2023: Army will ensure level playing field for peaceful, free, fair polls -GOC

From :Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Nigerian Army has assured that, it will ensure a level playing field and peaceful atmosphere in the next Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections, as well the March 11 governorship and state assembly polls.

The General Officer

Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja gave the assurance in Kaduna while fielding questions from Journalists during the annual West African Social Activity (WASA), held at Ribadu Cantonment, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna.

According to General Lagbaja, “We have achieved a lot in bringing peace and stability to Kaduna State, to our immediate community, but the troops still need to do a lot more to bring stability to our communities.

“In the immediate term is the 2023 general elections that is before us, and I want to say it very clear that, the troops of 1 Division will continue to remain apolitical and they will be professional in the discharge of their task of providing an enabling environment for the conduct of a peaceful, free and fair election come Saturday the 25th of February and March 11.

“The WASA that we just witnessed is just an initiative of the Nigerian Army high command of saying thank you to the troops for what they have done in the previous operational year and to also remind them that, there is still a long way to go,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-

Rufai who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan commended the Army for restoring peace in the troubled areas of the state.

According to the Governor, “It is pertinent to mention that 1 Division has very cogent reasons to celebrate the activities that ended Year 2022 as its officers and soldiers have so far, remained resolute in the discharge of their constitutional roles, especially in ensuring that there is relative calm in Kaduna State and environs. I am aware of your tremendous achievements in combating the myriad of security challenges that have bedevilled our dear fatherland which are manifested in the forms of kidnapping, terrorism and other sundry crimes capable of disrupting public peace.

“Your dogged determination in curbing these anomalies within your area of responsibility and beyond, has brought tremendous positive change in the general security situation, and created a favourable environment for economic and socio-political activities to thrive. I must therefore sincerely commend your efforts in fostering synergy and collaboration between your institutions and other security agencies. This is evident in the conduct of various joint operations leading to the peaceful atmosphere we are enjoying today. I salute the gallantry recently displayed by your troops to ensure that the Yuletide season was celebrated with minimal security challenges.

“As you commence the activities for the year 2023, let me remind you of the need to be more focused

Police arrest 3 with 17m fake currency in Kebbi

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Police command on 29/01/2023 at about 0910hrs, arrested 3 persons in possession of fake new currency notes worth Seventeen Million Naira (N17,000,000), reasonably suspected to be counterfeit.

The arrest was made by the Police personnel attached to Warrah Police Station with the help of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) at Warrah Motor Park.

Addressing journalists on Monday at the headquarters, the

Kebbi State Commissioner of Police Ahmed Magaji Kotangora said that the suspects are: Faruku Zubairu (2) Ibrahim Musa and (3) Salisu Mohammed all ‘m’ of Gungun Tawaye and Chupamini villages, Ngaski LGA respectively.

Investigation has been completed and the suspects will soon be charged to court for prosecution.

The CP stated that on the 29th January, 2023 at about 1200hrs, one Yunusa Adamu ‘m’ aged 25yrs of Bumawa area of Koko town, used to give one Fatima Abdurrahman ‘f’ aged

5yrs, the sum of N 20, N30 and N 50 to lure her into his mother’s room and had sexual intercourse with her. While the suspect threatened to deal with her if she reveals his secret.

Meanwhile, investigations have been concluded and the suspect will be arraigned in court with immediate effect.

“Another conspiracy case happened on the 30th January, 2023 at about 2100hrs, one Yunana Ayuba of Kyaun village, Ngaski LGA, went to Mokoto village, Ngaski LGA, entered into the residence of one Yohana Musa and called his wife named and determined in confronting emerging challenges. There is no doubt that 2023 is an eventful year, especially considering the political landscape of the country, accentuated by the approaching general elections. I therefore urge you to remain vigilant, apolitical, and steadfast in discharging your constitutional responsibilities. I further implore you to remain proactive, professional and above all prayerful in your approach to divergent situations which may arise,” El-Rufai said.

2023 UTME: JAMB arrest 15 collaborators for alleged malpractice

By Maryam Abeeb

The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has disclosed that in the cause of registration, 15 culprits were discovered and apprehended to be defrauding the process.

He made this known at the end of a joint monitoring exercise with the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mr David Adejo, in Abuja .

According to him, the culprits have been apprehended and were currently detained.

He noted that no fewer than 1.6 million candidates have been registered for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) at the close of the registration.

He also disclosed that registration for direct entry candidates commenced this Monday.

According to him, “So far we have registered about 1.6 million candidates because we do not expect more than that, and that is because the direct entry starts today.

“We have the challenge of the normal people who want to defraud the process as we have been monitoring what has been happening.

We are ahead of them even when they think they are clever.”

Abigail Yohana to the backyard of his house. When sighted, the husband, Yohana Musa, called his brothers namely; Bawa Yawani, Solomon Moses and Luka Musa all ‘m’ of the same address, they pursued and lynched Yunana Ayuba into a state of coma. On receipt of the report, a team of Policemen was mobilized to the scene; they removed the victim and rushed him to General Hospital, Warrah, where a Medical Doctor certified him dead.

“The suspects have confessed to crime and will soon be charged to court for prosecution”, he said.

The Permanent Secretary in his remarks said that there was a need to extend the registration to give others faced with the challenge of naira redesigning the opportunity to register.

“This is especially because the registration process is dependent on bank operations and we’ve not had the top level of bank operations in the last two to three weeks for understandable reasons,” he said.”

Adejo noted that before the extension of registration for one week, JAMB had actually registered about 98 percent of candidates, saying that no one would be left behind in its registration process.

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Afaction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Shehu Wada Sagagi has collapsed its entire structure to join the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, barely six days to the presidenational and national assembly elections.

The PDP executive members decided to dump the party as a result of improper internal democracy and nepotism by the national leadership of the party.

In a grand rally on Sunday, the National Chairman of the NNPP Prof. Rufa’i Alkali and

2023: Adamawa state INEC receives 4,104 BVAS,IRev technology for Saturday election

From Umar Dankano,Yola

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC Adamawa state Chapter has taken delivery of 4,104 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System(BVAS).

Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of the state (Adamawa),Barrister Hudu Yunusa Ali disclosed the development at a press conference in Yola Monday explaining that additional 275 BVAS are expected from the INEC headquarters as a back up.

Barrister Ali said the commission will deploy all the configured BVAS to all the 21 local government areas this midweek for charging in readiness for the election noting that it will also deploy technology for transmitting election results from the polling units known as “IRev”.

Ali confirmed the receipt of non- sensitive materials from the Zonal office in Gombe state including ballot boxes,Voting cubicles,Election bags,Liquid gum,colour printer,maintenance kits,Toners,and Micro Dry Dip,First aid kits among others.

“Over 80% of our nonsensitive materials have been supplied and moved to the 21 LGAs in the state while sensitive materials for the 25th Febuary,2023 presidential/ NASS election has been delivered to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Yola.