Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger, has observed that creating grazing reserves and enforcing cattle tax were necessary in tackling herders-farmers conflicts as well as boosting security in the country. Bello, in an interview in Abuja on Sunday, said these would not only usher in peace among communities but also increase the per capita income of both the state and individuals. “We have a programme in which we have invited herders into Niger and allocated 5,000 hectares of land to them to graze their cattle. “Our purpose is to reduce herders and farmers conflicts as well as tackle insecurity because these…
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The Niger Police Command, has arrested the village head of Tungan-Iliya and 10 other persons over alleged banditry in Mashegu local government area of the state. The Command’s spokesman, ASP Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement on Sunday, that following intelligence report received on December 25, a team of operatives went on a clearance operation of suspected bandits’ hideouts in Tunga-iliya forest. “The team engaged the suspected bandits in a gun duel and arrested 11 of them while five others were fatally wounded. “Among the suspects arrested were the village head of Tunga-Iliya and one Summaya Bello who harbours and…
By Ikenna Uwadileke It is no longer news that prices of foodstuffs have hit the roof in many parts of the country. Analysts point to the closure of Nigeria’s borders, insecurity in the country, flooding of farmlands that occurred during the rainy season, and logistic issues, as major reasons for the rising cost of foodstuffs. They express the belief that these factors give rise to the limited availability of foodstuffs in the face of increasing demands, leading to rise in prices. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’ report on inflation for November, 2020, the composite food index rose…
The Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has condoled with the former governor of Kano State, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, over the death of his father, Alhaji Musa Saleh. The Chairman of the Forum and governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong, in a condolence message, described the demise as a great loss to Kano State’s traditional institution. The message was contained in statement issued by Dr Makut Macham, Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, on Saturday in Jos. “Though his demise is painful, his legacies of service, love and compassion remain indelible as he has impacted the younger generation to continue…
President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned 20 doctors who died after contracting COVID-19 across the country. In a statement on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari gave an assurance that the welfare of doctors and other health workers would be a priority for his administration. He also sent his condolence to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the death of the doctors due to the pandemic, noting that the sacrifices made by the frontline medical workers were appreciated. “The death of our frontline health workers in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is…
Bandits have killed a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart in Bosso local government area of Niger state, Alhaji Ahmodu Mohammed. The bandits also on Thursday, abducted his three daughters, a former state chairman of the party, Alhaji Tanko Beji has confirmed. An eyewitness said the bandits numbered 15 and were armed with weapons. “This is the third time that the bandits are attacking the man. They have been coming before but they couldn’t succeed because the man is very powerful”. “He was shot several times before he eventually died,” the eyewitness said.
At least 26 people died when their boat sank on Lake Albert, which marks the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ugandan officials told AFP on Friday. The boat was carrying passengers between two Ugandan locations in the lake’s northeast on Wednesday when it “hit a strong wind” and “went under water”, local official Ashraf Oromo said. “The boat had over 50 people on board, 26 bodies have been recovered, 21 people were rescued,” Oromo said. “A search is ongoing and no more survivors are expected.” A regional police marine officer, Samuel Onyango, confirmed the accident. “Because…
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa on Saturday signed the state N140 billion 2021 budget into law. Speaking at the ceremony in Yola, Fintiri said that 52 per cent of the budget was for capital expenditure, while 48 per cent was for recurrent expenditure. According to him, the budget is the first of its kind in the history of the state. “This is cristal budget of stabilisation which will see to more value addition, more infrastructure development to our people and human capital development for the sustenance of our democracy. “Democracy without physical infrastructure will not carry us anywhere. “For us…
The Federal Government says it is graceless and impious for any religious leader to use the period of Christmas, which is a season of peace, to stoke the embers of hatred, sectarian strife and national disunity. In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, warned religious leaders that resorting to scorched-earth rhetoric at this time could trigger unintended consequences. The statement was made available to newsmen by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of the Minister of Information and Culture. The minister said that while religious leaders have a responsibility to…
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger has signed the state N153.4 billion 2021 budget into law. The State House of Assembly had on Thursday passed the budget with an increased of N2.21 billion as against the N151.2 billion presented by the governor. Speaking at the ceremony on Saturday in Minna, Bello said that the budget was moderate. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted negatively on the economy, forcing government to scale down its expenditure. He assured that government would use available legal means to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to beef up its revenue. The governor urged the people…