Troops of 1 Brigade and Sector 1 Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD), under Operation Sahel Sanity II, have neutralised two extremists in Zamfara State.
Lt Suleiman Omale of OPHD said in a statement issued on Saturday that “On 16th August 2024, the troops neutralised the bandits during a fierce encounter in Unguwar Sarkin Musulmi area of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.”
He further explained that based on credible intelligence, the gallant troops swiftly responded to reports of Violent Extremist activities in the area and upon arrival, they engaged the element in a serious gun duel, effectively neutralizing two of them.
According to him, other bandits were forced to withdraw in disarray during the encounter.
Lt. Omale further stated that the troops conducted a mop-up operation, during which they recovered one operational motorcycle belonging to the Violent Extremist.
He pointed out that the area has since been secured, with troops of Sector 1 Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Hadarin Daji maintaining an aggressive presence and conducting confidence-building patrols to ensure the safety of locals in the community.
Troops neutralize two bandits in Zamfara
Troops neutralize two bandits in Zamfara
OGFZA promises partnership with NFIU to enhance investment
The Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Bamanga Jada, has expressed readiness to partner with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit in enhancing Nigeria’s investment attractiveness and global investor confidence.
Jada made this known during a recent visit to the Director of the NFIU, Hafsat Bakari, alongside key members of his management team at her office in Abuja.
According to a statement signed by the DGM/Head Corporate Communications, Golda Ukomadu, and obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, the visit was in line with OGFZA’s commitment to strengthening transparency, fostering investor confidence, and bolstering Nigeria’s global reputation as a premier investment destination.
It added that the purpose of the visit was also to explore avenues of collaboration between both agencies, particularly in improving the transparency and compliance levels within Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Free Zones.
“This strategic partnership is expected to further attract high-value investments into the country and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s overall economic growth”, the statement partly read.
The NFIU is Nigeria’s central coordinating body for the receipt, analysis, and dissemination of financial intelligence reports relating to money laundering, terrorism financing, and other relevant financial crimes.
The statemebt added, “Under the leadership of Hafsat Bakari, the NFIU has made significant strides in blocking revenue leakages, which have led to increased government revenues, an improved international image for Nigeria, and renewed global investor confidence in the country’s economic reforms. These accomplishments align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which emphasizes transparency, accountability, and sustainable economic growth.
“During the meeting, OGFZA’s Managing Director, Bamanga Jada, commended Bakari for her well-deserved appointment and expressed confidence in her ability to elevate the NFIU’s status within the global financial intelligence community. Jada emphasized OGFZA’s readiness to work closely with the NFIU to achieve shared objectives, particularly in the areas of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing within the Oil and Gas Free Zones.”
Speaking further, he explained that “OGFZA, as a regulatory agency responsible for overseeing the activities within Nigeria’s oil and gas-free zones, is fully committed to ensuring that these zones operate with the highest level of transparency and integrity. The collaboration with NFIU is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight and prevent the exploitation of these zones for illicit financial activities.”
In her remarks, Bakari assured the delegation of her commitment to a robust partnership with OGFZA, noting that “Such collaborations are essential for the effective implementation and monitoring of critical regulations. She outlined plans for joint sensitisation and training exercises by both agencies, aimed at enhancing compliance with AML and CFT regulations within the Oil and Gas Free Zones. These initiatives will include workshops, seminars, and capacity-building programs designed to educate stakeholders on the importance of adhering to global best practices in financial transparency and accountability.
“The strategic collaboration between OGFZA and NFIU is also expected to lead to the development of new regulatory guidelines that will further safeguard the integrity of financial transactions within Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Free Zones. By closing loopholes and enhancing due diligence measures, both agencies aim to create a more secure and investor-friendly environment that will attract more credible investors into the sector.
“The partnership between OGFZA and NFIU is anticipated to yield several positive outcomes. First, it will contribute to improving Nigeria’s Investor Attractiveness Ranking, which has been on an upward trajectory due to ongoing reforms. The enhanced regulatory environment will also increase the Investment Rating of Nigeria, positioning the country as a top destination for international investors seeking opportunities in the oil and gas sector.
“Furthermore, the collaboration will foster greater inter-agency cooperation, leading to more efficient resource utilization, quicker response times in addressing financial crimes, and a more coordinated approach to economic development. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both OGFZA and NFIU, Nigeria stands to benefit from a more transparent, secure, and resilient investment landscape.”
Bakari noted that the NFIU’s achievements in combating financial crimes have had a ripple effect across multiple sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, manufacturing, and financial services.
“By ensuring that free zones are not exploited for illegal activities, the NFIU has contributed to creating a safer and more attractive business environment for both local and foreign investors”, she concluded.
ECOWAS raises the alarm as Mpox spreads in Africa
The ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control has reported that monkeypox continues to spread in the region, with 44 confirmed cases and one death recorded by the end of Epi Week 33, 2024.
Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Ghana are the hardest-hit countries in ECOWAS.
The report was released on Friday, August 16, and made available to journalists on Saturday.
Mpox, or monkeypox, is a zoonotic viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, part of the Orthopoxvirus genus. While it shares similarities with smallpox, it is generally less severe.
The virus spreads from animals to humans through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or lesions of infected animals.
Human-to-human transmission occurs through respiratory droplets, contact with infected body fluids, or exposure to contaminated objects.
“As of August 15, 2024, the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control continues to monitor the Mpox situation in the ECOWAS region, as well as continental and global level.
“As at Epi Week 33, a total of 44 confirmed cases and one death have been reported in the ECOWAS region since the beginning of the year; Nigeria (24), Cote d’Ivoire (11), Liberia (5) and Ghana (4),” the report revealed.
However, the African continent has continued to experience significant challenges in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a marked increase in cases and fatalities since the beginning of 2024.
With 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths reported this year, the continent is facing a massive public health emergency.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is bearing the brunt of this crisis, shockingly accounting for 96.3 per cent of all cases and 97 per cent of deaths continent-wide in 2024 alone.
The first half of 2024 saw an explosive rise in infections across Africa—14,250 Mpox cases and 456 deaths—representing a 160 per cent increase in cases and a 19 per cent jump in fatalities compared to the same period last year.
The DRC remains the epicentre of the outbreak, with a case fatality rate of 3.2 per cent, underscoring the severity of the crisis.
“However, the African continent has continued to experience significant challenges in controlling the spread of Mpox, with a marked increase in cases and fatalities since the beginning of 2024.
“A total of 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths have been reported across 15 African Union Member States. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the most affected, accounting for 96.3 per cent of all cases and 97 per cent of deaths in 2024 alone.
“In the first half of 2024, the continent saw 14,250 Mpox cases, including 2,745 confirmed cases and 456 deaths, representing a significant increase in both cases 160 per cent and deaths 19 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. The case fatality rate stands at 3.2 per cent for 2024, with the highest burden in DRC,” it added.
In June 2024 alone, 567 new cases were reported in the African region, highlighting the relentless spread of the virus.
The Centre stated, “June 2024 saw a global continuation of Mpox transmission, with 567 new cases reported from the African Region, further underscoring the ongoing public health emergency.”
The Regional Centre called for an immediate scaling up of response efforts.
It stressed the need for urgent public awareness campaigns to educate communities about prevention and symptoms.
“We recommend strengthened surveillance systems to promptly detect and respond to monkeypox cases. Timely reporting and robust case management are critical in mitigating the spread of the virus.
“Given the cross-border nature of disease transmission, we strongly encourage enhanced cooperation among neighbouring countries.
“Coordinated efforts in surveillance, data sharing, and joint outbreak response will be instrumental in containing the spread of monkeypox across borders,” it advised.
The Africa Centre for Disease Control recently declared Mpox a “public health emergency of continental security” as the virus has spread across several countries.
According Online reported on Wednesday that the European Union would donate 215,000 doses of vaccines to Africa in a significant move to combat the ongoing Mpox outbreak in the continent.
Over 1,000 #EndBadGovernance protesters in prison, says Amnesty International
Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has stated that over 1000 #EndBadGovernance protesters are currently in prison custody nationwide following the recent hunger protests.
The protests, which were held between August 1 and 10, turned violent in some parts of the country, with reports of looting and vandalism in several states.
On August 6, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that the police had arrested some of the sponsors of rioters who hoisted foreign flags and called for a change of government in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Zamfara, among others.
However, in a post via its X handle on Friday, the organisation accused the Nigerian authorities of escalating a crackdown on peaceful protesters by arraigning over 100 protesters in court.
It, therefore, reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly
The post read, “The Nigerian authorities are escalating crackdown on peaceful protesters against hunger and corruption. Over 1,000 people have been remanded nationwide. Today 441 people were arraigned in Kano, in what is set out to be an unfair trial based on trumped-up charges.
“Amnesty International again calls for an immediate and unconditional release of all those arrested for exercising their right to peaceful assembly. The government of Nigeria has an obligation to uphold the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
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Actress Lizzy Anjorin revisits allegations of being called a thief
Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has revisited an allegation of being called a thief after it was purported that she stole gold from a seller in a video that made the rounds last February.
Recall that the thespian who refuted the claim at the time stated that the event was about an alleged unsuccessful transfer of N91,000 that she made to a vendor of accessories on Tom Jones in the Idumota neighborhood of Lagos. Like filmmaker Olajide Kareem, sometimes known as Seun Egbegbe, she claimed she was set up.
While recalling the incident during an interview with media personality Timi Agbaje, the mother of one said that she cannot go into the market to steal something less than a grain of rice.
READ ALSO: Police arraigns six traders for allegedly assaulting Nollywood actress, Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal
She said; “Let’s first establish that we’re talking about ₦91,000 gold when a gram of gold was 150,000. A gram of gold is less than a grain of rice so how can you go into the market to steal something less than a grain of rice, a single rice?”
The actress, who earned a BSc in Transport Planning and Management from Olabisi Onabanjo University in 2003, expressed her outrage at the accusation, calling it “ridiculous” that she would steal gold.
Lizzy said; “I’m a certified jewelry seller, I sell gold and diamonds. I am also a certified fabric merchant so how can I stoop so low to go to Eko Idumota to steal a gram of gold? Something less than a grain of rice? That is ridiculous. I am not a thief, I will never be a thief. I am too straightforward and too disciplined to become a thief.’’
The post Actress Lizzy Anjorin revisits allegations of being called a thief appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from TVN.
Israeli strikes hit Lebanon as mediators push Gaza truce
Deadly Israeli strikes hit Lebanon and Gaza on Saturday as the US secretary of state headed back to Israel aiming to finalise a Gaza truce agreement, which diplomats say could help avert a wider regional conflagration.
Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon killed 10 people including a Syrian woman and her two children.
The strike was among the deadliest in southern Lebanon since the onset of near-daily exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah following the start of the Gaza war in October.
Israel’s military said it struck a Hezbollah weapons storage facility.
In Hamas-run Gaza, civil defence rescuers said an Israeli air strike killed 15 people from a single Palestinian family. The deaths in Al-Zawaida, central Gaza, added to a toll that the territory’s health ministry says exceeds 40,000.
“We are in the morgue seeing indescribable scenes of limbs and severed heads and children who are dismembered,” said Omar al-Dreemli, a relative.
The Gaza war between Israel and Hamas Palestinian militants has displaced most of the territory’s population, destroyed much of the housing and other infrastructure, and left diseases spreading.
The United Nations on Friday appealed for seven-day pauses in the fighting so it could vaccinate children against polio, after the Palestinian health ministry reported Gaza’s first polio case in 25 years.
“We are closer than we have ever been” to a ceasefire in the Gaza war, US President Joe Biden said on Friday, though previous optimism during months of on-off talks has so far proven futile.
On Saturday a senior Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, said Biden’s comment is an “illusion”.
The stakes have significantly risen since the killings in quick succession in late July of Fuad Shukr, a top operations chief of Hezbollah in south Lebanon, and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh.
Their deaths led to vows of vengeance from Hezbollah, Iran and other Tehran-backed groups in the region which blamed Israel.
• Bridging gaps –
On Friday Hezbollah released a polished video appearing to show its fighters trucking large missiles through tunnels at an underground facility.
Israel claimed the killing of Shukr, in a strike on south Beirut, but has not commented directly on the killing of Haniyeh while he visited Tehran.
Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Militants also seized 251 hostages, 111 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead. More than 100 were freed during a one-week truce in November.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will leave on Saturday for Israel and seek to “conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and release of hostages and detainees”, the State Department said.
With a deal “now in sight, no one in the region should take actions to undermine this process,” Biden said.
Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators are working to finalise details of a framework ceasefire and hostage-release deal initially outlined by Biden in May. He said Israel had proposed it.
In a joint statement after two days of talks in Qatar, the mediators said they presented both sides with a proposal that “bridges remaining gaps”.
Talks aiming to secure a deal are to resume in Cairo “before the end of next week”, they said.
Hamas did not attend the Doha talks. An official of the Islamist movement, Osama Hamdan, told AFP on Thursday the group would join if the meeting set a timetable for implementing what Hamas had already agreed to.
A prospective cessation of hostilities has centred around a phased deal beginning with an initial truce.
On Friday, officials told AFP that Hamas will not accept “new conditions” from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday had detailed its conditions for a truce, including “a veto on certain prisoners” being released from its jails.
• Netanyahu blamed –
Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi of Jordan, a Western ally, blamed Netanyahu for “impeding attempts to finalise” a deal and urged pressure on him.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Saturday met his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne in Cairo for talks on “containing the escalation and efforts to reach a ceasefire,” Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesman said.
Netanyahu has denied being the obstacle to a deal, blaming Hamas.
On Friday, the Palestinian health ministry reported an unvaccinated 10-month-old child in Gaza had been diagnosed with highly infectious polio.
The announcement came hours after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for two seven-day breaks in the Gaza war to vaccinate more than 640,000 children against type 2 poliovirus, which was first detected in the territory’s wastewater in June.
As truce talks took place, thousands of civilians were on the move again after the Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders ahead of imminent military action in central-southern Gaza.
“During each round of negotiations, they exert pressure by forcing evacuations and committing massacres,” said Issa Murad, a Palestinian displaced to Deir el-Balah.
Over the past day troops expanded their operations in the Khan Yunis area of Gaza’s south, including by “eliminating” militants who had fired munitions toward Nirim, just outside Gaza, Israel’s military said on Saturday.
AFP.
Indian doctors down tools over colleague’s rape, murder
Indian doctors held a nationwide strike on Saturday, escalating protests after the “barbaric” rape and murder of their colleague that has channelled outrage at the chronic issue of violence against women.
The discovery of the 31-year-old doctor’s bloodied body at a state-run hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata on August 9 sparked furious protests in several cities across the country.
Many have been led by doctors and other healthcare workers but also joined by tens of thousands of ordinary Indians demanding action.
In Kolkata, thousands held a candle-lit vigil into the early hours of Saturday morning.
“Hands that heal shouldn’t bleed,” read one sign held by a protester in the eastern city.
“Enough is enough,” read another at a rally by doctors in the capital New Delhi.
“Hang the rapist,” another said.
The murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital’s seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a rest during a 36-hour shift.
An autopsy confirmed sexual assault and, in a petition to the court, the victim’s parents said they suspected their daughter was gang-raped.
One man, who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, has been detained.
However, Kolkata’s police were accused by an angry public of mishandling the case and the city’s High Court transferred the investigation to India’s top Central Bureau of Investigation to “inspire public confidence”.
Those in government hospitals across several states on Monday halted elective services “indefinitely”, with multiple medical unions in both government and private systems backing the strikes.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) escalated protests on Saturday morning with a 24-hour “nationwide withdrawal of services”, and the suspension of all non-essential procedures.
“We ask for the understanding and support of the nation in this struggle for justice for its doctors and daughters,” IMA chief R.V. Asokan said in a statement ahead of the strike.
The IMA called the killing “barbaric”.
“The 36-hour duty shift that the victim was in and the lack of safe spaces to rest… warrant a thorough overhaul of the working and living conditions of the resident doctors,” the IMA said in a statement.
Doctors are demanding the implementation of the Central Protection Act, a bill to protect healthcare workers from violence.
“There is a lack of proper infrastructure,” said 29-year-old Akanksha Tyagi, a resident at the Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi who took part in one of the multiple protests around the country.
“After working for 24-36 hours at a stretch, there’s no proper place for us to rest,” she said.
The strike disrupted outpatient services.
At Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia public hospital, one of the city’s busiest, many who had turned up for their scheduled appointments were turned away.
Shivdev Kumar, 50, had travelled over 20 kilometres (12 miles) with the tuberculosis reports of his daughter, only to find the doctor’s room locked.
“I had no idea, otherwise I would not have such a long way,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanded on Thursday swift punishment for those who commit “monstrous” deeds against women.
Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India — an average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in 2022 in the country of 1.4 billion people.
For many, the gruesome nature of the hospital attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder of a young woman on a Delhi bus.
That woman became a symbol of socially conservative India’s failure to tackle sexual violence against women.
Her death sparked huge, and at times violent, demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere.
Under pressure, the government introduced harsher penalties for rapists and the death penalty for repeat offenders.
Several new sexual offences were also introduced — including for stalking — and officials who refuse to register rape complaints can now be jailed.
AFP
APC, PDP trade words over Bauchi LG poll
The All Progressives Congress, Bauchi State chapter has accused the State Independent Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party of allegedly planning to rig the today’s local government election in favour of the ruling PDP.
During an emergency press conference in the early hours of Saturday, the APC raised the alarm that it received a report that both the government and the commission had scuttled the credibility of the exercise.
While reading a statement signed by the State Chairman of APC, the party’s Legal Adviser, Rabiu Garba, said, “As at the moment of less than 12 hours before the commencement of the Saturday poll, we have observed that BASIEC has failed to provide adequate sensitive and non-sensitive election materials, including sufficient ballot papers and result sheets, at the designated voting centres across the state.
“As gathered from credible sources, we have reason to believe that BASIEC intends to announce election results while voting is in progress, which is unacceptable and a clear attempt to undermine the democratic process.
“Currently our party is unaware of the identities of the presiding officers, collation officers, and returning officers for the election, despite having served the commission with an official demand letter in that regard. This, in fact, raises serious questions about the transparency and credibility of tomorrow’s (Saturday) election process.”
Garba recalled claims that there has been constant scheming out of the APC in almost all the meetings with critical stakeholders held by the Commission concerning the election in question.
He said that the APC would not accept the outcome of any election that is marred by such irregularities and shady elections. APC called on the BASIEC to conduct a transparent, free, and fair election that reflects the will of the people of Bauchi State.
“However, we must condemn in totality, the cunning move made by the PDP government in Bauchi state to disenfranchise the people of Bauchi State by compromising the State Independent Electoral Commission, BASIEC security agencies, and ad-hoc electoral officers in all the polling units across the State. The planned rigging of the election was orchestrated as manifested by BASIEC,” APC said.
According Online reported that the press conference was attended by the Senator representing Bauchi South, Shehu Umar Buba, the Chairman of APC, Mohammed Hassan, and other top party stakeholders in the state.
Reacting to the allegation when contacted by our correspondent, a chieftain of the Bauchi PDP , Abdullahi Mato, explained said “the allegation is baseless and unfounded.”
He added, “All these allegations are baseless and unfounded.
“Of course, everybody knows that Bauchi is a PDP-controlled state as such, the mind of every PDP member in Bauchi is calm about the LG elections, and this is because of the developmental projects by the PDP government across the state.
“There is no local government in Bauchi State you will visit that you will not come across the projects of the PDP. APC has ruled for four years in Bauchi without one legacy to show; how do you expect people to vote for them?”
He insisted that residents vote based on legacies, not talks, and that is why the APC is afraid to face the battle.
On his part, another PDP chieftain in the state, Abubakar Musa, said “Had it been the PDP wants to rig the election as the opposition claimed, why would the governor direct all party stakeholders to campaign and seek voters support?
“The APC has obviously refused to campaign and is now looking for sympathy from the people.
“This is the APC ways of politics. All propaganda, they fold their arms to participating in the process and canvassing for a vote only to cry foul on the eve of the elections.”
Ministry partners association on housing scheme
The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced a partnership with the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria to advance the delivery of affordable housing under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.
This collaboration was formalised during a courtesy visit by AHCN President and Chairman of Council, Eno Obongha, and his delegation to the ministry.
The ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Salisu Haiba, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
The partnership is set to focus on eradicating homelessness and ensuring that all Nigerians have access to decent and affordable housing in a safe environment.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said, “The Renewed Hope Housing Programme was initiated to boost the stock of affordable housing in Nigeria.”
He assured his guests that the ministry is committed to completing all housing projects under the program, with a clear stance against abandoning any houses.
“There will be no abandoned houses under this programme,” he emphasised.
The minister also highlighted the importance of using high-quality, locally sourced building materials in the construction process.
“Despite our goal of providing affordable and accessible houses for all Nigerians, we will not compromise on quality. High-quality building materials will be used to deliver houses that will be acceptable to Nigerians, while also boosting our local economy,” he stated.
Dangiwa expressed his satisfaction with the Agric-Villages Scheme, an initiative of the AHCN aimed at acquiring farmland in rural areas across all states.
This scheme is designed to use agriculture as a driver for housing provision, thereby creating job opportunities for unemployed youths.
“The Agric-Villages Scheme will be incorporated into the National Social Housing Fund initiative, which the Ministry is working to implement,” the minister said, noting its potential to provide access to affordable housing for low- and no-income Nigerians.
Earlier, the President and Chairman of AHCN, Obongha, expressed the association’s desire to actively participate in the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda.
“We are committed to supporting this initiative by providing about 15 hectares of land in each senatorial district for housing development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
The association also sought the minister’s support in enabling State Housing Corporations to obtain Housing Development Funds through mortgages and requested inclusion in executing housing projects under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.
Furthermore, Obongha proposed that at least 20 per cent of the building materials used in the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda projects be locally sourced to promote economic growth and sustainability.
EndBadGovernance protests in Jigawa politically-motivated – Gov Namadi
Jigawa State Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, has said the recent incidents of destruction and looting of public and private properties in the state were politically motivated.
The governor disclosed this on Friday while speaking at the flag-off event for the emergency distribution of various food commodities to vulnerable households, donated by the federal government in collaboration with the state government.
He emphasized that political motives, not any public protest, drove these acts of violence.
Governor Namadi expressed his dismay over the violence, pointing out that individuals with political motivations hijacked it and tricked innocent youths into participating in the looting and destruction.
According to him, “Despite repeated calls by the Ulama and other highly respected members of our communities to stop the protest that could have otherwise been peaceful and orderly, it was hijacked by certain crooked individuals and hoodlums.
“More disheartening is how these political miscreants lured and polluted the minds of some of our unsuspecting youths into participating in the unruly protests,” he said.
He condemned the actions, stating that the damage caused to both public and private properties has set the state back significantly.
“There is no doubt this has taken us several steps backward, as public and private properties worth several billions of Naira, including emergency relief materials and agricultural inputs meant to be distributed to the vulnerable segments of the population, were looted or vandalized.
“Notwithstanding, as a humane government committed to lasting improvements in the welfare and economic well-being of our people, we will continue to implement more initiatives, interventions, and social safety net programs in line with our Agenda for Greater Jigawa.”
The governor extended his sympathies to those affected by the recent floods in thirteen local government areas of the state.
EndBadGovernance protests in Jigawa politically-motivated – Gov Namadi