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CITAD Teams Up with ROSA Luxemburg Foundation to Address Armed Banditry in Northern Nigeria

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1 year ago

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The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), in collaboration with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, hosted a Knowledge Production Dialogue on Thursday at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The dialogue aimed to shed light on the pressing issues of youth involvement in armed banditry in the region.

Aminu Yunusa, from the Sociology Department of the institution, presented a paper titled “An Appraisal of the Causes and Consequences of Youth Involvement in Armed Banditry in Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria (2012-2022).”

The University Don stated that banditry is a serious crime that poses a security challenge to democratic governance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.

“Bandits often terrorize communities in the North West region. Their activities include kidnapping, arson, shooting, rape, cattle rustling, killing, and looting.”

Yunusa emphasized the harmful impact of continuous youth engagement in armed banditry on the residents of Kaduna state. He attributed this involvement to factors such as youth unemployment, greed, poverty, substance abuse, peer influence, and the existence of ungoverned spaces.

He said, “The highest portion of every conflict or violence that took place in Northwest Nigeria is perpetrated by the youth. All the conflicts, including banditry and kidnapping, are carried out mostly by youth between 16 and 30 years old. Quite often, poverty and inequality, lack of education, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities, among other issues, have been identified as the main factors leading vulnerable youth into joining violent extremist groups in their communities.”

His recommendations included the establishment of community policing structures, collaboration between media, community leaders, and the government to educate the youth about the dangers of banditry, and fostering law-abiding behavior.

Also in her presentation titled “Youth and Banditry in the Northwest Region: An Insight into the Learning Process,” Dr. Halima Sa’adiya Adamu from the Department of Political Science and International Relations highlighted the widespread impact of banditry on economic and human development in the northwest region.

Dr. Halima also said the effect of banditry is extensive. In addition to complicating the security crisis in the country, it has also increased the incidence of forced migration, food insecurity, cattle rustling, destruction of property, health challenges, displacement, humanitarian crises, and death.

She said the growth rate of these crimes can be attributed to unemployment, poverty, and poor education, stressing that deliberate efforts must be put in place to transform the politics and government systems to be more responsive to the needs of their people.

She noted that parents and the government play pivotal roles in the involvement of young individuals in this menace.

Her recommendations included fostering better communication between parents and children, community-driven initiatives, youth participation in decision-making processes, improving educational quality, creating conducive entrepreneurial environments, and organizing capacity-building seminars.

Some research by international organizations, such as the recent one conducted by Action Aid Nigeria, shows that Nigeria has witnessed about 95 percent of conflicts, including thuggery, banditry, kidnapping, killings, cattle rustling, and thuggery, mainly carried out by youth.

The incidence of banditry in Nigeria is a growing phenomenon that gravely threatens human security. It is prevalent in the North West geopolitical region of the country but has the potential to expand into transnational crime.

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Kano State Hosts 8th Annual Audit Forum to Enhance Transparency and Accountability

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November 21, 2024

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The 8th Annual Audit Forum, organized by the Office of the Auditor General of Kano State, was held recently, focusing on strengthening transparency and accountability in public financial management. .

Isma’ila Musa, the Auditor General of Kano State, welcomed the participants and highlighted the constitutional and legal mandates that guide the auditing process. “Sections 125(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and 36(i) of the Kano State Audit Law, 2021 (as amended) mandate the Office of the Auditor General to audit the accounts and financial statements of the State Government and all Offices and Courts,” he stated.

Musa expressed immense gratitude to His Excellency, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Governor of Kano State, for his support in making the event possible. “It is very important to note that a strengthened fiscal transparency will help build trust in governance,” he emphasized. He added that the Audit Forum is a reform intended to reduce opportunities for corruption and abuse of public resources, thereby increasing the efficiency of public expenditures.

The Auditor General also acknowledged the contributions of various officials, including the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Accountant General, the Executive Chairman of Kano Internal Revenue Services, and former Auditors General, among others. “My sincere appreciation to all the invitees here present for honoring our invitation. I wish us a successful 8th Kano State Annual Audit Forum,” Musa concluded.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Honorable Tukur Fagge, praised the exercise for its potential to enhance resource management and ensure the success of the tasks at hand. “This exercise will enhance resources management and will realize the success of the task,” Fagge stated.

Sarkin Shanon Kano, Shehu Muhammad Dankadai, who served as the royal father of the day, also graced the event, adding to the significance of the occasion.

The forum underscored the commitment of the Kano State Government to upholding transparency and accountability, reflecting the administration’s dedication to effective and efficient service delivery.

 

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Breaking: Former Secretary of Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO, Ahmadu Kurfi Passes On at 93

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12 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Late Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi

 

A former secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi, has passed away.

A family source, Jafar Yakubu, informed NIGERIAN TRACKER about the death of the pioneer secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, who supervised the 1979 general election.

 

Jafar Yakubu said Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi died at the age of 93 and his Janaza funeral prayers will take place by 2:30 PM at Kurfi in KATSINA state .

 

Dr. Amadu Kurfi, OFR, was born in 1931. He was a former chairman of the then Marketing Board, former Federal Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the first person to acquire a BSc degree in the whole of Katsina State, at University College London in 1957.

 

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President Tinubu Sacks UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Registrar

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2024

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The governing council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University has been dissolved by President Bola Tinubu.

The president dissolved the council and approved the removal of the institution’s vice-chancellor Bernard Odoh and the university registrar, Rosemary Nwokike.

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy said the action by Tinubu follows allegations of procedural violations in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

He also said that the council led by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe and including five other members—Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin was accused of bypassing due process to appoint an unqualified candidate, prompting federal intervention.

Onanuga said, “The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process.

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He added that following the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address the rivalry between the university’s Senate and the governing council of the institution.

“The government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process”, Onanuga added.

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