NEWS
Kaduna Clears N18bn Pension Arrears, Raises Agric Funding to N100bn
The Kaduna State Government has disclosed that it has cleared about N18bn out of the pension and gratuity arrears inherited by the administration of Governor Uba Sani.
The state Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this in an exclusive interview on Saturday, attributing the development to increased allocations from the Federation Account under President Bola Tinubu.
Maiyaki said the additional resources had enabled the state government to intensify infrastructure development while increasing funding for agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation, security and youth employment.
According to him, the Uba Sani administration inherited about N24bn in outstanding pension and gratuity liabilities, alongside foreign and domestic debts.
He said, “When the governor assumed office, we inherited a backlog of debts, both foreign and domestic, which would have made it very difficult for the state to even pay salaries.”
The commissioner also disclosed that 115 road projects were ongoing across the 23 local government areas of the state, with more than half completed and covering over 1,400 kilometres of roads.
“Before now, 12 local government areas in Kaduna State had not seen even half a kilometre of road projects. But today, with the infrastructural development taking place in Kaduna State, 115 road projects are ongoing across the state,” he said.
Maiyaki explained that the road projects were designed to improve transportation, connect farmers and rural communities to markets, facilitate access to healthcare and strengthen security.
He cited a 35-kilometre road linking about 76 communities as one of the projects with significant socio-economic impact.
“We have a 35-kilometre road that has connected about 76 communities, particularly farming communities. This is one significant project that has helped provide farmers with access to markets and their farms,” Maiyaki stated.
Agriculture funding rises to N100bn
The commissioner said agriculture had received one of the biggest boosts from the increased revenue available to the state, noting that the sector contributes about 42 per cent of Kaduna’s Gross Domestic Product and provides approximately 60 per cent of employment.
He disclosed that the state’s agricultural budget rose from N1.4bn in 2023 to more than N100bn in 2026.
“This represents an increase in agricultural funding from 0.4 per cent to 11.6 per cent over the last three years,” he said.
According to Maiyaki, the increased funding had enabled the government to provide fertiliser and other inputs to smallholder farmers, as well as invest in irrigation, mechanised agriculture and extension services.
He said the state distributed 400 trucks of NPK and urea fertiliser to farmers in 2024 and another 500 trucks in 2025, while 150,000 smallholder farmers are being targeted for fertiliser distribution in 2026.
“Today, Kaduna State is the highest producer of maize, the highest producer of tomatoes, the second-highest producer of soybeans, and the highest producer of ginger in the country,” Maiyaki said.
Kaduna allocates N264bn to education
On education, Maiyaki said the state had sustained increased funding, keeping its allocation above the 25 per cent benchmark recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
He disclosed that more than N264bn was allocated to the sector in the 2026 budget.
The commissioner said the funds had been used to construct and renovate classrooms, recruit teachers and improve infrastructure in tertiary institutions.
“Over 75 secondary schools, including junior and senior secondary schools, have been constructed, while thousands of classrooms have been renovated,” he said.
He added that the investments had contributed to a reduction in the estimated number of out-of-school children in the state from about 550,000 in 2023 to approximately 187,000 in 2026.
CNG buses save residents N4bn
Maiyaki further disclosed that the state government had deployed 100 compressed natural gas buses to provide free transportation for civil servants, students, traders, artisans and other residents.
He said the buses had transported about four million passengers in one year, saving beneficiaries an estimated N4bn.
“Over the last one year, the introduction of the CNG buses has transported about four million people, saving them about N4bn at no cost to our people,” he stated.
Kaduna records no religious conflict in three years
On security, the commissioner attributed improved security and freedom of movement across the state to the combination of road construction, social interventions and the Kaduna Peace Model.
Maiyaki claimed that the state had not recorded a religious conflict in the three years since the Uba Sani administration assumed office.
“One of the key outcomes of our investment in peace and security is that, over the last three years since the assumption of office of His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State, we have not witnessed a single religious conflict in Kaduna State,” he said.
The 15th edition of the Practical Nigerian Content Forum (PNCF) is billed for Yenagoa, Bayelsa State from November 30.
This edition of the initiative of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) would hold be in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government as disclosed on Tuesday when a delegation of the NCDMB and DMG Events met with the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr Peter Pereotubo Akpe, at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Leading the delegation, the General Manager, Corporate Communications Division of NCDMB, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, conveyed the appreciation of the Executive Secretary of the board, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, to the state government for its continued support for the forum.
He said, “We appreciate the Bayelsa State Government for its continued partnership and support for the PNC Forum”.
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According to him, the Youth PNC was designed to expose young people in the Niger Delta to emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry and the competencies required to build successful careers in other sectors of the economy.
Ezeobi added, “We have introduced new initiatives into this year’s programme to ensure that the PNC continues to deliver greater value to participants and address emerging issues in the Nigerian content space.”
The Senior Manager, Zonal Coordination, NCDMB, Mr Adebayo Joseph, spoke on plans for the Youth PNC, while the leader of the DMG Events delegation, Ms Olamide Oloko, outlined the major activities planned for the conference.
Oloko said the new initiatives would include a Local Content Roundtable and a two-day programme for Local Community Contractors aimed at helping them scale up their operations.
She added, “The 2026 edition will also feature a breakout session to collate stakeholders’ views on the future direction of Nigerian Content over the next decade.”
Responding, Akpe assured the NCDMB and DMG Events of the state government’s continued support for the PNC Forum.
Akpe said, “The Bayelsa State Government is committed to ensuring that the event is successful and that participants have a conducive and secure environment throughout their stay in the state.”
He said the initiative demonstrated the practical impact of the programme and urged the board to sustain efforts aimed at creating opportunities for young people in the region.
Nigerian women allegedly being held at a deportation facility in India have cried out over their treatment, with a video circulating online showing some of them displaying injuries and alleging that security personnel flogged detainees.
The video began circulating online on Wednesday and shows a group of Nigerian women inside and around what they described as a deportation camp.
Several of the women pointed to marks, bruises and apparent injuries on their legs, feet and bodies while alleging that they were beaten with sticks or canes.
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“See my video, see my leg,” one of the women could be heard saying in the footage.
Another woman said, “Mona see wetin dem dey do for deportation camp.”
“Deportation camp, na dem flog person, see,” another woman said while showing what appeared to be an injury.
The women further alleged that female detainees were beaten with sticks.
“Dem dey use stick dey flog women, mona dey see am,” one of them said.
Another woman, while pointing at an injured detainee, said, “Dem carry cane flog o… see her body, dem flog am.”
The women also alleged that police officers carried sticks inside the facility.
“Police carry stick like say dem dey cut firewood,” one of the women said.
The footage shows the women appearing distressed as they moved through the facility and gathered in an outdoor area.
They repeatedly appealed to Nigerians to share the video and draw attention to their situation.
“Make una see… make this video trend/go,” one woman said.
“Make una share am,” another added.
One of the women also expressed frustration over their alleged experience at the facility, saying, “We don suffer, every time, every time.”
The footage comes amid ongoing concerns over Nigerians detained at the Lampur detention centre, also known as Sewa Sadan, in New Delhi.
Recall that in September, reports emerged that more than 200 Nigerians were being held at the facility, with some detainees alleging poor food, inadequate medical care and prolonged detention.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) subsequently defended its handling of the situation and said the Nigerian High Commission in India was seeking another amnesty period to facilitate the departure of Nigerians without proper immigration documentation.
No official response from the Indian authorities or the Nigerian government specifically addressing the allegations in the latest video had been made available at the time of publication.
Rights activist, public affairs analyst and Chief Executive Officer of The Dialogue, Shehu Muhammad, has questioned the continued occurrence of military aircraft crashes despite the huge budgetary allocations to the country’s defence and security sector.
Muhammad spoke while reacting to the recent Nigerian Navy aircraft crash in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
Describing the incident as “one incident too many,” he recalled that Nigeria had recorded several military aircraft crashes involving the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army over the years.
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He said the recurring incidents had raised concerns among members of the public about the condition of military aircraft and the process through which military hardware is procured.
“People have begun to cast aspersions as to the honesty, sincerity, and openness in the purchase of military hardware, including airplanes,” Muhammad said.
According to him, the concerns are heightened by the substantial funds allocated to the military and other security agencies over the years.
“There are insinuations by the public that, after all, the military receive the highest amount of money from the budget year in, year out,” he said.
Muhammad also questioned the transparency of defence procurement, particularly the process of selecting contractors for the supply of military equipment.
He argued that the repeated crashes should prompt authorities to examine military aviation operations, aircraft procurement and the management of defence resources.
The latest crash occurred in Irele, Ondo State, with recovery efforts reportedly complicated by the difficult terrain around the crash site.
Muhammad said the latest incident should not be treated in isolation, but should lead to broader questions about military aviation safety and the management of resources allocated to the defence sector.
He called for greater transparency and accountability in the procurement and management of military hardware to restore public confidence.
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