” said Malam Nura, a member of the WDC. “This energy system is for our mothers, our babies, and our future.” The transformation at Barden Barade is only the beginning.

CREACC-NG hopes to expand the HealthVoltaic Initiative to hundreds of off-grid rural health facilities across Nigeria. In a country where one woman dies every 13 minutes during childbirth, and where over 55% of primary healthcare centres have no electricity, the need is both urgent and immense.

“This is not just about power,” said CREACC-NG’s Project Lead. “It’s about restoring dignity to rural healthcare. It’s about saying no woman should die giving life — simply because there’s no light.” The HealthVoltaic Initiative aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Health) and 7 (Clean Energy) and presents a practical, low-cost, high-impact solution that is community-owned, climate-smart, and scalable.

But to take this movement beyond Barden Barade, funding is needed. Grants, private sector partnerships, and donor support can help replicate this success in other underserved communities — places where light is still a luxury, and delivery rooms are still covered in shadow.

Barden Barade was once a forgotten village, its hospital a symbol of abandonment. Today, it’s a beacon of what’s possible when communities believe, when organisations act, and when the world chooses to care. As the sun set on the day of the launch, the lights inside the hospital remained on — glowing quietly, confidently, like a promise kept. And in that light, babies cried, midwives smiled, and hope was reborn.

By Muhammad Abubakar

SOKOTO — The Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK) has held its first-ever strategic retreat for the institution’s Governing Council and Management staff, aimed at enhancing governance, innovation, and institutional development.

The retreat, which took place from July 13 to 16, 2025, at the Army Officers’ Mess and Suites in Sokoto, was convened on the sidelines of the 30th Governing Council meeting chaired by the Pro-Chancellor, Col. Abdulmumini Aminu (Rtd.).

A statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations of the University, Jamilu M. Magaji, noted that the retreat served as a platform for reflection, planning, and strategic alignment between Council members and University Management.

Col. Aminu, in his opening remarks, stressed the importance of synergy between leadership organs of the university in achieving long-term success. Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Zaiyan Umar described the retreat as timely and vital for institutional sustainability and improved service delivery.

The retreat featured four insightful paper presentations. Among them was a security-focused presentation by Mr. Lawal Yusuf Yashi of the Department of State Services (DSS), who called for proactive intelligence and collaboration to address evolving threats in tertiary institutions.

Prof. Yahaya Tanko Baba of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, spoke on the role of governing councils in university governance, while Prof. Maryam Abubakar Koko presented strategies for sustainable revenue generation through innovation and partnerships.

The final paper, delivered by Mal. Ahmad Shehu, Registrar of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, explored strengthening university-community ties through “Town and Gown” partnerships.

Participants concluded the retreat with a renewed commitment to improving institutional performance, fostering innovation, and building collaborative relationships to enhance FUBK’s academic and societal impact.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Yellow Danbokkolo, the notorious bandit kingpin long feared across eastern Sokoto and parts of Zamfara State, has died from injuries sustained during a fierce confrontation with Nigerian security forces last week.

His death was confirmed by Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Print Media, via a post on his verified social media account. According to Abdulaziz, Danbokkolo succumbed to his wounds on Sunday.

Danbokkolo, widely considered even more dangerous than the infamous Bello Turji, was linked to numerous deadly attacks in the region. He was the mastermind of the gruesome December 2021 arson attack in Shinkafi, Zamfara State, where dozens of travellers were burned alive.

Security sources say the bandit leader’s reign of terror was sustained by a chronic addiction to pentazocine, a powerful opioid, which he reportedly abused in heavy doses.

Residents of the affected communities have expressed relief at the news, hoping it marks a turning point in the fight against rural banditry in Nigeria’s northwest.

By Dahiru Kasimu

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto will hold its 2024/2025 matriculation ceremony on 9 April 2025.

This was contained in a press release signed by the University’s Director of the Information and Public Relations Unit,Ismail Muhammad  Yauri, and issued to the journalists.

He stated that the event, which will take place at the Convention Square Arena on the main campus, is meant for newly admitted UG I and UG II (Direct Entry) students and postgraduate students who are not alumni of the university.

During the matriculation ceremony, Prof. Bashir Garba, the Vice Chancellor of the University, along with the Dean of Student Affairs, scholars, and the Students’ Union, is expected to attend and address students.

Newly admitted students will undergo an orientation program, and eminent academicians will address them on theinformation they need to know about the university, the rules and regulations, in addition to the mode of operations.

The orientation program could also help the students understand how to accomplish their academic pursuits.

Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, known as the most peaceful university in Sub-Saharan Africa, is one of the second-generation universities established in 1975. It offers eighty-two academic programs across 18 schools, colleges,and faculties located at the permanent site and the University Teaching Hospital.

By Anwar Usman

The Nigerian Immigration Service, Sokoto State Command, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening border security as part of its efforts to tackle the security problems posed by the emergence of the Lakurawa sect.

On Monday in Sokoto, the state Comptroller of the NIS, Mr Yusuf Bage, announced this during a courtesy visit from the leadership of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

Bage said the security problem posed by the Lakurawa sect is a new and evolving threat, especially in the state.

According to him, the Lakurawa sect members often enter the country through illegal routes.

”However, I want to assure the public that security agencies are ahead of them, and their activities will soon be curbed.”

He explained that one of the significant constitutional mandates of the NIS was to ensure effective border management, including oversight at airports and seaports.

To achieve this mandate, the NIS ensures proper identification of foreigners entering the country and closely monitors their movements and activities within communities.

He explains that the NIS had expanded its offices across the 23 local government areas to maintain visibility in all the state’s nooks and crannies.

He also highlighted the collaboration between the NIS, the Army, and other state security agencies to ensure the safety of citizens.

The comptroller also emphasized the importance of the media in supporting security efforts and pledged a mutual relationship between the NIS and journalists in the state.

The NUJ state Chairman, Mr Usman Binji, said the visit was to formally introduce the new leadership of the state council.

Binji reiterated the role of journalists in fostering collaboration with security agencies, stressing that the visit would reinvigorate the collaboration between the NIS and the NUJ to make Sokoto State safer.

He further stated that, “Our members are fully committed to supporting the security agencies in ensuring the safety of Nigeria’s territory.”

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

‎The Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has ordered the Local Government and Local Government Education Authority officials to return the diverted N30,000 Sallah gifts given to workers in the state or face serious consequences.

The governor gave the warning on Friday while addressing a crowd of well-wishers and supporters at the Government House in Sokoto following a successful Hajj exercise.

He expressed dismay over the nefarious attitude of some finance officers, especially at the local government level, who denied its staff the ₦ 30,000 approved as Sallah gifts by the state government.

“I wonder how somebody would deny our workers the stipends we gave them in order to make them financially stable during the Sallah festive season.

“Those who diverted those funds must return them immediately, or else we will take serious punitive measures against them.

“We will ensure that the culprits reap what they sowed to serve as a deterrent to others,” he warned.

The governor further charged all heads of agencies where such corrupt tendencies were perpetrated to hasten the compilation of all the affected workers and ensure they were refunded.

He also assured the people of the state of his administration’s determination to ensure accountability, transparency, and the prudent management of public funds for the common good.

“This administration is all out to ensure zero-tolerance for corruption and all corrupt tendencies.

“So, if anybody thinks he can loot public funds and gets away with it, then he must be sick.

“This administration is a true reflection of the government of the people, for the people, and indeed by the people.

“So, we have a huge task ahead of us that we must carry out diligently without minding whose ox is gored,” Aliyu averred.

The governor further called on the people of the state to continue to rally around the present administration in its undying quest to deliver on its campaign promises.

He also thanked the All Progressives Congress leader in the state, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, for his fatherly role and guidance to the present leadership in the state.

He also thanked the entire people of the state for their unflinching support and fervent prayers to the present administration and called for the sustenance of the tempo.

By Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Aliyu

On July 10, 2023, I received my deployment letter for the mandatory one-year national youth service in Oyo State. The orientation exercise was scheduled to start on July 12, which coincided with my induction ceremony into the Veterinary Profession. Unfortunately, I couldn’t report to camp that day.

I began my journey from Sokoto (Seat of Caliphate) to Oyo State (Pacesetter State) on July 13 and arrived at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Iseyin Local Government on July 14. After completing my registration, I resumed camp activities the next day. My camp experience was unforgettable; despite the stress, I learned a lot, made many friends, and broadened my horizons in all aspects of life.

On August 1st, we had our passing-out parade, and I was posted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in Ibadan North Local Government. Later, I was reposted to Clucky Livestock Farms Limited, a reputable organization in Ido Local Government, Ibadan South zone.

While travelling from the University of Ibadan to the Oyo State Secretariat for the World Rabies Day procession, organized by the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA, Oyo State Chapter), I received a call from someone with an American accent requesting a meeting. He offered a deal, which I accepted, and we scheduled a visit to the site.

The following day, I visited Clucky Farms Limited, a world-class poultry farm and chicken processing plant with a marketing unit. The company provides conducive accommodation, a lovely environment, growth opportunities, freedom of religion, staff equality, and a dedicated team committed to transforming the livestock industry and achieving food security.

The Managing Director/Chairman, Mr. Olawale Adeyemo Adewale, is a humble, generous, and approachable leader who has taught me valuable skills, including leadership and decision-making. He impressed me with his punctuality, arriving 15 minutes before our meeting time.

On Saturday, October 7, he picked me up from my initial residence at Ikolaba and drove me to my new accommodation at Clucky in his SUV. This gesture of humility from the Managing Director/Chairman of the company exemplifies his generosity and approachability. He is an amiable leader with a strong sense of equality, sincerity, dedication, and a knack for solving complex problems. He is highly resourceful and eager to learn.

Working with him has given me life-changing opportunities and skills, including leadership and decision-making. I consider myself the luckiest NYSC member in Oyo State, a sentiment shared by my friends and colleagues who have visited me. I am deeply grateful to Mr. Olawale and the entire Clucky Family for making my stay an incredible experience.

In addition to my primary assignment, I participated in the Community Development Service (CDS) at the Local Government level in the Freedom of Information and Awareness (FOIA) syndicate. I served under Mrs Ajijola Taiwo Joan, a devout and iconic Local Government Inspector (LGI). Her departing words, “Don’t ever allow anybody to shed tears because of you,” continue to guide me.

I appreciate my State Coordinator, Comrade Odoba Abel Oche (Mr. Wisdom), whose speech inspired me to write and reflect. My sincere thanks also go to Mrs. Bola Obarinde, the Local Government Inspector (LGI) of Ibadan North 1, the Zonal Inspector of Ibadan North zone, and the entire NYSC community in Oyo State.

I extend my gratitude to my family, the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) Oyo State Chapter, MCAN Family, MARD Oyo State, and everyone who made my service year prosperous and memorable. Serving in Oyo State was a distinct and rewarding experience.

Ibrahim Hassan Aliyu writes from Sokoto.