News
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
Yobe: teenage fight at wedding turns deadly in Potiskum
Yobe: teenage fight at wedding turns deadly in Potiskum
By: Zagazola Makama
A 17-year-old boy, Ishaku Idriss, has died following a violent clash among youths during a marriage ceremony in Garaganya village, Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Police sources said the incident occurred on March 31, 2026, at about 10:00 p.m. during a wedding ceremony, when youths from Dagare and Yabel villages engaged in a physical confrontation.
According to sources , the altercation escalated after Adamu Suleh, 16, of Dagare village, allegedly assaulted Ishaku Idriss, 17, of Yabel village, with a stick following an instigation involving one Shuaibu Yusuf, 27, also of Yabel village.
The victim was later said to have retaliated by attacking Usman Inusa, 14, of Dagare village, who struck him on the head with a stick, causing him to collapse.
He was initially rushed to the State Specialist Hospital, Potiskum, before being transferred to Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu, where he was confirmed dead on April 4, 2026, at about 4:00 a.m.
Police authorities said the case was reported by the village head of Jumma’a Bogocho, Ahmadu Yusuf, who brought the matter to the Potiskum Police Division.
The suspects have been arrested, while investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Yobe: teenage fight at wedding turns deadly in Potiskum
News
One abducted victim escapes as bandits kill cyclist, detonate IEDs in New-Bussa in Niger
One abducted victim escapes as bandits kill cyclist, detonate IEDs in New-Bussa in Niger
By: Zagazola Makama
One of the four abducted family members in the recent bandit attack at Baban-Rami in Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State has escaped from captivity, security sources have said.
The sources identified the victims as Suwaiba Sahabi Buba Abdullahi, Khadija Sahabi Buba Abdullahi, Fatima Sahabi Abdullahi and Nafisa Sahabi Buba Abdullahi.
They said Nafisa Sahabi Buba Abdullahi had successfully escaped from the abductors, while efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining victims unhurt.
The incident was a follow-up to an earlier attack in which the head of the family, Alhaji Sahabi Buba Abdullahi, was shot dead by suspected armed bandits.
In a related development, armed bandits reportedly detonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along a bypass road near a damaged bridge in the Luma National Park forest axis of New-Bussa.
According to the sources, the attackers also shot dead a cyclist plying the route, while a truck driver travelling towards Wawa unknowingly drove over another IED, which exploded and damaged the vehicle.
The whereabouts of the truck driver were yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
Security operatives, including tactical teams and local vigilantes, have since been deployed to the area and are currently trailing the perpetrators.
Authorities said efforts were being intensified to secure the area, rescue victims and prevent further attacks.
One abducted victim escapes as bandits kill cyclist, detonate IEDs in New-Bussa in Niger
News
CP Nasarawa tasks his personnel to hunt down the culprits of the recent killing of 11 in Udege
CP Nasarawa tasks his personnel to hunt down the culprits of the recent killing of 11 in Udege
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Nasarawa State Command, Shetima Mohammed, has ordered an intensive manhunt for all perpetrators of the heinous act which led to the death of 11 residents in Udege.
He has equally directed all tactical teams and investigative units to ensure the prompt identification of the killers and further prosecution when they are finally caught.
He gave the directive recently when he
visited Udege Development Area in Nasarawa council Area following the recent communal attack that resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property in the area.
During his visit to the affected communities of Akyawa and Udege Kasa on April 3, 2026, the CP expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident which claimed the lives of 11 residents and the further burning of several homes.
He commiserated with the families of the deceased and the entire community, assuring them of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that justice is served accordingly.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the same day, involved hoodlums from one side suspected to have carried out a reprisal attack over the alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.
A release signed by the police spokesperson Raman Nansel noted that in the course of the attack, 11 persons were killed, while about 50 homes were burnt in Akyawa while Udege Kasa lost only two residences.
To prevent any further breakdown of law and order, the CP has also directed the immediate reinforcement and sustained deployment of additional Police personnel, in synergy with the Military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to provide adequate security and restore lasting peace in the area.
A stakeholders’ meeting was held during the visit, where the CP urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.
“The Command reassured members of the public that normalcy has been restored to the affected communities, while proactive measures are in place to prevent any recurrence of violence.” Said the release.
CP Nasarawa tasks his personnel to hunt down the culprits of the recent killing of 11 in Udege
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