News
Donald Duke: Nigeria’s ‘Biggest Economy’ Status Masks Widespread Poverty
Ibrahim Khalil
Presidential candidate of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has challenged the widely held description of Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy, saying the country’s huge GDP masks the poverty experienced by its citizens.
KANO FOCUS reports that Duke, a former Governor of Cross River State, said Nigeria should not measure its economic strength solely by the size of its gross domestic product (GDP), but by the income and productivity of its citizens.
Speaking in an interview with selected journalists in Lagos, the PRP presidential candidate described Nigeria as “one of the poorest” countries in Africa when measured by per capita income.
He said the emphasis on Nigeria being Africa’s largest economy had created a misleading picture of the country’s actual economic condition.
“We are living a lie. It is a nice sound bite, though, to say that Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa. No. Nigeria is just one of the poorest when you take per capita income into consideration.”
Duke argued that even countries Nigerians regarded as smaller economies had higher incomes per person, stressing that economic performance should ultimately be assessed by productivity and the standard of living of citizens.
According to him, a large GDP does not necessarily translate into prosperity for individuals.
He said Nigeria must therefore focus on increasing productivity and creating opportunities for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
‘Insecurity Is a Consequence of Economic Failure’
On insecurity, Duke said Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in the North, could not be addressed solely through military measures.
He linked kidnapping, banditry and terrorism to broader economic and social challenges, including poverty and weak border management.
Duke also rejected the description of terrorists operating in Nigeria as “Islamic terrorists”, saying their activities should not be associated with Islam.
He argued that the collapse of Libya had contributed to the proliferation of arms across Nigeria’s borders, worsening the country’s security situation.
According to him, the government requires short-, medium- and long-term strategies to tackle insecurity.
In the immediate term, he said, the government must confront kidnapping, banditry and terrorism, while longer-term measures should address the economic conditions that make criminal activities attractive.
“As long as people are not productive, they will find their own means of survival,” he said.
He called for greater investment in local production and the deployment of modern technology to strengthen border security.
Duke Proposes Structured Mining to Revive Northern Economy
On economic development in Northern Nigeria, Duke said the region’s mineral resources could provide a stronger foundation for economic growth if properly explored and managed.
He said a Duke administration would seek to establish a structured mining framework that would allow local and state governments and communities to benefit more directly from mineral resources.
He identified gold in Zamfara and other mineral deposits across the North as potential drivers of economic development.
According to him, much of the region’s mining activities remain informal, limiting the benefits accruing to communities and governments while creating security challenges.
He proposed that states should be treated as economic entities, with governments conducting detailed assessments of their mineral resources and determining proven reserves.
He said such information would make the sector more attractive to investors and facilitate partnerships between federal and state governments.
“Once you have developed it to that level, you make it more attractive for investors to come in. This should be a joint venture between the state and federal governments because the revenues from those resources will be shared by both levels of government.”
Duke, however, stressed that improved security would be critical to attracting investment into the mining sector.
He cited the experience of the Niger Delta, where insecurity and poverty contributed to the withdrawal of some investors from onshore operations and increased preference for deep-sea oil production.
The PRP presidential hopeful said Nigeria’s economic revival therefore required an integrated approach combining **productivity, security, local production, effective border management and responsible exploitation of natural resources.
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.
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