Did Ketso Just Approve Extrajudicial Killings?

Ahmed Mohammed Ketso

The deputy governor of Niger state, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, visited IDP  camps in Munya and Shiroro local government areas on Sunday to show what he called government commitment to the amelioration of their plight. 

Bandits Have Informants In Government--Abu Lolo

Abu Lolo

The Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, has hinted that the  bandits who have been wreaking havoc in parts of the state might have informants in the government. 

Mother Of Two Sentenced To Death For Killing Husband

The couple in sweet times

A woman who stabbed her husband to death in 2017 has been sentenced to death by a High court in Abuja. 

Minna: 16 Arrested For Beating Police Officers

Nigerian police officer

Police in Niger state have arrested 16 people, mostly commercial motorcyclists, for beating up two of its personnel and torching a police patrol vehicle. 

The Leah Sharibu Saga Is A Farce

Leah Sharibu in latest photo

On 25^th January, news went round that the last of the Dapchi girls  who is still under Boko Haram captivity has embraced Islam and given birth to baby boy for a Boko Haram commander.

Bandits Kill 11, Abduct 4 Women In 2 Days

Abubakar Sani Bello

Eleven people have been confirmed killed after heavily armed  gunmen invaded a village in Rafi local government area of Niger state on Saturday.

One Record Arsenal Might Break This Season

Arsenal players celebrating a goal

The English team, Arsenal, is one of the most loved football clubs in the world. After a 9 year trophy drought that lasted from 2005 to 2014, things don’t seem to be getting better for the London side. 

Almajiri To Blame For Insecurity-- Abu Lolo

Abu Lolo

The Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, also known by the  nom de guerre, Abu Lolo, has alleged that ‘almajiri’ is to blame for the insecurity bedeviling the northern Nigeria. 

Niger State: "Dodan Barracks Is Dead"--NDLEA

A marijuana addict

The Niger state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement  Agency (NDLEA) has conducted a raid on the drug trafficking hub famously called ‘Dodan barracks’ arresting four suspects. 

Kano: Lassa Fever Kills 3, 292 Others On Alert

Health workers

The Kano state government has reveled that three people have died of the dreaded Lassa fever. The dead are two doctors and a 28 year old pregnant woman; there were no comments on their identities. 

Minna: House Blasts Executive Again As Tensions Continue

Minna City center

The Niger state House of Assembly has lambasted the Ministry of Works over the poor infrastructural development being witnessed in the state. 

Member of the State House Committee on infrastructural development, Jibrin Ndagi

Niger State: NLC Rejects Abu Lolo's N150 Million

Abubakar Sani Bello

The Niger state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has  rejected an offer of 150 million naira from the Niger state government. 

The state government led by  Abubakar Sani Bello offered to distribute the money among civil servants in from grade level 7 to 17, a move that was intended

Minna: House Approves N25 Billion Sukuk Money

Niger state governor (Abubakar Sani Bello)

The Niger state house of Assembly has approved the release of 25  billion naira sukuk bond at request of the governor, Abubakar Sani Bello. 

The governor wrote an apologia to the house after he made the request last week. 

Female Corps Member Downs 2 Bottles of Sniper

A youth corps member in Enugu state, Bolufemi Princess  Motunrayo, reportedly committed suicide on Friday 10^th January. 

The Kogi state indigene who was serving at a secondary school is said to have drunk two bottles of a popular insecticide, Sniper. 

The suicide who was a graduate of banking and Finance from Prince Abubakar Audu University in Kogi state left a note that read, “I did this because I see nothing worth living for in this world”.  

The rate of suicide among Nigerian youths has been on the increase even though intellectuals say the global rate has been on the decline. Nigeria currently ranks 15^th on the global suicide chart of 2019. 

In June 2019, the federal government of Nigeria ordered a ban on the manufacture and sale of Sniper as most intending suicides tend to make a beeline for it. Neighborhood stores have continued to sell the product. 

According to global studies on suicide, deliberate consumption of insecticides accounts for 1/3 of suicides. Studies have shown that around 15 million people worldwide might have committed suicide by pesticide poisoning since 1960. 

Nigeria has been witnessing an ever climbing rate of youth unemployment with the federal government forecasting that the unemployment rate in Nigeria is set to hit 33.5% in 2020; up from 13.9% in 2016. 

Most Nigerian graduates have been conditioned to prepare for a life of hardship after school as the government constantly drums it in their ears, “there are no jobs”.

Presidential Jet: Buhari Has Exhibited a Major Sign of a Tyrant

Hanan Buhari arriving Bauchi

Sociologist, historians and political scientists have identified  certain features of a tyrant and a community under tyranny. 

One of those signs is: Tyrants keep their personal finances secret, and draw no distinction between personal property and public property.

Amidst rising insecurity, poverty, unemployment and corruption, a very important issue for the Presidency of Nigeria is the legality of the president’s daughter traveling in the Presidential jet by herself. Eyebrows were raised after reports of one of Buhari’s daughters, Hanan, traveling to Bauchi state for a private function in the presidential jet made the rounds. 

Being a graduate of photography, she is said to have been invited to photograph a Durbar by Rilwanu Adamu, Emir of Bauchi.

Who is Hanan Buhari?

Hanan Buhari

Hanan can simply be called a tyrant in the making. She recently ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to unlawfully arrest and detain a businessman in Delta State, Anthony Okolie, for 10  weeks. 

The victim purchased a telephone line in Asaba which was previously owned and used by Hanan. The line was recycled for sale by the network provider due to a long period of dormancy. When Hanan discovered that the line was now under a new ownership, she ordered for his arrest. The businessman did not receive any compensation for the mistreatment.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Saturday 11^th January, defended Hanan’s presidential jet cruise and rubbished the criticisms by saying four groups of people were authorized to use the Presidential jets; the President and his family, the vice-President, the Senate President and any other person authorized by the President. 

The last group mentioned is the bone of contention. 

It has been argued, if the President authorizes an individual to use the Presidential jet for an official trip that will serve the interest of the Nigerian people; that will be totally in place. However, using tax payers money for frivolous trips which could be ceremonies, parties or even the desire to just be in the air is gross mismanagement. 

Under standard practice in Nigeria, only the President, First Lady, Vice-President, Senate President, Speaker, Chief Justice of Nigeria, former Presidents and Presidential delegations are allowed to use the presidential jets.

Muhammadu Buhari visited every state of the federation during the election campaigns of 2019; he used a Presidential jet almost every week. Does Garba Shehu mean to tell Nigerians that it would be in place if the President’s children fly the presidential jet every week for their private parties?

It should be recalled that on 2^nd September 2019, the Supreme Court rebuked Muhammadu Buhari for using a federal government paid lawyer for his personal legal battles at the election tribunal. 

It is not a norm for the children of heads of state to fly Presidential jets alone; they are usually in the company of the President, the first lady or a high ranking government official. In the countries we learnt democracy from; children of elected Presidents do not go on private cruises on tax payers money. 

In the 2020 national budget, about N8.5bn was quoted for maintenance of the Presidential jets.

It might be true that Buhari’s monthly salary and allowances can but jet fuel for 10 trips weekly but, that money can as well be used to charter a commercial aircraft. Whatever is funded by the Nigerian state should not be utilized for private pursuits.

The article, What Does Islam Say About Tyranny?, will make a good read.

5 Steps To Defeat A Buharist

Who is a Buharist?

A Buharist

A Buharist is a believer in Buharism.

Buharism can simply be defined as the system of governance tailored to suit the wishes of the Nigerian politician, Retd. General

Niger State Govt. Accused of N126 billion Fraud

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello

The Niger state government headed by Abubakar Sani Bello (Abu Lolo) has been accused of mismanaging N126 billion (One hundred and twenty-six billion naira). 

The allegations were championed by the House member representing Borgu constituency, Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba, during the State House of Assembly deliberations on the 2020 budget proposed by the governor on Tuesday January 6th 2020.

The member asserted that the people of Niger state have seen no value for the funds ear-marked for capital projects in the 2019 budget. Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba buttressed his point by opining that if N126 billion was actually spent on capital projects across the state then, each local government (municipality) ought to have gotten projects worth N5 billion but that was far from reality. 

Another member, Malik Madaki Bosso, of Bosso constituency laid what could be called credence to the allegation by pointing out the fact that many projects across the state are still yet to be completed. 

As the government is apt to do, the spokesman of the House, Musa Idris, has tried to put a dampener on the development saying the deliberations were in no way a means to drag the image of the government’s image in the mire and that media reports were wrong.

Hon. Muhammad Bala Abba also called on the government to improve the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) and also to complete the Agwara power project which attained 80% completion under the late Engineer Abdullahi Abdul Qadir Kure’s administration. 

Hon. Malik Madaki Bosso stressed the need for the executive to ensure respect for federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution by including members of the Gbagyi tribe in political appointments.

Though nicknamed ‘the silent achiever’, it is popular opinion among Nigerlites (Indigenes of Niger state) that the Abu Lolo led government is among the most under performing in the country.

Kano: Woman Pushes Co-wife And Baby Into Well

A well in Nigeria

In another extreme show of rivalry, a woman in Rano Local  government area of Kano state was arrested in the early hours of Saturday for pushing her co-wife into a water well on Friday. 

The victim of the act, 35 year old Zuwaira Sani, who was backing her 18 month old baby, Mustapha Gambo, at the time, died of her injuries while the baby suffered injuries and has been discharged. 

The 30 year old criminal, Hauwa Lawal, has since been detained after she fled. From eye-witness accounts, the crime occurred when the two women resorted to physical confrontations inside their home compound that has a well in it. 

The Police PRO in Kano state, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, has said investigations into what led to the act are underway and the findings will determine the next course of action.

Nigeria Insecurity: Gunmen Kill 23 In Kogi State

A house destroyed by bandits in Nigeria

At least 23 people were killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in the Tawari area of Kogi state. However, the administrator of the local government, Musa Tanko Mohammed, confirmed that 19 villagers died in the invasion.

Labour To Commence State-wide Strike Feb 4th

Niger state Governor Abubakar Sani Bello (Abu Lolo)

In a joint statement signed by the NLC and TUC heads in Niger  state, Yakubu Garba and Yunusa W. Tanimu respectively in early January, organized labour threatened to embark on a state wide industrial action (strike) starting on February 4^th if the state government continues to refuse the payment of the new thirty thousand naira minimum wage. 

Medical Tourism: Buhari Resurrects Hypocrisy Allegations

Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has again resurrected accusations of hypocrisy against himself from the Nigerian masses after making another statement on medical tourism. 

Speaking at Alex Ekwueme Federal University in Ebonyi state today, Buhari, represented by the minister of Health, Dr Osagie Emmanuel Ehanire, urged Nigerians to obtain medical treatment within the borders of Nigeria rather than travelling abroad for that purpose. 

Buhari first made this ‘plea’ on November 5th 2019 at the Second National Health Summit of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Abuja where it was also emphasized that Nigerians spend over $1 billion every year seeking medical help abroad. 

In his first term in office (2015-2019) he spent close to 200 days outside the borders of Nigeria mainly for the purpose of receiving medical care in London. 

In 2017, he was absent from the country for 104 consecutive days. No Nigerian president or head of state has been out of the country for any reason more times than Muhammadu Buhari. This might even hold true for the continent as a whole. 

In April 2016, months before his first London medical tour, Buhari strongly criticized the use of Nigerian tax payers money on international medical expenses.

According to a statement from the Health Ministry at the time.  Buhari is quoted to have said, “While this administration will not deny anyone of his or her fundamental human rights, we will certainly not encourage expending Nigerian hard-earned resources on any government official seeking medical care abroad, when such can be handled in Nigeria”.

Medical tourism among Nigerians is chiefly due to the deplorable state of the Nigerian health care system.

In November 2018, the national Secretary of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions (ASURI), Dr. Theophilus Ndubuaku, said during a launching function that Nigeria losses N359.2 billion to medical tourism annually, which is more than the N340.45 billion allocated the health sector  in the 2018 budget. He went further to state that that figure represented 3.9 per cent of the total N8.6 trillion expenditure plan.

He is quoted to have said:  “Through an average of 9,000 medical tours occurring monthly from Nigeria to other countries, the nation losses 1.35 billion dollars annually to medical tourism, with India being the major beneficiary of 500 visits monthly. Many Nigerians who travel out of the country for their medical  needs often have to go back-monthly for check-ups and sometimes for corrective surgery.”

The global health standards recommend a doctor to patient ratio of 1:600. Under the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration, it was 1 doctor to 4000 patients, however, under the Buhari administration it has worsened; it is now 1 doctor to 5000 patients. Some sources believe there are 10,000 people per doctor in Nigeria.

The NMA (Nigerian Medical Association) in 2019 disclosed that two thousand medical workers leave Nigeria in search of greener pastures every year. 

Five African Union countries including Nigeria met in April 2001 and pledged to channel at least 15% of their annual budget to health care. To this very year, Nigeria remains far from reaching the goal and has continued to rank low in global health surveys.