Flood Cuts Off Kano-Maiduguri Expressway

Massive flooding following a heavy downpour has cut-off a portion of the Kano-Maiduguri Expressway at Malori-Guskuri, Bauchi state.

Kano announce date for LG polls 

The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) has scheduled November 30, 2024, for the local government elections in the state.

Diphtheria: Kano Records 5,800 Cases– UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Tuesday, said that Kano State has recorded 5,800 suspected cases of Diphtheria from January to date. The UN Agency said the cases were recorded in 39 local government areas of the state. The Head, UNICEF Field Office, Kano, Mr Rahama Mohammned-Farah, stated this in Kano during a one-day media orientation on Diphtheria outbreak. According to him, Kano State has the highest number of recorded cases in the country, adding that Diphtheria was a highly contagious and infectious disease that could cause death. Mohammned-Farah stressed that proactive measures were necessary to stem the outbreak. “Recently, we have seen a surge in the number of reported Diphtheria cases in Nigeria, and Nigeria is currently facing an outbreak that needs to be stopped and prevented. “As of July, Diphtheria cases have been on the rise. As of last week, over 400 suspected cases with 11 deaths have been reported in Kano. “Out of the 39 LGAs affected, eight are the most affected, including Ungogo with 2,651 cases; Dala 989, Fagge 943, Gwale 714, Kumbotso 713, Nasarawa 538, Kano Municipal 506 and Tarauni 269,” he said. He said that 60.8 per cent of the suspected cases had been reported in children not vaccinated, which reinforced the critical need to address the issue of zero doses, especially in Kano State. “UNICEF delivered 1.2 million vaccines to the Kano State Government in our continuing support to the government response to Diphtheria outbreak. “Diphtheria outbreak is a threat to child survival, health and the wellbeing of children. UNICEF is collaborating with government and partners to respond to the emergency to save the lives of children affected. “In Kano state, UNICEF supported Tetanus-Diphtheria reactive vaccination campaigns in February, April and August, vaccinating 23,200 children in round one. “While 277,796 children vaccinated in round two and 29,500 others in round-3 of the exercise. “We engaged 150 traditional leaders on Diphtheria outbreak and distribution of Diphtheria IEC materials, and deployed 1,500 VCMs to the worst affected LGAs to conduct house-to-house sensitisations and referral of suspected cases to health facilities. “Media has a key role to play particularly in infection prevention, and risk communication and community engagement,” he said. Also speaking, Dr Muhammad Nasir-Mahmoud, the Director-General, Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, said the state government had adopted drastic measures to curtail spread of the disease. “We are committed towards educating the public about what is happening and the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has promised that Kano will be accorded priority in terms of vaccine distribution,” he said. While describing the media as partners in the fight against Diphtheria, Nasir-Mahmoud urged them to support the campaign against the disease.

Police seize 820 cartons of counterfeit, expired drugs in Kano

The Kano Police Command reported on Saturday that it successfully confiscated a total of 820 cartons of suspected counterfeit and expired drugs from Malam Kato Market in Fage Local Government Area of the state. According to a statement released by SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, the drugs were discovered in two warehouses situated within the market premises. The confiscated drugs encompassed a variety of items, with 514 cartons of emistxmin/emstifer syrup, 219 cartons of 5mg Lisinopril tablets, 7 cartons of 5mg amlodipine tablets, 87 cartons of 50mg atenol, 40 cartons, and 3 cartons of Frusemide injection among the seized products. Acting on the directive of the state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, a team of detectives was dispatched to the scene to oversee the evacuation and recovery of the drugs. Subsequently, the recovered drugs were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and appropriate action. SP Abdullahi Kiyawa emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining public safety. He urged residents to promptly report any suspicious individuals or items to the police, ensuring that necessary actions can be taken to safeguard public health and well-being. This operation underscores the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combat the distribution and sale of counterfeit and expired drugs that pose significant risks to the population.

Gov Yusuf swears in Kano’s first female Chief Judge, Dije Aboki

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf on Monday ushered in an historical moment when he swore in the first female Chief Judge of the state, Justice Dije Audu Aboki. Yusuf urged the judiciary to support his administration’s demolition and anti-graft policies to enable it to recover public assets acquired illegally by the immediate-past administration in the state. He spoke on Monday during the swearing-in ceremony for the first female Chief Judge in the state at Africa House, Government House, in Kano. The governor explained that his administration’s desire of demolishing illegal structures and recovering public properties was for the development of the state. Yusuf wondered why the Abdullahi Ganduje administration could demolish schools, hospitals, and other public places only to build shopping complexes for businesses. He described the relationship between the judiciary, legislature, and executive as not competitive, but complementary, promising to continue to maintain cordial relationships amongst the three arms of government. The governnoted that Justice Aboki has paid her dues in the temple of justice and through experience, talent and patriotism is by the grace of God elevated as the Chief Judge of the state. “While I congratulate you on this well-deserved appointment, may I also remind my Lord that this task is a daunting one which calls for total dedication and commitment for the peace, progress and stability of Kano state and Nigeria at large. “Having spent your public life within this sector, no one can lecture you on what the citizens expect from you as the Head of this very important Arm of Government,” he said. Yusuf enjoined Aboki not only to see her this elevation as a call to duty but also as a trust inv3sted in her by God to represent Him in the affairs of men. The governor said she was assuming duty when the state was operating financial autonomy of the three arms of government, including the Judiciary. He, therefore, charged Justice Aboki to take advantage of all the latitude that this autonomy provides to ensure that judiciary staff are well trained while the day-to-day running of the courts is seamless. “You can count on the support of the Executive Arm of Government and the Legislature to work with you in helping you cultivate a cordial working relationship with the staff,” he assured. Yusuf also drew the attention of the new chief judge to the challenges with the speedy dispensation of justice particularly as it involves some suspects that are arraigned for violent crimes. “It is our view that when such cases are dealt with expeditiously and those found guilty are punished, it will deter others hoping to engage in criminal acts,” said the governor. Besides, he advised her to beware of those who want to corrupt, confuse, intimidate or blackmail the judiciary to do their bidding. Yusuf however expressed optimism that the present leadership is very capable of withstanding and maintaining the sanctity of the Temple of Justice and the Legal profession in the state. Responding, Justice Aboki said she was grateful to God for the opportunity to serve and the privilege to be elevated to the position of Chief Judge of the state. She promised to serve with “integrity, honesty and justice” as well as do her best to ensure that the rule of law is adhered to at all times. “We will restore the lost glory of the judiciary in our state,” pledged the new chief judge. Justice Aboki also said she was aware of the challenges in the Judiciary and appealed for support and collaboration from the executive and legislative arms to succeed. She also solicited the support of the Justices, other judicial staff and professional bodies to meet the desire objectives of delivering justice. 

FG distributes subsidized farm inputs to farmers in Kano

The Federal Government on Monday kick-started the distribution of subsidized farm inputs to farmers in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Afolabi, announced this during the inauguration of the distribution event in the ATASP-1 States, including Jigawa, Kebbi, Niger, and Sokoto. Dr. Ernest Afolabi, represented by Malam Tanimu Ibrahim, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination, stated that the distribution marked the beginning of the 2023 delivery of subsidized inputs to approximately 60,000 farmers across the participating states. The program, which was initiated in March 2015, aims to enhance food and nutrition security, attract private-sector investments in agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, and add value to local agricultural produce. Under the Commodity Value Chain Development component, the Federal Government, through the ministry, has been providing crucial production inputs to support farmers, emphasizing the importance of transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the input delivery process. To make the program more efficient, the government approved the introduction and use of an ICT platform for input delivery to farmers this year, highlighting the significance of this notable improvement. The Permanent Secretary reaffirmed the current administration’s commitment to boost agricultural production in the country, emphasizing the vital role of agriculture in achieving food security. Governor Abba Yusuf commended the initiative, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Aminu Gwarzo. He reiterated his administration’s dedication to providing farmers with affordable avenues to access soft loans from credible financial institutions, thus enhancing food security in the state. Alhaji Faruk Mudi, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano State, assured that the farmers would utilize the inputs efficiently to produce diverse food crops, reflecting their commitment to agricultural growth and sustainability.