Headlines
Kano airlifts 6,179 Pilgrims to Saudi Arabia – official
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Director General of Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Laminu Rabi’u Danbaffa has said that all the 6,179 registered intending pilgrims allocated to the state has been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj.
KANO FOCUS reports that Danbaffa stated this while granting interview to journalists at Arafat in Muna on Tuesday.
According to Danbaffa, among all the 6,179 registered intending pilgrims, no one was left out, adding that they had all been to Madina and completed their visitations before proceeding to Makkah for the commencement of Hajj exercise.
He said all the Kano contingents had been moved to Mina from Makkah on Monday, adding that they are now currently observing Arafat rites at Arafat.
He noted that the feet was recorded despite the fact that they took over the operation midway from the immediate past Executive Secretary.
“Glory be to Almighty God, all our 6,179, intending pilgrims had been airlifted. No one missed Hajj and they all arrived in Madina before proceeding to Makkah. They were all moved to Mina and are now currently observing Hajj rites in Arafat.
“All Kano pilgrims are in healthy condition and we have not recorded any death incident. All our pilgrims, when they fall sick, they get medical attention quickly and effectively.
“We haven’t recorded any incident of duping against our pilgrims. They are orderly and obedient,” he said.
Danbaffa commended the state’s pilgrims Center Officers, who according to him, are up and doing in serving the pilgrims.
”Despite the fact that we took over the operation midway, we have recorded success but the success we have recorded has overwhelmed the challenges,” he said.
Also commenting the Chairman of the board, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal, in his part, said when they took over the operation, even though it was midway, they tried to see all the intending pilgrims were airlifted.
Hajj operation is not new to us. We have a know-how to it that is why, even as we met so many descripancies in the operation, we were not deterred from that. We continued to work until we achieved this success.
“We noticed the challenges. We will correct it in the next operation and where we need government intervention, we will intimate it to provide support to us.
“The support we have received from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano state, is what helped us recorded this success,” he said.
In his remark, the Chairman of the 2023 Hajj media team, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, commended the officials of the board for, despite inheriting challenges, were able to forge ahead and completed the operation successfully.
“The pilgrims from Kano were taken care of. We tried to make them feel at home and we achieved that. Any problem that arise, the DG is up and doing to solve it. He sometimes assigned me and the Chairman to tackle any issue that came up. We are happy and to sum it up, this year’s operation is a success,” he emphasized.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Political allies and loyalists of former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Arc Aminu Dabo, have begun resigning from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State following his withdrawal from the ruling party.
KANO FOCUS reports that the supporters, operating under the political group Dabo Alheri Ne, reportedly include members across Kano State’s 44 local government areas.
Barely two days after Dabo announced his resignation from the APC, a prominent stakeholder of the group, Garba Zakiru Dambatta, said members had welcomed the decision and were showing solidarity by submitting their resignation letters to their respective ward party chairmen.
Dambatta, a former APC chairman in Dambatta Local Government Area, said the group’s members were disappointed with what they described as the prolonged marginalisation of Mr Dabo and his supporters within the party.
According to him, despite Mr Dabo’s contributions to the APC and efforts to strengthen the party and manage disagreements among its members, some key stakeholders had continued to sideline him and his loyalists in party activities.
Dambatta reaffirmed the group’s commitment to standing by Mr Dabo’s political decisions and supporting his future political journey.
He also urged the former NPA managing director not to succumb to political pressure or reverse his decision to leave the party.
“This step you have taken, we have the conviction that it is the beginning of a new chapter of goodness in your life,” Dambatta said.
Among the prominent members of the group identified as supporting Mr Dabo’s decision are Abba Rabee’u, a former Senior Special Assistant on Political Awareness; Almustapha Jilani Danmalam, a former Senior Special Assistant on Education; Jamilu Abdullahi Zangon-Mata, a former Senior Special Assistant on Entrepreneurship; and Fahd A. Dabo, a former Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation.
The individuals reportedly served during the second term of former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The group also said several other party loyalists and supporters were backing Dabo following his resignation.
However, the statement did not provide the number of members who had formally resigned from the APC or indicate whether the party leadership had responded to the development.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Five players of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Club have been invited to the national camp of Nigeria’s Special Super Eagles ahead of the 2026 Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.
KANO FOCUS reports that invited players are Isah Yusuf, Abba Musa, Habu Friday, Emanuel Betel and Usman Ahmed. They are currently in Abuja with the national team as preparations intensify for the global tournament.
The Team Manager of Kano Pillars Amputee Football Team, Jamilu Uba Adamu, disclosed this in an interview with Ashiru Rabiu Gidan Tudu, Information Officer of the Kano State Sports Commission.
Adamu described the invitation as recognition of the players’ dedication, discipline and outstanding performances.
He expressed confidence that the players would represent Kano State and Nigeria with honour at the championship.
According to him, the call-up also demonstrates Kano Pillars’ commitment to nurturing talented amputee footballers and contributing to the development of the sport in Nigeria.
The 2026 Amputee Football World Cup is scheduled to take place from November 13 to 22 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico. A total of 24 countries, including seven African nations, are expected to participate.
The Executive Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, Muhammad Tukur Babangida, congratulated the five players on their invitation, describing it as well deserved.
Babangida expressed confidence that they would justify the confidence reposed in them by the national team selectors.
He assured the players of the commission’s continued support and urged them to remain focused, disciplined and committed to making Kano State and Nigeria proud on the international stage.
Ibrahim Khalil
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, Aminu Dabo, has resigned as the party’s caucus chairman in Dambatta Local Government Area and withdrawn his membership of the ruling party.
KANO FOCUS reports that Dabo, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), announced his resignation in a letter dated October 7, 2026, addressed to the APC chairman of Dambatta Gabas Ward.
In the letter, personally signed by him, Dabo said he took the decision after careful consideration of personal reasons and his future endeavours.
He confirmed his resignation during a telephone conversation from Abuja on Wednesday, saying he had formally submitted the letter to the appropriate party officials in Dambatta for necessary action.
“I remain grateful for the cordial relationship I enjoyed and appreciative of the experience gained during my time of service,” he said.
The former NPA managing director also thanked the party’s leadership for the opportunity and confidence reposed in him to contribute to its development and progress during his membership.
“I sincerely appreciate the support and opportunity I have received from the party leadership,” he added.
A statement issued by Abdullahi Othman, Media and Publicity Aide to Dabo Dabo, said the former NPA MD did not disclose further details about his reasons for leaving the APC in the resignation letter.
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