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Court convicts 3 persons arrested with 1,144 ATM cards

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Nasiru Yusuf

Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Jamilu Shehu on Monday convicted and sentenced three ATM cards smugglers to six months imprisonment each on a three separate count charges.

KANO FOCUS reports that the suspects Abdullahi Usman, Musa Abubakar and Abdulwahid Auwalu were arrested by the operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) between 24th of November and 1st of December 2021.

Musa Abubakar Umar

Upon their arrest, it was discovered that Musa Abubakar who was on his way to Dubai UAE had concealed 714 ATM cards while Abdullahi Usman was heading to Saudi Arabia and had in his possession 298 ATM cards.

Abdullahi Usman

Abdulwahid on the other hand was arrested with 132 ATM cards while trying to board Ethiopian Airlines to Istanbul Turkey.

Abdulwahid Auwalu

All the defendants pleaded guilty to their separate charges when it was read to them.

Consequently, Counsel for the prosecution Usman Shehu asked the court to convict them accordingly.

After listening to plea for mercy from the defense counsel A.M Bashir, Justice Shehu convicted the defendants and sentenced them to six months imprisonment each or pay a fine of N50,000 only.

The charge against Musa Abubakar reads: ‘That, you Musa Abubakar Umar on or about 24th November, 2021 at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, within the Judicial Division of the High Court of Kano state, while trying to board a plane scheduled for Lagos, did commit an offence to wit; retain possession of 714 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cards of Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith, Sterling, Access, Stanbic IBTC, First, Polaris, Fidelity Banks and FCMB respectively issued in the name of different card holders, which cards you reasonably ought to know were taken out of the possession of owners under circumstances which constitute card theft, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to SECTION 319 (A) of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section 319 (A) of the Penal Code.’

While Musa was charged for retaining and taken possession of 714 ATM cards, Abdulwaheed Auwalu was charged under the same law for possession of 132 ATM cards.

Also charged on the same law was Usman Abdullahi who was charged for possession of 298 ATM cards.

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Gov. Yusuf names Dr. Aminu Magashi Technical Adviser for Kano’s humanitarian and poverty alleviation ministry

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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.

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Kano State Refutes Allegations of N177 Billion Loan from France

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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.

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Kano Focus reporter bags West Africa DPI Fellowship

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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:

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