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Wednesday, August 1, 2012
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Police uncover explosives in FCE Kano Yakowa sets up panel AUGUSTINE MADU WEST KANO
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omb experts attached to the Kano State Police Command yesterday prevented what would have been another major disaster in the commercial city of Kano when they uncovered and detonated assorted explosives planted in the premises of the Federal College of Education (FCE) Kano. The Bomb Disposal Unit was again called to duty when reports reached the command that objects suspected to be bombs were
found in different locations at the FCE. The bombs, which were hidden in dark alleys of some of the school buildings, were suspected to have been planted by local terrorists with the aim of blowing up the institution, which at the time of the shock discovery, was in session. The development caused panic and fear around the institution following sounds of explosions in the direction of the college even as rumours went round that the institution had been attacked by terrorists.
But the state commissioner of police told National Mirror that the sounds of the explosions were as a result of the detonation of the bombs by police bomb experts, adding that the command was informed of the presence of some strange objects suspected to be explosives and immediately dispatched members of the bomb unit who mopped up the IEDs and detonated them. He said there was no cause for alarm as the situation was under control. “There were no casualties; it was our men who detonat-
ed the bombs, which sound was misinterpreted to mean an attack on the college. “There was no explosion until our men arrived,” the police chief said as he admitted that explosives were planted inside the school premises by unknown persons. It will be recalled that police on Sunday night foiled an attempt by gunmen to blow up a Mosque near Kabuga. Four persons were killed in that confrontation and police identified the four killed as members of a terrorists group.
Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai (left) and Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, at the matriculation ceremony of pioneering students of Federal University Dutse, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
Fund police from capital market, says Gov Ahmed WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN
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he Federal Government has been implored to fund the Nigeria Police from either the capital market or the bond market in order to get them better equipped to confront the spate of violence in certain parts of the country. Kwara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who said this yesterday argued that the unabated security challenges in the country have become worrisome and require urgent solutions, particularly, proper funding of security agencies. The governor said to overcome the security challenges, the Federal Government must raise funds from the capital market in order to accomplish what would
have ordinarily taken more than five decades to do in a year. He said there was no doubt that there was an urgent need to adopt a long term investment approach in strengthening the security sector, pointing out that the slow pace of the police was due to lack of modern equipment capable of stemming the tide in the country. “Nigeria is blessed with formidable and dedicated security personnel whose zeal and ability to perform is often hindered by lack of sophisticated equipment and poor remuneration,” he said. He added that; “Security issue is a lifelong affair and must be given long term investment approach only if our yearnings and aspirations for our dear nation are to be adequately achieved.”
on fuel subsidy funds A ZA MSUE KADUNA
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aduna State governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, has approved the implementation committee set up by the state government on projects and how to implement such with funds accruing from its share of the fuel subsidy removal. The committee has the Deputy Governor, Dr Ramalan Muktar Yero and the Acting Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Adamu Atama as chairman and secretary respectively. Others include the Commissioners of Economic Planning, Finance, Education, Women Affairs and Social Development, Youths and Sports, Works and Transport, Special Duties (Poverty Alleviation), Agriculture and that of Rural and Community Development. The Kaduna State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mallam Yusuf Idris, is also a member, among others. In a letter of appointment issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Lawal Samaila Abdullahi, the governor said the committee is expected, among other things, to prioritise projects and their implementation in line with the
Kwara govt, LG workers may clash over unpaid salaries WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN
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ndication emerged yesterday that the Kwara State government and local government workers in the state may clash over the former’s non-payment of the workers’ June salaries. To this end, the workers are contemplating embarking on an industrial action to drive home their demand for the payment of their salaries. It will be recalled that workers in 15 of the sixteen local council areas have been having undue delay in the payment of their salaries and allowances according to National Mirror findings which got awry last month. The state government
through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had before the matter got to its peak, been offering explanations that were inconsistent thereby drawing the anger of the council workers. The government had first said the delay was due to an alleged late release of federal allocation to the state and local governments across the country in one breadth and that the workers were not paid on time because of the reports of verification of the state workforce in another breadth. In an interview with National Mirror, the commissioner in charge, Alhaji Issa Bawa, had insisted that NULGE members were not paid for the latter reasons alone, promising
that the ministry was looking at complaints arising from the reports as it affected a cross section of the workers before payments could be effected. However on Monday, the workers had locked all gates to the local government area offices in Pake, Ilorin East Local Government which prompted the state government’s quick intervention. The protesters gave the government an ultimatum expiring this Friday by which all allowances should have been paid failure of which the workers said they would take to the streets. The workers had alleged that their leaders had been bribed and threatened to beat them up before the government’s intervention yesterday.
Yakowa
broad objective of securing, uniting and developing the state. According to the letter, the committee is also to work out modalities and processes for the implementation of the government white paper in such a manner that would ensure fairness and equity in the allocation of resources to the identified projects and communities. The letter further said that the committee is to ensure that projects as conceived are commensurate with available resources in order to avoid the incident of abandoned projects after take-off.
LG poll: Opposition parties flay Benue electoral body HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI
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he state Chairman of the Conference of All Nigerian Political parties (CNPP) Benue State chapter, Engr. Baba Agan, has berated the state’s Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) for her inability to give a three-month notice prior to the election as specified in the guidelines before calling for stakeholders meeting preparatory to the election. Agan, who spoke to journalists shortly after the meeting of stakeholders organised at the instance of BSIEC yesterday in Makurdi, said the meeting was to prepare for the forth coming local government election scheduled to hold November 24, 2012 in the state. He observed with dismay that no prior notice was given to political parties before the stakeholders forum was organised to inform them of the election that would hols in the 23 council areas across the state.