Abba Gida-Gida: The Case for Four More Years

There is a particular kind of political leader Nigerians have grown almost too cynical to recognise: the one who actually finishes what he starts. For decades, Kano voters have watched administrations announce projects with fanfare and let them die quietly in the next budget cycle. That is precisely why the record of Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf  "Abba Gida-Gida" to the people who have come to trust him deserves to be read plainly, project by project, rather than filtered through the noise of Kano politics. When you do that, a second term stops looking like a request. It starts looking like common sense.

The Classroom As The Starting Point

Every serious conversation about this administration has to begin in the classroom, because that is where Governor Yusuf chose to spend his political capital first. He reopened the all-girls boarding schools that a previous administrations had shuttered, schools whose closure had quietly pushed a generation of girls out of education altogether. He did not stop at reopening doors; he put children who had been sitting on bare concrete floors into proper seats, and he put buses on the road to carry girls to school who would otherwise have stayed home. None of this is self-praise. It is why the Nigeria Union of Teachers gave him its Golden Award for rescuing a school system that had been left to decay, and why Leadership Newspaper independently named him Governor of the Year in 2024. Awards from teachers' unions are not handed out to governors who merely talk about education. They are handed to governors who fix it.

An Engineer Governing Like One

It matters, too, that the man in the Kano Government House is not a career politician performing infrastructure, he is a trained civil engineer who cut his teeth as Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport between 2011 and 2015, in an administration Kano still remembers for its roads and bridges. That technical instinct shows up everywhere in his own government now: in the water supply improvements he has personally committed to, in the meticulous urban renewal plan that has quietly modernised the Kano State Metropolitan Master Plan, mapped land through a new GIS system at KANGIS, and put kerbs, crash barriers, repainted lanes and proper signage on major routes across the metropolis. This is unglamorous work! nobody cuts a ribbon for a repainted lane marking but it is exactly the kind of work that separates governors who build cities from governors who merely occupy them.

Paying Kano's old Debts

Then there is the matter of the roughly ₦32 billion in outstanding gratuities and death benefits that had piled up under previous administrations, money owed to retired civil servants and to the families of those who died in service. Governor Yusuf settled it. There is no more basic test of a government's character than whether it honours what it owes to the people who spent their working lives serving the state, and this administration passed that test without waiting to be shamed into it by protest or litigation.

Taking Back the Streets: the Fight Against Thuggery, Phone-snatching and Drug Abuse

If there is one thread that has quietly strangled ordinary life in Kano since around 2018, it is the rise of drug-fuelled street crime – thuggery, phone-snatching, the kind of casual violence that has made evening commutes and market visits a small act of courage for ordinary Kano residents. This is the problem Governor Yusuf chose to confront head-on rather than manage with press statements, and the instrument he built for it – the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking chaired by the relentless Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado has produced results fast enough to make even skeptics pay attention.

Within just forty-five days of its inauguration, the Task Force's own chairman disclosed that it had carried out more than 200 raids on the warehouses, dens and stockpile points that had been feeding Kano's drug trade, and secured more than 200 convictions, some carrying sentences of up to ten years. In one operation alone, the Task Force rescued 43 children –many of them not even from Kano originally, drawn into street life and then supplied with rubber solution and other intoxicants in place of the wages they were promised for scavenging and secured nine-year prison terms for two of the men responsible for exploiting them. The Task Force has not treated enforcement as the whole answer, either: it has set its sights on removing as many as 10,000 vulnerable youths from the streets altogether, with medical assessment, rehabilitation at facilities like the Kiru Reformation Centre, and skills training built into the plan so that young people are not simply arrested and abandoned back into the same conditions that trapped them.

Sit with that pace for a moment. Two hundred raids and two hundred convictions in a month and a half  –not a full year, not even a full quarter. If a Task Force barely six weeks old can dismantle that much of the machinery behind Kano's drug and street-crime problem, it is not unreasonable to ask what a full year, or four more years, under the same political backing would look like. This is precisely why the fight cannot be handed to a different administration to restart from zero, with a new team learning the terrain that Rimingado's Task Force has already mapped.

Why The Lights Matter More than They Sound

Here is a detail that rarely makes headlines but that anyone who has actually lived in a Nigerian city understands instinctively: darkness is where thuggery and phone-snatching thrive. I personally have drove through long stretches of Abuja, the capital territory after sundown, kilometre after kilometre without a single working streetlight and you understand immediately why criminals prefer the dark and why residents in those stretches walk faster, grip their phones tighter, and get home before dusk if they can help it. It is a small thing until you are the one walking through it.

Kano, under this administration, has made a visible, deliberate break from that pattern. More than 16,000 streetlights, a significant share of them solar-powered, so they do not depend on an unreliable grid  m now illuminate major roads and public spaces across the state, backed by over 500 new transformers installed across all 44 local government areas. New roads commissioned in places recently Sumaila and Wudil have been fitted with streetlights as standard, not an afterthought, specifically because the governor has said openly that visibility at night is a security issue as much as a convenience — light that lets traders extend their hours and lets residents move without fear. Even the newly approved Kano–Kongolom road, a 132-kilometre federal project championed under this administration, is being built with solar-powered streetlights and CCTV surveillance designed in from the start, not bolted on later.

This is what makes the anti-drug and anti-thuggery campaign more than the routine para military operation — it is being built into the physical geography of the state. A phone-snatcher needs shadow. A thug needs a dark corner to disappear into after the act. Every streetlight that goes up in Kano is one more corner taken away from them. Combine that with a Task Force that is convicting suppliers and rescuing children at a record pace, and you are not looking at two separate initiatives  you are looking at one coherent strategy to make crime physically harder to commit and legally more expensive to attempt. That is not something Kano has seen executed with this much coordination before, under any administration.

The Honest Caveat

No fair column pretends a record is without controversy, and Governor Yusuf's has one obvious one: his defection from the NNPP to the APC in January 2026 cost him the public blessing of his long-time political godfather, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, who called the move painful and accused him of abandoning the movement that first put him in office. Critics inside the kwankwasiyya camp argue he owes his mandate to voters he never consulted before switching sides, and some analysts have questioned whether the move was about "unity and development," as he put it, or about political self-preservation ahead of 2027. Kano voters are entitled to weigh that question seriously — loyalty in politics matters, and so does the appearance of it.

But governance is ultimately measured in what changes for the person walking home from the market at night, the child who used to sit on a bare classroom floor, and the retiree who waited years for a gratuity that finally arrived. On those measures, the record between 2023 and now speaks for itself and it argues, plainly, for letting the man who built it finish the job.

 

Musaddiq rose through the civil service into public service in Kano State.

musaddiiqkabir@gmail.com

Governor Yusuf Condoles Adamawa Over Death of Bamanga Tukur

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has condoled with the Government and people of Adamawa State over the passing of elder statesman, distinguished businessman, former Governor of the old Gongola State and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Muhammad Tukur, who died at the age of 90.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Saturday.

Governor Yusuf described the death of Alhaji Tukur, the Tafidan Adamawa, as a great loss to Adamawa State, Nigeria and particularly the northern region, saying the deceased was an accomplished statesman whose life was defined by service, integrity, enterprise and commitment to national development.

The Governor said Alhaji Tukur was a respected personality whose remarkable career spanned public administration, governance, politics, business and continental economic development, leaving behind an enduring legacy of service and leadership.

He noted that the late elder statesman made significant contributions to Nigeria’s development, having served in several strategic capacities, including as General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Governor of the old Gongola State, Federal Minister of Industries and National Chairman of the PDP.

Governor Yusuf also acknowledged the deceased’s contributions to the private sector and his leadership roles in major African business organisations, saying they reflected his commitment to economic growth, entrepreneurship, intra-African trade and sustainable development.

He further described Alhaji Tukur’s role in democratic governance as significant, noting that his tenure as National Chairman of the PDP formed part of his long record of service to Nigeria’s political development and national unity.

“Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was a statesman of exceptional experience, wisdom and dignity. He belonged to a generation of leaders who devoted their lives to the service of the nation and the advancement of our people.

“His contributions to Nigeria’s political and economic development will continue to be remembered, while his commitment to the unity, progress and prosperity of the country remains worthy of emulation,” Governor Yusuf said.

The Governor, on behalf of the Government and people of Kano State, extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, the Government and people of Adamawa State, as well as the political, business and public service communities across Nigeria.

He prayed Almighty Allah to forgive Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s shortcomings, grant him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus and give his family, relatives, associates and all those mourning his passing the strength and fortitude to bear the loss.

Clerics Call, Citizens Cheer: Kano Rallies Behind Muhuyi's Anti-Drug Task Force - By Abba Anwar

Politics apart, if there is anything non-political that can open corridor of victory for the Governor of Kano State, Eng Abba Kabir Yusuf to secure second term in office, that thing, could automatically be his fight against drug abuse and other related crimes strategy. Not only the fight, the political will and the commitment are but best options for better result. 

The leadership of the State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and other Related Crimes, under Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado and his able team, gives much hope and periscopes brighter future for Kano. Once a leading state in drug peddling and substance abuse. But in recent Kano political history, Governor Yusuf excels in the area of suffocating drug abuse and other related crimes, with the bringing on board of the Task Force. 

No wonder from the Minbars (pulpits) of Kano’s Mosques to the timelines of Facebook, X and WhatsApp, a single refrain is ringing out across the state: Stand with the Task Force! The war against drug abuse and illicit trafficking has taken a decisive turn, as the State Task Force pushes deeper into the Local Government Areas with arrests, raids, sensitization and community engagement. 

The result is unprecedented. When Islamic clerics are urging congregations to pray for and protect the officers, civil society groups are applauding the boldness, fearless operations and thousands of citizens online are flooding comment sections with commendations and prayers. In a moment that feels like renewed hope. Result? Kano is uniting from Pulpits to pixels, behind the fight to reclaim its streets and secure the future of its youth.

The Chairman of the Council of Ulama of Nigeria, Kano State Branch, Shaykh Ibrahim Khalil, though a gubernatorial candidate of the opposition party, calls on the people of Kano state and beyond to support the work of the Task Force and secure the future of our younger ones. This he does without any recourse to political party differences. A Shaykh like no other. 

In a widely circulated video clip, Shaykh Khalil made a courageous call as he said, "I am calling on my brothers the people of Kano state and beyond to stand up, cooperate and support the Task Force led by Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado in the fight against drug abuse and other related crimes. Because the thing is really harming us as a people. It is also retrogressive to our youth.

I also call on the government to please create a platform where people will be selected to engage these young people, our future, the youth, and counsel them. So that government will come to know their problems and frustrations. With the view to proffering lasting solution."

Reiterating his commitment and support for the Task Force's tasking responsibility, Shaykh Khalil emphasized that, "We are absolutely hopeful that, this Committee will help much in this area of drug abuse and other related crimes. 

"We are also calling on all people to rise up and help Muhuyi Magaji in this struggle with prayers. It is absolutely necessary for government to listen to these suspected criminals and know their real worries," fatherly advice by Chairman Council of Ulama, Kano Branch. 

The Commander General of the agency saddled with the responsibility of 'Al-Amr Bil Ma' aruf Wannahayi Anil Munkar' (enjoying good deed and forbidden evil), Kano State Hisbah Board, Shaykh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, in another widely circulated video clip encouraged that, "On behalf of our Hisbah, with twenty thousand (20,000) personnel, we are sending our good wishes and commendation for the establishment of Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado's Task Force on the fight against drug abuse, phone snatching and even the killing of innocent people. 

We should all thank His Excellency, the Governor for this great work. We are calling on people to commend the Task Force. This is a very important committee for all of us to encourage and support. Imams should preach against drug abuse on Minbars. So also journalists and social media users, among many others."

This Task Force, according to Shaykh Daurawa, "... is not for Barrister Muhiyi Magaji alone. We call on all those who support those miscreants to please desist from that. Doing that is counter-productive and bad for all of us."

Before saying anything concerning praises Barrister Rimingado enjoys in the social media, let me begin with commending social media handlers of the Task Force. Clips of many operations are viral in the social media. So also in the conventional media platforms, especially our radio stations and other national dailies. 

I personally searched many videos shared/posted on the Task Force's Facebook handle, monitoring operations, raids and arrests. My major concern for this, is knowing how Kano people react to Barrister Rimingado's operations and other activities under the Task Force. 

While over 90 percent of the reviewed comments are praises, commendations, encouragement and prayers directed at Barrister Rimingado and his team, like 5 percent or so condemned the mode of operations and 5 percent or so condemned the work of the Task Force in its entirety. The tiny percentage that totally condemned the Task Force is mainly because of political differences. Or because they work and judge with hearsay. 

Let me share some of the comments here. I visited some postings and monitored their comment sections. I also monitored shares and likes. 

A fraction of my findings is briefly presented below:

1- In posting "A" there are 4.8k and 225 comments. Some of the comments are that of Sagir Aminu who said, "Our people should not politicize this problem. It affects all. May Allah see us through." Mannir Sale Muhammad critically observed that, "Masha Allah. All what Muhiyi Magaji said is true in its purest form. I saw a boy in railway who is always intoxicated from drug abuse." Imam Bichi commented, "We wish you the best always."

Bashir Nasidi Muhammad encouraged that, "We are solidly behind you in the fight against drug abuse. But you should make sure that there is a need for good investigation always. We are wishing you well."

Jameel Yareema commended that, "I really enjoy your commitment. May Allah help you and guide you always. And whoever breaks the law should be punished." Aminuddeen Abdullahi commended and encouraged that, "Wallahi Wallahi Wallahi we are with you always. Ours is to say may Allah protect you and make you successful Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado."

2. In posting "B" there are 7.6k Likes, 282 Comments and 220 Shares. Under this one Sulaiman Sani said, "Truthfully this is the most important and crucial job that Abba's administration created since their assumption." Yusuf Muhammad commented that, "Oga this is Fashion Parade because you can't fight drugs with (sic) telling them you are coming to them by (sic) siren."

Hafizu Akilu said, "Whenever you see someone condemning this work of Muhuyi's Committee he is not loving Kano. Or such a person is not from Kano. Because I observed there are a few individuals who hates Kano and they are condemning the effort."

Hamza Musa compared Muhuyi and Wike in his comment. He said, "Wike and Muhuyi are like twin brothers. Even if you don't like them, but you can't deny that they are working. Though I don't like Muhuyi because of a reason I reserve for myself, I think he deserves federal appointment."

Musa Yunusa commented that, "Wallahi Wallahi Wallahi I'm extremely happy with what Muhuyi's Committee did concerning those children around Nassarawa Specialists Hospital, (now called Abdullahi Wase Hospital). You always see them abusing drugs." Abdullahi Ismail Muhammed KT, who sees the Task Force work as a mere content creation said, "This is a good content."

3- In posting "C" there are 7.6k Likes, 282 Comments and 220 Shares. Under this Ibrahim Y. Said commented that, "If the Kano State government is really serious about this, marketers of such illicit drug should be arrested. And all routes used by them in trafficking the drugs should also be blocked." Usman T Abdullahi, who saw the operation as a film or drama, queried that," Name of the Scene." To me you may not blame him. Probably he witnessed similar efforts in the past, that derailed. So it is up to the Task Force to take the challenge and prove to Usman and like-minded individuals that it is no longer as usual. 

Bukhari Ashafa, who volunteered to be part of this great effort, urged that, "Please give us the phone number for giving you intel." Saleh Nuhu commented, "Show of force. This is our collective fight." And Usman Tijjani Abdulqadir said "Well done."

4- In posting "D" there are 4.9k Likes, 107 Comments and 79 Shares. One Musa Ahmed encouraged that, "Wallahi whenever an educated man is assigned with responsibility he will deliver. In less that one Month Muhuyi terrified drug abusers and marketers." Nasir Sani Dansaja who looked at the medical side of the operations advised that, "Please you should be using hand gloves next time, for safety." 

Malam Usman Fantami encouraged and appreciated the personality of Barrister Muhuyi, he said, "Whichever appointment is given to Muhuyi I believe without any doubt that, the result will be fruitful."

5- In posting "E" there are 14k likes, 694 comments, 705 shares and 379 saved. This is a posting from BBC Hausa Service, in an interview with Muhuyi.  In the comment section, one Bashir Mukhtar said, "I urge respectfully the Governor of Kano State to please encourage Barrister Muhiyi with everything and resources. So that he can work well continuously. I also urge His Excellency to please reopen Reformatory Institute Kiru and to establish another one in Kano Central and Kano North. So that the Centres can cater very well for the children involved in this menace of drug abuse. May Allah continue to protect our families and cater for those coming much later."

Umar Usman Danlarabawa in his comment observed something critically important. He said, "Malam Muhiyi Magaji my observation concerning parents' undertaking whose children are involved in this problem. Most of those young people engaging in this drug abuse cannot be controlled by their parents. Their hearts are that hard that they don't even listen to their parents. 

When a father is taken away by the Task Force who then will cater for the remaining children back home? When a father confessed that he can't correct his ward, so the burden is on government to know what to do with the bad egg. But for a father who comes forward to bail his child or children, then such a father should write undertaking. I do hope that Muhuyi will see this advice and work with it."

Abdulmutallib Muhammad Sani, in his comment adviced that, "If and only if government and Judges will support Muhiyi Magaji the effort will be successful. Because I know him as someone who keeps faith in whatever responsibility assigned to him. He is an achiever. Though I differ with him in politics, but I support him hundred percent in this struggle. There is nothing more harmful for us in Kano than drug abuse and related crimes."

Muhammad G. Muhammad warned in his comment that, "People are taking this problem for granted. Unknown to them that this is a very serious problem. That we must all wake up an fight collectively. We just have to aid our able security agencies win this war." 

Hafizu Akilu another commentator queried with annoyance that, "In the entire world setting who gives birth to a boy and pushes him to the society for life direction, if not a Hausa man? His (Hausa man) is only interested in making love and producing babies without any recourse to how to train them in their upbringing."

Above are some of the comments I came across with while examining how Kano people react to the work of the Task Force. 

One greater thing I observed is, even the security agents going round with Barrister Rimingado for operations, are ready for the work. You will see courage, will and belief that the leader of the team, Rimingado, is courageous, unapologetic and honest in discharging his responsibility. The moral support is there, being promoted by the Chairman. 

My final call is to the Governor, Sir this Task Force alone if handled well, can give you second tenure comfortably. And beyond that, it can pave your way to the Jannatul-Fiddaus. 

Anwar writes from Kano 

Friday, 11th September, 2026

Gov. Yusuf Mourns Sani Muhammad Hotoro, Condoles Family Over Death

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has expressed deep sadness over the death of his aide Hon. Sani Muhammad Hotoro, popularly known as Dan Sani, a prominent politician in the state, who died in a road accident.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Thursday.

Governor Yusuf described the deceased as a committed politician and community leader whose contributions to the development of Kano State and the political space would be remembered.

Until his death, Dansani was the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Cooperative Society.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, his associates, friends and the people of Hotoro, urging them to take solace in Allah’s decree.

The Governor prayed to Allah SWT to forgive the shortcomings of Hon. Sani Muhammad Hotoro, grant him Aljannatul Firdaus and give his family and loved ones the strength to bear the loss.

𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲, 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝗔𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kano State, Abdulkarim Kabiru Maude, SAN, ACArb, yesterday night paid a working visit to the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force Committee on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado Esq., at the Task Force Office.

According to the Senior Special Assistant to the Commissioner on Media, Dr Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim, the visit, which took place after the Attorney General concluded his official engagements at the Ministry, provided an opportunity for both leaders to engage in constructive discussions on strengthening the fight against drug abuse, illicit trafficking and other related criminal activities in Kano State.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, effective information and intelligence sharing, and improved coordination among relevant institutions in tackling the challenges posed by drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

Maude assured the Task Force of the readiness of the Ministry of Justice to provide the necessary legal support and strengthen collaboration with the Committee and other relevant agencies in the collective effort to combat drug abuse, illicit trafficking and related criminal activities in the state.

He stressed the importance of a coordinated approach involving law enforcement agencies, the justice system and other stakeholders, noting that effective prosecution, prevention and public awareness were critical to addressing the menace.

The Attorney General also emphasised the need to protect young people and other vulnerable members of society from the devastating consequences of drug abuse, while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote public safety and the rule of law.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Multi-Agency Task Force Committee, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, appreciated the Attorney General for the visit and expressed the Committee’s readiness to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and other relevant institutions to achieve its mandate.

The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by both parties to strengthen institutional collaboration and adopt a more coordinated approach towards combating drug abuse, illicit trafficking and associated criminal activities in Kano State.

NWDC Commends Multi-Agency Task Force, Seeks Collaboration To Tackle Drug Abuse And Insecurity In The North-West

"Drug abuse is fueling violence. Rehabilitation must go hand-in-hand with law enforcement." — Prof. Shehu Ma'aji

 The North-West Development Commission (NWDC) has commended the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Practices for significant gains recorded in the fight against drug abuse, and has expressed readiness to collaborate on regional solutions to tackle the menace across the North-West.

According to the Director, Press and Public Relations, Abdulrashid Yusuf Safana, the commendation came during a courtesy visit to NWDC's management on Wednesday by the Task Force, led by its Chairman, Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado.

Speaking at the meeting, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma'aji, said drug abuse has become a major driver of insecurity, poverty, and youth restiveness in the region.

"The North-West cannot achieve its development goals if a generation of our young people is lost to drug abuse. The data before us is alarming, and the link between drug abuse and the rise in gun violence is now clear to all of us," Prof. Ma'aji said.

Briefing the Commission, Barr. Rimingado disclosed that within 45 days of its inauguration, the Task Force recorded over 200 raids across vulnerable communities and secured over 200 convictions, with some offenders sentenced to up to 10 years' imprisonment. The operations also led to the recovery of weapons and other exhibits. He added that 120 of the most critical and vulnerable offenders are currently undergoing rehabilitation at two correctional and reformatory centres.

Rimingado described the Kano State Government's approach as two-pronged: aggressive law enforcement and mass rehabilitation.

"Government did not set up this committee only to arrest and prosecute. If we jail them for 10 years and release them back to the streets with no reform, we have achieved nothing. That is why we are removing the most vulnerable from the streets and putting them in reformatories," he said.

In his response, Prof. Ma'aji said NWDC will work to integrate drug prevention, rehabilitation, and youth empowerment into its regional development blueprint for Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.

"At NWDC, our mandate is to rebuild the North-West. That means building infrastructure, but also rebuilding people. We will work with the Task Force and other stakeholders to expand rehabilitation centres, provide skills acquisition, and create jobs as alternatives to crime," he added.

Prof. Ma'aji expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, for his continued support to the Commission and for establishing the Multi-Agency Task Force to combat drug abuse in the state. "This initiative is a testament to the Governor's concern for youth welfare and development," he said.

The Commission called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and parents to join the campaign against drug abuse, noting that security and development must go together.

The North-West Development Commission was established to drive infrastructure development, human capital investment, and peace-building initiatives across the seven North-West states.

Gimba Kakanda Celebrates Abdulmumin Jibrin at 50

Public affairs commentator and writer, Gimba Kakanda, has described Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as an archetype of a young Nigerian who successfully navigated the political landscape from the grassroots to the highest levels of public service.

Kakanda, in a tribute marking Jibrin’s 50th birthday, said the former lawmaker represented a generation of young Nigerians who demonstrated that political success requires participation, resilience, strategic alliances and the courage to pursue independent causes.

According to him, Jibrin distinguished himself as a pragmatist, mobiliser and businessman, while also attaining the highest level of academic qualification despite the demands and distractions associated with political life.

Recounting how their relationship began, Kakanda said he had publicly defended Jibrin during a political controversy more than a decade ago, despite having never met him personally at the time.

He recalled that their first encounter happened unexpectedly at an amusement park, where he met Jibrin and his wife while he was with a friend.

Kakanda said that after exchanging pleasantries and parting ways, Jibrin unexpectedly returned and asked, amid laughter, whether he was Gimba Kakanda.

He explained that Jibrin’s wife, whom Kakanda had previously known through her advocacy work, had recognised him as the person who had been defending Jibrin on Twitter and subsequently drew her husband’s attention to his identity.

“Over the years, I came to work closely with him,” Kakanda said, noting that their relationship subsequently developed beyond their initial encounter.

He further recalled that ahead of the 2023 general elections, they were among the early supporters of the political movement around President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, under the political leadership of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

As Jibrin marked his 50th birthday, Kakanda described the milestone as an important transition into a stage of greater wisdom, responsibility and service.

He prayed for continued good health, wisdom, fulfilment and the opportunity for Jibrin to witness the causes to which he had dedicated his life produce greater results.

“May every height you have attained become the foundation for higher service, and may Allah preserve you and make the years ahead your finest yet,” he said.

Kakanda concluded by wishing the former lawmaker a happy 50th birthday and many more years of purposeful service to the nation.

Gov. Yusuf Urges Gubernatorial Candidates to Embrace Peaceful Campaigns

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has called on all gubernatorial candidates and their supporters to conduct issue-based and peaceful campaigns ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Kano governor Mustapha Muhammad 

The Governor made the call as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally opens the timeline for the commencement of the 2027 governorship campaign, urging political actors to prioritise peace, unity and the overall interest of Kano State.

Governor Yusuf urged his fellow contestants to present their programmes, policies and visions to the people without resorting to hate speech, personal attacks, violence or actions capable of threatening the peaceful coexistence of the people of the state.

He said political campaigns should be seen as an opportunity for candidates to engage citizens on how they intend to address the challenges facing the state and consolidate on its development gains.

The Governor also called on political parties, supporters and other stakeholders to respect the electoral laws and guidelines issued by INEC, stressing that the peace and stability of Kano remain more important than individual political interests.

He assured the people of Kano that his administration would continue to uphold democratic values and support a peaceful, credible and transparent electoral process.

FIFTY YEARS. FOUR TERMS. A LIFE OF ENTERPRISE, SCHOLARSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE.- By Abbas Tajudden

Today, I celebrate my colleague and friend, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa, as he attains the golden milestone of 50.

Turning 50 is more than a birthday; it is a moment to pause, reflect and appreciate a journey already rich in accomplishment, service and impact.

Over four terms in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin has brought to our legislative enterprise a rare combination of intellectual depth, business experience, courage and an unmistakable independence of mind. From his leadership of key committees, including Finance, Appropriations, Land Transport, Foreign Affairs, and Housing and Habitat, his contributions have reflected a strong grasp of public finance and a broad understanding of national affairs.

He is, without doubt, one of the sharpest minds in our Parliament. His academic accomplishments, including two PhDs and an MBA, his experience in business and academia, his executive education at leading institutions, and his service at the Federal Housing Authority have all contributed to the distinctive perspective he brings to public service.

But beyond the degrees, positions and accomplishments is a man who has never been afraid to speak his mind.

Abdulmumin is forthright. He is courageous. He is independent-minded. And he is never one to hide his convictions.

In a Parliament, such voices matter. A healthy legislature must have room for principled disagreement, robust debate and legislators willing to speak for what they believe is right and in the interest of their constituents.

As you celebrate 50, dear Abdulmumin, I celebrate not only the milestones behind you but also the possibilities ahead.

On behalf of the leadership and the entire membership of the House of Representatives, I wish you good health, renewed strength, greater accomplishments and many more years of impactful service to your constituents and our dear nation.

May the next chapter be even greater than the first five decades.

Happy 50th Birthday, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin Kofa.

Wealth on Paper, Fatigue on the Street: Decoding Nigeria’s $54 Billion Reserve Peak - By Sale Adamu Kwaru

The milestone of Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves crossing $54.08 billion for the first time in nearly 18 years reads like a triumphant headline. On paper, it represents a towering financial fortress built by the Central Bank of Nigeria through steady oil revenues, aggressive monetary tightening, and unprecedented diaspora inflows. Yet, beneath these dazzling macroeconomic figures lies a deeply agonizing paradox. For the average Nigerian, the euphoria of $54 billion in the vault feels less like a shared national victory and more like a cruel illusion—a distant celebration taking place in glass towers while the everyday citizen fights an exhausting, daily battle for basic survival. 

 

To understand the profound emotional disconnect felt on the streets today, one must travel back to December 22, 2008, the last time the reserves touched $54.21 billion. Eighteen years ago, that same numerical figure existed in a fundamentally different world. In 2008, a dollar exchanged for roughly ₦118 to ₦135. A worker earning a modest salary could walk into a market with dignity, buy a family foodstuffs, pay rent comfortably, and still hold onto a sense of quiet hope for the future. Fuel was subsidized, school fees were manageable, and the middle class was a living, breathing reality rather than a fading memory. The reserve target then felt aligned with an atmosphere of tangible stability and shared prosperity.  

Fast forward to 2026, and the stark contrast breaks the heart. Today’s $54 billion reserve sits alongside a naira that trades around ₦1,315 to ₦1,390 per dollar; a staggering depreciation that has quietly eroded the life savings of millions. Where a bag of rice or a tank of petrol once took a minor fraction of a monthly wage, it now demands entire paychecks. The removal of energy subsidies, compounding transport costs, and an unyielding inflation rate have turned simple household decisions into nerve-wracking dilemmas. Parents stand in markets clutching cash that shrinks in real-time, staring at prices that mock their hard work, forced to make heart-wrenching choices between feeding their children or paying for medical care. 

 

The emotional plight of the ordinary Nigerian is defined by suffocating fatigue; feeling of being trapped in an economic storm while reading news of a national windfall. There is a deep, unspoken grief over lost lifestyles, abandoned dreams, and the endless hustle that no longer yields a comfortable life. Every morning, millions wake up to navigate long commutes and skyrocketing living costs, carrying the emotional weight of a middle class that has been slowly wiped out. The daily narrative is no longer about building wealth or planning for retirement; it has been reduced to an urgent, high-stakes operational goal of surviving until tomorrow.

Ultimately, while $54 billion in foreign reserves provides necessary structural armor for sovereign credit ratings and currency stabilization, a balance sheet cannot feed a hungry family or heal a weary spirit. Until the strength of those reserves leaks down into stable food prices, affordable transportation, and genuine relief at the local market stall, the figure will remain an abstract triumph. The true measure of Nigeria’s wealth can never be captured solely in foreign exchange ledgers. It will only be realized when the ordinary citizen can finally breathe a sigh of economic relief and feel the dignity of their hard labor restored.