President Bola Tinubu has expressed shock over the death of retired Major-General Rabe Abubakar while in the custody of terrorists in Katsina State.
 
General Abubakar, after a distinguished career in the military, retired a few years ago. He was on his way to his hometown when the hoodlums captured him
 
The President commiserated with his family, especially his wife, who is still being held against her will by the captors.
 
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on (Information & Strategy), in a statement, said the president also extended his condolences to the Katsina State government and the armed forces.
 
While the terrorists have done their worst, the President wants them to know that the government will never bow to their demand to release their members held by our security agencies.
 
As I said on June 12: “Bandits, kidnappers, and sponsors of terror should now surrender or face the full force of the Nigerian State. These windows of surrender will not remain open forever. And no mercy will be shown to those who trade in the blood of Nigerians.
 
“As Nigerians,  we must stand united and be assured that the enemies of our nation shall soon be history. We will triumph over terror and continue to build a more prosperous nation.
 
“General Abubakar’s death should further serve as a defining moment in our battle against terrorists and insurgents, never to negotiate with them on any terms, but to continue to treat them as the greatest enemies of our dear nation, who should never be spared.”
 

Thirty people are feared dead following fresh multiple attacks by armed bandits on several villages in Dutsinma and Safana local government areas (LGAs) of Katsina State.

Dutsinma and Safana are two of the frontline LGAs where activities of bandits have been on the increase despite security agencies and government interventions to decimate insurgency in the areas.

Eyewitnesses told Channels Television on Friday that the affected villages, thirteen in number, were attacked in the evening hours of Tuesday 4th June 2024.

They identified the villages as Dogon Ruwa, Sabon Gari Unguwar Banza, Tashar Kawai Mai Zurfi, Sanawar Kurecen Dutsi, Unguwar Bera, Kurecin Kulawa, Larabar Tashar Mangoro, Sabaru, Ashata, Unguwar Ido, Kanbiri, Kunamawar Mai Awaki and Kunamawar ‘Yargandu.

The eyewitnesses further revealed that the multiple attacks frightened most of the residents who have now migrated to safer communities and areas like Dutsinma.

“As I am talking to you now, even yesterday, we learned that the hoodlums carried out another attack on several other vulnerable villages such as Lezumawa, ‘Yar Kuka, Rimi, and Dogon Ruwa villages,” the source said.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Katsina Police Command, Abubakar Sadiq, said the incident in Dutsinma LGA. He, however, promised to get back with the details of the Safana LGA attack.

“Yes it is true but I don’t have the details of the Safana LGA’s incident. I will get back to you shortly please,” he assured.

The Federal Government began the disbursement of N130 million grant to 6,511 vulnerable persons in the 34 local government areas of Katsina State on Thursday.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouq, flagged off the disbursement.

She said beneficiaries were selected through the Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) programme of the Federal Government.

“GVG was first introduced in 2020 as Grant for Rural Women to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Muhammad Buhari’s administration for the poor and the vulnerable.

“The project is consistent with the president’s agenda of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

“GVG provides a one-off grant of N20,000 to some of the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians, especially in the rural and semi-urban areas in the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.

“This is to empower beneficiaries to improve their productivity and grow their commercial activities to ease them out of poverty,’’ she said.

The minister stressed that Katsina State’s grant is one of the highest in the country taking into account the impact of insurgency, banditry and the large number of Internally-Displaced Persons in the state.

“The president directed that 70 per cent of beneficiaries must be women, while the remaining 30 must be youths.

“He also directed that a minimum of 15 per cent of the beneficiaries must be citizens with special needs, including Persons with Disability and senior citizens.

“It is expected that beneficiaries will use the grant judiciously to improve their productivity, create wealth, generate employment and improve their standards of living,’’ the minister said.

Umar-Farouq said she was also in Katsina State for the roll out of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP 2.0).

“The programme is designed to create more opportunities and loans for the poor, the vulnerable and low-income Nigerians involved in viable informal productive activities with limited financial requirements.

“It gives priority to the most vulnerable, especially widows, youths, the disabled and the displaced.

“GEEP has three unique products: `TraderMoni loan’, `MarketMoni loan’ and `FarmerMoni loan.

“TraderMoni loan is N50,000 and is targeted at uplifting under-privileged and marginalised youths between the ages of 18 years and 40 years.

“MarketMoni loan, also of N50,000 targets under-privileged and marginalised women, especially widows and divorcees, among other vulnerable groups.

“FarmerMoni loan ranges between N50,000 and N300,000 and is designed for small-scale farmers to improve their productivity and to graduate into commercial agriculture,’’ she said.

She added that 353,316 beneficiaries were targeted to benefit in the first phase of GEEP implementation nationwide.

“So far 1,142,783 potential beneficiaries have been registered for the programme in the 774 local government areas of the federation.

“In Katsina State alone, 59,161 potential beneficiaries were registered out of whom 13,000 have been verified to benefit,’’ Umar-Farouq said.