NEWS P8

NEWS P8

Kaduna: Kurmin Mashi residents allege increased armed robberies

From Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna

Residents of Kurmin Mashi in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna state yesterday expressed concern over rise in armed robbery incidents in the area and called on the appropriate authorities to make urgent responses.

A resident of Dahiru Road in the area, Faruk Umar who spoke to Daily Trust, alleged that every week a house is burgled in the area with no security agents to intervene.

Speaking of a personal experience, the resident said, “On Tuesday, my house was burgled. The thief came in through my kitchen window, stole four handsets belonging to my wife and our two children. They also took my lap top and some cash that they could lay their hands on. I learnt that they burgled two other houses before they left the area. Even last week, some houses too were burgledý. The area is becoming more and more unsafe as jobless youths go on rampage.”

Another resident, Abdulaziz Kadir said just Tuesday his friend’s handset was stolen ýfrom his room in broad daylight. He said something could be done about the situation if the security agents would rise to their duty, explaining, “Stealing has become so rampant in the area and the annoying thing is that the thieves are known by the police and residents, yet nothing is done about their activities. Most of them are drug addicts who steal people’s property to get money for their drugs.

“There was an incident when one of the thieves attacked a married woman with a knife in her house. Fortunately, people intervened and the man was caught and taken to the police station, but to our amazement, he spent three days there and was set free. The police have the records of the criminals.”

On his part, Sadiq Mohammed lamented that residential houses are constantly burgled ýin the area by jobless youths who he said had become drug users and dealers.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Zubairu Abubakar said he was not aware of the incidents and called on those affected to report their experiences to the police. “Since an Operation Yaki surveillance team was drafted to the area, I have not heard any incident of breakdown of law and order in the area,” he said.

Rampant freeing of suspects: Ganduje threatens to petition NJC

From Ismail Adebayo, Kano

Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said the state might petition the National Judicial Commission (NJC) if courts in the state continue to free suspected criminals and not prosecuting them diligently.

Ganduje who lamented that criminal elements who should be in jail are freed by the courts to roam the streets and possibly commit other crimes, asserted that his government could no longer tolerate it.

He said, “We are thinking of taking the issue to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) in Abuja because it will not be business as usual. When people are arrested and confessed to offences that warrant them to be jailed but the court always frees them, this is very unfortunate.”

The governor said that suspects frequently admit that they have been committing crimes and enjoying their freedom, mentioning an instance, “I was shocked to hear from one of the criminals admitting to being arrested for stealing and being taken to court seven times and he was freed. When suspected criminals are taken to court, we will within a short time see them back on the streets and getting ready to commit other crimes.”

Policeman kills student in Gombe

From Ahmed Mohammed,Gombe

A policeman has allegedly shot a secondary school student Sadiq Yunusa to death while playing inter-secondary school games in Pantami Stadium, Gombe.

In her account of the incident, Vice Principal of Government Science Secondary School, Gombe which the deceased was attending, Mrs Zarah Yahaya said a football match was organized at Pantami Stadium between Government Science Secondary School Gombe and Government Day Pilot Secondary School Gombe as part of events under the inter-secondary school competition organised by the NYSC to foster unity and brotherhood among the students.

She said that after they started the match one goal was scored against Science Secondary School and students started throwing stones against each other while the teachers of both schools were making effort to control the students. She said they stopped the match and ordered the students to enter their buses and go back to school, and that as they were about to enter their buses, a stone hit a policeman who threatened to fire a shot.

She said teachers begged him not to shoot but as the students entered their bus they heard a sound of gunshot and the 25-year old SS3 student Sadiq Yunusa was shot in his back.

Senior brother of the student, Sani Mahdi said it was sad that his brother died in the hands of government. “The family will see what the government will do before we will know what to do,” he said.

Games Master of the School Mr Caleb Ishaku said a policeman who knows his job would not shoot a student, and appealed to government to study the persons to recruit as law enforcement agents.

State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Fwaje Atajiri confirmed that there was the incident but that the Police would first determine exactly what happened before issuing a statement and taking appropriate action.

NYSC to disclose 26 states owing corps members -DG

From Habibu Umar Aminu, Katsina

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig-Gen Johnson Bamidele Olawuni has threatened to publish list of 26 states owing corps members.

Speaking at a pre-orientation workshop in Katsina, Olawuni said it is the statutory responsibility of states to pay the corps members to ease their transportation and upkeep, but that some states are owing up to two years of such allowances.

In his remarks, the state deputy governor Mannir Yakubu said the state is committed to the ideals of the service, including its importance in mobilising youths for nation building.

IPAC wades into Kogi govt, contractors’ impasse

From Itodo Daniel Sule, Lokoja

The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Kogi state chapter yesterday waded into the faceoff between the state government and the indigenous contractors who are threatening a strike action over non-payment of contract fees.

The intervention which was at the instance of the Chairman of the Indigenous Contractors Union, Arome Odiba, was to stop the planned strike by the contractors. State IPAC chairman, Mr Ibrahim Itodo, who spoke with newsmen after a meeting with the contractors, pleaded with the state government to consider the plight of the people and pay them.

He said, “Since government is all about continuity, the contractors believe in equity, fair play and good governance. IPAC in Kogi state therefore wishes to advise the governor to quickly wade into the situation.”

Plateau has 33,000 people living with disability

From Lami Sadiq, Jos

Plateau State has about 33,000 people living with disability but most of them are self-employed in skills acquired, the Disability Progressive Group (DPG) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State has said.

The group’s leader Bulus Shanding who stated this in a statement in Jos also pressed on its members who are trained in various skills but turned beggars on the streets to engage in meaningful ventures as a source of livelihood.

The group extended their appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing one of their own, Dr. Samuel Ankeli as a senior special assistant on disability matters.

“It is a well-deserved appointment considering Dr. Ankeli’s desire to contribute in policies of national growth and his personal contributions during the electioneering campaigns,” Ankeli said.