The company’s management says protecting drivers’ lives takes priority over delivery targets as it warns against speeding, fatigue and reckless driving.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Dangote Cement Plc has intensified efforts to improve road safety across its African operations, urging drivers to prioritise safe driving practices and comply with established safety standards.

KANO FOCUS reports that the company’s Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak, gave the charge at the 2026 Drivers Safety Retreat held at the Dangote Cement plant in Obajana, Kogi State, with the theme, “Think Safety, Act Safely”.

Pathak said the company remained committed to the safety and welfare of its drivers, stressing that no commercial target or business delivery was worth the loss of human life.

He said that while Dangote Cement placed a premium on the quality of its products, its drivers played a critical role in ensuring that the products reached customers safely and efficiently.

“Every time you get behind the wheel, you are carrying more than a product. You are carrying the reputation of this company, the trust of other road users and, most importantly, your own life. We can replace a truck; we cannot replace a human being,” he said.

Pathak described drivers as indispensable to the company’s growth and distribution network, assuring them that management would continue to invest in training, professional development and welfare initiatives to strengthen safety across its logistics operations.

He urged the drivers to avoid speeding, fatigue and other dangerous practices, noting that professional competence should be measured by arriving safely rather than completing journeys quickly.

“If you are tired, stop and rest. If a situation looks unsafe, do not take chances. The goal is not just to reach your destination; the goal is to return home safely to your family,” he said.

The retreat brought together drivers, transport personnel and management representatives to promote responsible driving, address welfare concerns and reinforce the company’s safety culture.

Dangote Cement’s Head of Transport, Murilo Silva, also cautioned drivers against reckless driving, proxy driving and other unsafe transportation practices, warning that such conduct would not be tolerated.

Silva urged the drivers to take personal responsibility for their actions and contribute to making Nigerian roads safer for motorists and other road users.

Similarly, Ebere Okonkwo, the company’s Group Head of Transport, Health, Safety and Environment for Pan Africa Nigeria, said the retreat was necessary to improve drivers’ safety awareness and reduce road accidents.

She urged drivers to take the training seriously, noting that safety violations could have serious consequences for both the drivers and the company.

The interactive session also provided an opportunity for drivers to raise concerns about their welfare and working conditions.

Issues raised included the rising cost of living, work-related expenses and the need for timely communication of drug test results.

Some drivers commended the company’s investment in their welfare, saying the retreat demonstrated management’s concern for their safety beyond their operational responsibilities.

They pledged to maintain high safety standards, protect the trucks entrusted to them and avoid practices that could endanger human lives.

As part of the programme, Dangote Cement recognised 10 outstanding drivers for their performance and commitment to safety. Ismaila Suleiman was named the most outstanding driver for the year under review.

The Eurodite scholar alleges that insurgents continue to exert influence in parts of the North, while the summit calls for stronger security measures and urgent action to address the plight of affected communities.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

Dr Usman Bugaje, a scholar and political activist, has criticised Nigeria’s political leadership over persistent insecurity in Muslim-majority communities, describing the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket as a “fraud” allegedly used to win voters’ support without addressing their challenges.

KANO FOCUS reports that Bugaje spoke at a one-day summit organised by the Islamic Forum of Nigeria in Kano on Saturday, with the theme, “Dilemma of Muslims in Nigeria: The Way Forward.”

The summit brought together Islamic scholars, professionals and other stakeholders to discuss insecurity, economic hardship, religious discrimination and other challenges confronting Muslims in the country.

Dr Bugaje argued that the religious identity of political leaders had not translated into adequate protection for Muslim communities, despite the support they received from voters.

He said persistent insecurity and economic hardship raised questions about the benefits of political arrangements built around religious identity.

Citing the security situation in the North-East, Bugaje alleged that Boko Haram insurgents continued to wield influence in communities around Maiduguri, where they reportedly collected taxes and held court sessions to settle disputes among residents.

He also expressed concern over the security situation in Sokoto State, claiming that residents travelling from the state capital to Isa Local Government Area could do so only twice a week with the support of the Joint Task Force (JTF).

The scholar argued that the situation underscored the failure of political representation based on religious identity to guarantee safety and improve living conditions for the people.

He further raised concerns about Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines, claiming that about 70 per cent of drugs used in the country were imported.

Dr Bugaje said strengthening domestic pharmaceutical production and protecting the country’s territorial integrity were important measures of national independence.

He also warned about drug abuse among young people and women, describing it as a threat to the social and economic wellbeing of Muslim communities.

Earlier, Professor Sulaiman Abdullahi Karwai of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket did not necessarily represent Muslim interests, arguing that politicians had adopted the arrangement as an electoral strategy because of the large Muslim population in Nigeria.

Prof Karwai lamented the economic hardship facing Nigerians, citing inflation, fuel subsidy removal, exchange-rate changes and tax reforms as factors contributing to the difficulties experienced by citizens.

He also raised concerns about insecurity, including the reported abduction and killing of a professor and a nurse at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, as well as what he described as inadequate federal capital projects in Muslim-majority states.

Recalling the late General Sani Abacha’s establishment of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Karwai said its interventions helped support health and educational institutions amid increases in fuel prices.

The summit’s chairman, Alhaji Gidado Mukhtar, said Nigeria was a multi-religious country in which citizens should be free to practise their faith.

He said the summit was convened to examine challenges confronting Muslims, including insecurity, religious discrimination and persecution.

The National Chairman of the Islamic Forum of Nigeria, General Ahmad Daku (rtd), represented by his deputy, Alhaji Muhammad Tukur Bello, said the meeting was intended to assess the situation of Muslims and identify a way forward.

The forum’s Acting Executive Secretary, Alhaji Dalhatu Muhammad Gwarzo, said the discussions addressed major challenges affecting Muslim communities, particularly banditry, kidnapping and religious discrimination.

Alhaji Gwarzo said the summit called on state governors and members of the National and State Assemblies to remember the plight of affected communities and take concrete steps to address their problems.

He added that the leaders had been urged to act decisively, noting that Allah was aware of the situation confronting the people.

He also called on Muslims and other Nigerians to intensify prayers for divine intervention, while urging Imams to pray for Allah’s guidance and solutions to the country’s challenges and sensitise the Muslim community, particularly during Friday sermons.

The forum said a committee would be constituted to review the summit’s resolutions and develop an actionable plan for implementation.

In its communiqué, the summit called for stronger security measures, a review of economic policies it said were worsening hardship, fairness in federal appointments, protection of the right to wear hijab and greater cooperation among Muslim organisations.

It also urged Muslim communities and organisations to invest in education, healthcare, economic empowerment and Islamic social finance as part of efforts to tackle poverty and improve human development.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano State Chapter, has appointed Alhaji (Dr) Isyaku Umar Tofa, OON, popularly known as Makaman Bichi, as interim chairman following the resignation of Dr Goni Faruk Umar.

Tofa will lead a three-member interim leadership team tasked with steering the affairs of the chapter alongside the remaining members of its executive committee until a substantive chairman is elected.

KANO FOCUS reports that the other members of the interim team are Ambassador Bala Mohammed Sani, mni, and Hajiya Rabia Husaini Adamu.

The appointments were announced by General Haliru Akilu (rtd) at a joint meeting of members of the ACF Board of Trustees representing Kano State and the chapter’s executive committee held on Saturday at the Late Amina Habib ACF Secretariat, Gidan AHIP, Maiduguri Road, Kano.

General Akilu (rtd) said the interim team would manage the chapter’s affairs for the remainder of the current executive committee’s tenure, pending the election of a new chairman.

He explained that the decision was part of efforts to promote reconciliation, restore mutual understanding and strengthen cooperation among members following disagreements that had affected the smooth running of the chapter.

He urged members to put aside their differences and work collectively in the interest of the forum, stressing that the meeting was convened to resolve outstanding issues rather than revive past controversies.

“The spirit that should guide every one of us is the same: consultation before decision, integrity before convenience and service before self,” General Akilu (rtd) said.

He called on members to embrace patience, humility and constructive dialogue, adding that their contributions should focus on finding lasting solutions to the chapter’s challenges.

General Akilu (rtd) also confirmed receipt of Umar’s resignation letter, in which the outgoing chairman cited the demands of his busy schedule.

He expressed appreciation for Umar’s service, commending the time, energy and commitment he had devoted to the forum. He also wished him well in his other responsibilities and expressed hope that he would continue to offer advice and support to the chapter.

The retired general further commended Assistant Controller-General of Narcotics, Alhaji Abubakar Idris Ahmed, for serving as acting chairman for approximately four months during the outgoing chairman’s absence.

He praised Ahmed’s dedication and contributions, noting that his service had helped sustain the chapter’s activities during the period.

In their separate remarks, the three interim leaders—Tofa, Ambassador Sani and Hajiya Adamu—expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to justify the trust through dedicated service.

They are expected to work with the remaining executive committee members to promote unity, rebuild confidence and ensure the effective administration of the chapter until a substantive chairman is elected.

General Akilu (rtd) said a united and purposeful ACF Kano Chapter would be better positioned to contribute to the development of Kano State and Northern Nigeria, particularly in addressing challenges relating to insecurity, poverty, education, youth empowerment and peaceful coexistence.

He urged members to support the interim leadership and embrace teamwork, noting that practical resolutions and collective commitment were essential to restoring stability and strengthening the forum’s activities.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Publicity Secretary II
Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Kano State Chapter.