GM Yobe Mills Explains Why the Company Is Operating at 50 Percent Capacity

By: Yahaya Wakili

The General Manager of Yobe Flour and Feed Mills Co. Ltd., Potiskum, Yobe State, Alhaji Saminu Utai, has revealed that the company has started the production at almost 50 to 60 percent capacity, noting that the company cannot produce up to 100% right now.

He, however, said that very soon the company will achieve the production capacity at 100 percent.

The general manager disclosed this recently to newsmen in his office. He said, “When I resumed this office, there was no any production in this company, so I thank Almighty God that from this period, January to date, we are starting the production atalmost 50 to 60 percent capacity.”

The raw materials, we buy them normally at Maiduguri, which is the Biu area; we buy them in Gombe, which is the Kumo; and we buy them from Taraba, which is to come and process the product here, and we have customers in Geidam, Damaturu, and Azare, and then I have them in Kano and Maiduguri. All these customers patronize the product of the flour mill.

“Because, if you look at the problems of this company, they spent a lot of years without any production. When I resumed this office, I sat down with the staff just to figure out how to get customers in this company, but the staff told me that you have the previous customers, one in Kano and some of them in Geidam,” Utai added.

“I start moving to those various places and discuss with the customers, and they said they did not buy the product until they saw the samples. I just came back to the company and processed the samples, and then I got and gave them so that they started buying the product, and we have 50 kg, 25 kg, and 10 kg, and the type of product we have is maize, flour, and animal feed.”

He said the challenges are only two things: the capital, which is the running cost of the face of the company, and the customers. I talked to His Excellency; there are no running costs in this company. He told me that I should go and write it and send it. When I wrote it, His Excellency approved it and sent the money to start running the affairs of the company.

According to Utai, before the Executive Governor came into power, there was not any company that existed in the state, but we thank God when Governor Buni came to power in 2019; he sat down to think about all the companies that had not existed in the state, like Yobe Flour and Feed Mills, the Aluminum Roofing company, Dafurga Spring Water, and the Woven Sacks company, among others; he resuscitated them all immediately.

“We thank Almighty Allah for giving Yobeans His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON COMN, as our governor, and call on the entire people of Yobe State to continue praying for him to complete his tenure successfully.

GM Yobe Mills Explains Why the Company Is Operating at 50 Percent Capacity

CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND EXTORTION FOILED, FAKE DOLLAR NOTES AND VEHICLE RECOVERED

By: Our Reporter

The Yobe State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, psc, fdc, has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against crime, arresting three suspects involved in organized crime.

The Potiskum Divisional Police Headquarters successfully investigated and recovered a stolen vehicle in a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, misappropriation, and extortion.

On August 2, 2025, at about 1100hrs, a report was lodged by Maina Abdullahi, 37, of Old Army Barracks Area, Potiskum, claiming that a Toyota Venza vehicle valued at N17 million belonging to his elder brother was forcefully collected from him. However, investigations revealed that the complainant was deceived and lured to Azare by Mohammed Halilu Bello, 54, of Indabo Area, Damagum, Fune LGA, and Mohammed Usman, 35, of Kano State, under the pretext of arranging a money-making opportunity.

Through diligent investigation and intelligence tracking, the vehicle was recovered at Makurdi, Benue State. The police also recovered suspected fake dollar notes.

The CP has directed that the suspects be charged to court for prosecution, and commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and dedication to duty.

CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND EXTORTION FOILED, FAKE DOLLAR NOTES AND VEHICLE RECOVERED

CCDI, Swiss Embassy Commission Refurbished Toilets and Libraries in Abuja Schools

By: Michael Mike

In a significant step towards improving hygiene and learning conditions in public schools, Create That Change Development Initiative (CCDI), in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, has commissioned newly refurbished facilities at two schools in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The projects, unveiled at LEA Pilot Science Primary School and LEA Phase III Primary School, include a reconstructed 12-stall toilet block and two fully refurbished libraries.

They mark the first phase of CCDI’s Public-School Revival Initiative (PSRI), an intervention designed to restore dignity, enhance sanitation, and provide inclusive learning spaces for Nigerian children.

Speaking at the commissioning, the Executive Director of CCDI, Mrs. Sharon Ayeni, described access to clean toilets as a fundamental right rather than a privilege.

“Access to clean toilets is a basic right, not a luxury. We are grateful to our partners at the Swiss Embassy for supporting this project. Together, we are uplifting schools that need it most and investing in the brighter futures of children,” Ayeni said.

She explained that the project was inspired by CCDI’s earlier outreach programme, Start Smart September, where pupils at the schools identified toilet and library facilities as their most urgent needs.

According to her, one of the schools’ toilet blocks had been abandoned for nearly two decades, earning the nickname “haunted house” among pupils.

The Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland, Mr. Sayer Rouhani, who represented the Swiss Embassy, joined CCDI to officially commission the facilities.

For the Headteacher of LEA Primary School Phase III, Mr. Abdel Liza Njibri, the intervention was nothing short of a rescue.

“For more than 10 years, this school did not have a functional toilet. It is God that sent CCDI and the Swiss Embassy to us. They gave us a 12-stall toilet, refurbished our library, connected water, and even sponsored some of our less privileged pupils by paying their school fees and providing books and bags. We are sincerely grateful,” he said.

Also reflecting on the project, Ms. Oluwamu Mirayo Ame, a CCDI volunteer who was once a pupil of the school, said the initiative was deeply personal.

“Over 20 years ago, when I was in this school, the toilet was an eyesore that we all believed was haunted. Returning here and seeing it transformed into a clean, safe facility is a dream come true. Now children, especially girls, will not have to leave school during the day to relieve themselves,” she said.

The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) agenda, which seeks to improve child health, learning outcomes, and dignity in underserved communities.

It also builds on CCDI’s earlier efforts in July 2025, when the organisation delivered two eight-stall toilet facilities to LEA Primary School, Kabusa, and LEA Nomadic Primary School, Apo Dutse.

Create That Change Development Initiative (CCDI) is a Nigerian registered non-governmental organisation committed to transforming the lives of children through interventions in education, health, and community development.

CCDI, Swiss Embassy Commission Refurbished Toilets and Libraries in Abuja Schools