By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

An Upper Sharia Court in Kano has acquitted Hon. Auwalu Dalladi Sankara, the Jigawa State Commissioner for Special Duties, of charges of adultery brought against him.

The presiding judge, Khadi Ibrahim Sarki Yola, dismissed the case, citing a lack of substantial evidence from the complainant, Nasiru Buba Jalam, who had accused the commissioner of having an illicit affair with his wife, Taslim Baba Nabegu.

“This case lacks merit and any credible evidence to proceed. Therefore, the case is hereby struck out, and both defendants are discharged,” the judge ruled.
The case had stemmed from a complaint filed by Nasiru Buba Jalam in October, in which he accused his wife and Hon. Sankara of engaging in an affair. Following the accusation, the Kano Hisbah apprehended the commissioner at his home.
The court had earlier instructed the Inspector General of Police to investigate the matter and submit a report for review.
After the judgment, Barrister Rabiu Shuaibu Abdullahi, representing the first defendant, Taslim Baba Nabegu, expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling, stating that the judgment reflected justice.
Barrister Saddam Suleiman Shehu, representing Hon. Sankara, also welcomed the outcome, affirming that the court’s decision vindicated his client. He added, “We are reviewing the judgment, along with the possible political factors involved, for further steps.”

Hon. Sankara, who was suspended from his position as Commissioner to allow the court process to unfold without interference, was cleared of all allegations by the court.

The case, which attracted significant attention in the state, now appears to be over, though its political undertones remain a point of discussion.

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

The Women and Youth Farmers Agripreneur Regional Conference (WAYFARC) has conducted a two-day sensitization workshop for 450 women and youth in the Northwest to promote agribusiness and reduce poverty.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the President of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Arc Kabir Ibrahim, represented by the Coordinator of WAYFARC and NABG Secretary General, Mrs. Olubukola Nwaneri, stated that the workshop aimed to empower participants by showcasing the vast opportunities in agriculture as a business.

Mrs. Nwaneri emphasized that agriculture should not be seen as mere farming but as a lucrative enterprise. “Agriculture should evolve beyond subsistence farming. When you recognize agriculture as a business, it inspires greater seriousness and commitment. We want to help women and youth see the future and potential in agribusiness,” she explained.
Mrs. Nwaneri highlighted that participants do not necessarily have to be farmers to succeed in agribusiness.
“Opportunities abound in areas such as processing, marketing, offtaking, essential services, and other value chains within the agricultural sector.

“Our goal is to support and educate women and youth on accessing government and non-governmental loans, grants, and other interventions. We also focus on creating awareness, coordination, and linking farmers with value chains including producers, markets, processors, and offtakers,” she noted.

The program, she added, also facilitates partnerships, follows up on government policies, and bridges gaps when policies are made without input from agricultural stakeholders.
According to her, Jigawa State was chosen to host the Northwest regional workshop due to its significant agricultural potential and the state government’s demonstrated commitment to developing the sector.
Mrs. Nwaneri said this made Jigawa an ideal location to encourage and support women and youth to explore agribusiness opportunities.
Participants were advised to open their minds and absorb the knowledge and skills provided during the program.
“The purpose of WAYFARC is to enrich your understanding and prepare you to thrive in agribusiness,” Mrs. Nwaneri said.

The workshop also highlighted the importance of collaboration and capacity-building in driving economic growth through agriculture, particularly for women and youth who remain critical to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

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By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

A coalition of stakeholders under the Jigawa Health Partners has raised alarm over inconsistent budgetary allocations and delayed fund releases to the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, which they argue have adversely affected the delivery of healthcare services and the completion of critical health projects in the state.
In a statement signed by executive director of the Exceptional Leadership and Integrity Promotions Initiative (ELIP), Comrade Isah Mustapha, the group highlighted findings from its third-quarter 2024 budget performance analysis. The analysis revealed poor budget implementation and significant reallocations from capital projects to recurrent expenditures, undermining the ministry’s ability to achieve its objectives.

The coalition, comprising civil society organizations, academics, and media representatives, lamented that despite health being a focal point of Governor Umar Namadi’s 12-point agenda, the sector’s allocation in 2024 dropped from 10.7% in the approved budget to 10.3% in the revised version. This is the lowest allocation in eight years, falling short of the 15% benchmark established by the Abuja Declaration.

According to the statement, the 2024 health budget was initially approved at ₦36.208 billion, increased to ₦41.208 billion in a supplementary budget, but later reduced to ₦39.457 billion in a revised budget—a cut of over ₦2 billion, primarily from capital expenditures.

An appraisal of capital projects revealed that only 18 out of 33 planned projects received funding between January and September 2024. Key initiatives such as psychiatric hospital development, family planning programs, and ophthalmic units in general hospitals received no funding.
The statement also noted that the programs have faced chronic underfunding over several years.

While recurrent expenditures showed significant growth—rising from ₦41.808 billion in Q2 to ₦72.589 billion in Q3—capital expenditure performance remained suboptimal, with only ₦102.239 billion spent out of the allocated ₦174.828 billion (45.6% performance).
The Jigawa Health Partners made several recommendations to address the challenges, urging the state government to vommit to allocating at least 15% of the state budget to health in line with the Abuja Declaration and ensure timely and full releases of allocated funds.
They also urge the government to rioritize Capital Projects by ensuring that all MDAs receive at least 20% of their capital budget quarterly to enhance project execution and performance.
They also want oversight on procurement to be strengtened through enforcement of adherence to procurement plans and conduct monthly review meetings to improve transparency and accountability in project execution.
“Retain the budget for the Jigawa State Agency for the Control of AIDS (JISACA) under the Office of the Deputy Governor while transferring its mandate to the Ministry of Health.
“Strengthen community engagement to promote ownership and sustainability of health services and programs.”
The group also emphasized the need for better coordination between the Ministry of Budget and Planning departments to improve data consistency and ensure optimal budget utilization.
The statement concluded by urging the state government to honor its commitments under the Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF) and ensure that health funding is prioritized in future budgets.
The coalition also called on civil society organizations and community leaders to intensify advocacy for improved health investment and services.

“Health is a fundamental sector that cannot be overlooked,” the statement read. “We urge the state government to act swiftly to address these gaps and fulfill its promise of delivering quality healthcare to the people of Jigawa.”

END