Borno State’s Veronica Kidafa Mbaya Awarded N25 Million for Agricultural Excellence

By: Our Reporter

Veronica Kidafa Mbaya of Borno State has been recognized for her outstanding contributions to agriculture, winning the inaugural Every Home Garden farming competition, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria. Ms. Mbaya received a N25 million prize during a ceremony held this evening at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

The presentation was made by the First Lady herself, highlighting the importance of the Every Home Garden Initiative and the success of Ms. Mbaya’s efforts. The event was attended by a distinguished gathering of First Ladies from various states across Nigeria, including Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State.

This significant award celebrates Ms. Mbaya’s dedication to agriculture and her exemplary contribution to food security in Borno State. It also underscores the Every Home Garden Initiative’s national impact and its success in fostering agricultural development and empowerment at the grassroots level.

20 million naira came from the first lady while NALFUND added 5 million naira to the winner.

Other 19 participants who made it to the finals received 2.5 million with 1 million from the first lady, 1 million from the first lady of the state concerned, and 500,000 naira to each of them from NALFUND.

Borno State’s Veronica Kidafa Mbaya Awarded N25 Million for Agricultural Excellence

Yobe: 12 killed in road crash

By: Yahaya Wakili

Twelve (12) persons lost their lives in a road crash on Tuesday, 3rd December, 2024, along the Bayamari-Geidam road in Yobe state, North East, Nigeria.

The Sector Commander Yobe state Sector command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Corps Commander, Mr. Livinus Yilzoom, disclosed this in a press release made available to newsmen in Damaturu.

He said the crash occurred at about 10:00 pm at km 20, Chelluri village, along the Bayamari-Geidam road.

Mr. Livinus Yilzoom revealed that the crash involved a stationary HOWO truck with registration number MAG 831ZR belonging to DAN NENE construction company and a Sharon minibus with registration number BAU 124YF, which ran into the truck and caught fire, thereby burning the 12 occupants of the bus beyond recognition.

According to Mr. Livinus Yilzoom, preliminary investigation revealed road obstruction by the HOWO truck as the immediate cause, while excessive speed and overload by the driver of the Sharon were the remote causes of the road crash.

He admonished motorists to avoid night travels because of the danger of poor visibility, which is further compounded by the present hazy harmattan weather.

The commander called on motorists to obey road traffic rules and regulations at all times to forestall future occurrences.

Yobe: 12 killed in road crash

Yobe: Emir of Fune sues for peace between farmers and herders 

By: Yahaya Wakili

The emir of Fune in Yobe state, Alhaji (Dr.) Saleh Idris Ibn Usman, has called on farmers and herders to be patient with one another and to live in peace. This country belongs to us; we can’t go anywhere but Nigeria.

Alhaji Saleh Idris Ibn Usman made the call in an interview with the newsmen in Damagum, the headquarters of the emirate council. He said, God knows why he keeps us together, the harders and the farmers.

He calls on farmers to harvest their farm produce in time, not leave their farm produce to stay long in the farm, and also urges the herders to stay away from farmlands to enable farmers to park their farm produce.

The emir draws the attention of the security agents to protect the lives and property of the citizens and allow the herders to pass and urges the farmers not to take the law into their hands.

“If he destroyed your farm produce, report him to the authority concerned; don’t touch him. We have the ward head, the village head, and the district head, and we have the emir. Report him to them; they will take necessary action against him,” the emir added.

Alhaji Saleh Idris maintained that it is not fair that someone spent a year suffering in farming his farm; he finished everything; the only thing that remains is to harvest the produce. In a day you come and destroy the farm produce; in fact, it is not a small offense.

He said, We have been enlightening the farmers every year to harvest their farm produce in time and urge the herders not to encroach into the farm until farmers cultivate and evacuate their farm produce.

Yobe: Emir of Fune sues for peace between farmers and herders