News
CITAD urges Senate to pass electoral amendment bill ahead of 2027 polls
Bosede Olufunmi
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged the Senate to expedite action on the Electoral Amendment Bill 2025, warning that further delay could adversely affect preparations for the 2027 general elections.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Executive Director of CITAD, Mr Yunusa Zakari-Ya’u, made the call on Wednesday during an emergency news conference in Kano.
Zakari-Ya’u recalled that during the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assured Nigerians of the effective deployment of technology, particularly the electronic transmission of election results from polling and collation centres.
According to him, the assurance boosted public confidence, as electronic transmission was widely seen as a major step towards transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
He, however, lamented that INEC’s failure to fully implement electronic transmission of results had serious legal implications, noting that most election petitions arising from the 2023 polls were dismissed by the Supreme Court due to ambiguities in the Electoral Act.
Zakari-Ya’u explained that INEC did not expressly mandate electronic transmission of results, while the courts relied on loopholes in the law because it was not clearly stated as mandatory.
He added that the outcome of the 2023 elections triggered widespread calls for a review of the Electoral Act to prevent future misinterpretations.
“The National Assembly, through its Committees on Electoral Matters, subsequently conducted consultations and public hearings across the country over the last two to three years, resulting in an agreed amendment bill,” he said.
According to him, the proposed bill makes electronic transmission of results mandatory, introduces stiffer penalties for INEC officials who violate electoral laws, grants greater financial autonomy to INEC, and strengthens internal party democracy.
Zakari-Ya’u described the proposed amendments as critical to restoring public confidence in the electoral process, noting the steady decline in voter turnout in recent elections.
He said the House of Representatives passed the Electoral Amendment Bill in December 2025 after completing its legislative processes, adding that the bill now requires concurrence by the Senate before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.
The CITAD boss expressed disappointment that the Senate proceeded on recess at the end of 2025 without concluding work on the bill, describing the delay as risky, especially as INEC is legally required to publish the timetable for the 2027 general elections by April.
According to him, failure to pass the bill before then could create uncertainty over the legal framework governing the 2027 polls.
He recalled a similar situation in 2019, when delays in amending the Electoral Act led to the withholding of presidential assent due to time constraints, and urged the Senate to act swiftly to avoid a repeat of the setback and ensure credible elections in 2027.
Suspect returned to Kano to face investigation, prosecution
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has arrested a suspected gang leader and sponsor, Ishaq Lawan Ibrahim, popularly known as Malam Keya, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
KANO FOCUS reports that the 27-year-old suspect, from Yelwa in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, is accused of sponsoring violent gang clashes that have claimed lives and heightened insecurity in parts of the state.
The task force disclosed this in a statement, saying the suspect was arrested following intelligence-led operations after allegedly fleeing Kano as security operations against gang violence intensified.
According to the statement, operatives tracked him to Port Harcourt and arrested him in an operation led by the task force’s Head of Operations, CSP Bashir Gwadabe. He has since been returned to Kano.
The task force alleged that Malam Keya played a leading role in orchestrating and financing hoodlums involved in violent attacks in Dala and other affected communities.
The areas reportedly affected by the gang violence include Jakara, Madigawa, Yalwa, Sanka, Kul Kul, Dogon Nama, Kukar Bulukiya, Dala, Shatsari and Dandalin Turawa.
Confirming the arrest, the task force chairman, Barr Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, said the operation demonstrated the agency’s determination to pursue suspected sponsors of violence beyond Kano State.
“Let me assure you that those who bankroll violence should know that no distance, and no hiding place, will protect them. This arrest is only the beginning. We will not rest until peace is fully restored,” he said.
The task force said the suspect remained in custody for further investigation and would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.
It added that its operations would continue in accordance with the law, with all suspects entitled to due process.
The agency also pledged to sustain efforts to dismantle criminal gangs, identify their alleged sponsors and disrupt drug supply networks linked to criminal activities.
It urged residents, community and religious leaders, parents and youths to support security efforts by reporting suspicious persons and activities, monitoring their neighbourhoods and discouraging young people from being recruited into criminal gangs.
The task force described public cooperation as essential to restoring peace and security across the state.
It also acknowledged the support of the Kano and Rivers state police commands and other law enforcement agencies in the operation.
Ibrahim Khalil
The Kano State Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KASSTOWA) has strengthened security at Joda Waterworks to prevent vandalism, theft and unauthorised access to the facility.
KANO FOCUS reports that the agency disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, following an assessment visit to the waterworks by its interim managing director to evaluate the security situation.
According to the statement, additional security personnel have been deployed to protect the facility and ensure uninterrupted water supply.
The agency said the measure was part of efforts to safeguard critical water infrastructure and protect public assets from potential threats.
It added that the intervention aligned with the commitment of the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to protecting government facilities and ensuring the delivery of essential services, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Water Resources.
KASSTOWA also emphasised the importance of inter-agency collaboration in strengthening infrastructure protection.
The agency called on community leaders, traditional institutions, youth organisations and residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities and cooperate with security personnel deployed to the facility.
It stressed that protecting water infrastructure was a shared responsibility requiring the cooperation of government agencies and host communities.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Police Command has foiled an alleged kidnapping plot in Gezawa Local Government Area and arrested two 20-year-old suspects over threats to abduct a village head.
KANO FOCUS reports that the suspects, identified as Aliyu Naziru Garba and Bashir Alhasan, were arrested following intelligence-led operations by police operatives attached to the Gezawa Divisional Police Headquarters.
The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
According to the statement, the incident was reported on October 26, 2026, at about 1:30 a.m. by the village head of Bangare, Mallam Idris, who told the police that he had received a threatening phone call from an unidentified person on October 24 at about 9:33 p.m.
The caller allegedly threatened to kidnap him.
Following the report, police operatives launched a follow-up operation, which led to the arrest of the two suspects.
“The suspects have confessed to the commission of the crime,” the statement said, adding that investigations were ongoing and the suspects would be charged to court upon completion.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended officers of the Gezawa Division for their swift and professional response.
Bakori reiterated the command’s zero-tolerance stance on criminal activities and said the operation aligned with the policing vision of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, which prioritises intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, professionalism and proactive crime prevention.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police station.
The command also provided the following emergency contact numbers for reporting security concerns: 08032419754, 08123821575 and 09029292926.
Kano Task Force Arrests Suspected Gang Sponsor ‘Malam Keya’ in Rivers
Kano water agency strengthens security at Joda waterworks
Kano Police foil kidnap plot, arrest two suspects in Gezawa
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