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Group Advised Against Confirmation of North West Development Commission Board for being Unrepresentative
Group Advised Against Confirmation of North West Development Commission Board for being Unrepresentative
By: Michael Mike
Northern Christian Youth Professionals have advised against the confirmation and inauguration of the board of the North West Development Commission, insisting that the list of members are presently skewed and unrepresentative of the diverse interest of the North West region.
The group in a press conference addressed on Tuesday by its Chairman, Isaac Abrak said: “If the Senate goes ahead and confirms the list, and the President inaugurates the members, then Mr. President would have sowed the first seed of religious dicord in a region that is growing away from religious volatility.”
Abrak said: “We have convened this press conference to address a critical oversight that we believe warrants immediate attention. We respectfully call upon His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to review the recent appointments to the Board of Directors of the North West Development Commission and include christians. Currently, this board lacks Christian representation, despite the more than 11 million Christians residing in the North West region, encompassing Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, and Zamfara States.”
Abrak, while listing the members of the board to include, Haruna Ginsau (Jigawa) – Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji (Kano) – Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and members Dr. Yahaya Namahe (Sokoto), Aminu Suleiman (Kebbi), Tijani Kaura (Zamfara) – AbdulKadir Usman (Kaduna), Muhammad Wudil (Kano), Shamsu Sule (Katsina), Nasidi Ali (Jigawa), said it was unfair to have a wholly Muslim adherents on a board which has a population of about 11 million people.
He said: “You can see that Jigawa and Kano states have two members each, despite the fact these states have a significant population of indegenous christians, yet no christian was found qualified to balance the two slots from the states. Then how about the remaining of Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara whose christian population is almost half in the states, especially Kaduna state where the 2006 National Census exercise recorded christians as higher in number in the state.”
Abrak said: “We fear that our perennial marginalization will continue even in staff recruitment and appointment on the commission’s workforce. This we cannot accept.
“Let us be frank to ourselves, every member of the Board will prioritize their community’s interests when the board seats to map out areas of intervention to carry development actitvities. So if the board remains as it is, then it means that there will be no christians sitting at the table at the time decisions of paramount importance will be taken.”
He decried that: “Then many christian dominated communties that have suffered high herdsmen destruction and kidnappings, fair resource allocation to these ravaged areas is unlikely since they have no one sitting at the table when decisions are taken.”
Abrak added that: “The inclusion of Christians on the board will not only unite the region but give the Commision the trust and support it needs for roboast development. Importantly also this would boost our President’s political standing, as our people are loyal his leadership which is working tirelessly to improving their well-being.
“We are concerned that the absence of fair representation could impact the commission’s effectiveness and potentially sow seeds of religious discord—a challenge we have been working diligently to overcome. We believe this oversight does not align with Mr. President’s vision, nor that of the leaders and peace-loving citizens of this region, and certainly not that of Nigerians as a whole.”
He noted that: “Our region is rich with qualified Christian professionals who could serve admirably on the board. We have highly educated and seasoned serving and retired men and women in both public and private sector, Such as the Career Civil Servants, Military, Police and other security services. , as well the clergy. They are people of high integrity, well suited to contribute positively to the North West Development Commission. We therefore advise Mr. President to appoint one of the christians to also serve in one of the executive office of the Board
“We, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals, want to state it categorically clear here that, as a christian group who publicly supported and campaiged for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Muslim-Muslim” ticket, our request is not rooted in any malicious or divisive intent. Rather, we are motivated by the principles of fairness and equal representation, which are essential to the peaceful coexistence and development of our diverse region.”
Abrak admitted that: “Under the leadership of President Tinubu and the governors of the North West, our region is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of security and stability. This progress is due in no small part to the inclusive leadership style of our President and the dedication of our security personnel. It is our hope that we can continue to build on this foundation to foster a stronger, more united North West and a prosperous Nigeria.”
Group Advised Against Confirmation of North West Development Commission Board for being Unrepresentative
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VP Shettima Commissions 4,000 Job-capacity Garment Factory, Revenue Service House In Kwara
VP Shettima Commissions 4,000 Job-capacity Garment Factory, Revenue Service House In Kwara
Hails AbdulRazaq’s legacy of continuity at governor’s turbaning as Sardauna Of Ilorin
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Wednesday, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, commissioned the state Garment Factory, a signature project of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq designed to employ at least 4,000 people at full capacity, and the 11-storey Kwara Revenue Service (KWRS) House.
The commissioning of the projects was part of activities marking the turbaning of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin (the Defence Minister of Ilorin Emirate), by the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Kolapo Sulu-Gambari, making the governor the first person to hold the title.

Speaking during the turbaning ceremony at the Emir’s Palace in Ilorin, Senator Shettima applauded the legacy of continuity sustained by Kwara State Governor AbdulRazaq following his turbaning as the first Sardauna of Ilorin.
He recalled that the governor’s late father, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq (SAN), carried an Ilorin name into history as the first lawyer of Northern Nigeria and the first Mutawalle of Ilorin—a title he said remains in the family in celebration of their bond with the emirate.

The Vice President observed that a deserving service honoured is a declaration about the conduct the people wish their children to inherit, noting that the man at the centre of the turbaning ceremony is no stranger to the Ilorin Emirate.
“His father, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq, SAN, OFR, carried an Ilorin name into history as Northern Nigeria’s first lawyer. Every path begins with someone willing to walk without familiar footprints. Through law and diplomacy, his story became part of Nigeria’s own.
“The branch may reach towards another horizon, yet it carries within itself the memory of the root. His father was the first Mutawalle of Ilorin, a title that remains in the family in celebration of their bond with the Emirate. Today, another chapter enters the family’s relationship with this palace,” he said.

Noting that the continuity of a legacy—such as the one made by Governor AbdulRazaq—summons reflection on what a name can carry across generations, the Vice President said although a surname may be received by a child at birth, the responsibilities attached to that surname must be undertaken afresh.
“As Governor AbdulRazaq receives his turban, we remember those who preceded him, and we offer prayers for the generations who will encounter this occasion through the stories their elders preserve,” he maintained.
VP Shettima revealed the strong bond of friendship he shares with the governor, noting that they consistently discuss matters and share responsibilities beyond ceremonial occasions.
He continued: “There is something sobering about celebrating a friend while both of you remain answerable to the demands of public office. Titles will eventually pass into the record of our lives. The human bonds formed along the way should endure beyond the appointments through which other people first came to know us.
“At the National Economic Council, our responsibilities meet in discussions concerning the federation and its states. We consider how economic proposals connect with implementation, financing and the circumstances of communities. That work requires listening across different experiences and respecting the obligations each government carries.
“A federation is sustained through the patient conversation between those who share responsibility for its people. No boundary on an administrative map can divide the dignity Nigerians are entitled to expect.”
The VP said Governor AbdulRazaq participates in engagements with the federal government and development partners as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, adding that behind this institutional language lies the core responsibility of meeting the needs of farmers, households, and businesses
He lauded the governor’s governance record in Kwara, pointing out that it extends from renewed classrooms to medical coverage and roads connecting communities.
“These are chapters in the story of a state as its people encounter it: the lesson a child can attend, the treatment a household can seek, and the market a farmer can reach. Such investments must be sustained so that those who inherit them can build upon them. A legacy takes its fullest measure in the generations it continues to serve,” he added.
Dignitaries who graced the occasion include the governors of Imo, Kebbi, Plateau, Ekiti, Ogun, Niger, Bayelsa, and Kaduna.
Others are First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, represented by wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima; Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Emir of Zazzau, HRH Nuhu Bamali, the Seun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọlaoye, Orumogege III, among others.
VP Shettima Commissions 4,000 Job-capacity Garment Factory, Revenue Service House In Kwara
News
Two killed, one injured as suspected Fulani Bandits attack NTV community in Plateau
Two killed, one injured as suspected Fulani Bandits attack NTV community in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Two residents were killed while another sustained gunshot wounds when suspected Fulani militias attacked the NTV axis of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The attack occurred at about 2300 hours on Sept. 15, 2026, when troops of Sector 4, Sub-Sector 41, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), Gashish, responded to reports of sporadic shootings in the community.
According to security sources, Keystone personnel deployed in NTV engaged the suspected attackers after they launched an assault on the community, forcing the assailants to withdraw into the surrounding bush.
The troops, alongside the Keystone personnel, subsequently searched the area and discovered the bodies of two locals identified as Perit Danladi and Homefry Caleb.
Another resident, identified as Rinfaranga Williams, was found with gunshot wounds and was evacuated to a General Hospital for medical treatment.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the attack was allegedly carried out as a reprisal following the recent killing of cattle in Mangu Local Government Area.
Security forces have continued to dominate the general area and launched offensive operations and a manhunt for the fleeing attackers.
The development underscores the fragile security situation in parts of Plateau State, where attacks and reprisals between communities continue to fuel tension and insecurity.
Two killed, one injured as suspected Fulani Bandits attack NTV community in Plateau
News
Troops arrest six suspected illegal miners in Plateau
Troops arrest six suspected illegal miners in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 1, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), have arrested six suspected illegal miners during an operation at a mining site in Agindi Village, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The operation was conducted at about 1450 hours on Sept. 15, 2026, as part of efforts to check illegal mining activities in the area.

According to security sources, the troops raided the mining site and arrested six suspects identified as Gabriel Sunday, 17; Shedrack Bulus, 17; Vincent Amos, 17; Victor Ishaya, 19; Micheal Adikaba, 15; and Nikus Adikaba, 19.
Items recovered during the operation included two diggers, shovels, cutlasses, one fetcher and five mobile phones.
The suspects were taken into custody and profiled for further action as security authorities continue efforts to curb illegal mining and associated criminal activities in the area.
Troops arrest six suspected illegal miners in Plateau
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