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Over Four Million Available for Nigerians with Special Tech Skills, Says Experts

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Over Four Million Available for Nigerians with Special Tech Skills, Says Experts

By: Michael Mike
There is urgent need to improve digital skills across the country in order to build the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), experts in technology have advised.

The experts said by leveraging digital connectivity, providing high-quality tech education, and fostering a supportive community, this new initiative will undoubtedly open up job market opportunities not only for the local population but also on a global scale.

Speaking at the inauguration of a tech incubation hub in the nation’s capital Abuja, experts said over four million jobs remain available for citizens with special tech skills.

The Country Director of GoMyCode, Babatunde Olaifa, said: “We are thrilled with the Nigerian Government’s visionary mission to address youth unemployment through skills development. At GoMyCode, we firmly believe that by investing in tech education, this plays a critical role in shaping the future workforce.”

Olaifa added that: “We are inaugurating our space in Abuja. It is about how to create jobs and values that would contribute to GDP growth, not just in Nigeria but across Africa continent.”

He said: “We have network of schools, four in Lagos, one in Abuja. We train people in digital skills, people that want to transit into the tech space, our mission as a company is to accelerate Africa transition to digital economy.”

He disclosed that GoMyCode has an impressive track record of empowering 20,000 students across various disciplines, equipping them with the necessary skills to excel in the digital landscape in nine countries namely; Tunisia, Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Jordan, Côte d’Ivoire and Egypt, noting that the company is on a revolutionary mission to democratise education by empowering individuals with the skills needed to thrive in the current digital age, insisting that with a formidable extensive network of hackerspaces; GoMyCode currently has five physical spaces in Nigeria; Yaba, Ikeja, Festac, Lekki; in Lagos with Abuja being the latest of its accomplishments.

He said the move into Abuja aims to further address the pressing issue of unemployment, both locally and globally, by leveraging digital connectivity and empowering individuals, particularly women and children, stating that with its innovative approach, GoMyCode’s initiative holds great promise in transforming the job market and enhancing economic development in Nigeria.

He said this is coming at the best of tomes when Nigerian Government is embarking on a visionary plan to provide ample employment opportunities for over one million Nigerian youth, disclosing that GoMyCode seeks to play a significant role by training young individuals to become skilled professionals and invaluable assets to society through digital connectivity.

The keynote speaker at the inauguration, Mr. Inyene Ibanga, the Lead, Corporate and Communications officer of the Office for National Digital Innovation (ONDI) who represented the Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said: “By training and empowering the Nigerian youth, we will be enabling them to turn their potential into reality, while further bolstering economic growth, and fostering a culture of innovation.”

While emphasising the importance of Hackerspaces to improve the economy of Nigeria, he lauded the team’s approach for opening physical spaces where individuals from diverse  backgrounds can have access to information and facilitators, he said: “This brings to the mind several crucial factors as to why the Abuja launch was important.

He noted that: “Firstly, technology over the years has become an integral part of every industry on and offline, and those equipped with digital skills are more likely to find employment opportunities than those without. By offering a dedicated space for learning and upskilling, GoMyCode will be  bridging the existing skill gap by  providing individuals with the expertise needed to thrive in the digital era. Secondly, the hackerspace serves as a community for aspiring tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and freelancers, offering them an environment conducive to collaboration, innovation, and networking. This sense of community propels knowledge sharing, industry partnerships, and the creation of new job opportunities.”

GoMyCode, is a renowned technology education platform, founded in the Netherlands by Yahya Bouhlel a Tunisian citizen and his brother Amine Bouhlel, GoMyCode strives to enhance not just the digital skills of an adult but encourage and groom the innate knowledge of children who are technically motivated to create and grow as valuable members of society.

Over Four Million Available for Nigerians with Special Tech Skills, Says Experts

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Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

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Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

A violent clash broke out on Saturday between a group of horse riders and personnel of the Nigerian Police Force in the Rimin Gata area, opposite Bayero University Kano (New Site).

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident, which occurred at about 4:50 p.m., on Sunday involved a surveillance team from the Rijiyar Zaki Division of the Kano State Police Command.

It was gathered that the confrontation followed a tip-off received by the police, alerting them to an unauthorised horse race taking place in the area.

The informant had reportedly warned that the race could degenerate into criminal activity, including phone snatching and possible fatalities.

Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the surveillance team moved to the location to disperse the riders, which led to resistance and a physical altercation.

Eyewitnesses said the scene became tense as officers attempted to arrest some of the horse riders, who in turn protested what they described as heavy-handedness by the police.

Sources said normalcy was later restored, and no fatalities were recorded. However, it remains unclear if any arrests were made.

The Kano State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

Clash erupts between police, horse riders near Bayero University Kano

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Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

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Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

By: Zagazola Makama

A young whistleblower has come forward with a detailed account of alleged harassment, detention, and intimidation he faced after exposing a suspected drug trafficker, Sulaiman Dan Wawu, in Kano State.

The incident, which began in December 2022, involved multiple arrests, prolonged court appearances, and alleged violations of his fundamental rights, despite his role in alerting the public to the arrest of Dan Wawu with 500 cartons of Tramadol.

The whistleblower, who spoke under anonymity due to safety concerns, said the situation began after he posted news of Dan Wawu’s arrest on TikTok – a post that gained over 41,000 views. The viral post, which followed a similar disclosure by Police Spokesman SP Abdullahi Kiyawa on Facebook, allegedly provoked backlash from the suspect and his associates.

“Though I had no personal connection to Dan Wawu, the day after I posted the video, a man named Abba Abdullahi came to my area in Kwankwaso, claiming to be from the CID. He accused me of buying a stolen phone and insisted I follow him to Farm Center,” the whistleblower said.

“Instead of Farm Center, I was taken to the Rapid Response Team (RRT) cell, where I spent three days. Each day, Dan Wawu, his wife, and another associate, Abdullahi Amdaz, came to see me. I was tortured in their presence. They claimed I had defamed them on TikTok.”

After being taken before a magistrate at the PRP Court under Judge Nura Yusuf Ahmad, the complainant was returned to the CID on remand. He later appeared in court where the formal charge was read: defamation and public misinformation for stating that “Dan Wawu was a drug trafficker” on social media.

The prosecution alleged that over 41,000 people had viewed the TikTok video and that radio stations had also aired the case. The suspect’s wife reportedly gave a media interview accusing the whistleblower of damaging her husband’s reputation.

The judge remanded the whistleblower to prison for five days before he was granted bail under six strict conditions, including the provision of two civil servants of Grade Level 12 or above, endorsement by a ward head, and an undertaking to refrain from using social media or any media platform.

Later, the whistleblower alleged further intimidation. “Abba Abdullahi, who earlier arrested me, called me and my elder brother outside court. He video-called Dan Wawu, who was then in Qatar, and forced me to delete two TikTok accounts with 87,000 and 19,000 followers,” he said.

He claimed three of his SIM cards were seized – the ones linked to his TikTok and email accounts – and was warned against SIM swapping or returning to social media.

Despite this, the trial dragged on for 11 to 13 months. “Even though the court was aware that Dan Wawu had been arrested with drugs, he and his wife never showed up in court,” he said.

One day, he was re-arrested by Abba Abdullahi on the claim that he had violated bail conditions. He was detained at CID for two days before being transferred to prison, where he spent 38 days during Ramadan in 2023, eventually regaining his freedom on the 29th day of fasting.

At the peak of the trial, he was reportedly pressured by the prosecutor, Aliyu Abideen, to swear an oath in court to prove his innocence. He rejected the condition, citing Islamic jurisprudence, which limits such oaths to civil or financial disputes – not criminal cases involving narcotics.

“In Maliki jurisprudence, oaths are only valid in financial matters, not cases involving someone caught with illegal drugs,” he said, quoting a Maliki legal verse.

Eventually, after the prosecution failed to present evidence or secure testimony from Dan Wawu, the case lost momentum. Meanwhile, Dan Wawu, who was arrested and arraigned at the Federal High Court on drug trafficking charges, reportedly fled with his wife and has since been at large.

“Now the entire world, not just 41,000 people, knows he was caught with drugs. His disgrace is from God. He spent nearly 50 days in prison before escaping,” the whistleblower said.

Whistleblower recounts ordeal after exposing drug trafficker in Kano

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Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

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Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

By: Zagazola Makama

The troops of the Nigerian Army and hybrid forces, with critical intelligence support from the Department of State Services (DSS), have neutralised no fewer than 45 bandits during a fierce gunfight in Iburu village, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, in what appears to be a major success in Nigeria’s ongoing counter-terrorism efforts,

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the joint operation was launched on Friday evening following intelligence that a large number of terrorists riding on motorcycles were advancing to launch coordinated attacks on Iburu and neighbouring communities.

According to the sources, the DSS intercepted early signals of the planned movement and quickly passed the alert to troops who had been on standby in the general area.

“The terrorists were said to have split into smaller columns, attempting to encircle the village under the cover of dusk, but were ambushed by the troops who engaged them in a sustained firefight that lasted several hours,” one source said.

The troops who returned to the scene after the exchange of gunfire confirmed counting at least 40 dead bodies of the bandits, while dozens of motorcycles used by the attackers were reportedly destroyed.

Two members of the hybrid forces fighting alongside the troops paid the supreme price, while four others were evacuated with serious gunshot wounds and are currently receiving treatment at a public hospital in Minna, the state capital.

Friday’s clash is the latest in a series of counter-offensives launched by security forces to decimate terrorists and secure communities across Niger State, especially in the volatile Shiroro-Munya axis which has become a stronghold for various criminal groups.

In April, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Bashir Adeniyi, raised the alarm over escalating terrorist activity around the Babanna border area of Niger State.

Adeniyi had revealed that Customs officers narrowly escaped an ambush by terrorists after intercepting 500 jerrycans of petrol allegedly being smuggled to insurgents operating within the state and across the border.

Friday’s success point to the importance of synergy between intelligence services and ground forces in disrupting terrorist logistics and operational movements across the North Central region.

The proactive engagement by DSS, coupled with swift tactical response by the military, is beginning to shift the operational advantage in favour of state forces.

Army, DSS-backed hybrid forces kill 45 bandits in Niger gun battle

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