Katsina govt confirms receipt of N2bn palliative from FG

The Katsina State Government has confirmed the receipt of N2 billion out of the N5 billion palliative approved to the states by the Federal Government. Dr Bala Salisu-Zango, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Home Affairs made the clarification while reacting to insinuation that the federal government released N5 billion to the state. He said that: “The attention of the state government has been drawn to news going round in the media that N5 billion has been released to states by the Federal Government for palliative. “I wish to state that, Katsina State Government received only N2 billion for procurement of grain to be distributed to the citizens of the state”. Salisu-Zango said the state government had so far utilised N2 billion to procure 40,000 bags of rice for distribution to vulnerable persons in all the polling units across the state. He said the government would also utilise the next tranche of the fund from the federal government to purchase maize for distribution to deserving households. He warned that the state government would punish anyone found wanting in the palliative distribution exercise. 

Police foil bandit attack on police station, Juma’at prayer in Zamfara

The police command in Zamfara said its operatives repelled bandits who attacked the Divisional Police Station in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state. The command said it also arrested a 35-year-old suspected female informant. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar disclosed this at the weekend at a media briefing in Gusau. Abubakar said police operatives attached to the police station acted on credible intelligence that a group of armed bandits was planning to carry out the attack. “The police operatives mobilised, confronted the bandits, and engaged them in a gun battle which lasted for hours. “As a result of this, one of the bandits was neutralised while the others escaped to the bushes spilling blood on their paths because of the wounds they sustained. “Police investigation that followed the incident resulted in the arrest of a 35-year-old female suspected to be an informant from Rukudawa village. “The suspect confessed that she has been working with bandit kingpin Dankarami Gwaska as his informant and has given her the task of monitoring activities at the police stations for him. “Two handsets containing bandits’ telephone numbers were recovered from her,” Abubakar said. “On July 28 Police Tactical Operatives attached to 34 PMF, deployed to Magarya community in the same Zurmi local government area acted on an intelligence report that suspected armed men were on their way to attack Muslims during Juma’at prayers at Kwata village in Magarya district. “The police operatives confronted them and succeeded in foiling the attack and the bandits escaped to the bushes. “Two AK47 rifles, four rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and Bajaj motorcycle were recovered at the scene while the command is still pursuing the suspects with a view to arresting and prosecuting them. “On July 27 at about 1330hrs, Police Tactical Team attached to Area Command Gusau acted on intelligence that led to the arrest of two suspected bandits and kidnappers terrorizing the Saminaka area in Gusau Metropolis,” the command’s spokesman added.