Malam Salisu Suleiman Liman, the Chief Imam of the First Jumu’at Central Mosque in Maru, the headquarters of Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, and his two sons, who were abducted by bandits, have been killed.

The Imam was abducted alongside his children, a newlywed couple, and several others on Thursday, February 13, 2025.

The terrorists invaded Maru town during a midnight raid that lasted for about two hours.

The newlyweds, Muhammad Suleiman and his wife, Balkisu, were kidnapped on the first night after their wedding ceremony.

Security analyst Bakatsine confirmed the sad development on Tuesday, April 29, stating that the bandits also killed his family members.

Nigerian Tracker reports that, during the colonial era, prominent Northern Nigerian scholars, including Sheikh Abubakar Gumi and Malam Aminu Kano, taught in Maru schools.

In a strategic move to accelerate urban development and strengthen government presence, Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Monday chaired his administration’s first Executive Council Meeting at the newly reclaimed Government House Annex in Kwankwasiyya City.

This was contained in a statement issued by governor’s spokesperson Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa on Monday

The symbolic relocation of the 27th Council Meeting from the main Government House to Kwankwasiyya City is part of Governor Yusuf’s broader efforts to revive the long-abandoned estate and encourage property owners to take up residence, in line with government directives.

“This shift is intentional. We want to show that Kwankwasiyya City is alive and ready for habitation. I urge all homeowners here to move in immediately or risk sanctions,” the Governor warned.

Kwankwasiyya City and the Government House Annex were developed during the second term of former Governor Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso under the supervision of then-Commissioner of Works and Housing, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf.

However, after years of neglect and repurposing by the immediate past administration, Governor Yusuf has now restored the estate to its original vision.

Beyond urban revitalization, the Governor used the platform to reaffirm his commitment to tackling the pressing water crisis facing the state. He summoned all stakeholders in the sector, directing them to immediately devise sustainable solutions.

“Access to clean and safe water is not negotiable. We will leave no stone unturned in resolving the lingering shortages affecting our people,” he declared, vowing urgent action.

Governor Yusuf also highlighted fresh legislative moves aimed at fast-tracking Kano’s development, revealing the signing into law of five key bills.

These include the establishment of:

• Kano State Protection Agency (KASPA)

• Kano State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KASIAA)

• Kano State Information and Communication Technologies Development Agency (KASITDA)

• Kano State Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (KASMEDA)

• Kano State Infrastructure Management Agency

He assured residents that these agencies would play critical roles in driving modernization, job creation, infrastructure maintenance, and economic growth across the state.

Meanwhile, the Governor announced that the nominee for the newly created Ministry of Internal Security has been forwarded to the State House of Assembly for screening, adding that the incoming commissioner would participate in the next council meeting.

Governor Yusuf also addressed the tragedy of 16 Kano indigenes killed in Edo State, assuring bereaved families that the government remains committed to securing justice and compensation.

Expressing profound gratitude to Kano residents for their consistent support, he pledged that every community across the state would feel the impact of his administration’s development agenda.

“The journey to rebuild Kano is on course. Together, we will achieve a modern, prosperous, and united state,” he concluded.

Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former aide in the Office of the Vice President, has opened up about his time in the Tinubu administration, describing it as a disappointing chapter in his public service journey.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE TV, Baba-Ahmed said he had entered government with high hopes and a desire to contribute meaningfully to national development. However, his expectations were not met.

“I joined with great expectations,” he shared, “but the experience turned out to be disappointing.”

When asked whether Vice President Kashim Shettima was being sidelined by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Baba-Ahmed dismissed such claims. “No, I didn’t see any of these,” he said, adding that his decision to step down was based on personal reflections, not political tension.

He explained that the perceived marginalisation of the vice presidency is not unique to the current administration. “If the president feels that the office of the vice president is not that important in the administration—and we have seen that many times—basically, that was what I met,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed also highlighted the lack of defined schedules for vice presidents, despite their status as the nation’s second-highest-ranking officials, noting that this has been a recurring issue across administrations.

Despite seeing and speaking with the Vice President almost daily, Baba-Ahmed emphasised that the role demands more than just conversations.

He disclosed that he barely had opportunities to interact with President Tinubu, stating, “I only saw President Tinubu three times in the mosque in the presidential villa. But I had never had a chance to sit down and talk with President Tinubu. I think part of the problem is that Tinubu never had time for people like us. I don’t think he had time for a lot of people working for him,” he added.

Baba-Ahmed described the president as “really and genuinely isolated,” whether by choice or circumstance, and stressed that this isolation poses a challenge for the country.

“The bottom line is, he ought to be available for the people he trusted and worked for him. And that’s the problem for the country, not for him,” he said.

Reflecting on the state of the nation, Baba-Ahmed expressed concern over the growing despair among citizens. “We work in the Villa and we go home and meet the people, and we know how the country is—how desperate people are, the difficult lives, the insecurity. People are losing hope, asking what is the value of this democracy. And sometimes people ask what are we doing there? Asking us, are we really advising the president about some of these things?”

He also emphasised the importance of having capable advisors addressing real issues, stating, “If the president has a quality of people talking and advising him about the real issues on the ground, I think the country would be better.”

Baba-Ahmed also expressed serious misgivings about the current coalitions of political parties, distancing himself from the movement and stating that he hopes not to be part of such coalitions in the future.