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Abducted Kano children: MURIC condemns ‘kidnapping for Christ’

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Professor Ishaq Akintola

Nasiru Yusuf

An Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the abduction of nine Muslim children who had been kidnapped in Kano, converted to Christianity and sold in Onitsha, Anambra state.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Kano Police Command has rescued nine of the hundreds of children abducted in Nassarawa and Ungoggo local government areas of Kano metropolis.

MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, described the abduction as nauseating, wicked and reprehensible.

Mr Akintola, a professor of Islamic studies  described the abduction as an extension of the ‘Nigeria for Christ’ slogan by some Christian evangelists.

Kano CSOs to ensure justice for children abducted to Onitsha

He however noted that not all Christians are involved in the act, as many adherents of Christianity are decent and peace-loving and will never descend so low as to seize, convert and sell Muslim children.

“We therefore appeal to Muslims throughout the federation to dispassionately separate the wheat from the chaff. This Kano 9 incident should not be allowed to generate animosity between them and their Christian neighbours. Neither should it ignite spontaneous attacks on non-indigenes in Muslim majority areas.

“Nonetheless, MURIC charges Muslim parents to be security conscious particularly around their children. Mallams in charge of Islamiyyah schools and madrasahs all over Nigeria are urged to do head-counting before the commencement of classes and immediately after.” He stated.

More children yet to be rescued

MURIC also argued that the Kano 9 imbroglio could not have been the first.

“We have every reason to contend that the Kano 9 imbroglio is not the first. The systematic abduction of Muslim children has been going on long before 2014. These Christian kidnappers are methodical and meticulous. They study the environment for some time and plan their escape routes with microscopic accuracy.

“The Kano 9 were just lucky to have been found. Thousands have disappeared without trace. There must be other criminal syndicates like those caught recently. The identities of Muslim kids are changed once they are abducted. They are then given Christian names and sold away to human traffickers and ritualists. It is another angle to the crusade against Muslims and it changes the narrative.

“We appeal to the security agencies to provide adequate security around Islamiyyah schools and protect Muslim children from Christian abductors. The Kano 9 culprits must face the full wrath of the law. There must be no cover-up.” The statement added.

Civil Society hypocrisy

MURIC also mocked some activists and civil society organizations for being selective.

“We are miffed by the attitude of some members of civil society and human rights activists. They raise hell and brimstone when a single Christian is involved in what looks like a denial but look the other way when thousands of Muslims are deprived. This is selective activism. It is sheer playing to the gallery.

“Nigerians will recall the hullabaloo that followed the Ese Oruru saga in March 2016. Where are the advocates of girl-child rights who nearly brought down the ceilings of heaven over a mere case of elopement? Where are the human rights lawyers today?” the statement rhetorically asked”.

MURIC has also appealed to police to prosecute those arrested over the Kano 9 palaver and provide adequate protection for Islamiyyah school children.

On Friday, Kano Police commissioner Ahmed Ilyasu paraded six suspects accused with abducting children in Kano and taking them to Onitsha, where they were sold and converted to Christianity.

Aged between 2 to 10 years old the children were said to have been kidnapped from various locations within the State capital at different time.

Some of the children had gone missing since 2014, but were traced down to Anambra State where they had been sold off.

Report says some of the children have lost connection with their family as one of them failed to recognize his mother.

 

 

 

 

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Hajj 2024: Gov Yusuf approves N1.4bn subsidy for 2,900 intending pilgrims

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Hajj

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has paid N500,000 for each Kano intending pilgrim who will perform this year’s Hajj under the umbrella of the Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Director General of the Board, Alhaji Lamin Rabiu Dan Baffa, disclose this while briefing journalists on Wednesday.

He said the Kano State Government took the decision with regards to the recent increase of the Hajj fares by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria which was attributed to the instability of the forex exchange rate.

“We consider the current economic hardship people are facing and the increase of Hajj fares is a great challenge to many intending pilgrims, that’s why we came up with the subsidy initiative to alleviate the sufferings of intending pilgrims,” he said.

Dan Baffa urged all intending pilgrims to ensure that they pay the balance before March 28, 2024, as directed by NAHCON.

The Director General maintained that those to benefit from the Hajj subsidy are those who have already paid part-payment to the board, saying over 2,900 intending pilgrims have already made their part payment with the board.

Recall that early this week, NAHCON announced the increase of Hajj fares with N1,918,032.91, which makes the total Hajj fares N6,617,032.91.

Meanwhile, fresh intending pilgrims are required to pay N8,254,464.74 as the full Hajj fare for this year, as required by NAHCON. Lamin Rabiu Dan Baffa, disclose this while briefing journalists on Wednesday.

He said the Kano State Government took the decision with regards to the recent increase of the Hajj fares by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria which was attributed to the instability of the forex exchange rate.

“We consider the current economic hardship people are facing and the increase of Hajj fares is a great challenge to many intending pilgrims, that’s why we came up with the subsidy initiative to alleviate the sufferings of intending pilgrims,” he said.

Dan Baffa urged all intending pilgrims to ensure that they pay the balance before March 28, 2024, as directed by NAHCON.

The Director General maintained that those to benefit from the Hajj subsidy are those who have already paid part-payment to the board, saying over 2,900 intending pilgrims have already made their part payment with the board.

Recall that early this week, NAHCON announced the increase of Hajj fares with N1,918,032.91, which makes the total Hajj fares N6,617,032.91.

Meanwhile, fresh intending pilgrims are required to pay N8,254,464.74 as the full Hajj fare for this year, as required by NAHCON.

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Coalition reviews Kano 2024 budget, captured 557 citizens driven projects in education, health sectors

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, government officials and journalists have identified 557 citizens driven projects in 2024 approved budget.

KANO FOCUS reports that the group shared the findings during a validation session of the 2024 budget analysis held recently in Kano.

Presenting the findings Sulaiman Ismail from Hasken Kano said the state government has approved 426 citizens driven prproject in education sector in 2024 budget with a total value of N61. 01bn representing 13% of the total budget.

He observed that personnel expenditure witnessed a significant increase of 77 % compared to that of 2023 approved budget.

Presenting a paper titled Health Sector Citizens Analysis, Akibu Hamisu of the Kano budget working group pointed out that, the state government had set aside over seventy two billion Naira, representing over 16% of the total budget in health sector.

He said out of the 273 projects designed by the health sector, 131 were identified as citizens driven, 37 projects were allocated to urban communities and 68 were captured under rural communities.

Others who presented findings include Comrade Safiyanu Lawan Bichi and the secretary of the House Standing Committee on Higher Education, Kano State House of Assembly Muhammad Lawal.

In their goodwill messages, Khalid Mustapha from the Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget (MoPB), described the session as a welcome development.

Umma Muhammad Rakana of PLANE project and Mohammed Jibril from Lafiya commended the collaboration between development partners and Kano State Ministry of Budget and Planning.

Earlier in his welcome address, the state partnership facilitator, PERL FCDO, Yunusa Hamza explained that the session was organized to present and validate findings from the budget analysis conducted by citizens group recently.

KANO FOCUS reports that the sessions ‘ tagged presentation and validation of the citizen’s analysis of the 2024 budget with stakeholders was supported by Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL) Partnership for Learning for All In Nigeria (PLANE) and Lafiya project.

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Kano Govt approves second term/Ramadan vacation

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Kano State Government on Thursday, approved March 28, 2024 as the date for the commencement of 2nd term vacation to all day and boarding public, private primary and post Primary Schools in the state.

KANO FOCUS reports that parents and guardians of pupils and students in the boarding schools are therefore enjoined to convey their wards home on Thursday 28th March, 2024.

A statement issued by the Director Public Enlightenment of the State Ministry of Education Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru explained that boarding schools pupils and students are to resume back to their respective schools for the third term on Sunday 21st April 2024 while the day students are to resume on Monday April 22nd, 2024.

The statement quoted the Commissioner of the ministry Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa urging parents to ensure total compliance with the approved resumption date.

Umar Doguwa further, warned that appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against defaulting students.

He however thanked people in the state especially parents for the cooperation and support giving to the ministry, and wished the students successful and hitch free holiday.

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