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Gombe Breaks Barriers, As Governor Inuwa Signs Disability Protection Bill into Law

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Gombe Breaks Barriers, As Governor Inuwa Signs Disability Protection Bill into Law

…Appoints PWDs Leader, Dr. Adamu as Disability Commission Executive Secretary

By: Ismaila Uba

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has signed into law, the Gombe State Disability Protection Bill 2024, which paves the way for the establishment of the Gombe State Disability Commission.

The landmark law establishes a framework for the empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities, ensuring social justice, protecting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the state, as well as ensuring accessibility, and participation in the society like every other human being.

During the signing ceremony of the bill which held at the Government House, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, announced the appointment of Dr. Ishiyaku Adamu, Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Gombe state chapter, as the Executive Secretary of the Disability Commission.

“The establishment of the Disability Commission will serve as a platform to address the needs and aspirations of our brothers and sisters living with disabilities”, the Governor said.

He remarked that since coming onboard, he has been supporting the growth of the PWDs community, saying he previously appointed Special Adviser and Special Assistants to coordinate the activities of the PWDs and serve as liaison between them and the government.

The Governor used the occasion to inform the Disability community of his recent directives for the renovation and remodeling of the only Special School in the state, adding that his administration will build two additional Special Schools so each senatorial district can have one.

He commended members of the Gombe State House of Assembly for their commiment in passing the bill and acknowledged the contributions of advocacy groups and stakeholders who championed the cause.

Speaking at the event, the Speaker of the Gombe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Mohammed Luggerewo, noted that the House had meticulously scrutinized every aspect of the bill to ensure its passage aligned with the aspirations of the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) community.

Responding on behalf of the disability community, the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Disability Commission, Dr. Ishiyaku Adamu, expressed gratitude to the governor for fulfilling a promise he made to the PWDs during the electioneering campaign in 2019.

“Today, you’ve set a record. I remember when we met with you during the electioneering campaign you made a promise that this bill would become a reality. And here it is today, we have witnessed this historic moment of signing it into law”, he stated.

“This commission will among others, promote education, healthcare and the well-being of persons with disabilities. Fifteen years ago, we took the same bill to the State House of Assembly, and it was rejected. Today, it has been passed and assented to. We will never forget this history. We thank the Governor, the State House of Assembly and other relevant stakeholders for making this possible”, Dr. Adamu added.

He informed the Governor that by signing the bill into law, Gombe has become the second state in the Northeast geo-political region to achieve this, assuring that he would work to ensure World Bank and other development partners support the commission in its activities.

The new Executive Secretary of the Disability Commission,
Dr. Adamu is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, Gombe State University.

Gombe Breaks Barriers, As Governor Inuwa Signs Disability Protection Bill into Law

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

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Tipper truck kills several traders in Jalingo market crash

By: Zagazola Makama

A tragic road accident occurred on Saturday at the popular Mile 6 Market in Jalingo, Taraba State, when a tipper truck loaded with shaft sand lost control and rammed into a crowd of traders and shoppers.

Zagazola learnt the incident, which happened around midday, resulted in multiple fatalities and left several others injured. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed as emergency responders continue rescue operations and assessment of the scene.

Sourcessaid the truck was speeding when one of its front tyres suddenly burst, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle veered into the busy market area, knocking down people and structures along its path.

“It happened so fast,” said Musa Ibrahim, a local vendor. “The truck was on speed and after the tyre burst, the driver couldn’t control it. It just rammed into the crowd.”

Security operatives and medical personnel arrived swiftly at the scene to evacuate the injured to nearby hospitals. The body of the deceased has also been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to identify victims and notify their families.

The driver of the truck has been apprehended and is currently in custody as investigations continue into the cause of the crash.
End

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports
…72-year-old Grandma, Beninese, Ithers Nabbed in NDLEA Raids in Delta, Kwara, Lagos

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a former football player Segun George Hunkarin along with his businessman partner Ntoruka Chinedu over attempt to smuggle a consignment of cocaine into Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

According to a statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, Chinedu who is a frequent flyer known for conveying clothes from Turkey to Nigeria and foodstuffs from Nigeria to Turkey, was the first to be arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport last Tuesday, when his carry-on bag was searched, 37 wraps of cocaine weighing 800 grammes were seen to be concealed therein.

Babafemi said investigation showed that the suspect was coming from Turkey on Ethiopian Airlines flight but transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he collected the luggage from another person before heading to Nigeria.

He said further checks revealed that an accomplice who turned out to be the former professional footballer, Segun Hunkarin, was waiting for Chinedu at the airport carpark to collect the consignment from him. Hunkarin who had stayed years in Brazil playing for football clubs was promptly tracked and arrested at the carpark.

In his statement, Hunkarin was said to have claimed that while playing professional football in the South American country, he had only trafficked drugs twice from Brazil to Ethiopia but has never brought any to Nigeria.

Another Europe based businessman Amen Okoro was last Friday arrested by NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport while attempting to traffic 5,000 pills of tramadol 225mg packaged as known malaria drugs such as Lonart, Amatem and Aluktem to Spain.

He was intercepted at the departure hall of terminal 2 of the airport during the outward clearance of passengers on Royal Air Maroc flight to Spain through Casablanca.

Babafemi said Okoro, who is into freight and logistics business between Europe and Nigeria, claimed that on his arrival in Spain, he would have taken a train to France where he resides and from there send the tramadol consignment to Italy for retailing.

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives last Friday intercepted a Maputo, Mozambique based bar attendant Ezenwaka Chibuzor. A search of his luggage led to the discovery of 17 cardboard size parcels of methamphetamine weighing 17.500 kilogrammes and three parcels of cocaine weighing 3.05 kilogrammes.

He revealed that the 38-year-old suspect was coming from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Ethiopian Airlines flight when he was interdicted and subjected to a search during which the illicit drugs concealed in bedsheets packed in his bags were discovered.

He noted that another passenger on board the same Ethiopian Airlines flight, 54-year-old Azu Kpodar was also intercepted at the Enugu airport by NDLEA operatives. When Azu, who arrived from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was searched, a liquid soap plastic container marked YPE, was discovered in his luggage. The substance was promptly taken for analysis at the NDLEA forensic and chemical laboratory, Enugu where the substance tested positive to cocaine.

The substance which turned out to be liquid cocaine weighed 1.250 kilogrammes, the
suspect who is a toy seller in Brinquedo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, claimed he purchased while shopping for his wedding ceremony in Nigeria.

NDLEA operatives at the Seme border area of Badagry in Lagos last Tuesday intercepted a 26-year-old Beninese Vode Jean-Luck while trying to smuggle 69 balls of skunk, a strain of cannabis with a gross weight of 29.5 kilogrammes from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

In Kwara state, a notorious drug dealer Mary Oladele (a.k.a Iya Nafi) was arrested last Wednesday when NDLEA operatives raided her base in Omu-Aran in Irepodun local government area of the state where various quantities of skunk, tramadol and flunitrazepam were recovered from her.

Babafemi said a 72-year-old grandma Mrs. Christy Ejaro was last Tuesday arrested by NDLEA operatives at Niger CAT area of Warri, Delta state, with several sachets of skunk packaged in retail size recovered from her.

The spokesman said the War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, social advocacy activities by NDLEA commands equally continued across the country in the past week.

Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), while commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Delta, Kwara, and Seme commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures of the past week, equally praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for ensuring a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

Former Footballer, 4 Others Arrested, Over 22.6kg Cocaine, Meth Seized at Lagos, Enugu Airports

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

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Armed bandits abduct resident in Bature Daji, in Niger narrowly miss vigilante target

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits in large numbers stormed Bature Daji community in Niger in the early hours of Saturday, abducting a resident while narrowly missing their original target, a local vigilante member.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. when the attackers invaded the residence of one Dani, a known vigilante operative in the area. He was reportedly the primary target of the assault but managed to escape.

However, the gunmen kidnapped one Attahiru Ibrahim, popularly known as Sarki Daji, from the same neighborhood and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Local sources revealed that the assailants later moved toward Gorogawu Village, a border community near the Republic of Benin, raising concerns of cross-border movement and security challenges.

A joint team of security forces, including military and other operatives, has launched a pursuit operation to rescue the victim and apprehend the attackers.

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