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Why Borno refused to sack 10,566 unqualified teachers

Why Borno refused to sack 10,566 unqualified teachers
… Zulum approves N1 billion for teachers’ training
By Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi
Long before the administration of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Borno State was faced with a crisis of teacher recruitment and remuneration.
Some of the issues surrounding primary school education in Borno are complex, including the decision by Governor Zulum to retain those that were confirmed to be unqualified and the concern about their salaries.
Many people are angry and dismayed and have shared sentiments that are now trending on social media about why a state governed by a professor of repute like Gov. Babagana Umara Zulum will have some teachers still receiving paltry sums as salary.
The truth is that these category of teachers should be learners in a classroom and not teachers.
In 2020, the Zulum-led administration had sought to sanitise the state’s primary education system to ensure that quality education is imparted, following the devastation caused by Boko Haram insrgency. He constituted a committee headed by Dr. Shettima Kullima to determine the actual workforce of teachers and their competence to impart quality education. The final report revealed a scary outcome that less than 33% were fit to teach.
According to the 2020 report, a list of 26,450 teachers and non-teaching staff was submitted before the verification committee; among them, 18,451 teachers participated, and 2,628 with fake certificates were identified.
Zulum then constituted another committee in February 2022, headed by the current Commissioner for Education, Engr. Abba Wakilbe, to conduct a competency test on basic literacy and numeracy for the teachers who had been cleared for biometric capture.
The committee’s report confirmed that about 10,566 teachers out of 15,823, representing 66% of all Borno primary school teachers, failed the test and are not qualified to teach.
More so, 6,227 teachers were identified to be trainable, and 4,339 teachers were untrainable.
Upon receiving the report from the Engr. Wakilbe-led committee, Zulum instantly directed that 5,257 who have passed the test and are confirmed to be qualified to teach should be upgraded and start receiving N30,000 as minimum wage. I can confirm that the directive has been fully implemented and they have started enjoying the minimum wage.
The government also decided to retain those that were confirmed to be unqualified, because in a state like Borno that is coming out of the insurgency, sacking this number of people will further compound the rate of unemployment.
If not for his compassion, Zulum had the option to relieve all of them, but decided they should remain on government payroll and that all of them should be posted to work in other sectors within the local government workforce, including involvement in the planting of trees in the Ministry of Environment.
Among them, Governor Zulum directed 1,468 that had undergone Emergency Teacher Upgrade Programme with the National Teachers Institute and are certified to have obtained the minimum teaching qualifications start receiving the minimum wage salary next month.
Furthermore, an additional 3,000 under the trainable category were shortlisted for another training that would allow them to obtain the requisite teaching qualifications.
… Zulum approves N1b for teachers’ training
Resulting from the competency test, Gov. Umara Zulum has also approved that about 6,227 teachers that were certified to be fit for training should be sponsored to obtain the required qualifications and sent back to classrooms. Zulum, had on 19th of March 2024, approved N1b for the training of these teachers.
These feats were widely reported by Nigerian newspapers, including the LEADERSHIP, DAILY INDEPENDENT, THE SUN among other news outlets open for verification by the general public.
Since assuming office in 2019, Zulum has prioritised the enhancement of education in Borno State by putting in place all the necessary infrastructure and improving the workforce deficit.
The governor has, on other occasions, approved the recruitment of over 4,000 teachers, 1,000 for secondary schools and 3,000 for primary schools.
Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi
Senior Special Assistant on New Media
Why Borno refused to sack 10,566 unqualified teachers
News
DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta

DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta
By: Zagazola Makama
The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count criminal charge against presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and two social media companies, X Corp and Meta Incorporation, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Zagazola reports that the charges followed Sowore’s refusal to delete alleged false and inciting posts about President Bola Tinubu from his verified X and Facebook accounts.
The DSS had, on Sept. 8, issued a one-week ultimatum to Sowore to remove the posts, which it described as “false, malicious, and inciting.” The ultimatum expired without compliance. X Corp and Meta, owners of X and Facebook, also declined a DSS request to deactivate Sowore’s accounts.
The charges were filed on behalf of the DSS and the Federal Government by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, and four other counsel to the DSS – M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.
According to the charge sheet, Sowore, on Aug. 25 and 26, 2025, allegedly published posts on his official handles describing President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accusing him of lying about corruption in Nigeria during an official trip to Brazil.
The DSS said Sowore knew the claims were false but circulated them to incite disorder and disaffection among Nigerians.
One of the counts read: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult male, on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official X handle page, @YeleSowore, to send out a message which you know to be false but posted for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”
The second count alleged that Sowore repeated the same post on his official Facebook account on Aug. 26, in breach of the same cybercrime law.
The third and fourth counts accused him of publishing defamatory material against the person and office of the President on both X and Facebook, contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
The fifth count alleged that Sowore, with intent to cause fear and public disturbance, published false information on both platforms, an offence contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The DSS maintained that the posts were capable of undermining national security and causing a breakdown of public order.
Zagazola reports that the case is expected to be assigned to a trial judge for hearing in Abuja.
DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta
News
Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA

Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have neutralized two notorious bandits in Dutsen Ma, Katsina State, during an operation to curb criminal activities in the area.
Zagazola learnt that the bandits, identified as Iliya and Dan Yahaya of Banga, were reportedly responsible for multiple attacks and led criminal operations in Rafi Forest, Wonaka, Gusau Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
They were key commanders in the gang led by Alhaji Ummaru Dan Najeriya.
The sources confirmed that the operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the bandits’ movement and that further patrols and monitoring have been intensified in the region to prevent any resurgence of criminal activities.
Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA
News
Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara

Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits led by Ado Allero, a top Bandit Kingpin Leading in the Peace Dialogue in the North West have slaughtered traditional ruler in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in a shocking escalation of violence in the North West region.
Intel reports indicate that at about 1609hrs on September 15, a gang led by Ado Allero slaughtered a traditional ruler, the Hakimi of Dogon Dawa, in Keta village, Tsafe Local Government Area, Zamfara State. The same group who reportedly kidnapped 40 civilians from a mosque in the LGA.
The attack, described as brutal and unprovoked, also saw 40 civilians abducted from a local mosque in the area.
The sources further revealed that the bandits have continued their campaign of terror, killing four farmers in Barikin Daji, Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State, and two Customs officers in Fingilla village, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
Zagazola report that Armed bandits in the North West have continued to terrorize communities across the North West, killing, kidnapping, and maiming civilians, amidst the highly publicized peace dialogue in Faskari, Katsina State, aimed at ending banditry in the region.
While the peace deal was taking place, bandit were said to have ambushed a convoy of the Commanding Officer of 382 Army Regiment at Ruwan Godiya crossing point along Sheme- Kankara Road in Katsina, but the attack was successfully repelled. Same day, the troops of 17 Brigade ambushed some bandits near Gatawa village in Kankara LGA, recovering motorcycle and mobile phone. Again, troops repel bandits attack at Sabon Massallaci village, Katera ward of Kankara LGA, they later move toward Gidan Dufe village in the same LGA, kill one woman, injuring several and rustling livestock.
On the same day, bandit ambushed NSCDC personnel along at Dafa village Yantumaki- Danmusa road killing one and inuring four other officers.
In the same vain, the bandits strikes and abducted 12 people in Godai village in Bukuyum, in Zamfara state. They abducted another four in Tudun Moriki.
In Kebbi State, another armed gang, known as the Lakurawa group, killed two Customs officers in Fingilla village, Dandi Local Government Area. Further, four civilians were reportedly shot dead while harvesting crops in Barikin Daji around Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State.
Allero, the notorious bandit kingpin, had on Sunday expressed optimism that peace would be restored in Katsina State, Zamfara and beyond following the dialogue in Faskari. He claimed that previous disruptions of peace initiatives, including the arrest of his son, had led him to resume criminal activities.
Despite the claims of a “historic” and inclusive dialogue, the spate of attacks had continued by the bandits.
Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara
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