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Ganduje sanctions filling stations with no firefighting equipment

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Mukhtar Yahya Usman

Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed the State Fire Service to prosecute owners of filling stations with no functional firefighting equipment.

Kano Focus reports that the governor gave the directive on Sunday, during a visit to Al-Ihsan Filling station, Sharada, which erupted into flames on Saturday, while a tanker was offloading fuel at the station.

A statement sent to Kano Focus by the Director –General, Media and Public Relations, Government House, Kano, Ameen Kabiru Yassar on Monday said the governor also directed the agency to seriously reprimand those filling stations with faulty fire equipment, stressing that his administration would not allow fuel to be sold under hazardous circumstances.

“The State Fire Service must undertake routine inspection of filling stations to ensure that they complied with all safety standards, so that lives and property are not endangered”.

In the same vein, he ordered the agency to conduct regular seminars for employees of filing stations, to educate them on best practices in fuel management and fire prevention.

“What happened at this station is terrible but preventable.

“This could not have happened had the fuel attendant who mishandled the situation been educated on risk and safety at filling stations” Ganduje lamented.

On his part, the Director, Kano Stet Fire Service, Alhaji Hassan Ahmad Muhammad explained that his office received a distress call from the station on Saturday evening and responded appropriately.

“We quenched the fire within two hours but, sadly, a fuel attendant mistakenly opened a fuel compartment and instantly, there was an explosion with injured about 68 people”, he stated.

He said out of the 68 victims, eight were his men, including his deputy, who led fire fighters to the venue of the incident.

He added that the victims, with various degrees of injury, including fractures, have all been hospitalized.

Subsequently, Ganduje led members of the state Executive Council and religious scholars to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, where the victims were admitted.

“I have directed the Ministry of Health to ensure that all of you are treated free.

“This is very pathetic. I pray Allah to grant you all speedy recovery and prevent recurrence of such in Kano”, he said.

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EndBadGovernance protest: Kwankwaso slams police over arraignment of minors

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

Former Governor of Kano state, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has condemned the recent arraignment of 67 minors by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja for allegedly participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest.

KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso voiced out his concern in a statement shared on his X handle on Friday

Expressing shock at the development, the NNPP leader voiced grave concern over the treatment of the children.

Kwankwaso highlighted their malnourished condition and urgent need for medical care.

“These children, who are clearly malnourished and in need of medical attention, have been subjected to a cruel experience when they should be in school.

“The arraignment of such a large number of minors in their states is highly unusual and undermines every tenet of human rights and dignity,” he added.

He stressed that it is the government’s responsibility to protect vulnerable groups from harm.

He stated, “As leaders, it is our duty to protect the most vulnerable among us, particularly children, women, the elderly, and the needy. The
government should not be at the forefront of this violation.”

Speaking on the stringent bail conditions set for the minors, he said, “It is absurd that a teenager is required to find ₦10 million and a Grade 15 civil servant as bail surety.”

Citing the Child Rights Act of 2003, he noted, “Section 11 protects the dignity of every child and shields them from any physical, mental, or emotional injury, abuse, neglect, or maltreatment.”

Calling for immediate action, he urged authorities to reconsider the charges.

“I request that the relevant authorities immediately review these charges so that the minors can return to their families and become responsible citizens,” he urged.

He also called on the Federal Government “to address the challenges of banditry, kidnapping, Boko Haram, lack of stable electricity, and harsh economic policies rather than incarcerating children.”

Earlier, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, some minors arraigned over the #EndBadGovernance protest collapsed in the courtroom, many appearing visibly malnourished after three months of incarceration.

Following their arraignment, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to the #EndBadGovernance protesters, setting each bail at ₦10 million, totalling ₦760 million.

Each defendant is required to have two sureties. The judge specified that one surety must be a Level 15 civil servant, and the other must be the defendant’s parent.

The sureties are also required to submit letters of last promotion, letters of appointment, and valid identification to the court.

They must provide verified addresses, passport photographs, international passports, and swear an affidavit of means.

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Amnesty International demands release of detained #EndBadGovernance protesters

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Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

The human rights group Amnesty International has condemned the continued detention of 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters, who were arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja Friday.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Nigeria Police arrested over a thousand protesters nationwide in August, following protests held between the 1st and the 10th of August 2024, demanding an end to the hardships and hunger caused by the policies of the Tinubu administration.

Among the 76 protesters arraigned were some minors, who appeared visibly malnourished after spending months in detention. One of the minors collapsed in court before being provided with biscuits and water.

Amnesty International stated that the attempt to charge the minors with treason demonstrated “the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law,” while also calling for their immediate and unconditional release.

“Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continued detention of minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protests. The attempts to subject these minors to a sham trial over alleged ‘treason’ demonstrate the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. Authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally,” they stated.

The group also highlighted cases of unlawful arrests involving 12 minors in Katsina during the protests, as well as 43 others facing charges of treason at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They warned that the Nigerian authorities were escalating their efforts to deprive people of their right to peaceful protest through unlawful detentions and sham trials.

It stated, “In Katsina, at least 12 children under 16 years old were detained merely for being on the streets during the #EndBadGovernance protests. These children, with their entire lives ahead of them, are now at risk of being tried on fabricated charges.

“The unlawful detention of these minors, subjecting them to traumatic experiences for exercising their right to peaceful protest, is unacceptable. The government must release all of them immediately and unconditionally.”

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Sunusi Bature Aims to Eradicate Sickle Cell Births in Kano by 2034

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Mukhtar Yahya Usman

In a determined push to eliminate sickle cell disease in Kano State, Malam Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson for the Kano State Governor, has set an ambitious target: no child born with sickle cell by 2034.

Announcing this commitment during the foundation-laying of the Sadiq Maddibo Memorial Quranic Centre in Dawakin Tofa, Bature outlined the state’s focused approach to tackling the disease.

He revealed his collaboration with the sickle cell community to launch a comprehensive advocacy program aimed at eliminating sickle cell births across Kano.

“With careful planning and a unified strategy, we can make sickle cell births a thing of the past in Kano State, insha’Allah,” Bature said.

Central to this vision is the Kano Pre-Marital Law, which mandates genetic screening for couples, ensuring that marriages between carriers are avoided.

This law, supported by local religious leaders, aims to curb the genetic transmission of sickle cell disease.

Bature, who lost a son to sickle cell complications and has another child currently battling the condition, highlighted the devastating effects of the disease.

“Sickle cell is more dangerous than HIV,” he stated.

“It is our collective responsibility as citizens, advocates, and leaders to spread awareness and prevent high-risk marriages.”

Reflecting on his late son Sadiq’s lifelong struggle with sickle cell, marked by thousands of hospital visits and treatments, Bature stressed the critical role of pre-marital genetic testing in safeguarding future generations.

“This is a preventable tragedy,” he urged, calling on all residents to comply with the state’s mandatory testing to create a brighter, healthier future for Kano’s children.

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