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Damasak: Zulum plans subsidised petrol for farmers to boost agricultural activities
Damasak: Zulum plans subsidised petrol for farmers to boost agricultural activities
By: Babagana Wakil
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced plans to provide petrol for farmers in Damasak at subsidised rates to enhance food security among residents, most of whom are recovering from the over a decade long insurgency.
The move allows Zulum to key into President Tinubu’s agricultural agenda of achieving food sufficiency through enhanced agricultural activities in places affected by the insurgency.
Zulum disclosed the plan on Tuesday, while addressing newsmen after supervising the distribution of palliative to vulnerable women and widows.
“I am here today to see the living conditions of our people, especially those who have recently returned from the Niger Republic due to the ongoing conflict. My administration will do everything possible to ensure that we provide for their basic necessities. In order to provide sustainable means of livelihood to our people, we are taking deliberate steps to enhance agricultural productivity and alleviate the economic burden on farmers in the Damasak region,” Zulum said.
He added, “For the farmers in this community, the primary source of energy has been generators powered by fossil fuels. To alleviate this challenge, I will be providing assistance to the farmers soon. The government will identify two fueling stations and supply PMS and subsidies to reduce the cost of PMS for the farmers. This will enable them to purchase PMS at a lower price, making it more affordable for them to irrigate their farmlands.”
In addition to providing subsidised petrol, Zulum also promised to distribute solar water-pumping generating sets, seedlings, fertilizer, and other agricultural inputs to the farmers.
“Borno State government will also procure solar water pumps, and in addition to this, we will install drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation facilities in this town,” Zulum said.
Damasak, in northern Borno, is an agricultural hub and one of the pilot sites for Borno’s agricultural rejuvenation. It was once a stronghold of the insurgents before it was liberated by Nigerian security forces, which enabled the Zulum-led administration to reconstruct and resettle residents and cultivate vast farmlands.
Damasak: Zulum plans subsidised petrol for farmers to boost agricultural activities
Police repel bandits, rescue six kidnapped victims on Yankara-Funtua highway in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Police in Katsina State have successfully rescued six kidnapped victims after intercepting an armed bandit attack on Yankara-Funtua highway in Faskari Local Government Area.
Sources said on Jan. 24 at about 1:25 a.m., unidentified armed bandits blocked the highway and abducted six occupants of a green Honda Civic, registration number AAA 518 BC, en route from Funtua to Faskari.
The DPO Faskari, on routine patrol, promptly engaged the hoodlums in a tactical gunfight.
The bandits were overpowered and fled into the bush, abandoning their mission. All six victims, Rabi Hamisu, Safare Musa, Abubakar Samaila, Shehu Umar, Sara’u Yahaya, and Ibrahim Babangida, were rescued unharmed and safely returned to their homes.
Intensive patrols continue in the area, while efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects are ongoing.
Police repel bandits, rescue six kidnapped victims on Yankara-Funtua highway in Katsina
Suspect arrested for trespassing, attempting robbery at Bauchi Emir’s palace
By: Zagazola Makama
A 20-year-old man, Umar Hamza, was apprehended Wednesday night for trespassing and attempting to steal from the Emir of Bauchi’s residence.
Sources said Hamza entered one of the Emir’s son’s rooms carrying a bunch of keys and tried to commit theft around 8:20 p.m. on January 23.
He was intercepted shortly after the act and taken into the Police custody for questioning.
Police said Preliminary inquiries indicate the suspect intended to steal from the palace.
Suspect arrested for trespassing, attempting robbery at Bauchi Emir’s palace
VP Shettima Returns To Abuja, Says Nigeria Firmly Back On Global Economic Frontline
By: Our Reporter
Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Abuja after a week-long diplomatic and economic mission to Guinea-Conakry and Switzerland.
This is just as he said Nigeria has reclaimed a frontline seat in global and regional policy conversations.
VP Shettima arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of Guinea’s President, Mamadi Doumbouya, and leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos.
According to the Vice President, the trip is part of Nigeria’s renewed commitment to regional solidarity in West Africa and its determination to reposition the economy under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.
The Vice President had departed Abuja for Conakry, where he attended President Doumbouya’s inauguration, reaffirming Nigeria’s leadership role within ECOWAS, while opening new pathways for bilateral cooperation in agriculture and manufacturing.
From Guinea-Conakry, Senator Shettima proceeded to Davos, Switzerland, where he led the Nigerian delegation at the WEF 2026.
One of the highpoints of his engagements in that country was the commissioning of Nigeria House Davos, the Nigeria’s first-ever sovereign pavilion on the Davos Promenade, designed as a permanent investment hub showcasing opportunities in solid minerals, agriculture and the digital economy.
At a high-level WEF session titled, “When Food Becomes Security,” the Vice President outlined Nigeria’s new national food security framework, describing agriculture as a strategic pillar of national security and macroeconomic stability.
Vice President Shettima also joined former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun, to advance the Accra Reset Initiative, a forum advocating African industrialisation driven by domestic capital and value chains rather than foreign aid.
On the economic front, the Vice President told investors that Nigeria’s macroeconomic indicators were stabilising, citing a projected 4.4 per cent GDP growth in 2026 and a decline in inflation to 12.94 per cent.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s imminent transition into a net exporter of refined petroleum products, anchored by the Dangote Refinery, and the growing export of digital talent.
VP Shettima Returns To Abuja, Says Nigeria Firmly Back On Global Economic Frontline
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