Headlines
COVID-19 is real, those denying it are ignorant–Dr Bashir Aliyu
Nazifi Dawud
Renowned Islamic scholar Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar has appealed to people to take precautions against the novel COVID-19 coronavirus, saying the disease is real and not a “Western conspiracy” as some ignorant persons are claiming.
KANO FOCUS reports that Dr Umar, head of Al-Fur’qan Islamic Centre in Kano city, made the appeal during a Qur’an exegesis session on Saturday.
He said it was unjust for people who have no knowledge on the coronavirus pandemic to claim it was propaganda, while the infection is spreading and killing people.
“Are you telling people to just relax without taking any precautions until the (coronavirus) disease comes to their door steps and kills them? Is this what Islam teaches you?,” he asked rhetorically.
“No one knows exactly how this disease came about. Those who are calling it propaganda are ignorant. Those who say it’s a conspiracy do not know anything apart from the ability to read in English language.
“They say it’s just a plot between the United States of America (USA) and China, forgetting that that China was the first victim of the disease followed by the US.
“Even Isreal is a victim. How many people died in Israel, about 200 and still counting. And just like Islamic countries closed down their mosques, the Isrealis also shut down their synagogues despite their orthodox doctrine,” he added.
According to him: “The whole world is on its knees. Governments are helping companies to pay salaries in England. Are you saying that the capitalist nations would deliberately create something that would destroy them?
“In U.S, (President Donald) Trump says every citizen will be given $1,000 each to prevent the economy from collapsing. But despite this, the economy is still crumbling. Only Allah can do this”.
Dr Bashir also urged Islamic scholars to be skeptical of ignorant followers that often deceive them with a fake claim from a 1980 fictitious novel that purportedly predicted the coming of the coronavirus.
“Those who are using a non-scientific fictional novel to claim that the coronavirus is a conspiracy theory are ignorant.
“Even though they claim that the novel predicted the virus in Wuhan, there is no where that the name Wuhan is mentioned in the said novel. But they use that fake information to deceive Islamic scholars who also come out to mislead members of the public,” he said.
KANO FOCUS reports that concerns are being raised on how some radio stations in Kano invite quacks, posing as medical experts to “analyse” the coronavirus pandemic, and end up misleading the public in the process.
Headlines
Gov. Yusuf names Dr. Aminu Magashi Technical Adviser for Kano’s humanitarian and poverty alleviation ministry
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
In a landmark decision to strengthen Kano State’s humanitarian and poverty alleviation efforts, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has named Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba as the Technical Adviser for the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The appointment, effective September 28, 2024, was announced by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa on Tuesday.
Governor Yusuf emphasized Dr. Magashi’s impressive credentials, highlighting his decades-long dedication to public service and his commitment to improving the lives of Kano’s underserved communities.
The governor’s choice reflects his deep trust in Dr. Magashi’s extensive experience and proven leadership, recognizing him as a pivotal figure in achieving the administration’s humanitarian goals.
Dr. Magashi, with over 30 years in development and humanitarian work, is well-regarded for his influential initiatives.
His notable roles include serving as Chair of the AMG Foundation, leading the Health Policy and Planning Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association, and being the pioneering coordinator of the Kano State Cancer Care Center.
His strategic insights and leadership were also vital as Chairman of the health transition committee, where he collaborated closely with Governor Yusuf to craft a transformative agenda for Kano State’s healthcare future.
He also led the technical committee which supported Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to develop his campaign blueprint in 2022.
With this appointment, Kano State gains a dedicated advisor whose perseverance, humility, and honesty have defined his career.
Dr. Magashi is expected to guide the ministry in developing impactful strategies that address the pressing needs of Kano’s communities, laying the foundation for a more compassionate, resilient future for all.
Headlines
Kano State Refutes Allegations of N177 Billion Loan from France
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Kano State Government has publicly denied recent claims that it borrowed N177 billion from France.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr. Hamisu Sadi Ali, Director General of the Kano State Public Debt Management Office, clarified that no new loans have been taken since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf took office in May 2023.
The allegations, originally reported by local media, suggested that the funds were recently secured from a French lender.
The debt office condemned the report as “malicious” and “politically motivated,” clarifying that it mistakenly links a 2018 loan agreement from the previous administration, led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, with the current government.
Dr. Hamisu noted that the 2018 agreement was a 64 million-euro loan from the French Development Agency, intended for the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Project, and was not associated with the present administration.
In an effort to promote transparency, the state government shared an overview of Kano’s existing debt portfolio, which includes several longstanding foreign loans, such as the Multi-state Road Project and the Malaria Control Booster Project, some dating back to 1992.
Dr. Hamisu also outlined domestic loans totaling billions, contracted by the previous administration under the APC.
The current government highlighted its commitment to debt reduction, announcing that it has already repaid over N63.5 billion in debt in 2024, reducing Kano State’s overall debt to N127.8 billion.
Dr. Hamisu urged the public to disregard the “fake and misleading” report and encouraged media organizations to focus on accurate, investigative journalism.
He underscored the importance of responsible reporting to maintain public trust and informed civic engagement.
Headlines
Kano Focus reporter bags West Africa DPI Fellowship
KANO FOCUS reporter Ms Zulaiha Danjuma has been selected alongside 44 other journalists from Benin, Togo, Nigeria and Ghana for the second edition of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DIP) fellowship.
KANO FOCUS reports the DPI fellowship is an initiative by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with Co-develop.
A total of 45 journalists from Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana were selected from 45 News organizations after months of rigorous selection processes.
The fellowship is a three-month programme running from November to January 2025, followed by a three-month post-fellowship period for the production of special reports on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs).
MFWA’s fellowship seeks to equip participants with skills to create impactful reports on topics such as national digital identification systems, online data security, and digital governance; through specialized workshops, mentorship, and hands-on story production.
Ms Danjuma’s selection for the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) fellowship recalibrates *Kano Focus* commitment to growth and knowledge gathering of staffs.
About the Reporter
Ms Zulaiha Danjuma is a dedicated journalist who has produced impactful Investigative stories on government accountability, health and gender based violence.
In 2023, she carried out a groundbreaking investigation on multifaceted illegal tax extortion, forgery and corruption. In 2024, her report of poor budgetary allocation to Hepatitis B successfully brought the attention of the state government, resulting in commitment to provide additional resources for addressing the issue.
Other DPI fellows
Ten fellows were selected from Ghana and Benin, and five fellows from Togo respectively. Nigeria had a total of twenty journalists selected to be part of the second Phase II of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Fellowship.
Pictures of all fellows: