The Governor of Zamfara state, Bello Matawalle, has signed the anti-banditry and other related offences bill into law.

The law which comes into force with immediate effect, has death penalty for those found guilty of banditry and other related offences in Zamfara.

After signing the bill, Matawalle said the law formed part of measures to tackle banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in Zamfara.

The law: Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022 was passed by the state legislature on Monday.

Matawalle said the law was part of the government series of effort to address the nagging challenge of banditry and associated crimes in the state.

“Today, we have signed the bill on Prohibition and Punishment for Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Cultism, Kidnapping and Other Incidental Offences, 2022.

” You may recall that I inaugurated four security-related committees, as part of our counter-banditry initiatives.

“Formation of the committees is aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the security measures being taken to end the over-decade-old banditry and other security-related challenges,” he said.

The governor said he had earlier signed Executive Orders 7, 8,9, and 10, that provided the legal instruments and operational guidelines for the committees.

He qouted that the most fundamental focus of governance anywhere in the world is security.

Matawalle further said that his government would do anything within the law, to secure the state and restore peace in the communities.

“Zamfara State, under my watch, will continue to explore all possible remedies to our plight.

” Those making insinuations about our decision to support the right of community members to self-defence against ruthless attacks by bandits ought to take into consideration the scale of the problem we are facing.

“They should take into account the plight of the innocent people who are maimed, killed, and kidnapped every day in various parts of the state,” he added.

The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, said he will monitor the coming of commissioners and permanent secretaries to their ministerial offices at Musa Usman Secretariat, noting that his administration wants to ensure the maximum functionality of the secretariat.

Zulum spoke shortly after the swearing-in of commissioners and a permanent secretary at the renovated International Conference Hall of the State Secretariat. Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah, represented by a High Court Judge, Justice Fadawu Umaru, administered the oaths while Zulum supervised.

The governor said he directed the swearing-in to be held at the secretariat so as to remind public office holders of the importance of the secretariat and the need to make it very functional, Zulum stated that he showed up unannounced and inspected offices at the secretariat and he was disappointed because only few officials were present.

MAIDAWAAREWA reports that since 2019, Governor Zulum has been visiting office annex unannounced at the secretariat, he charged commissioners to set examples for staff by coming to work early.

He also urge the commissioners to ensure all staff of their respective ministries are given functional opportunities rather than concentrating responsibilities to few senior officials like the PermSec and Directors whereas many others are left redundant.

The Governor directed the Secretary to the State Government and the Head of Service to ensure the provision of stable electricity, security and other essential needs that should make offices comfortable for public office holders to work effectively.

The SSG, Usman Jidda Shuwa, in his welcome address highlighted key achievements recorded by the Zulum administration in the last three years, noting that the appointments of commissioners will set a renewed commitment for more projects and programmes in line with the governor’s transformative vision.

We Will Give You Good Results, Says KS Lawan

Borno State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the sworn-in commissioners and PermSec promise Governor Zulum that they will give him good results.

Barrister Lawan thanked Zulum for finding all of them worthy, he also thanked the SSG, Head of Service, APC leaders and other stakeholders, traditional rulers, elders and members of the state security council for their various roles in making government functional.

Present at the swearing-in ceremony were senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and legislators, the SSG, Usman Jidda Shuwa, Head of Service, Barrister Simon Malgwi, Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte, the Shehu of Dikwa, special advisers and assistants, permanent secretaries and directors among other government officials.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Faruk Yahaya has said the country must win the war on insurgency especially as the next generation elections approaches.

Yahaya, a Lieutenant General, said this on Monday during the 2022 Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC) combined first and second quarter conference held at the Nigerian Army Institute of Science and Technology, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The event was themed: Advancing Education Amidst Nigeria Security Challenges: The Place of NAEC.

He called on the soldiers to remain apolitical when deployed for internal security operations during the period.

According to him, the Nigerian Army shall remain resolute in discharging her constitutional roles and provide support in aid to civil authority while carrying out other statutory responsibilities in defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

“The Nigerian Army is determined more than ever to win the fight against insurgency to secure the Nigerian space for the safety of lives and property.

“This is imperative with the forthcoming 2023 General Elections and it, therefore, becomes pertinent to remind personnel of our commitment as soldiers on the need to remain apolitical and patriotic while discharging our duties when deployed on any internal security operations,” the COAS who was represented by Major General Gold Chibuisi from Ibadan stated.

He said the conference provides a platform for the Education Corps to deliberate on the issue concerning it in line with his vision to have a professional Nigerian Army ready to accomplish assigned missions within a joint environment in defence of Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Corps Commander Education NAEC, Major General Mohammed Augie said the effort to reposition NAEC has been aided by the unflinching support and assistance of the COAS.

He said he will not rest on his oars to have a NAEC that is professionally repositioned to discharge its responsibilities in the support of the Nigerian Army.

Justice Tanko Mohammed has resigned from his position as the Chief Justice of Nigeria on in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari swore in Mohammed as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria in January 2019 following the suspension and later sack of former CJN Walter Onnoghen.

The Special Assistant of the Chief Justice on Media, Isah Ahuraka, also confirmed his resignation to Maidawaarewa on Monday.

Mohammed’s resignation comes amid the corruption allegations leveled against him by some Supreme Court judges.

Fourteen Supreme Court judges in a protest memo accused Mohammed of not giving justices their legitimate entitlements.

The justices said their annual foreign training, meant to enhance capacity building for the country’s judicial process, had been blocked by Muhammad.

The main issues put forward by the justices in their letter through a welfare committee were; non-replacement of poor vehicles; accommodation problem; lack of drugs at the Supreme Court clinic; epileptic electricity supply to the Supreme Court; increase in electricity tariff; no increase in the allowances for diesel; lack of internet services to residences and chambers.

In response, Mohammed told the judges that the Supreme Court was cash-strapped and cannot grant their requests.

CJN noted that the Supreme Court, like any other establishment in the country, has been hit by a devastating economic crunch.

As a result, he said the leadership of the court under him could no longer meet some of its obligations to Justices, especially in the area of welfare.

He, however said that the memo sent to him by the aggrieved Justices, notwithstanding, there is no rift between him and Justices of the apex court.

Buhari Swears In Olukayode Ariwoola As Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria

In the same vain, President Muhammadu Buhari has Swears in Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Been the next most senior judge to Justice Mohammed following Justice Mary Odili retirement on May 12 after attaining the retirement age of 70, Ariwoola was sworn in on Monday at the Council Chambers in Abuja.

Justice Ariwoola was born on the 22nd of August 1958 and is currently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court.

He was formerly a Justice of the Court of Appeal and was elevated to the Supreme Court bench following his transfer from the State High Court of Oyo State.

Ariwoola started his educational career in his home town Iseyin at the Local Authority Demonstration School, Oluwole, in the Iseyin Local government of Oyo State between 1959 and 1967.