BREAKING: Court dismisses Nnamdi Kanu suit against FG

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Kanu had sought N1 billion in damages for alleged rights violations.

Kanu’s suit, marked FHC/CS/1633/2023, accused the Department of State Services (DSS) and its Director General of violating his right to fair hearing. He claimed that the DSS prevented his lawyers from having unhindered interactions with him while he was detained, impeding the preparation of his defense in his criminal trial.

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However, in his judgment on Monday, Justice James Omotosho ruled that Kanu failed to provide credible evidence to support his claims.

The judge found no proof that the DSS interfered with Kanu’s interactions with his lawyers, denied him unhindered access to legal counsel, or eavesdropped on his conversations with his lawyers, which would constitute a breach of his right to fair hearing.

BREAKING: Court dismisses Nnamdi Kanu suit against FG

Residents groan over soaring prices of foodstuff in Kaduna, Kano, others

In tune with the extant global trends, Nigeria is experiencing an unprecedented increase in the cost of basic food items.

Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria Correspondents in Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States have shown that Nigeria was not an exception.

For instance, a check conducted by NAN in Kaduna revealed that the surge was particularly notable in the prices of rice, bread, sugar, garri, beef and eggs, amongst others, which are staples in most homes.

Also, the rising cost has had an impact in the living standard of the residents as the majority of the homes now find it formidably challenging to afford three square meals.

NAN also gathered from the Abubakar Gumi Central market and other markets within Kaduna city that the price of Mama Gold rice had risen to about N75,500 per bag, while a 50kg Stallion, Optimum brands now sell from N77,000 to N80,000.

Also, a loaf of bread was now being sold between N1,000 and N2,500 depending on the brand and quality.

A measure (mudu) of ‘white garri’ that used to sell for N400 was now sold for between N1200. while a measure of ‘yellow garri’ sold for N600 now goes for between N1300 and N1,500.

Similarly, a crate of egg that was selling for N3000 hitherto, now sells for between N4,000 and N4,500 depending on the size.

Also, a kilogram of meat (beef) formerly sold for N3,000 before was now being sold at N5,000.

Meanwhile, farmers in parts of the state have attributed the high costs of foodstuffs to the fuel subsidy removal.

Some of the farmers who spoke to NAN in separate interviews in Kafanchan blamed the hike in the prices of foodstuffs on the high cost of transportation, occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

Ishaya Chingali, a large-scale farmer, said inflation had also led to the high cost of farm inputs like fertilizers and herbicides.

“If they can take care of the cost of transportation, the high cost of food stuff will be addressed by 50 percent,” he stated.

On his part, Kure Kade, President, Organic Ginger Farmers Association, said the only way out was for the government to subsidize farm inputs.

He said Nigeria was capable of feeding itself without necessarily importing any food stuff.

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In a related development, the Kaduna State Government said it had distributed farm inputs, farm implements as well as agro-processing equipment to 40,000 smallholder farmers to boost food production.

Murtala Dabo, the Commissioner, Ministry for Agriculture, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

The items were distributed under the government’s ‘A Koma Gona’ (Back to Farm) initiative.

According to him, the programme targets beneficiaries in the 23 local government areas of the state.

He said the state was the largest producer of ginger, maize, as well as tomatoes in the country, lamenting that the farmers suffered post-harvest losses such as tomatoes and ginger.

Dabo assured that the state government would revisit the now stalled tomato processing plant in Ikara to address the losses suffered by tomato farmers in the area and other surrounding local governments.

He said, “Agriculture remains the backbone of the economy, providing employment and sustaining livelihoods.

The state is blessed with huge agricultural potential
“Smallholder farmers and small-scale agro-processors have been facing difficulties due to the current economic challenges in the country.

”This category of farmers is very critical in our quest to ensure food security.

“It is for this reason that the government has come up with the ‘Tallafin Noma – A Koma Noma’ as part of our Sustainable Livelihoods through Social Interventions and Economic Empowerment Initiative.

“Under this “A Koma Gona” (Get Back to Farm) component, the Ministry for Agriculture was mandated to target a minimum of 40,000 smallholder farmers and farmers’ cooperatives across the 23 LGAs.”

According to Dabo, the ‘Tallafin Noma programme’ includes the distribution of inputs for crop and livestock production, crop production, improved maize seeds, agrochemicals, NPK and Urea fertilizers.

“For livestock production (poultry), 30 day-old chicks with four bags of feed and drugs are distributed, while 50 jumbo juveniles (catfish) with two bags of feed and drugs are distributed for fisheries.

“To boost micro-mechanisation of the agriculture sector in the state, power tillers and accessories were distributed to farmer cooperative groups.

“This is a crucial step towards increasing production and productivity in our farms,”he added.

The commissioner added that ‘Knapsack’ sprayers with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) were also given to the farmers for agrochemical and liquid fertilizer application on their farms.

“For the agro-processors, vegetable grinders are distributed to individuals, while hammer mills, haulers and threshers are distributed to cooperative groups as group assets.

“These processing machines would add value to our agricultural produce and improve the livelihoods of individuals and groups involved in agro-processing activities,”Dabo said.

To reduce herder-farmer conflicts in the state, he said the state government has commenced the Livestock Development Project (L-PRES).

He said bringing the project to the state had also helped to tackle the frequent clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

Dabo said that the project would focus on the component of conflict management aimed at finding a lasting solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, a farmer in Kaduna State has appealed to the government at all levels to enhance agricultural mechanization.

He also urged them to replace the animal-drawn plough system for land preparation and other agricultural production processes to boost food security and wealth generation.

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Ahmed Abubakar, a member of the Albarka-Shika Farmers Cooperative Society, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria.

He said, “Farming is a business; the government at sub-national levels should woo and entice youths by providing simple labour saving devices in farming to strengthen production.

“These tools and devices are not affordable to many youths and small-scale farmers; we are in the 21st century,so, it is high time to do away with cutlasses and hoes and embrace full-scale mechanized agriculture.

“Bandits and other criminal elements would not allow the small -scale farmers to keep cattle for traditional plough.

“If the farmers have these machines at their homes, it will not be easily stolen like cattle,’’ he said.

Mr Abubakar said the initial intervention by the Federal Government for wheat farmers under dry season farming had gladdened the hearts of the farmers across the state.

Mr Abubakar said no fewer than 10,000 farmers received improved wheat seed varieties, herbicides and fertilizer and other inputs for cultivation of a one hectare field at 50 per cent discount.

He, however, said that the gesture had greatly increased the production of wheat in Kaduna State during the last season.

The farmer added that the intervention, which assisted many peasant farmers in the state, had also rekindled their hope as the Federal Government was set to replicate the support to additional 40,000 maize and rice farmers.

He said the 40, 000 farmers who were registered by the Federal Government through the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency (KADA) for the dry season farming of rice and maize did not receive the inputs.

However, Abubakar said there were insinuations that the cohorts captured for dry season intervention would receive the inputs for wet season farming alongside other commodity growers; saying, ” this also has not been materialized.

“It is an established fact that the early distribution of inputs to farmers boosts production and increases wealth generation to farmers.

“The major problems are insecurity and high cost of inputs,’’ Abubakar said.
He lamented the delay in the distribution of the fertilizer donated by the Central Bank of Nigeria to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to him, the delay in the distribution of the inputs by the government and high inflation rate in the country had increased the cost of fertilizer and other inputs, which have a “devastating effect on food security.”

While speaking on the policy of the Federal Government on the all-year round food production, Abubakar lamented, ” Beside the pronouncement, we are yet to see any tangible effort of the government on this.”
He added that dry season farming was done with water from the stream and dams.

Abubakar said, “But the available dams were not desilted, new ones were not created while modern equipment and other simple labour saving devices were also not put in place.”

Abubakar, therefore, urged the governments at sub-national level to increase efforts on providing improved quality seeds to the farmers, which is the bedrock of sustainable food production.

Shehu Sani warns Tinubu not to repeat Buhari’s mistakes

Shehu Sani, a former senator from the Kaduna Central District who served in the 8th National Assembly, has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to avoid making the same mistakes as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, particularly when it comes to rearranging his cabinet.

After Buhari was sworn in on May 29, 2023, Tinubu assumed official leadership. However, activist Sani asserted that nepotism and ineptitude plagued the previous military Head of State’s eight-year reign, particularly with regard to governance, security, and economic policy.

The federal politician made the appeal while appearing as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Sunday.

He said, “I will advise President Tinubu to be careful not to make the mistakes of President Buhari, and I believe he is experienced enough to understand this. Under President Buhari, you have ministers who were appointed into office for the whole of eight years.

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“They were with him for the first tenure and the second tenure, and there was no cabinet reshuffle, no removal. Even if there was a removal, it takes three to four months to replace a minister. That was the way the country was governed. Under Buhari, we have seen nepotism at its peak, where people were appointed into office and left there even if they did nothing.”

Sani noted that “service chiefs were retained in office despite their failures, and by retaining them, you destroyed the careers of those behind them. For many years, many officers were retired to appoint one person. If this country has to move forward, we must treat the issue of competency as the qualification for appointment.”

The president’s cabinet has recently faced harsh criticism for falling short of expectations in spite of the nation’s present economic crisis. Remember that since Betta Edu was suspended on January 8, 2024, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been operating without a minister.

Shehu Sani warns Tinubu not to repeat Buhari’s mistakes