Tag: Kaduna

Again! Security Operatives Bust Two Illegal Centres, Rescue Chained Victims

 

Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have busted two illegal rehabilitation centres in Kaduna State.

The sting operation was carried out by operatives on the NSCDC on Tuesday morning in the ancient city of Zaria.

The facilities discovered are Limanchi Iya and Marmara Rehabilitation Centres.

During the operation, the security operatives rescued 11 people who were in chains, including an 11-year-old boy.

Some of the chains recovered from the centre.

 

 

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The NSCDC Deputy Commandant in Kaduna, Aloysius Nnegha, informed reporters that three people died in one of the centres while in custody.

He added that many of the victims suffer from acute malnutrition as a result of the dehumanised condition they were subjected to.

According to Nnegha, the two illegal rehabilitation centres were raided following credible intelligence information received on the operations of such illegal rehabilitation centres in Zaria.

He also revealed that five operators of the centre were arrested during the operation.

Following the operation, the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Mrs Hadiza Balarabe, visited the NSCDC office in the state where the victims and the suspects were taken into custody.

Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Balarabe, speaks to rescued victims at the NSCDC office in the state.

 

 

The illegal centres were uncovered barely one month after security operatives raided two other facilities, both located in Rigasa, an agrarian community in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

On September 27, Channels Television reported how the police rescued over 300 persons including children chained together at an illegal rehabilitation centre.

The victims who were from different parts of Nigeria and Burkina Faso, Mali and other African countries, were subjected to the daily recitation of the Holy Quran and prayers, allegedly accompanied by torture.

Just three weeks after the news broke, the police again stormed another facility in Rigasa known as Malam Niga’s Rehabilitation Centre.

This time, the state governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, personally monitored the early operation which was conducted on Saturday last week.

About 147 victims with some of them in chains were rescued from the facility, including 22 female victims who claimed to be sexually harassed.

Hundreds Of Villagers Flee As Bandits Invade Kaduna Villages

 

Suspected bandits have attacked several villages in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The incident which occurred on Sunday afternoon has displaced many villagers who fled their homes for fear of being killed by the bandits.

The gunmen were alleged to have killed three vigilante members who went into the forest to confront them.

READ ALSO: Troops Kill Bandit, Destroy Two Camps Used For Kidnapping In Kaduna

A resident told our correspondent that many people were displaced at Unguwan Gebi, Unguwan Dangauta, Unguwan Nayawu, Unguwan Makeri, Jagani and Sabon Gida.

Other places affected are, Dallatu, Unguwan Alhaji Ahmadu, Sabon Gari, Kusau, Gidan Sarkin Noma, Unguwan Pati, Unguwan Tofa and Sauran Giwa.

The resident disclosed that the displaced persons, numbering about 2,000, are currently taking refuge at Birnin Yero Primary School located along the Kaduna- Zaria road amidst tight security.

Appeal Court Upholds Senator Sani’s Election, Dismisses PDP’s Petition

Bauchi Assembly Crisis: Court Orders Parties To Maintain Status Quo

 

A Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna State has upheld the election of Senator Uba Sani as the lawmaker representing Kaduna Central senatorial district in the National Assembly.

Senator Sani, a former political adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State won the February 23 National Assembly election in the zone with 355,242 votes.

He defeated his closest rival in the poll, Lawal Adamu, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 197,497 votes.

READ ALSO: Edward Onoja Sworn In As Kogi Deputy Governor

Adamu and his party had petitioned the Election Petitions Tribunal alleging that the exercise was marred by massive rigging, ballot-box stuffing and snatching, as well as intimidation of voters among other claims.

The Tribunal had dismissed their petition for lack of merit but the appellants were not satisfied with the judgement, prompting them to challenge the verdict at the appeal court.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Monday, the appellate court dismissed Adamu’s suit for lacking in merit and upheld Senator Sani’s election.

The court agreed with the August 24 judgement of the Tribunal which ruled that the petitioners failed to provide substantial evidence of all the allegations contained in their petition.

Following the ruling of the court, counsels to the PDP and its candidate did not react.

Counsel to Senator Sani, Sule Shuiabu, on his part, described the judgement as victory for democracy and rule of law.

He added that both judgments by the Tribunal and the Appellate Court were a clear affirmation of the wish of the people of Kaduna Central district who voted overwhelmingly for his client.

Kaduna LG Workers Receive N30,000 Minimum Wage

A file photo of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Photo: Twitter.

 

 

The 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State have commenced the payment of the new National Minimum wage of N30,000 to their workers.

The Executive Chairman of Kajuru Local Council, Cafra Caino, confirmed this to Channels Television in an interview on behalf of his colleagues.

He explained that the payment took effect from September and cut across all civil servants from grade level one to 16.

Caino said that the implementation of the new minimum wage at the local government level was to support Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s effort at strengthening the civil service and improving the welfare of workers in the state.

He also noted that all the 23 local governments in the state enjoy full autonomy and control their finances.

READ ALSO: Youths Shut Down Minna-Suleja Road, Protest Neglect By FG

According to the Kajuru LG boss, this practice has made the chairmen not only to pay workers’ salaries but to also execute other developmental projects at the grassroots.

The Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Jafaru Sani, also confirmed the development in another interview with Channels Television.

He explained that workers from grade levels one to six would receive a higher percentage of minimum wage than those from seven to 16.

Sani said that the successful implementation of the new minimum wage for local government workers was due to the reforms carried out by the Local Government Service Commission.

This, according to him, include blocking all financial leakages, cutting down the cost of governance, and screening out ghost and redundant workers from the public service.

With the successful implementation of the new minimum wage, the commissioner urged the workers to reciprocate the gesture by demonstrating a high level of commitment, steadfastness, and dedication in the discharge of their duties.

Troops Kill Bandit, Destroy Two Camps Used For Kidnapping In Kaduna

Bandits Kill Two Air Force Personnel In Kaduna

 

Troops of Operation Whirl Punch comprising of Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Police, Department of State Services and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have destroyed two camps belonging to suspected bandits located in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state.

The troops also killed one bandit during the raid of their camps located in Kankomi and Daban Gone mountains all in Chikun local government area.

A statement from the Deputy Director Army Public Relations of One Division, Colonel Ezindu Idimah, says the joint raid of the bandits camps took place between Saturday October 19 and Sunday October 20th respectively, following credible information from well meaning Nigerians.

READ ALSO: Abducted ACP Rescued Unhurt, Two Male Suspects Arrested

The statement also discloses that the troops destroyed the 2 camps used by the bandits to perpetrate their nefarious activities, while one AK47 riffle , 3 motorcycles, 2 mobile phones, and the sum of N5000 (Five Thousand Naira) only were recovered were equally recovered from them.

According to Colonel Idimah, the joint operation which involves troops from various security agencies is in continuation of the offensive operation against the bandits and other undesirable elements in Kaduna state, which he says has resulted in the neutralisation of bandits, recovery of arms, and rescue of kidnapped victims

BUSTED! 147 Victims Rescued From Another Centre In Kaduna

 

 

The police have raided another illegal Islamic rehabilitation centre in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State.

This time, the state governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, was present as security operatives stormed the illegal facility in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

About 147 victims with some of them in chains were rescued from the facility popularly known as Malam Niga’s Rehabilitation Centre.

READ ALSO: Police Rescue 300 ‘Tortured’ Persons In Kaduna

 

Among those rescued included 22 females and four foreigners while the owner of the centre was whisked away by security operatives for interrogation.

The rescued victims were later evacuated to the Hajj Camp in Mando area of the state capital for further profiling and medical attention.

According to the government, the victims would be reunited with their families upon the completion of the exercise.

See photos below:

VIDEO: How We Were Sexually Abused In Illegal Kaduna Rehab Centre – Victim

 

One of the female victims rescued from another illegal facility known as Malam Niga’s Rehabilitation Centre in Kaduna State has revealed how they were sexually abused.

The revelation came shortly after security operatives stormed another illegal facility at Rigasa area in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

The operation was said to be personally monitored by the state governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, on Saturday, barely three weeks after the police rescued over 300 victims from a similar centre in Rigasa.

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, with some male victims at the rehab centre on October 19, 2019.

 

 

READ ALSO: 147 Victims Rescued From Another Centre In Kaduna

About 147 victims including 22 females and four foreigners were rescued by the police during today’s operation, many of whom were found in chains.

Narrating her experience at the centre, the victim told Channels Television that she and her female colleagues were sexually harassed by the son-in-law of the owner of the centre, Malam Niga.

She stressed that they made attempts to report to Malam Niga but he would not listen to them, saying his son-in-law could not have done such a thing.

 

According to the victim, the daughter of the owner of the facility, Fatima, was aware of the wrongdoings of her husband.

She added that Fatima punished them severally and quarrelled with her husband whenever she noticed any form of communication between him and the victims.

Abducted Principal Regains Freedom In Kaduna

 

The abducted Principal of Government Technical College in Maraban Kajuru in Kajuru local government area of Kaduna, Mr Francis Maji has been released by his abductors.

His release comes a week after he was kidnapped from his residence located inside the college by gunmen who broke into his apartment on Thursday, October 10.

READ ALSO: Gunmen Kill One, Abduct Five Others In Kaduna

One of the teachers in the school, told Channels Television that the kidnappers dropped the principal at an undisclosed location early on Thursday, after a ransom was paid to them.

He explained that the principal later boarded a commercial motorcycle that took him down to the school.

Gunmen Kill One, Abduct Five Others In Kaduna

Bandits Kill Two Air Force Personnel In Kaduna

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have killed one person and abducted five others including a primary school headteacher during two separate attacks in some villages in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The gunmen were reported to have attacked a filling station in Doka village along Funtua road at about 1:00pm on Wednesday, shot one of the attendants to death, injured two others and later took another two away.

Although the Kaduna State Police Command is yet to confirm the incident, the Chairman of Birnin Gwari Vanguards, Ibrahim Nagwari in a statement identified the abducted Head Teacher as AbdulHafiz Abdullahi of Dangamji, Primary School.

READ ALSO: Four Niger State Workers Die As Car Crashes Along Mokwa-Batati Road

He disclosed that the bandits also wounded three members of a local vigilante group.

Nagwari claims that the Birnin-Gwari-Funtua road has been deserted, while the entire Eastern part of Birnin-Gwari neighboring Zamfara and Katsina States is now surrounded by armed bandits who attack both travellers and villagers almost on a daily basis.

He added that many travellers were abducted in another attack on Polwaya and Gayam village at about 5:00 pm on Wednesday.

With the current tension, fear and inability of peasant farmers to go to their respective farms because of activities of bandits,  the villagers have therefore called on the Federal government and security agencies to act decisively on the bandits and their collaborators before they are consumed by the carnage.

El-Rufai Presents N257.9bn 2020 Budget To Kaduna Assembly

A file photo of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Photo: Twitter.

 

 

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has presented a budget proposal of N257.9 billion for the 2020 fiscal year.

The state deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, submitted the appropriation bill on behalf of the governor to members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly on Tuesday in the state capital.

The document tagged ‘Budget of Progressive Renewal’, has N190.04 billion capital expenditure and N68.87 billion recurrent spending.

READ ALSO: When People Talk About Hunger In Nigeria, ‘I Just Laugh’ – Agric Minister

According to the deputy governor, the appropriation bill is in the ratio of 73.7 per cent to 26.3 per cent representing capital and recurrent spending respectively.

She explained that this was in line with the present administration’s agenda of spending more on serving the people than in running the government.

Balarabe informed the lawmakers that the priority of the budget was to complete all 2019 projects and pay all contractors who have worked for the state government.

She added that most of the spending would be in the economic and social sectors, with N140 billion allocated to education, health, and infrastructure.

In the budget estimate, education got the highest allocation of N64.64 billion (25.07%), while health has N39.61 billion (15.36%) and infrastructure got N66.34 billion (25.72%).

The deputy governor disclosed that the government has declared 12 years of free and compulsory primary and secondary education for all children in Kaduna, as part of efforts to eradicate illiteracy and poverty in the state.

She announced that the government would complete the renovation of more primary schools and extend the building of more classrooms, including multi-storey blocks to address congestion and land availability constraints in urban centres.

Balarabe informed the lawmakers that the state government has recorded a significant achievement in the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of state roads, as well as making significant investments in health and education infrastructure, equipment, and staffing.

In his remark, the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Aminu Shagali, commended Governor El-Rufai for the timely presentation of the budget.

He gave assurance that the House would continue to give its support towards ensuring progress, peace, and development of the state.

Since the inception of the present administration in 2015, the El-Rufai administration has sustained a tradition of presenting the yearly budget in a good time, usually in October.

The presentation of the 2020 budget proposal is quite different because it is the first time a state deputy governor is saddled with the onerous responsibility of presenting a budget to the Assembly in the country.

Troops Rescue Another Four Abducted Students In Kaduna

New Salary Scale Has Not Been Approved For Armed Forces – DHQ
A file photo of troops.

 

 

The Nigerian Army says troops have rescued the remaining four abducted students of the Government Day Secondary School at Gwagwada village in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Deputy Director of Army Public Relations Officer of One Division in Kaduna State, Colonel Ezindu Idimah, confirmed this in a statement.

This comes five days after armed men suspected to be bandits terrorising the Kaduna-Abuja Highway abducted 10 students while on their way to school.

The quick intervention of troops led to the immediate rescue of six out of the 10 students while the bandits escaped into the forest with four victims.

READ ALSO: Army RescueS Six Abducted Students In Kaduna

In the statement, Colonel Idimah explained that the reaming students were rescued on Monday by troops of Operation Thunder Strike of the Nigerian Army.

According to him, the troops got a tip-off from a reliable source and raided the hideout of the bandits very early in the morning.

The Army Division spokesman said the operation was successfully carried out, leading to the freedom of the students in captivity without any casualty.

He added that during the rescue operation, the bandits ran into the bush with gunshot wounds while abandoning the students after they had engaged the troops in a gun battle.

Colonel Idimah noted that the students have since been reunited with their parents at Gurmi village.

Kaduna Govt Proposes N245bn As 2020 Budget

Bandits Kill Two Air Force Personnel In Kaduna

 

The Kaduna state government has proposed N245.4bn as the budget for 2020.

During a town hall meeting held in the state capital, the Kaduna state deputy governor who stood in for Governor Nasir El-Rufai, talked to artisans, traditional rulers, students and a cross-section of the public on what the administration has done in the last four years, and what it intends to do going forward in 2020 and beyond.

He said the aim is to provide the citizens’ the opportunity to make inputs, contributions, and observations on the proposed 2020 budget before it is transmitted to the Kaduna state House of Assembly by the executive.

He added that it is part of the commitment of the government to entrench a culture of political responsiveness, transparency, and openness to the electorates.

The policy trust of the Governor Nasir El-Rufai administration since inception anchors on putting the people first.

Therefore, it is hoped that all inputs gathered from this town hall meeting will reflect in the final draft 2020 budget proposal that will soon be transmitted to the state house of Assembly for approval.