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1349 people died, 7744 injured in road accidents in 2023 – FRSC

Bankole ABE
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1349 people died, 7744 injured in road accidents in 2023 – FRSC

THE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has disclosed that 1,349 people were killed in road accidents between January 1 and April 12, 2023.

The Commission also said that 2,463 crashes occurred during the period.

According to the FRSC, the crash involved 3,965 vehicles conveying 16,102 people. Out of that number, 1,349 people were killed, while 7,744 got injured.

The spokesperson of the FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this to The ICIR in a chat. 

On what the Commission is doing to minimise road accidents in Nigeria, Kazeem said the FRSC had deployed various strategies to combat crashes.

He listed the introduction of motorised patrol along the critical corridors as part of the strategies.

“These sets of Patrol operatives play a key role in speed control to halt speed-related crashes on the highways.

“Our operational activities have been given an adequate boost through the injection of new vehicles for enhanced visibility on the highways and to enforce compliance by all road users.

“The public enlightenment aspect is also being enhanced. Of course, you are aware of the establishment of the National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM, an FRSC-owned station brought to life to boost existing platforms for the education, enlightenment, sensitisation and providing real time traffic update to mass population of road users,” he stated.

Kazeem said that presently, the Commission is undergoing a massive expansion of the Command base to meet expectations.

The Spokesperson of FRSC, Bisi Kazeem Photo Credit: The Eagle Online
The FRSC spokesperson Bisi Kazeem
Photo Credit: The Eagle Online

According to him, this expansion would usher in more highway patrol teams, more roadside clinics for prompt rescue services, and adequate deployment of tow trucks for speedy removal of obstructions.

“Our staff have also been subjected to continuous capacity building to enhance professionalism, competence, and ease of doing business in the work place,” he added.

He said the Commission had strengthened 122 as its toll-free number to accommodate the volume of calls that come in daily. 

He also said the FRSC had beefed up response time for quick intervention.

Road traffic fatalities and injuries have emerged as a challenge in the country. Nigeria has been addressing the problem over time. 

Kazeem said the absence of an effective road safety policy and strategy for the country and problems among relevant agencies compounded the road crash pandemic in Nigeria over the years.

Some major road crashes in 2023

In January 2023, in the Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto, a tragic motor accident claimed the lives of 18 people and injured 40 more.

The accident involved a truck carrying passengers and a herd of cattle.

On Sunday, January 28, not less than 11 persons were burnt to death in an auto crash involving a commercial passenger bus and a truck in Ondo State.

According to the FRSC, the incident happened on Soka Bridge along the Benin-Ore expressway in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

An old picture from an accident scene used to illustrate the story
An accident scene

The FRSC Commander, Ore Unit, Sikiru Alonge, blamed the accident on “one-way driving”.

Alonge said the truck had a head-on collision with a passenger bus.

On March 26, an accident occurred in Kebbi’s Liba neighbourhood, near Gonan Rogo in Kebbi, and on March 27, another tragic collision happened in the state’s Bunza region.

The FRSC Kebbi State Command said 35 lives were lost in the two separate road accidents in the state.

The state Sector Commander, Yusuf Haruna Aliyu, said 40 people were rescued in the accidents, while several passengers also suffered deadly injuries.

In another development, the FRSC said 24 persons were killed, while 354 others sustained injuries in road crashes in Gombe State between January and March 2023.

The Gombe FRSC Sector Commander, Felix Theman, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafiyawo, Akko Local Government Area of the state, on Friday, April 14.

At least 15 people were burnt to death in an auto-crash along the Port Harcourt-Enugu highway in Enugu state on Saturday, April 8.

Kazeem, confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, April 9, said the victims were burnt beyond recognition in the accident, which occurred at about 8.20 p.m.

The vehicles involved in the crash were a Toyota 18-seater bus and a Mercedes truck.

Also, seven passengers were burnt to death on Thursday, April 13, when a commercial bus caught fire on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

FRSC officials said seven of the 27 passengers were burned beyond recognition.

Data on road accidents in Nigeria between January 1 and April 12, 2023
Data on road accidents in Nigeria between January 1 and April 12, 2023

 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) spokesperson in Ogun, Florence Okpe, confirmed the incident to reporters in Abeokuta.

Compensation for road accident victims

The FRSC said it was collaborating with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to ensure compensation for road crash victims and prosecution of drivers and their employers whose activities on the road lead to road users’ injury.

In a statement released on Tuesday, April 4, Kazeem described the partnership as a concerted effort to ensure that victims of road crashes are duly compensated through established legal processes.

He said the organisations finalised the agreement to collaborate during a courtesy visit of the Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, to the president of the NBA, Yakubu Maikyau.

Prosecution of drivers involved in accidents

In another development, the FRSC also said it had started preparations to prosecute drivers involved in accidents that resulted in the loss of lives.

In line with the plan, the FRSC will prosecute drivers involved in the Liba and Bunza fatal crashes in Kebbi State earlier in the year.

Biu disclosed in a statement on Tuesday, March 28, that the prosecution would protect passengers’ rights and deter other traffic violators.

Security analyst proffers solution

In an attempt to proffer solutions to the constant loss of lives on our roads, a security analyst with the SBM Intelligence, a security outfit, Emeka Okoro, said although Nigeria’s road traffic fatality rate has reduced dramatically in recent years, it is still relatively high when compared to the reported WHO estimates. 

Okoro said driving on Nigeria’s road network can be risky and arduous as large parts have broken down and others ridden with potholes due to neglect.

“Indeed, apart from many of the highways littered with craters, driving at right is comparable to walking through a dark alley because of the lack of street lights. 

“The absence of proper road safety and poor management of roads remain the basis of road accidents which regularly occur at some flashpoints, such as sharp bends, potholes, and at bad sections of the highways. 

“At such points, overspeeding drivers usually find it difficult to control their vehicles, resulting in fatal traffic accidents, especially at night. This, for me, is the fundamental reason for the high rate of deaths reported by the FRSC,” he said. 

Okoro said that in response to the United Nations’ decade of action for road safety, the FRSC launched a “safe road in Nigeria” to reduce road crash deaths and injuries by 50 per cent by 2030. 

He said this campaign is based more on changing driving behaviour than advocating for good road infrastructure.

He added that the FRSC has stepped up the campaign in Nigeria to ensure that these objectives are met by strengthening legislation and enforcement in the following areas: drunk driving, speeding, seat belt use, education/training and enforcement.

He said that since road safety is primarily the responsibility of governments, road accidents can be reduced by providing basic conditions and services. 

He added that stakeholders must seek collaboration among the Public and private sectors, academia, professional organisations, non-governmental organisations and the media to move towards a country free from road traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

Lagos govt to probe Banana Island building collapse, stops construction projects

Beloved JOHN
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THE Lagos State government has launched a probe into the collapse of a seven-storey building under construction on Banana Island, Ikoyi.

The state government said its officials were assessing the high-rise building, which had been under construction for months.

The building collapsed suddenly on Wednesday evening with many workers inside.

The state government has also suspended all development plans on the Island until a comprehensive audit of the situation is done.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) would be conducting the probe.

So far, 25 people have been rescued from the wreckage by emergency responders, with 16 victims currently receiving treatment.

Omotoso confirmed that nobody died in the incident.

He said, “LASEMA confirmed that no one was trapped in the building and a roll call has also been done by the site supervisors, with everyone accounted for.

“Of the 25 persons rescued by LASEMA, 16 with moderate injuries were admitted at General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island and Police Hospital, Falomo for treatment and care. Nine others with minor injuries, such as bruises, were treated and discharged at the site by the Lagos State Ambulance Services.

“Of the 16 persons on admission, 11 were taken to Police Hospital, Falomo. Eight of the 11 persons have been treated and discharged. Some are required to come for daily follow-up and management. Three with various injuries, including blunt traumatic chest injury, knee injuries, deep lacerations, and others, are on admission.”

There have been several incidents of building collapse in Lagos.

In the last decade, the state has recorded no less than 115 incidents of building collapse.

Lagos recorded the highest number of incidents between 2021 and 2022, each with, at least, 20 cases.

In some cases, there were no fatalities, while in others, scores of people perished in the rubble.

The collapse of a 21-storey building at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, in November 2021 led to the death of about 45 people.

Also, the collapse of a building at the Lekki Gardens in Ikoyi in 2016 claimed the lives of about 35 people.

According to LASEMA, between January and July 2022, Lagos recorded no less than 30 cases of total building collapse.

Lagos to probe Banana Island building collapse, stops construction projects

Beloved JOHN
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0
Lagos to probe Banana Island building collapse, stops construction projects

THE Lagos State Government has launched a probe into the collapse of a seven-storey building under construction on Banana Island, Ikoyi.

The state government said its officials are assessing the high-rise building, which had been under construction for months.

The building collapsed suddenly on Wednesday evening with many workers on the site.

The government also suspended all development plans on the Island until a comprehensive audit of the situation is done.

In a statement issued on Thursday, April 13, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) will be conducting the probe.

So far, 25 people have been rescued from the wreckage by emergency responders, with 16 victims currently receiving treatment.

Omotoso confirmed that nobody died in the incident.

He said LASEMA confirmed that no one was trapped in the building and “a roll call has also been done by the site supervisors, with everyone accounted for”.

“Of the 25 persons rescued by LASEMA, 16 with moderate injuries were admitted at General Hospital, Odan, Lagos Island and Police Hospital, Falomo, for treatment and care. Nine others with minor injuries, such as bruises, were treated and discharged at the site by the Lagos State Ambulance Services.

“Of the 16 persons on admission, 11 were taken to Police Hospital Falomo. Eight of the 11 persons have been treated and discharged. Some are required to come for daily follow-up and management. Three with various injuries, including blunt traumatic chest injury, knee injuries, deep lacerations, and others, are on admission,” the statement added.

There have been several incidents of building collapse in Lagos.

In the last decade, the state has recorded no less than 115 incidents of building collapse.

Lagos recorded the highest number of incidents in 2021 and 2022. There were at least 20 cases in both years.

In some cases, there were no fatalities, while in others, scores of people perished in the rubble.

Like the collapse of a 21-storey building located at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, the incident in November 2021 led to the death of about 45 people.

Also, the collapse of the Lekki Gardens in Ikoyi in 2016 claimed the lives of about 35 people.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, between January and July 2022, Lagos recorded no less than 30 cases of building collapse.

NYSC member docked for allegedly swindling police officer

Faith ABEKA
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NYSC member docked for allegedly swindling police officer

THE Iyaganku Magistrates Court sitting in Oyo, on Friday, April 14, docked a National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ukenwa Ikechukwu, for allegedly swindling a police officer of N235,000.

The NYSC member, who was charged with false pretense and theft however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecution counsel, Inspector Olufemi Omilana told the court that Ukenwa on December 4, 2022, at about noon with intent to defraud allegedly obtained N235,000 from Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Modupe Okpaleke.

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According to Omilana, Ukenwa, who studied physiotherapy and was attached to the Police Cottage Hospital, Eleyele, Ibadan, collected N235,000 from Okpaleke and fraudulently converted the money to his own use.

The Police explained that Okpaleke, while seeking medical solutions to her leg problem at the Police Cottage Hospital, was introduced to Ukenwa, who recommended that she buys a bicycle.

However, after collecting the amount from Okpaleke, the NYSC did not purchase the bicycle but instead, converted the money to his own use.

The Police prosecutor said the offense contravened provisions of sections 390 (9) and 419 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.

Subsequently, the Magistrate, Giwa Babalola admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Giwa-Babalola adjourned the matter till May 25, for hearing.

North-East still nightmare for children, 9 years after Chibok — UNICEF

Sinafi OMANGA
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North-East still nightmare for children, 9 years after Chibok — UNICEF

NINE years after Boko Haram terrorists abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has lamented the continued violations of children’s rights in the north-eastern region of Nigeria.

On the night of April 14, 2014, the adolescent school girls were kidnapped by the Islamic terrorist group from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, a small town in Borno State.

Marking nine years since the attack on Friday, April 14, UNICEF said “the statistics are disturbing, the reality is devastating” for children in the region.

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This was disclosed in a statement by UNICEF representative, Christian Munduate, on Friday.

“It has been nine years since the horrendous abduction of the Chibok girls, yet the nightmare continues as children are still being kidnapped, forcibly recruited, killed and injured – their futures torn away.

“Nine years after 276 schoolgirls were abducted in the middle of the night from their dormitory in Chibok, Nigeria, 96 girls remain in captivity, and thousands more children have been subjected to grave violations of their rights,” the statement said.

UNICEF noted that children are still being kidnapped in Nigeria’s North-East.

“As recently as 7 April 2023, 80 children were reportedly abducted by militants in Zamfara State’s Tsafe Local Government Area according to local media.

“Since 2014, there have been over 2,400 incidents of grave violations verified, affecting over 6,800 children in the North-East.”

The UN agency further observed that the most common violations are recruitment or use of children by armed groups “with 700 verified cases, followed by abductions of children, with 693 incidents, and killing and maiming, with 675 incidents”.

“This reinforces the urgent need for action to protect children in Nigeria” the statement added.

#Bringbackourgirls campaign and Buhari’s failed promise

The abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls triggered the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, launched by a group of citizens advocating for the rescue of the schoolgirls.

According to the group, the last report on the status of the Chibok Girls in October 2022 showed that 107 victims have been released by the terrorists, while 57 girls escaped from their den. The military rescued 16 while 96 are still missing.

While the abduction of the Chibok schoolchildren gained international attention, there are other schoolchildren missing whose parents’ hope of meeting them again seems bleak.

On February 19, 2018, more than 100 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Dapchi Town, Yobe State by the terror group, Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Although, a substantial number of the schoolchildren reportedly re-appeared,  the whereabouts of others are unknown with little or no reports about them.

Among the Dapchi Schoolgirls is Leah Sharibu, a 16-year-old Christian, who is held captive by the terrorists.

President Muhammadu Buhari whose administration ends in May 29th, had on several occasions promised to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu and other children still in captivity.

Leah Sharibu

Buhari acknowledged that it was the promise of securing the release of the children “that made the people of Chibok vote for him overwhelmingly” in the February 2019 presidential election, where he was reelected, according to statement by his senior special assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu.

“On Leah Sharibu’s abduction, the interlocutors have reported encouraging progress so far” the statement said in 2019.

With just few weeks to the end of his administration, Sharibu is yet to be reunited with her family as at the time of filing this report.

Impact on education alarming

In the April 14 statement released to mark 9 years of the Chibok abduction, UNICEF noted that the impact of terrorism on education in the North-East is alarming.

While calling on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law that protect the rights and well-being of children, the body observed that the conflict “has repercussions that will likely affect generations”.

The statement recalled a report by The Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria which said “between 2009 and 2022, around 2,295 teachers were reportedly killed in attacks, over 19,000 teachers displaced, more than 1,500 schools closed because of insecurity, and 910 schools were destroyed”.

Christian Munduate

The statement released by UNICEF representative Mundaute reaffirmed the signing of the UNICEF-supported handover protocol and commitment to invest N144.8 billion ($314.5 million) towards the Safe Schools Financing Plan in Nigeria in 2022.

“We stand ready to support the Government in its implementation to ensure that all children encountered in the course of armed conflict in Nigeria or released from armed groups are quickly reunited with their families and benefit from reintegration programmes”, the statement added.

Gombe: 24 dead, 354 injured in road accidents in 3 months – FRSC

Mustapha USMAN
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Gombe: 24 dead, 354 injured in road accidents in 3 months – FRSC

THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 24 persons were killed while 354 others sustained injuries in road crashes in Gombe State between January and March 2023.

Gombe FRSC Sector Commander, Felix Theman, disclosed this is in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafiyawo, Akko Local Government Area of the state on Friday, April 14.

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Theman said 518 people were involved in the crashes, out of which 354 sustained various degrees of injuries while 140 were unhurt.

He added that the accidents were largely due to wrongful overtaking, failure to obey speed limit, overloading, use of phone while driving and underage driving.

The sector commander stressed that motorcycles and tricycles were major contributors to the crashes within the period under review, noting that 128 of them were involved in the accidents recorded.

According to him, the increasing number of underage drivers in the state is a major cause of accidents, as 18 underage drivers were cautioned within the period.

“The Corps has stepped up enforcement in that regard to ensure that children don’t engage in any form of driving on roads which could lead to crashes and fatality in some cases,” he said.

Noting that 33 offenders were sanctioned for use of phones while driving, he appealed to motorists to be mindful of their speed and also ensure strict adherence to traffic rules and regulations.

“Motorists have a responsibility to ensure safety on the road, so drive for you to be alive,” he advised.

The FRSC recorded 115 deaths and 1,146 injuries in the state in 2022.

The Sector Commander, Felix Theman, disclosed that a total of 377 road crashes involving 633 vehicles and 1,911 people were recorded in the state within the period out of which 765 were unhurt.

While also comparing the 2021 data to that of 2022, he explained that there was a decrease in the casualties and number of auto crashes.

Theman said in 2021, the total crashes were 438, involving 2,068 persons and 542 vehicles, out of which 1,153 were injured while 117 were killed.

The figure, according to Theman, translated to 13.9 per cent reduction in road crashes and 1.7 per cent reduction in the death rate in 2022 when compared to 2021.

Association for International Broadcasting offers contest

Blessing OTOIBHI
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Association for International Broadcasting offers contest

THE Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) is accepting entries for its annual competition that recognises TV, video, digital, radio, audio and podcasting work. 

There are 19 different categories including international affairs documentaries, news coverage, specialist factual, sports journalism, and human interest.

Entries can be in any language and must have been broadcast or made available from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Entry fees range from GBP100 (US$124) to GBP200 (US$248).

Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony in November. Discounts are available for AIB members.

Journalists, filmmakers and podcasters from around the world can enter this contest.

The deadline for the submission of entries is June 30, 2023. Interested applicants can apply here.

N13trn subsidy spend equals health, education, agriculture, defence budgets in five years – NEITI

Harrison EDEH
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N13trn subsidy spend equals health, education, agriculture, defence budgets in five years – NEITI

THE Nigerian Extractive and Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has asserted Nigeria would be better off with full deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector.

The executive secretary of NEITI, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, saying this on Thursday, April 13, maintained Nigeria must do away with subsidy and embrace full deregulation to reap the maximum benefits of its oil resource.

The NEITI boss stressed that full deregulation of the petroleum sector would permanently lay to rest the conversation around corruption in the oil industry.

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Citing NEITI’s latest policy brief titled, ‘The cost of fuel subsidy: A case for policy review’, Orji revealed that Nigeria expended over N13 trillion ($74 billion) on fuel subsidies between 2005 and 2021.

He explained that the figure, in relative terms, was equivalent to Nigeria’s entire budgets for health, education, agriculture, and defence in the last five years, and almost the capital expenditure for 10 years between 2011 and 2020.

He listed the economic opportunity costs of fuel subsidy as including slashing allocations for the health, education, and technology infrastructure sectors; deterioration of the downstream sector with the declining performance of Nigeria’s refineries; and recording zero production in 2020.

He also enlisted other opportunity costs to subsidy payments as disincentivized private sector investment in the down and mid-stream petroleum sector; low employment generation since the refining process is done outside the shores of Nigeria; worsening national debt; declining balance of payment, forex pressures and depreciation of the naira; and, of course, product losses; and inefficient supply arrangements (scarcity) and the attendant queues.

He stressed the need for the government to embrace full deregulation of the petroleum sector as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA.)

“Recall that the PIA made copious provisions for the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. A Presidential Steering Committee on the implementation of the PIA was set up in 2021 to coordinate the implementation of the Act. Not much is in the public domain on the progress of the Committee’s work,” he observed.

He, therefore, called on the civil society to step up advocacies for the conclusion of the Committee’s work and submission of its report to President Muhammadu Buhari before the expiration of this administration with clear recommendations to the next administration on what had been done and the outstanding work.

Commenting on crude oil theft, Orji noted that NEITI policy brief on the issue and data pulled from NEITI industry reports of the oil and gas sector showed that between 2009 and 2020 (12-year period), Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at $46.16 billion, or N16.25 trillion.

“The volume of crude oil losses represents a loss of more than 140,000 barrels per day. Between 2009 and 2018, Nigeria also lost 4.2 billion litres of petroleum products from refineries valued at $1.84 billion,” he added.

Kano supplementary polls: Gov-elect warns against use of public funds

Bankole ABE
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0
Kano supplementary polls: Gov-elect warns against use of public funds

KANO State Governor-elect Abba Kabir Yusuf has issued another advisory warning local government chairmen against using public funds to sponsor the upcoming supplementary elections in the state.

Yusuf issued the warning in a Public Advisory released late Thursday evening and signed by the Press Secretary to the Governor-elect Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

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Dawakin Tofa said the Governor-elect and his team have credible information that Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has directed the release of funds to some local government councils for the conduct of supplementary elections taking place on Saturday, April 15.

“We wish to issue another Public Advisory on the purported use of public funds to finance the supplementary elections on Saturday, 15th April, 2023.

“We are in possession of credible information that the Kano State Government, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has directed the release of N61 million to Doguwa, over N60 million to Nasarawa, over N60 million to Wudil. Other local government councils are also listed to receive hundreds of millions of Naira to fund elections.

“The money was released solely for sponsoring political thugs to unleash violence on the innocent citizens and residents of Kano State during the supplementary elections.

“We wish to again caution all the local government chairmen and their management staff, including Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Treasurers, and other employees at the state and local government levels who may be directly or indirectly involved in this heinous act, to as a matter of responsibility, distance themselves and ensure that all public funds already released are not used for such purposes and returned to the appropriate coffers.,” Dawakin Tofa stated.

The Governor-elect praised the whistleblower who revealed the incumbent government’s plans to his team.

Yusuf also said his team is also aware of a plan by the Ganduje administration to bring in thugs into Kano to destabilise the peace in the state.

“It is very pertinent to bring to the attention of all employees in the state that anybody found wanting on this scandal will face the necessary action at the most appropriate time.

“It is, therefore, necessary to call on the security agencies to take swift action against the potential repeat of violent thuggery attacks on innocent citizens of Kano state,” the statement added.

The Chairman of the Kano State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Bappa Muhammad, had earlier reacted to an advisory issued by the Kano Transition Committee (GTC) on April 6, 2023.

Bappa described allegations against the chairmen by the Governor-elect’s team as an everyday occurrence whenever there is a change in leadership.

He said a similar allegation of using public funds being siphoned from the 44 LGAs to finance his presidential ambition was made against the former Governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, in 2014.

Bappa advised the incoming administration to desist from unnecessarily heating the polity by making such unfounded allegations in the interest of peace and the security of the state.

Earlier in April, the incumbent governor, Ganduje, reminded the governor-elect, popularly known as Abba Gida-Gida, that he is still in charge after Yusuf issued two public warnings within a week.

On Thursday, March 30, Yusuf issued an advisory asking people to stay off public buildings and to avoid constructing anything on government lands, schools and other public places.

On Saturday, April 1, he also issued another warning titled, ‘Public Debt Suspension Advisory’, warning all subsisting and prospective lenders to the Kano State government against giving any loan facility to the government without the express consent of the incoming administration.

In a statement by the commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Malam Muhammad Garba, on behalf of Ganduje, the governor accused the Governor-elect of jumping the gun.

According to the Kano State Resident Electoral Officer (REC), Abdu Zango, some federal and state constituencies experienced issues that led to supplementary elections.

READ ALSO:

Yusuf, of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won the Kano governorship election by defeating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is the current deputy governor of the State, Nasir Gawuna, and 16 other contestants.

According to the returning officer, Ahmad Dokko, Yusuf won the election with 1,019,602 votes, while Gawuna got 890,705 votes.

NEMA predicts low rainfall in FCT, Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, others

Ijeoma OPARA
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NEMA predicts low rainfall in FCT, Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, others

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has predicted that the 2023 rainfall will be below average in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano and Bauchi.

NEMA Director-General Mustapha Ahmed made the projection while presenting the 2023 Climate-Related Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Strategies in Abuja on Thursday April 13.

“The prediction also indicated rainfall amounts range to be average and above average during the year. The exception to these are for parts of Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna and the FCT that are likely to observe below-average rainfall,” he said.

Although Jigawa is predicted to experience minimal rainfall in 2023, it among the states ravaged by floods in 2022.

At least 50 people died in flooding incidents in Jigawa last year, with hundreds of people displaced and relocated to temporary camps.

The ICIR reported on hardships encountered by residents who were forced to live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps within the state.

Although the Jigawa State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said it had distributed foodstuff to the survivors of the floods, residents battled hunger within the IDP camps.

The NEMA boss, Ahmed, also announced that Bayelsa, Lagos, Rivers, and Delta states are at higher risk of flooding in 2023.

The 2023 floods in these states is predicted to be worse than the experience of 2022 if adequate steps are not taken to mitigate or avert the disaster by relevant authorities.

“In NEMA, we believe that early warning must be matched with early action. Therefore, we have written letters and attached this document for dispatch to all the 36 State Governments and the FCT Administration with specific mention of LGAs at risk and actions that are expected to be taken by responsible authorities.

“We have also produced flood risk maps of areas at risk and uploaded them on our official website and social media platforms for greater access by the public,” Ahmed said.

According to NEMA, 665 people died and 3181 others were injured as a result of flooding in 2022.

Over 200 thousand people were displaced and nearly a million farmlands were partially or totally destroyed.

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