NEWS
Kaduna Assembly Investigates El-Rufai’s Administration
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has appointed a committee to investigate the expenditure of the $350 million World Bank loan obtained during former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s tenure, as well as other financial allocations and incomplete projects initiated by the previous administration from 2015 to 2023. Speaker Yusuf Liman led the inauguration of the 13-member committee during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The decision to form the committee stemmed from a motion presented by Mugu Yusuf, representing the Kauru constituency on Tuesday, urging the House to scrutinize all loans acquired by the El-Rufai government.
Je said “There have been uncomplimentary comments and assassinations of character on the leadership of the state, which the assembly cannot sit and watch. That is why I came up with this motion that the Speaker constitute a committee to investigate the allegations and negative comments on them.
“This is the only way the state can rekindle its confidence in its development partners, collaborators, and also those who give us loans and grants; failure to do this will push the indicators of the state to a situation whereby nobody will want to do business with us.”
In the midst of the debate, former Speaker Yusuf Zailani, under whose leadership the Kaduna State Government secured the loan, refuted claims that the ninth assembly had sanctioned the loan for the executive branch.
He said “I suffered a lot in order not to give approval for the loan to be collected; even the then deputy Speaker Isaac Auta Zankhai was against me because I disagreed with the loan to be collected. I told the then-governor to look at the number of loans we had on hand, and he didn’t listen to me.”
During their individual remarks, Henry Marah, the representative of the Jaba constituency, and Samuel Kambai, his counterpart from the Zangon Kataf constituency, emphasized the legislative responsibility and constitutional authority to authorize loan acquisitions by the governor.
However, they expressed concern that the situation in Kaduna differed from this norm. Consequently, they called on the committee to summon the speakers of the 8th and 9th assemblies, as well as select members of those assemblies, to provide clarifications on the loan procurement and expenditure.
Speaker Liman urged the ad-hoc committee to invite the aforementioned speakers and all pertinent stakeholders and agencies for the inquiry.
He reassured the House that the matter would be thoroughly investigated, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to share the truth.
The committee, comprising 13 members, saw Aminu Anti appointed as chairman, Yusuf Mugu Kaura as deputy chairman, with Munira Tanimu and Hon. Shehu Yunusa among the members, alongside nine others.
In March, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State revealed inheriting a significant debt burden of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from El-Rufai’s administration. He lamented the adverse effect of this substantial debt on the state’s federal allocation.
Asma al-Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who bravely battled breast cancer in 2019, has been struck with another health challenge.
The president’s office revealed in a statement on Tuesday that she has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
The statement said, “First Lady Asma al-Assad has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.”
More to follow…………
Bandits launched an attack on Zurak village in the Bashar District of Wase local government area, Plateau State, on Monday at around 5 p.m., resulting in the death of over 40 individuals, including local vigilantes.
According to report, the assault took place while people were engaged in their daily routines.
Residents reported that they were unable to immediately report the incident due to poor communication networks in the area.
Sahpi’i Sambo, a local youth leader, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, stating that the bandits arrived on motorcycles—two per bike—armed with sophisticated weapons, and began shooting indiscriminately.
He said “More than 40 people were killed while many injured. Residents of the village have fled to neighbouring communities for cover. As of yesterday, security personnel had not yet arrived at the community. It was deadly. ”
As of the time this report was filed, the spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries.
A 61-year-old male Nigerian, with physical challenges, who has resided in the UK for 38 years, has deportation by the Home Office, staring him in the face.
Media reports indicate that Anthony Olubunmi George, migrated to the UK from Nigeria at the age of 24 back in 1986.
According to the Guardian UK, George has been law abiding throughout his unbroken stay in the UK, with a clean record, no criminal convictions.
However, in 2019, he experienced two strokes that had a significant impact on his ability to speak and move.
On his part, George maintains that he no longer has any immediate relatives residing in Nigeria.
His health challenge has exposed to several episodes of homelessness, which left him at the mercy of friends for shelter over the years.
George said, “I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on – too many to count. I don’t have my life, living the way I’m living now. My health problems since I had my stroke are my biggest worry.
“All I’m asking for is some kindness from the Home Office.”
In this regard, George had made multiple applications for leave to remain in the UK, all of which have been denied by the Home Office, with the most recent rejection occurring on May 7, 2024.
In 2005, his previous solicitors submitted a falsified entry stamp in his passport which has since been reported to the police and the legal regulatory bodies.
The Guardian UK cites George as claiming to completely unaware of the passport stamp until several years later.
His present legal representatives trace George’s trauma to previous poor legal representation.
According to his current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, George’s difficulties can be attributed to his poor past legal representation.
In their latest rejection, officials from the Home Office stated that the situation was not deemed to be an exceptional circumstance.
Counting the failure of his previous applications being on the shoulders of his lawyers, Kandiah has filed an appeal challenging the most recent denial.
Kandiah said, “My client has been living in limbo for 38 years, with no family, has suffered two strokes and has no family left in Nigeria.
“His situation is not just because of Home Office policies but also because of poor representation by previous solicitors who failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.”
The Guardian UK cites a spokesperson for the Home Office, thus, “applications have to be considered on their merits in accordance with the immigration rules with the responsibility on applicants to demonstrate they meet these rules.”
George might not be alone in this, as the Guardian UK also reported the story of Nelson Shardey, a 74-year-old newsagent from Merseyside.
Shardey has been living in the UK since 1977 and was recently denied indefinite leave to remain by the Home Office, despite having spent the majority of his adult life in the country.
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