By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has denied allegations that the Nigerian Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, and called on security agencies to invite Timi Frank to substantiate the claim.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Dele Alake, dated October 20, 2026, the council said:

“Our attention has been drawn to the statement by Timi Frank, a member of the African Democratic Congress, alleging that the Nigerian Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the ADC. This is a grave allegation that Mr Frank must prove. We thus urge security agencies to invite him to substantiate the allegation, given its gravity and the urgent need to preserve life.”

The council also rejected any involvement by the presidency or the APC Campaign Council, stating:

“We categorically reject the claim that the presidency of Nigeria or the APC Campaign Council is involved in any plot to assassinate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any opposition figure.”

It further dismissed as false claims that security personnel attached to Atiku had been withdrawn, saying the former vice president is protected by the police and the Department of State Security. According to the statement, President Bola Tinubu recently directed security agencies to reinforce and increase protection for all presidential, vice-presidential, governorship and deputy governorship candidates across the country.

The council said security around the ADC presidential candidate had never been compromised and that, as a former vice president, Atiku enjoys two levels of state-funded security protection, which the statement said Tinubu had increased ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It urged candidates, parties and supporters to be factual and responsible in public statements and to avoid utterances that could trigger avoidable tension, accusing Frank of “typical opposition rabble-rousing.”

Concerned youths of Gama Ward in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State have condemned the member representing Nassarawa Local Government in the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Bello Ali Yusuf, over an alleged act of mockery directed at Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The youths, in a gathering on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, said they were displeased with the lawmaker’s reported action of holding the ear of a live rabbit in the presence of his supporters, which they alleged was intended to ridicule the governor.

Addressing journalists during a peaceful press briefing, the youths described the incident as disrespectful to the office of the governor and contrary to the cultural values and traditions of Gama Ward and the wider Kano community.

According to the group, the alleged conduct was undemocratic and unbecoming of an elected representative, adding that public officeholders should demonstrate maturity, decorum and respect for democratic institutions in their political engagements.

The Concerned Gama Youth further expressed concern that the incident could create unnecessary political tension and undermine the prevailing peace in the state.

They maintained that political disagreements should be handled through constructive engagement and democratic processes rather than actions they considered capable of ridiculing public officeholders.

NIGERIAN TRACKER reports that the group also reaffirmed its support for Governor Yusuf, commending his administration for what it described as people-oriented projects executed in Gama Ward and other parts of Nassarawa Local Government Area.

Specifically, the youths highlighted the construction of the road linking Gwagwarwa to Gama Hotel, describing the project as an important intervention that had improved transportation and eased movement within the community.

While addressing the press the group’s Secretary-General, Comrade Auwal Garba Gama, the road had also contributed to economic activities and improved access for residents.

The youths said the project demonstrated the governor’s commitment to infrastructure development and the welfare of residents of Gama Ward, adding that they appreciated the administration’s efforts to address the community’s needs.

Consequently, the group called on the leadership of the Kano State House of Assembly to investigate the incident and take what it described as immediate and decisive disciplinary action against Bello Ali Yusuf.

The youths argued that the alleged conduct had the potential to bring the legislature into disrepute, urging the Assembly’s leadership to ensure that elected representatives upheld the standards expected of public officeholders.

They also appealed to community leaders, political stakeholders and residents of Gama Ward to continue supporting the governor’s administration while maintaining peace and mutual respect despite political differences.

The group urged residents to remain law-abiding and avoid actions that could escalate political disagreements, while calling on them to pray for the success of the governor’s administration.

The secretary also reaffirmed the group’s solidarity with Gama Ward, Nassarawa Local Government Area and Kano State.

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‎The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ecological Project Office (EPO), has trained more than 1,800 farmers in Kano State on modern farming techniques aimed at increasing crop yields and improving food production.
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‎The programme covered farmers from 16 local government areas in Kano South Senatorial District, equipping them with modern agricultural practices to improve farm productivity and address challenges associated with farming, particularly during the dry season.
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‎The training and demonstration of improved farming technologies took place in Hamdullahi community, Albasu Local Government Area, where farmers were introduced to improved crop varieties and other techniques for achieving higher yields.
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‎Speaking at the event, IITA Project Coordinator, Professor Lucky Omoigui, said the training was designed to enhance farmers’ knowledge of improved seed varieties and modern agricultural practices.
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‎He disclosed that more than 1,800 people had benefited from the programme, expressing optimism that the knowledge gained would encourage dry-season farming and boost food production.
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‎Omoigui urged the participating farmers to apply the knowledge acquired to improve their farming practices and increase crop yields.
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‎As part of the programme, the farmers visited demonstration farms, where they were shown modern techniques for cultivating crops, including cowpeas, maize, soybeans, groundnuts, sorghum and rice.
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‎Speaking on behalf of EPO, Bashir Ibrahim Umar said agriculture plays a vital role in poverty reduction and job creation, particularly for young people in Nigeria.
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‎He stressed the need for sustained farmer awareness campaigns and access to agricultural knowledge to encourage the adoption of modern farming technologies and improve livelihoods.
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‎Also speaking, Garba Ayuba, who represented the Chairman of Albasu Local Government Area, Garba Aliyu Hungu, expressed satisfaction with the programme and urged farmers to put the techniques they had learnt into practice.
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‎Similarly, the Gaya Zonal Director of the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Danjuma Uba, commended the farmers for their interest in learning modern agricultural practices.
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‎He emphasised that collaboration between agricultural development agencies and farmers was essential to ensuring the sustainable adoption of modern farming technologies.
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‎In his remarks, Alhaji Saidu Abdulkadir Hamdullahi, whose farm was used to demonstrate the improved crop varieties, said some people had previously doubted the possibility of achieving successful crop production during the dry season.
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‎However, he expressed surprise and delight at the results achieved on his farm, saying the experience had boosted his confidence in dry-season farming.
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‎He thanked IITA and its partners for the training, noting that the programme had improved farmers’ knowledge of seed planting, fertiliser application and other modern agricultural practices.
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‎According to him, the new knowledge would help farmers increase productivity and improve their income.
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‎The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector by encouraging farmers to adopt modern technologies to improve food production and reduce poverty in Nigeria, particularly in areas facing water shortages.

IITA Technical Support through the Ecological Project Office to promote the best climate-smart agricultural practices around the dams to boost food production and increase the income of smallholder farmers in the Kano South Senatorial District

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is collaborating with the Ecological Project Office (EPO) to leverage the Federal Government’s rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation infrastructure in the Kano irrigation project, covering Tiga Dam, Challawa Gorge Dam, and Kafin-Chiri Dam in the Kano South Senatorial District, to promote sustainable irrigation and dry-season farming to boost agricultural productivity and increase the income of smallholder farmers. The collaboration under the project “Community-based Engagement on Sustainable Agriculture and Biodiversity Restoration for the Kano Irrigation Scheme” is being implemented across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) surrounding the dams (comprising Ajingi, Garko, Bunkure, Doguwa, Tudun Wada, Karaye, Gaya, Albasu, Kibiya, Rogo, Kiru, Wudil, Bebeji, Sumaila, Takai, and Rano), covering 155 communities.

The project interventions aim to boost year-round farming by combining irrigation with climate-smart practices to increase productivity and income, enhance food security, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. A total of 1,890 farmers, 20% of whom are women, have been trained in Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), climate-smart irrigation and water-harvesting technologies, and youth entrepreneurship in climate-smart agricultural practices across the 16 LGAs to enhance their resilience to climate-related vulnerabilities.

Participating communities have witnessed increased farming activities and improved access to and use of climate-smart agricultural technologies, contributing to increased productivity, income, and food security.