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Zulum Pledges Reforms for 2025 Hajj Operations
Zulum Pledges Reforms for 2025 Hajj Operations
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the Holy Land for better performance.
The Governor made the pledge during the presentation of the 2024 Hajj report by the Amirul Hajj team, led by the Chairman of the Committee and Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, at the Government House on Monday.
Zulum described the 2024 Hajj as one of the most successful in recent years. “I want to assure you that during my tenure, “we have not seen such a degree of success in recent years. I was impressed by the way and manner our pilgrims were airlifted from Maiduguri to Madina and Jidda to Maiduguri,” Zulum stated.
He expressed particular satisfaction with the smooth airlift operations, the quality of services provided, the dedication of the Amirul Hajj team, and the conduct of the pilgrims.”
“I will continue to sanitise the system for greater productivity,” Zulum stated.
The governor also assured the public that he would review the report thoroughly and work towards implementing the recommendations. “Within the next few hours, I will go through the report clause by clause to ensure we implement the valuable suggestions made,” he promised.
Commending the committee for introducing innovative solutions, Governor Zulum highlighted the use of online media to inform pilgrims about their flight schedules and the publication of pilgrim names to ensure smooth operations. “The previous practice of calling names throughout the night, which was inefficient, has been eliminated,” he noted.
The Governor declared that, moving forward, the Borno State government will no longer cover the cost of excess luggage for defaulting pilgrims. “We have done it this year, but we will not do it next year. If anyone reports to the airport with excess luggage, they will bear the cost themselves,” Zulum stated.
He directed the Executive Secretary of the Pilgrims Board to inform all intending pilgrims for 2025 of this new policy.
Additionally, Governor Zulum called for the deployment of technology and the engagement of local government Hajj fare collectors to identify and eliminate individuals posing as pilgrims in the Holy Land.
Chairman 2024 Amirul Hajj team, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, announced that 1,803 pilgrims performed the 2024 Hajj, five pilgrims hospitalised in the Holy Land with no death recorded.
According to him, Governor Zulum has rendered enormous support to the pilgrims in areas of securing befitting accommodation in Mecca, covering the differential for Basic Travel Allowances (BTA) to the tune of 260 million naira, and payment of sacrificial animals amounting to 290 million naira.
Others include payment of 65 million Naira to the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) as medical support and 25 million for excess luggage.
“His Excellency has extended hands of fellowship to the entire 1,815 pilgrims, the Amirul Hajj team, and the National Hajj Commission by extension. Some of the support rendered by Governor Zulum to the pilgrims while in the Holy Land includes the release of 380 million naira to secure a befitting accommodation in Mecca, covering BTA differentials, and payment of Hadya for all the pilgrims, among other things,” Lawan said.
Senator Kaka Shehu identified excess luggage as one of the challenges faced during the 2024 Hajj operations and emphasised that the success of this year’s pilgrimage was largely due to the unwavering support provided by Governor Babagana Zulum.
Zulum Pledges Reforms for 2025 Hajj Operations
Work on the Ngalda modern market is near completion. – Engr. Hamidu
By: Yahaya Wakili
In a bid to boost the economy of the state, the work for the construction of the Ngalda modern market in the Fika local government area of Yobe state has reached 95% completion, with the remaining power plant and other pieces to be picked up.
This was disclosed to newsmen in Ngalda by Engr. Abubakar Hamidu, project consultant to Damuli Investment Company Limited, the company handling the project.
He said the market has 96 stores, 144 market lock-up shops, and 64 stalls, and the market also has a mosque, police station, clinic, fire service, meat shops, and other facilities. We were also to provide water supply and reticulation and electrification.
According to Engr. Hamidu, we had additional work on the drainage from the back side of the fence and the front of the market, and we were taking it to the river about 2.75 kilometers away, and we had already covered about a kilometer of both the wall and the drainage.
“The water table is very far because of the elevation here. The river is very close, but if you are coming out from the main town, it is elevated, so we could not get the actual survey. The data they gave us is finished with times.
“We are trying to get the actual date from a water body like registered geology, a geological survey. They gave us data from there. We can be able to think maybe motorized or solar-powered boreholes can give a capacity of maybe 200 to 250 below ground.
“Our challenges are materials; most of the materials we got from far away, so this is our major challenge, and labor mobility also. We have to get some from Gombe, Maiduguri, and some from Damaturu because of the nature of the locality.” Engr. Hamidu said.
He commends the Yobe State government for giving us encouragement, and whatever we ask the government, they support us; they give us. So we are pledging to the government to invest more of such because, as you can see, the market there now is overflooded, and if the government can strategize such kinds of facilities in other vicinities, it will boost the economy of the state as well asprovide job opportunities for the populace.
Work on the Ngalda modern market is near completion. – Engr. Hamidu
Police Officer Killed in Fatal Car Accident Along Lugbe Expressway
By: Zagazola Makama
Sources from The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the death of a police officer following a fatal motor vehicle and pedestrian accident along the Car Wash area of Lugbe, Abuja.
Zagazola understand that the incident occurred on April 17 at about 3:00 p.m. and involved a Lexus RX 600 SUV driven by one Abraham Alpha, 41, a resident of Living Faith Church, Phase 4, Nyanya, who was heading towards the city center.
The sources said the victim, identified as F/No. 513869 Sgt. Amos Jonah, attached to Robuchi Division, was attempting to cross the expressway when he was struck by the vehicle.
Personnel from the Motor Traffic Division (MTD) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) responded promptly and evacuated the injured officer, the driver, and other occupants of the vehicle to the National Hospital.
The medical team at the hospital, however, confirmed Sgt. Jonah dead on arrival. His remains have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary for preservation.
The driver and other occupants received medical attention and were later discharged
Police Officer Killed in Fatal Car Accident Along Lugbe Expressway
NDLEA Operation at Abuja Guest House Leads to Gunfire, Two Security Officers Injured
By: Zagazola Makama
Two security officers were injured during an operation by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at a guest house in Abuja, which houses security personnel.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on April 18 at about 6:00 p.m. when a team of NDLEA operatives stormed the guest house located Jahi, Abuja.
According to the sources, the armed NDLEA operatives fired gunshots during the operation, resulting in two casualties.
Zagazola gathered that one Cpl. Mathias Sule, of the 24 Police Mobile Force, sustained a bullet graze injury on his ribs, while Mr. Jonathan Julius, a personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS), was shot in the leg. Both injured officers were quickly rushed to Gwarinpa General Hospital, where they were treated and later discharged.
At the scene, law enforcement recovered two rounds of live ammunition and five expended shells.
Sources said that investigation into the incident are ongoing.
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