On Sunday, Abdulaziz Yari, representing Zamfara West senatorial district, donated N300 million to APC officials and supporters across the state.
During a meeting with the party stakeholders, Mr Yari announced the donation through the APC chairman in Zamfara, Tukur Danfulani, at the senator’s residence in Talata Mafara.
Mr Yari said the gesture was to assist the stakeholders and party supporters in celebrating Eid-el-Kabir with ease.
According to him, the welfare packages are meant to reduce the economic hardships people face.
He urged APC supporters to pray for the success of their leaders and party at all levels.
Mr Yari, who later addressed the party loyalists, thanked them for their support and loyalty during the concluded general elections in the country, renewing his commitment to support President Bola Tinubu’s government in all aspects, especially in the fight against insecurity and other heinous crimes.
“What translated in the general poll and that of National Assembly elections was destiny that only geared up our political ambition. We will, therefore, continue to remain loyal to our party and the government to attract development,” the senator stated.
Mr Yari’s donation came a few days after distributing 400 rams, 1000 cows to the supporters and another 500 rams to his neighbours in the Talata Mafara council area.
No fewer than 80 children were Friday morning abducted by bandits in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The children are between the ages of 12 and 17, BBC Hausa reported.
Some parents of the abducted children who spoke to the British broadcaster said the victims were in the bush fetching firewood at about 8:00 a.m. when the assailants rounded them up and marched them away into the forest.
Bandits’ activities have refused to abate in Zamfara despite several government intervention to stem the criminal activity.
Hundreds of schoolchildren have been kidnapped and some later released upon payment of ransom.
The abductors are yet to reach the parents to make any demands as of the time BBC reported the kidnap.
Armed bandits have killed the district head of Yankuzo, Alhaji Hamza Abdullahi Kogo of Tsafe Emirate in Zamfara State.
Channels Television gathered that, the district head was attacked by the bandits on his way back to his community from an official engagement last Friday around 8pm.
Sources from the area said the monarch was shot and wounded in an attempt to abduct him.
He was rushed to the Federal Medical Center in Gusau, the state capital where he later died on Saturday night.
Yankuzo is the hometown of the notorious bandit kingpin, Ado Aleru who was conferred with Traditional title in Yandoton Daji Emirate in July this year.
Many residents of Yankuzo community said the community has never witnessed bandits’ attack since the inception of banditry within the state.
Police authorities in the state are yet to comment on the latest incident.
The governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which produced Dauda Lawal-Dare as its flagbearer was on Tuesday, November 8, was nullified again by a Federal High Court sitting in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.
Justice Aminu Bappa also ruled that PDP will not field any candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.
This is coming two months after a court nullified the previous primary that elected Lawal-Dare following a suit filed by Ibrahim Shehu and two other aspirants challenging the credibility of the primary.
A Federal High Court in Zamfara State has nullified the primary election that produced Alhaji Dauda Lawal Dare as the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the forthcoming general elections.
Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, a former federal lawmaker who also contested for the election, had approached the court seeking the nullification of the PDP primary election won by Dare, citing gross irregularities.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, September 16, Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu said all the prayers of the plaintiff had been granted by the court.
The judgment was contained in a 109-page document. Justice Aminu ordered that fresh primary election must be conducted to ensure justice and fairness to all parties. Speaking shortly after the judgment, counsel for the plaintiff, Barrister Ibrahim Ali, said,
“The court looked at the merit of the matter and decided the case in favour of the plaintiffs.”
He added: “Our prayers were that the primary elections conducted by a committee led by Adamu Maina Waziri be nullified by the court and order be given by the court for the conduct of a fresh election in line with the PDP’s constitution and guidelines. All our prayers have been granted.
“The judgment was well evaluated because we proved our case beyond reasonable doubts and we are happy with the decision of the court.”
The state legal adviser of the PDP in the state, Barrister Bashir Abubakar Masama, said the party would study the judgment and take the next line of action, adding that the ruling would be appealed.
Governor Matawalle signs death penalty for kidnappers, bandits, others in Zamfara.
The Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle, has signed into law a death penalty on anybody found guilty of banditry, cattle rustling, cultism, or serving as a bandits’ informant.
The Governor announced this in a broadcast to the people of the state on Tuesday, August 16.
He said
“On the 28th of June this year, I assented to the bill on Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022.
The law provides a legal instrument for prosecuting banditry-related offenders.Based on the new law, anyone found guilty of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, cultism, or serving as a bandits’ informant is subject to the death penalty.
Similarly, anyone found guilty of supporting in any manner the aforementioned offences faces a sentence of life in prison, 20 years in jail, or ten years in prison, without the option of a fine.”
Matawalle stated that the measures were part of his administration’s unrelenting efforts to tackle the problem of banditry that has plagued the state and the neighboring northwestern states for more than a decade.
“Gladly, the latest measures are beginning to yield the intended results despite the pockets of attacks here and there by the bandits”he said
He described the activities of informants as a major change towards addressing insecurity challenges in the state, expressing optimism that the situation would soon come to an end.
“With regards to the issue of informants, which is the major impediment in the fight against banditry, I am glad to inform the peace-loving people of Zamfara State that we have succeeded in apprehending many of them.
They are currently being interrogated before being prosecuted in accordance with the fullest extent of the law.”he said
A medical doctor identified as Dr. Mansur Mohammed and many other people have been abducted by the notorious bandits operating in Zamfara State.
The State’s chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has condemned the attack, urging the Federal and the State governments to rise up to the security challenges.
Dr. Mansur, who is the Director-General of Dansadau General Hospital, was said to have been kidnapped on Saturday, June 25, 2022, along Dansadau-Magami road as bandits blocked the road.
DAILY POST learnt that many passengers were also kidnapped in the operation.
DAILY POST reports that the security operatives in the State State now appear helpless as the bandits continue to unleash terror attacks in every part of the State.
However, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ayuba Elkanah has not made any statement regarding the massive killings and kidnappings in the State.
Local and federal highways in the North-west have become vulnerable as bandits continue to ambush and abduct travelers.
The gunmen who abducted 29 people returning to Zamfara State from Sokoto State where they had gone to attend the wedding of colleagues have released them after the payment of an unspecified ransom.
The victims, who were mostly dealers of mobile phones and phone accessories at Bebeji Communication Market (Bebeji Plaza) in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State were abducted in Sokoto 13 days ago.
Secretary of the GSM Dealers Association in the state, Ashiru Zurmi, confirmed the release of the victims but didn’t give details.
One of the victims reportedly died in captivity.
Though the amount paid as ransom to secure the release of the hostages has not been revealed, Abdullahi Lawal, whose brother was among those abducted, said their relatives were asked to make donations. He said his family raised N33,000 while the phone sellers’ association “provided the remaining money.”
“Every family was told to gather N400,000 while the members of the plaza and their colleagues in the state provided the remaining money. Some family members were able to raise the money in full, but we couldn’t. I took the money to the plaza and I was told that they were still negotiating with the bandits” he said.
He said he didn’t know how much was given to the bandits “but I’m happy that my brother is okay,” he said.
From N5m to N700,000
A phone accessories seller, Sharhabilu Muhammad, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone that the officials of the phone dealers association negotiated with the bandits to reduce the ransom they originally demanded to release the captives.
“You know that the initial money they said was N5m for each of the captives but our officials kept negotiating with them (bandits) until they reduced the money to N700k,” he said.
When asked about the person who reportedly died in captivity, Mr Muhammed said his identity has not been revealed.
“We don’t know because even the bandits didn’t tell but we’ll surely find out when they (captives) arrive at Gusau tonight,” he added.
The police command spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, didn’t respond to calls and SMS sent to him on the development.
Backstory
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the wedding guests were abducted when bandits opened fire on the two buses they were travelling in a few kilometres after Bimasa in the Dogon Awo junction, Sokoto State.
They were returning from Tambuwal town in Sokoto State where they had attended the wedding of a colleague, Jamil Umar.
The bandits had demanded a ransom of N145 million to release the 29 hostages.
Bandits have been terrorising North-west states and a part of North-central Nigeria, killing and displacing hundreds of people and rustling domestic animals.
Travelling on federal and local highways is becoming dangerous as bandits block roads, abduct and kill motorists.
Major federal highways including Abuja-Kaduna, Gusau-Sokoto-Birnin Kebbi, and Birnin Gwari-Kaduna have become travellers’ nightmares with attacks and abduction or killing of travellers becoming a daily occurrence.
The Presidency has slammed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over its criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari on his cancelled visit to Zamfara few days ago.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by a media aide to the President, Garba Shehu, who accused the PDP of being mischievous.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that the PDP criticised the sudden cancellation of the president’s trip to Zamfara, rejecting the reason of bad weather as advanced by the presidency for aborting the trip.
However, Shehu stated that this stance by the PDP showcased an ignorance in the schedule of the President especially “for a party that held that office for 16 years or an act that smacks of mischief.”
He added: ”Whatever be the case, there must be a limit to trivialization.
”All over the world, Commanders-in-Chief, serving or even those that have left office cannot hop into a car and go anywhere they want, at any time of the day. In the United States, for instance, a law going as far back as 1958 prevents past Presidents from traveling on public roads without assured security (how much more of serving Presidents).
”When roads are closed for presidential movements here and elsewhere, consideration is also given to the safety of other road users, not just that of the President or even Governor.
”The statement on the issue by the PDP attacking the President for not making it to Gusau without this being planned ahead of the journey is shameful and disgraceful for a party that held the presidency of the country in the past. What is their own record?”
The spokesman further picketed the PDP for peddling lies in order to score cheap political goals.
”It is sad for the country that the bankruptcy of issues have forced the PDP, so-called leading opposition party, to hang on to life by only telling lies. And their caravan of falsehood has moved even more speedily following the inauguration of their not-so-new national executive at the end of last year.
It is equally important that local political actors who have seized upon the cancellation of the visit to describe it as a victory for this or that faction of the party, accompanied by songs, lyrics, and videos to know that their joy is a short-lived one. As he promised in that broadcast, the visit to Gusau by the President is only a matter of time.
”Given the right conditions of the weather and all other things, he will return, and in time to accomplish his mission,” he added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday, conducted its congresses to elect party executives across the 147 wards in Zamfara State.
The Chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in the state, Col. Bala Mande (retd), disclosed this to journalists at the end of the exercise in five wards in Gusau, the state capital.
The congresses for the Sabon Gari, Mayana, Madawaki, Tudun Wada, and Galadima wards took place at the GAPP Ginnery in Gusau.
He noted that the delay in the conduct of the congresses was due to the security situation in the state.
Mande, who was former Chief of Staff to Governor Bello Matawalle, said the congresses took place simultaneously across the 147 wards in the state.
He said 18 executives are expected to emerge from each ward and would run the affairs of the party for the next four years.
The chairman said: “Our congresses were open as you witnessed how supporters queued behind the candidate of their choices and who secured the highest votes was declared the winner.
“The process allowed members of the party at the ward level to elect officers of their choice that will steer the ship of the party for the next four years.”
A 30-year-old woman, Fatima Lawali, has been arrested by the Zamfara State Police Command while trying to smuggle 991 ammunition into the camp of a notorious bandit leader who has been on security agents wanted list.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba N. Elkanah, who paraded the suspect at the Command headquarters is Gusau on Friday, said she was nabbed on her way from Sokoto to deliver the weapons to the bandit leader known as Ado Alero, in a forest in the state when she was arrested.
Briefing newsmen during the parade of the suspect, the Police boss said:
“On 25th October, 2021, at about 0930hrs, Police Tactical Operatives of the Command in collaboration with FIB/STS led by DSP Hussaini Gimba on Tactical Operations in the state, arrested one Fatima Lawali, F, a native of K/Namoda LGA of Zamfara State,” the police commissioner said.
Fatima specialised in supplying arms and ammunition to Bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, and Niger states.
The suspect was arrested at Gada Biyu area, under Bungudu LGA with nine hundred and ninety-one (991) rounds of AK-47 live ammunition conveying from Dabagi Village in Sokoto State to be delivered to a notorious bandits’ kingpin called Ado Alero who has been terrorising Zamfara and neighbouring states.”
CP Elkanah noted that the Police Tactical Operatives carried out tactical operations at different bandit enclaves in the state following interrogations of the woman and other suspects arrested.
“The operations led to a serious gun battle with the bandits where unspecified numbers of bandits were fatally injured while others escaped with possible gunshot wounds,” he added.
The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, on Friday ordered the re-opening of markets earlier shut in the state.
The governor ordered the closure of the market on August 28 in a bid to check the worsening insecurity in Zamfara.
He gave the directive during the inauguration of political appointees in Gusau, the state capital.
The appointees are two new commissioners, 10 Special Advisers, eight Permanent Secretaries, and a new Auditor-General for the state.
The governor listed the markets as the livestock outlets in Gummi, Bagega, Danjibga, Kasuwar Daji, Tsafe, Talata-Mafara, and Nasarawar Godel.
He said the decision to reopen the markets was informed by the improvement in the security situation in the state in the last one month.
He said the state government was also concerned with the hardship the total closure had inflicted on the state’s economy.
Matawalle, however, warned citizens against taking laws into their hands under whatever guise.
He said: “Nobody is allowed to take the laws into his or her hands even in an obvious breach.
“Government will no longer take it kindly with any person or group killing people wantonly in market places as it obtained in the past.
“Anybody caught breaking this rule will face the appropriate wrath of the law.
“I call on vigilance groups and concerned individuals to follow the rule of law and due process in addressing any issue that might arise in such situations.”
The Zamfara Police Command has dismissed insinuations that recent security measures taken by the state government were politically motivated.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ayuba Elkana, made the clarification in a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau.
Governor Bello Matawalle had on Friday announced seven drastic security measures in a bid to check the worsening security situation in the state.
These measures include the ban of weekly markets across the state, the sale of fuel in jerry cans, and the restriction on the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in Gusau and other parts of the state, among others.
Elkana said: “The new security measures are not politically motivated. Rather, they are in the best interest of the state of the people of the state.”
The police commissioner directed police personnel to ensure full enforcement of the security measures.
He noted that the police, in collaboration with other security agencies, would begin the enforcement of the security measures on August 30.
He added: “It will be recalled that on August 27, Governor Matawalle, in his determination to stem the activities of criminal elements in the state, had announced about seven proactive security measures.
“We are going to constitute a joint task force which will be responsible for the full enforcement of the directives.
“We will not tolerate attempt by any person or group of persons to contravene any of these measures, as we are fully committed to ensuring that the full wrath of the law is applied to offenders.”
He also urged residents to remain law-abiding and collaborate with security agencies in the efforts at restoring peace and security in the state.
Former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has questioned the loyalty of Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Muhammad Gusau, for refusing to decamp to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle.
Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), slammed the deputy governor, saying it was a form of betrayal to not join his principal in decamping.
Gusau had refused to join Matawalle in decamping from the PDP to the APC, and also decrying plans by the state assembly to impeach him despite a court order stopping such moves.
Reacting on social media, Fani-Kayode questioned why a Deputy Governor would refuse to decamp with his Governor after being picked as a running mate during the election.
“When a Governor decamps from one party to another shouldn’t his Deputy go with him? Is that not what loyalty is all about?,” Fani-Kayode tweeted
“Against his better judgement @Bellomatawalle1 picked you as his running mate & made you Deputy Governor & now you undermine & betray him? Shame on you!”
The father of Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, his step-mother and a number of other of his family members were on Thursday kidnapped by suspected bandits.
Among this forcefully taken away were his uncle and four others in a raid on Magarya community, in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.
The Zamfara State Police Command on Thursday confirmed the kidnap of the victims, through statement by its Public Relations Officer, SP Muhammad Shehu, in Gusau on Thursday.
Ripples Nigeria gathered that some suspected bandits abducted Magarya and some of his family members on Wednesday.
In confirmation, the PPRO said: “The unknown gunmen on Wednesday invaded Magarya town in Zurmi Local Government Area and kidnapped the Speaker’s biological father, his stepmother and four other persons.
“The command has deployed a squad of security personnel to rescue the abducted persons.”
At least one person has been killed while some have sustained injuries in Jangebe, the Zamfara community where some schoolgirls were abducted last week.
After the students regained freedom, the government took them for counselling and rehabilitation.
On Wednesday, they were brought back to the school to reunite with their family members.
Pandemonium broke out after anxious parents disrupted the speech of Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, and forcefully took their daughters away.
The schoolgirls, who arrived at the school in the evening, were seated in the examination hall and were being addressed by the speaker when the visibly disturbed parents broke in to the hall and started throwing insults at the dignitaries that were meant to address the parents and the school girls.
All speeches were disrupted and after sensing trouble, the speaker and commissioners attending the event quickly left.
Shots were fired by security operatives to disperse the crowd that was waiting outside the school.
The youths began to throw stones at the security operatives that were moving out of the community.
A young man stained blood and was seen being held by other youths at the scene.
The vehicle conveying journalists had to quickly move out of the community as the youth were pelting vehicles with stones.
Last week, some journalists who visited the school a day after the abduction were attacked.
The schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara local Government Area of Zamfara State who were kidnapped from their school recently, have been released by their abductors.
They are presently at the palace of the Emir of Anka waiting to be transported to Gusau, the State capital.
An aide to the President, Lauretta Onochie confirmed the release of the schoolgirls on Sunday.
The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has denied rumours making the rounds that he donated some new Hilux vehicles to repentant Boko Haram bandits in the state.
Governor Matawalle denied the allegations on Thursday during an interaction with traditional rulers, religious leaders and security chiefs at the Government House in Gusau, the capital.
The governor who was furious at the allegations levelled against him also denied providing logistics to neither operating bandits nor the repentant ones domiciled in Zamfara State.
During the interactive session, Governor Matawalle also asked the 1 Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, Gusau, to mention if he ever made such donations.
“I am in receipt of report that l bought Hilux vans to repentant bandits which l never did. Brig. Gen. Bello, have l ever given any vehicle to even repentant bandits in the state as reported recently?” he quipped.
In his response, Gen, Bello said that soldiers in the state, including himself, were surprised when they saw the report.
“Matawalle never did that apart from the 200 operational vehicles given to the security agencies by the state government in 2020,” Gen, Bello said.
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