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HEKAN Condemns Arrest Of 40 Of Its Sunday School Children, Demands Apology From Road Safety Corps

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By Longtong Ibrahim

The United Church of Christ in Nigeria (HEKAN), has condemned the arrest of 40 of its Sunday school pupils and two teachers by personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria, while on their way to attend the annual HEKAN National Sunday School Camp at the church Headquarters in the state.

A statement signed by HEKAN Vice President, Rev. Emmanuel Nama, noted that the 42 persons were arrested along Ali AKilu road in Kaduna at about 4:30pm Wednesday evening and were also been maltreated by the Corps.

According to Nama, the children left their homes with the consent of their parents and their resident pastors to attend the annual HEKAN National Sunday school camp. He added that, the FRSC had earlier hold a press briefing and snap shots of the children stating that the children were taken for trafficking before handing them over to the Kaduna state Police command without confirming from the church authority despite all explanation by their teachers on their movement.

“The children are presently at the Headquarters of the United Church of Christ in Nigeria HEKAN Katsina road for the Annual Sunday school camp.

“The church Authority is calling on the authorities concern to investigate the matter and seek for Public Apology from the FRSC Kaduna state command.

“The church is calling on the general public to disregard the news giving by the FRSC Kaduna command which says it arrested a vehicle for overloading along Kaduna-Zaria road, which was later discovered to be occupied by suspected child traffickers with 44 minors, describing it as false and baseless, adding that they are genuine members of the United church of Christ in Nigeria HEKAN DCC Gubuchi in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna state”, the statement noted.

Southern Kaduna Crises: NGO Initiates Peace Building Process Among Herders, Farmers

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Map of Nigeria showing Kaduna State
Map of Nigeria showing Kaduna State

By Amos Tauna

Determined to ensure lasting peace in Southern Kaduna, one-day youth forum was held in Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area of Kaduna State, northern Nigeria.

it was organised by two NGOs, Search for Common Ground Nigeria, and Justice Development and Peace Caritas, (JDPC), with support of United State Agency for International Development, USAID.

The participants, farmers and Fulani youths were drawn from Kachia and Zangon Kataf local government areas to network and work together towards building and sustaining peace and tolerance between and among them.

Speaking, Senior Program Manager Search for Common Ground Nigeria, Sani Suleiman, said the forum was informed so as to carry the youth along in peace building processes, adding that it was also to hear what the youth felt were the issues, the gaps and the opportunities to be explored in order to achieve sustainable peace in their communities in line with the UN youth resolution of December 2015.

He noted that the role of the youth in the society could not be overlook and urged them to be more responsive to their responsibilities and shun vices that may cause disunity amongst them, hoping that they will work together as youths to identify and address the causes of violence and mistrust in their localities.

The programs Manager hoped that at the end of the forum, participants’ knowledge on coexistence must have been increased and intercultural understanding of pastoralist and farming community enhanced.

In a remark, the Associate State Coordinator Kaduna, Search for Common Ground Nigeria, Chorbe Joshua, pointed out that the two local governments of Kachia and Zango Kataf in Kaduna state were the initial implementing local governments, adding that more local government areas would soon be covered.

He expressed optimism that the forum would exposed participants on how best to identify their problems, gaps and missing links in farmers and pastoralist youth engagement and involvement in peace building and conflict transformation.

Joshua noted that they would be taught how to collaborate and work together in addressing their issues and gaps for improve peaceful and harmonious society in a non-adversarial manner.

While expressing satisfaction with the quality of knowledge impacted on them, participants at the end of the forum resolved to put into practice all they have learnt as well as transmit the knowledge to more people in their various communities through implementation of follow up action plan.

Highpoint of the forum was a group discussion and presentation by the participants.

Nigeria Must Properly Utilise Research Institues To Enhance Agriculture — Professor Faguyi

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A Farm
A Farm

By Amos Tauna

A plant breeder and leader in Biotechnology research programme at the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Mohammed Faguyi Isiyaku, has opined that the potentials of research institutes are not properly harnessed by government to enhance agricultural production in the country.

If properly harnessed, he said, “l am sure they are going to take the agriculture of this country out of its wilderness.”

Speaking to AFRICA PRIME NEWS, Mohammed explained that the research institutes in the country have enormous capacity if they could be channeled appropriately by government and supported adequately.

He said, “Let cite Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with the needed funds and incentives, what can this institute do towards ensuring food security in the country?

“Even at this level of sub optimum support from government, this institute has developed more than fourteen varieties of Cotton, forty-six varieties of Maize and Hybrids, about equal number of Sorghum varieties and about twenty-four varieties of improved Groundnuts with high productivity and agricultural machineries.

“Giving a higher level of support, l am sure, you are going to see even magic from this institution because the manpower is there, the capacity is there, what is required is some inputs to harness more out of them.”

Mohammed lauds the Buhari-led administration for giving agriculture a priority, stressing that it should be operated as a business so that it could yield money to the farmers and government.

He explained, “Agriculture should be something that will create wealth for the people of this country and there are people who are known to specialize in this direction.

“Our farmers have the capacity and the willingness to do what is expected of them to provide the raw materials and then the development of the appropriate industrial change that will process these products to higher value products and be marketed either across the West African sub-region or within our Nigeria or to other parts of Africa and possibly Europe by improving or increasing standard of the products.

“To be honest, the Nigerian agricultural institutions have contributed immensely to the development of agriculture in the country. They have generated technologies that if deployed appropriately and supported by the required incentive inputs, will be translated into huge increasing agricultural production and improve food security in the country.

“With the needed support given in agricultural sector, l see Nigeria feeding the whole of Africa and our agricultural products being the markets of some countries in Europe. We have all it takes to provide beef to Europe,  oil based products and we have the opportunity to fill in the production deficits in various African countries requirements ranging from all manners of grains and other crops.”

Anti-Buhari Campaign: Gombe APC Slams Dankwambo, Asks Him To Provide Water Not Sponsor Protests

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Gov. Dankwambo
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, northeast Nigeria
By Auwal Mohammad
 
Gombe (Nigeria) — Gombe State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of using the State’s resource in sponsoring the anti-Buhari protest in Abuja last week.
 
The party is therefore asking him to provide portable drinking water to the people of the state currently facing acute shortage of water supply.
 
Secretary of the APC Caretaker Committee, Kassim Bello Maigari stated this Tuesday while chatting with journalists in Gombe.
He accused Dankwambo of showing his desperation and overzealousness for the Presidency, when he along with former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko sponsored a protest in Abuja against ailing President Muhammadu Buhari
 
Reacting to media reports suggesting that Governor Dankwambo and former Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko together bankrolled the resume, or resign protest in Abuja, Maigari said it was regrettable that the governor chose to throw away funds meant for developing the state in the pursuit of his selfish interest.
 
“I will not call it allegation because the protesters have confirmed that they were being paid to do the protest against President Buhari, even with the fact that the President has not breached the Nigerian Constitution. This clearly shows that their mumu don start”. 
 
It was recently alleged that Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State who has his eyes on the Presidency and former Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, paid protesters N300 million to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to resign, if his ailing health cannot allow him preside over the affairs of the country.
 
But the Gombe APC in reaction to their Governor’s action, described the action as unpatriotic and lacking focus. Kassim Bello said Governor Dankwambo should rather focus himself with developing Gombe State, which has been a headache for him since assuming office over six years ago, rather than aiming a higher position when he couldn’t do much with a lower position.
 
He said it was unfortunate that, instead of using the Paris Club refunds recently released to the State Governors to complete projects in the State, including payment of pensioners and providing water to Gombe, he was doing something else.
“Governor Dankwambo has forgotten that health and wellness belongs to God, many healthy persons have passed on since President Buhari was bedridden. We have now seen that he is among those that wish Buhari dead and that is why he has never mobilized prayers in the State for President Buhari’s recovery”, the interim Secretary alleged.
 
When contacted the state Commissioner of Information Mr. Ahmed Umar SuleGombe (iman, sent an sms saying, “I will call you later.” 

Press Freedom: Media Development Body Condemns Attack On Kaduna Female Journalist

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AMDF Logo
Halima

Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) has condemned attack on a Kaduna based female Journalist who was assaulted while carrying out her duty in Zaria, Kaduna northwest Nigeria.

According to AMDF, reports reaching them showed that the female radio reporter, Halima Aliyu Kofar Doka was on Saturday 12th August, 2017 assaulted while carrying out her duty as a journalist.

AMDF Coordinator, Sekyen Dadik in a statement noted that, Halima is a Zaria Based radio reporter with DITV Alheri Radio, and the host of a women’s programme “Muryar Mata”. Halima was following a story of a 2 year old baby girl being physically molested by her father. Having seen the baby at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika she proceeded to see the father of the girl to balance her report.

“She told AMDF that “I went to the Father’s compound in unguwar Kuspa in Zaria on Saturday around past 7 in the evening. I met the step mother of the girl and after we exchanged pleasantries I introduced myself as a journalist and told her my mission there, she pounced on me and grabbed me by the neck”.

“Halima was hit against the door where she sustained injuries on her
leg and hit other parts of her body.

While lamenting these unprecedented attacks on journalists in Kaduna state, AMDF pointed out that, It is unfortunate that Kaduna that is meant to be a liberal state has become a hot zone for press freedom.

“The rising attacks on journalists: the recent attack on the NUJ secretariat by political hoodlums and this attack on a female journalist no doubt stem from the repressive actions of government and its agents on journalists.

“In the last two years, journalists in Kaduna have been picked up by government agents, detained and jailed in some cases; these actions have exposed the journalists to dangers from the citizens who no longer have regard for journalists practicing in the state.

“It is unfortunate that the incessant attacks in Kaduna has dragged Nigeria up the ladder of press freedom index from 116 to 122; placing Nigeria on the red-zone for press freedom on the globe”, the statement noted.

AMDF therefore calls on security agencies to ensure Halima obtains justice by punishing her attacker to serve as a deterrent for others with such tendencies.

“We also call on Civil Society Organizations and human right activists to lend their voices in restoring the sanctity and respect for the press; the fourth estate of the realm in Kaduna state.

“As an organization that promotes press freedom, AMDF desires to see a free society where journalists undertake their assignments without fear and will no doubt play its part in standing against every attack and impunity against journalists”, Mrs. Dadik posited.

Nigerians Need Fairness, Equity & Justice Than Restructuring — Festus Okoye

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By Amos Tauna

The best way to restructure Nigeria is to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all spheres of life, Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor, Festus Okoye has observed.

“The challenge of this country revolve around our people’s anger to the lack of justice, lack of fairness, lack of equity in the Nigeria Federation, that is the challenge we have in this country.

“The second challenge we have in this country is the challenge of lack of empathy by the ruling elites in this country towards the ordinary people,” he said.

Speaking to AFRICA PRIME NEWS in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria on the agitations for the restructuring of the country, he noted, “Whether you divide this country into one hundred states, if there is no justice, fair play, equity, we would continue to have problems.

“If you restructured this country into six geo political zones and we don’t have justice, fairness, equity and good governance, we will still have problems.

“If you create three countries out of this country, what you have done is also to decentralized the problems of justice, equity and fairness. If you don’t have leadership that is ready to work for the people of the country, no matter the type of restructuring you do, it remains at the surface and there will be no impact.”

He explained that what Nigerians need is fairness, justice and equity, adding, “Govern them with the fear of God,  distribute the resources of this country equitably, so that everybody will have the share of the Commonwealth.”

Okoye observed that when the elites are talking about restructuring, they are talking about creating small chiefdoms for them to govern, when the elites of this country are talking about restructuring, some of them are saying that they have been schemed out from the sharing of certain forms of resources.

So for me, “People who are talking about restructuring are not being fair to the people of the country, they want to corner the resources of this country for their own personal use or they want to corner the resources of the country for their families and their own friends.

“To me, that is not part of restructuring. What l want in this country or the type of restructuring l want to see is let us know how we can restructure the executive, so that they can work for the people of this country,  how do we restructure the National Assembly, so that they can work for the people of this country, how do we restructure the Central Bank, so that no one individual will go there and dip his hands into the resources of this country and use it for his personal use.

“The type of restructuring l want to see will be a situation where the farmer in every part of this country will have fertilizers, will have tractors in order to be able to put food on the table for his family. How do the people who are in the fish communities will fish with less hazard, while the people in the Niger Delta will also be in a position to send their children to school despite all the pollution they are experiencing. That is what Nigerians need.

“Nigeria does not need to restructure the country into six ethnic nationalities or six geo political zones. Even if you do that and you don’t solve the problem of injustice and other social vices, our problems will still remain.

“Even if you create additional 80 states in Nigeria and if you don’t stop the problems of equity, fairness and justice, our problems will still remain.

“Even if the whole resources of this country is given to one ethnic nationality without solving the problems of equity, fairness and justice, our problems will still remain.

“The only thing is that we must not on any account decentralized injustice in this country because the type of restructuring the elites are talking about is that they want injustice to be decentralised and we are saying we don’t want that type of restructuring.

“For me, solve the problems of equity, fairness and justice and our problems will be minimal.”

Crime Rate Declines By 6% In Gombe State — Nigerian Police

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Nigeria Police Badge
Nigeria Police Badge

 By Auwal Mohammed 

Gombe (Nigeria) — Nigerian Police says it has recorded 6 per cent decline in crime rate in the state, resulting from increased vigour in discharging its responsibility.

Speaking at the opening of a conference with Senior Police Officers of the Command on Tuesday, the State Police Commissioner, Austin Iwar, said the command recorded from January to June, 36 cases of armed robbery against 42 of last year, 8 rape cases against 13 last year, zero cases of terrorism, 250 theft against 256 last year, 5 cases of kidnapping against 10 last year and one communal case this year, the same with last year.       

Mr. Iwar called on the people of Gombe State to support the police to adequately make communities safer, as this would go a long way in helping the command to reduce the number of unrepentant offenders and improve security and safety of the state. 

He said the command in July 2017 conducted a review of the Social Crime Prevention Programme under the Youth Empowerment/Skills Acquisition Programme, which focused on the assessment of 43 beneficiaries, in order to ensure that the command remained on course. 

Mr. Iwar also called on the people of Dukku Local Government Area of the State to ensure that they abide by the electoral laws to ensure a hitch-free re-election into the state legislature, which became vacant after the demise of Gambo Kabade in June. 

He said the Command would deploy over one thousand personnel to maintain law and order during the election and after it.

Nigeria: Again, Kaduna Journalist assaulted

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By Amos Tauna

A journalist, Halima Aliyu with DITV in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria, was on Saturday in Zaria allegedly assaulted while on official duty.

Report has it that the journalist had gone to the house of one Malam Shehu in Zaria to ascertain an alleged report of maltreatment of his young daughter leading to the young girl being fractured.

Speaking with AFRICA PRIME NEWS, the affected journalist, Halima Aliyu, said, “l was briefed of the maltreatment meted on young ‘Maimunatu shehu’ (now in the hospital receiving treatment), by her biological father,  through an NGO, Arridah Foundation of Nigeria.

The NGO is into protecting the rights of women and children in Nigeria.

“After tracing the house, l knocked at the door, and was welcomed into the house, but the moment l told the women my mission, they grabbed me and started beating me resulting to various injuries l sustained, l forcefully free myself from their hands.

“As l am talking to you, l am not feeling fine as a result of the injuries l sustained from the beating.”

According to the founder of the NGO, Rabi Salisu, “We heard about the ugly situation of what happened with the little girl ‘Maimunatu shehu’ in Zaria and the different forms of assault she always received from her blood father, Mallam Shehu, resulting from torturing, Beating, slapping, hitting and other Severe physical punishment which she always faces at home.

“As a result of the daily beating of  his daughter, he broke her hand, legs and some part of her body, leaving her with many  injuries in which she is currently receiving medical treatment in a private hospital; and when contacted, he said his daughter had fallen-down on a bicycle.

“We organized our team to come and see for ourselves the kind of situation the young girl is passing through since after the death of her mother.”

Rabi explained that she was the one who informed Halima Aliyu, the Zaria based journalist, about the recent incident of a father who always beat his 3 years old daughter, that was admitted in the hospital.

Rabi said, “lts really unfortunate what happened to the journalist, because she went to the see Mallam Shehu, who is the father of the little girl at his resident, she met some women in the compound that surrounded her, despite her explanation for the reason of her coming to see the father of the little girl, they refused to listen, but started beating her, removing her veil and holding her by the neck.”

The human right activist added, “The journalist was assaulted by grabbing her by the neck, beating her, and she is currently in pains.”

She assured that the NGO would ensure justice is done to curtail the abuse of journalists, women and children in the society.

She explained that Shehu, Maimunatu’s biological father was taken to police station as a result of violating and molesting his daughter, adding that few days later, he was released, and all this is happening just 9 months after the death of the mother of the little Girl,’ she said.

The NGO called on all human right organizations, Kaduna State government, UNICEF with Network of Child Protection to support Maimunatu and ensure that justice is done in the case.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Kaduna State Police Command requested for space to get to the root of the incident.

Up to the time of filing the story, the PPRO could not give an update of the incident.

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