He was 78 years old.

His younger brother, Alhaji Abba Galadima, confirmed the death in a statement, saying he “passed away on Saturday at a hospital in Kano metropolis.”

He described the loss as painful, noting that the late Galadima devoted his life to public service, community leadership and the growth of football administration in Nigeria.

He said the funeral prayer would hold on Sunday at 10 a.m. in Fagge Juma’at Mosque, Kano State.

Family members, associates and well-wishers are expected to attend the prayer and burial rites in accordance with Islamic traditions.

Abba Galadima prayed for Allah’s mercy, saying, “May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus.”

He served as Commissioner for Works and Kano State Sports Commission chairman during his career in public service.

He was widely respected for his administrative skills, integrity and commitment to advancing sports development, particularly football, within Kano State and across the country.

Galadima also played a prominent role in traditional leadership as Galadiman Fagge, contributing to community cohesion and local governance in Kano State.

Tributes have begun to pour in from associates, who remember him as a disciplined administrator and a dedicated elder statesman.

Source: NAN

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The FCTA also sealed the Chinese Cultural Centre, Wuse, belonging to Jade Garden Restaurants, for non-payment of ground rent for 19 years.

The Director of Land, FCTA, Mr. Chijoke Nwankwoeze, explained during the exercise in Abuja on Monday that the properties had reverted to the FCTA.

Nwankwoeze said that the exercise marked the commencement of taking possession of more than 4,794 revoked properties by the FCTA, over unpaid ground rent amounting to more than N6 billion.

He explained that the FIRS building on Plot 627, Wuse Zone 5, owed the FCTA ground rent for 25 years.

He also said that Access Bank building, on Plot No. 2456, Wuse I, Cadastral Zone A02, Abuja, belonging to Rana Tahir Furniture Nig. Ltd, had also not paid ground rent for 34 years.

He said that the property had thus reverted to the FCTA who had taken possession thereof.

Earlier, the enforcement team sealed Total Energy Petrol Station on plot 534 cadastral zone A02 Wuse Zone 1, belonging to Total Plc, over unpaid ground rent for more than 10 years.

READ ALSO: Assessing Tinubu’s second year in office, By Kazeem Akintunde

The Director, Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, who led the tasks force, said that the action was to take possession of the property which had been revoked in March.

Galadima recalled that the FCTA had announced its decision to take possession of the more than 4,000 revoked properties in the territory for non-payment of ground rent for more than 10 years.

“So, today is just to comply with what we have said that we are going to take over all the revoked properties and we are starting with a plot 534 cadastral zone A02 that Wuse Zone 1, owned by Total PLC,” he said.

Also sealed is the office premises of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on Plot 2028, Dalaba Street, Wuse, belonging to Nigeria Sugar Company Ltd for the same offence.

Grand Ibro Hotel, on Plot 2359, Wuse Zone 5, whose land title belong to Dubabi and Company was also sealed over 26-year unpaid ground rent, including Mamuda Group Warehouse.

However, shortly after FIRS premises was sealed, the seals were removed, which Galadima described as criminal offence, adding that the FCTA would take a legal action.

Source: NAN

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The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday.

Confirming the incident, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, the command’s spokesperson said it was a case of robbery leading to the death of the clergyman.

Abdullahi stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Bello Yahaya, who visited the hospital where the body of the deceased was taken to, had deployed a team of special squad of personnel to the area.

He expressed optimism that the culprits would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.

“The issue is a robbery because they entered into the house at night and maybe they attempted to rob him but unfortunately from the way he was shot at the back, maybe he was trying to escape which is natural and normal and he was shot,” he said.

Abdullahi said that Yahaya was at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe that same night up till 5 a.m. to see things for himself.

He stated that Yahaya had deployed a team of smart and technical personnel to the area and he expressed optimism that the police would get down to the root of this incident.

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He debunked issue linking the incidence to suspected bandits, noting that the state had no history of banditry.

“We have coordinated a special operation and we are confident that the culprits would be arrested.”

On why the incident happened in spite of the ban on night-time movement by the police, Abdullahi said the restriction was only effective in Gombe metropolis.

He, however, said that Yahaya had directed all Area Commands in the state to replicate the restriction on night-time movement across the state.

Narrating the sad event, a resident of Lubo and an eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the gunmen entered the town around 1 a.m., announcing their presence with multiple gunshots.

It stated that the gunmen first visited the ECWA Church in the community before proceeding to a nearby compound where they stole some money.

He said that they entered the compound, stole N300,000 and then ransacked the houses in the compound and afterwards asked for the deceased’s house which was a fence away.

The witness said on getting the information they proceeded to the pastor’s house where they shot him at the upper part of his back.

He said that in view of the incident, the community had been thrown into mourning and fear as many of the residents were yet to recover from the sad event on a Sunday morning.

Source: NAN

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Wike gave the order in Abuja on Tuesday when he visited the area, officially known as ‘Road N12’ in Mabushi District of the FCT.

He described the colony, located behind the Minister’s Quarters in Mabushi District, as a “threat” to the security of the city.

The area had been taken over by scavengers popularly known as ‘Baban Bola’, including mechanics and furniture makers.

The minister, who was accompanied by a combined team of security personnel and senior officials of FCT Administration, added that efforts would be heightened to rid the city of criminal elements.

He said that such dens of criminals would not be allowed in the FCT.

He said that the colony was also encouraged by the thick canopy of cashew trees planted by the indigenous people of the FCT for speculative purposes.

Wike warned against planting such trees in areas where the government had mapped out for development.

According to him, the government would not pay compensation for the trees.

Wike ordered the Development Control Department and the Federal Capital Development Authority to clear the entire area and take a scope of the road for preliminary works.

“You should not compensate them. This is a hideout of criminals, and the communities should stop planting trees in the area.

“When they see that the government intends to develop the road, they come and plant crops for the government to pay compensation. We are not going to do any compensation.

“The Development Control must clear this area, chase out all these criminals.

“These are the kind of things you see that people commit crimes and then before you know it, they run down here for cover and people will be saying oh, FCT is not safe.

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“It is not a question of giving them notice. There is no notice. You must chase them out now and clear the entire area,” he said.

The minister assured the residents of FCT that the government would do everything possible to reduce the level of crime.

Mr Mukhtar Galadima, Coordinator, Federal Capital Territory City Management Task Team, assured the minister that the area would be cleared of all structures and send the criminals packing.

Galadima, who is also the Director, Department of Development Control, said that the area was proposed for a transit road network that transverses the city across districts.

He said that scavengers had however turned the area into a colony, harbouring all kinds of criminals.

“With the security challenges across the country, illegal activities of this nature will not be allowed to continue.

“That is why we are not giving consideration to compensation; we have to secure the place.

“After the clearing of the area, FCDA will move in immediately, nobody will come in and settle again,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Dr Usman Galadima, Chief of Operations and Head of the NAHCON National Medical Team, made this known during a post-Arafat meeting with stakeholders on Sunday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Galadima explained that seven pilgrims died before Arafat, six died during the five-day Mashair (core Hajj period) and additional one person died after the Arafat.

“We had six reported death at Mashair, four died in Arafat and the other two died in Mina. Already we lost seven pilgrims before Arafat and just now I have just been informed that we lost another pilgrim. This brings the total of deaths recorded to 14.

“The mortality rate is similar to that of 2019,” he said.

He also revealed that the medical team recorded three cases of chickenpox during the core hajj period and the affected pilgrims were immediately moved out of the area as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of the disease.

Galadima also disclosed that the team recorded two deliveries during the period of hajj ritual in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah, adding that one of the pregnant women delivered on the road, while the second one was brought to the clinic and delivered safely.

He emphasised the need for a thorough pre-hajj medical screening with the issuance of a certificate of medical fitness.

He also said that elderly pilgrims and those that are very sick should be discouraged from participating in the symbolic devil stoning at Jamrat because of the stress involved.

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In his presentation, the NAHCON Head of Aviation, Alhaji Goni Sanda, disclosed that the transport of pilgrims back to Nigeria would begin on Tuesday, July 4.

He said the policy of first in, first out would strictly be applied in the evacuation of the pilgrims back to Nigeria.

He further stated that the Saudi authorities had a policy that in the first two weeks, the air carriers would not operate maximally due to the volume of traffic and the large number of aircraft involved in the evacuation of pilgrims from different countries, as well as the fact that virtually all planes will take off from one Airport, the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah.

He stated that in the first two weeks of the start of the transportation of pilgrims, Flynas would only utilise four of its six aircraft for the operation, adding that the other two were undergoing some checks and maintenance.

Also, the Commissioner, Operations of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Hardawa, said the commission had resolved to ensure that pilgrims fully obey its luggage policy during their return journey to Nigeria.

He recalled that in 2022, there was a breach, but pledged that such breaches would not be tolerated this year, so as to have a seamless operation.

He decried the attitude of some pilgrims, particularly the females, who go to the airport with multiple bags all in the name of hand luggage, warning that this time the situation would not be accepted.

He therefore called on officials of state pilgrims boards to inform their pilgrims about the policy to avoid any inconveniences and unnecessary delays at the airport.

“The airline operators have bitterly complained about this untoward behaviour of some pilgrims, which put lives of other passengers in  the aircraft at risk. This time it will not be business as usual.

“And for fear of losing some valuables at the airport, the pilgrims should abide by the 32kg luggage policy, or they should avail themselves with the cargo window.”

Source: NAN

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The Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other units of the Nigerian Police Force on Monday is investigating alleged violations of human rights.

The CP was on several occasions ordered to appear before the panel with Alozie’s case file but he had so far refused to honour the summons.

The panel chairman, retired Justice Suleiman Galadima, who issued the arrest warrant, described Ochogwu’s attitude as unbecoming of a lawyer and police officer.

“The only option left for the panel is to issue a warrant of arrest on the CP Legal and mandate the National Human Rights Commission to write to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee to report Ochogwu’s conduct in the matter.

“The CP has flagrantly and repeatedly disobeyed the order of the panel, having refused to turn in the said case file to enable the panel to unravel the truth about the whereabouts of Alozie in accordance with the law,” he said.

Galadima adjourned the petition until Wednesday for progress report.

The victim’s wife, Nnnena alleged arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance and detention of her husband by the police in a petition marked 2020/IIp-SARS/ABJ/73.

The respondents in the matter are ASP M. Obiozor of the defunct SARS Awkuzu, Anambra; Uzi Emeana; Sunday Okpe, Anambra Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police.

Nnenna in her testimony said that her husband’s case was heard in a high court and judgment delivered.

She added that the court ordered that the police should release the victim as well as his property seized.

According to her the police refused to obey the order of the court and that prompted her filing the petition before the panel.

On December 2, 2021, in her testimony, she alleged that six SARS operatives stormed their residence in Lekki, Lagos, on June 15, 2017 and whisked her husband away.

She said that she later got to know that her husband was arrested for his involvement in an alleged kidnapping in the course of searching everywhere for her husband and the reason for his arrest.

“Since the day they arrested my husband, I have not seen him and I don’t know his whereabouts.

“After the SARS operatives arrested my husband, they ransacked our bedroom and went away with some of our personal belongings which include certificates and other documents, money, a Lexus and a Ford, parked in our house,” she said.

On December 15, 2021 the panel summoned Ochogu to appear but he failed to do so.

The panel also on March 8, ordered Ochogwu to appear before it with the case file of a victim of enforced disappearance, Alozie.

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Within two weeks, we lost three professors in quick succession. Habu Galadima, Director-General, National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). Femi Odekunle, renowned criminologist and member of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC). And Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos.

Each time a professor dies, I say to myself: what a waste! All the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. The research, the knowledge, and quest for more knowledge, kaput. Sheer waste!

I have firsthand experience in losing a Professor. My elder sister was one. She was a Professor of Dramatic Arts at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. In December 2015, she was traveling from Ibadan to Lagos, when that famished road consumed her. All the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. The knowledge, and the quest for more knowledge, kaput. What a waste, sheer waste of all that is bright and beautiful.

I have seen Professors die. Young, middle aged, old. But at whatever age, the sheer sense of loss always weighs on me powerfully. Habu Galadima was only 57. Not ripe at all. Professor Ayodele Awojobi, perhaps the most brilliant Engineer from this part of the world, was only 47, when he passed. Waste. Sheer waste.

Each time a professor dies, I say to myself: what a waste! All the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. The research, the knowledge, and quest for more knowledge, kaput. Sheer waste!

I knew the three Professors that just died, personally. Habu Galadima I’d met each time he visited the Presidential Villa, either solely, or with his students at NIPSS.

Just 17 days before he passed on, he had led members of the Senior Executive Course 42 on a visit, to present their research findings on Population Growth and Human Capital Development: Challenges and Opportunities, to President Muhammadu Buhari. I was Master of Ceremonies at the event, which held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.

In my capacity as compere, I consulted and related closely with Prof Galadima. We discussed who would do what on the program, and were engaging till the about two hours event was concluded. We both had our face masks in place, and still tried to respect the principle of social distancing, even as we conferred.

You could imagine my shock, when 17 days later, I heard of the death of the erudite Professor. He had reportedly been admitted at an isolation centre in Abuja on December 19, but sadly, he lost the battle for life the next day. All the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. The knowledge, and quest for more knowledge, kaput. What a waste, sheer waste.

President Buhari says usually of COVID-19: ‘You can’t see it, you can’t touch it, you can’t hear it, but it is there, causing havoc all over the world.”

It kills the rich, and the poor. It eliminates the old, and the young. It has no respect for learning and research, so it takes even Professors. “Death lays its icy hands on kings, Scepter and crown must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made with the poor crooked scythe and spade,” wrote James Shirley.

And death takes everyone, everything, including Professors. How rude. Impudent. Even supercilious. No wonder John Donne wrote that death shall die one day.

“One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.” True.

Professor Femi Odekunle I probably knew closest among the three fallen scholars. I visited his home in Wuse area of Abuja regularly, very regularly, and he had a way of saying: “Femi, please let’s see on your way from church on Sunday.” And I usually did.

Odekunle was a Buharist, and we usually had a lot to discuss about our principal, trends in government, the anti-corruption war, and many others. When he needed background information on certain issues, he usually sent for me.

The worst enemy is the one who can see you, and you can’t see. It strikes stealthily, and fatally. And with Coronavirus, “you can’t see it, you can’t smell it, you can’t touch it, but it is there, causing havoc round the world.”

And the President loved and respected him, too. There was a time the Professor needed private audience, and he sent me to the boss. I mentioned it, and pronto, he granted the request. You can’t beat President Buhari in terms of loyalty to his allies.

When COVID-19 came, the Odekunle home took all the precautions. You must wear face mask before you were granted access, and someone was always by the door to apply sanitizers to your hands. So, how did the Prof catch COVID, or rather, how did COVID catch him? Mysterious. Inscrutable. Baffling.

As former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Dr Olu Agunloye, has succinctly put it, I was in a way involved in the last ditch effort to ensure Prof Odekunle lived. After he had spent 11 days in an isolation centre in Abuja, the wife became restive about the quality of care he was getting. So also the son, Dosu. I began to talk with them back and forth, and the wife asked if the DSS hospital could take her husband.

I made the contacts, and the way was being paved for his transfer, when the unthinkable happened. Professor Odekunle lost the battle for life. All the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. All the knowledge, and search for more knowledge, kaput. What a waste. Sheer waste!

And then, Professor Ibidapo-Obe. I had known him since his days as Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos. We had invited him to grace The Sun Awards, while I worked with The Sun Newspapers. He came, and that was the beginning of our acquaintanceship, which lasted till last weekend.

It was a shock for me to hear the news. He was a first class brain, best graduating student in his set, who had his Master’s and Ph.D in record time. He was President of the Nigerian Academy of Science. But impudent COVID-19 did not respect all that. Now, all the learning, gone. All the intellect, perished. All the knowledge, and search for more knowledge, kaput. What a waste. Sheer waste!

On Tuesday this week, our country recorded 1,354 new cases of Coronavirus infections. It was the highest daily record so far, and deaths have hit 1,319, in all the 36 States, and the Federal Capital Territory. Fellow Nigerians, it’s no time to be careless or reckless. The second wave of Coronavirus is not smiling at all.

The worst enemy is the one who can see you, and you can’t see. It strikes stealthily, and fatally. And with Coronavirus, “you can’t see it, you can’t smell it, you can’t touch it, but it is there, causing havoc round the world.”

May God save us from such implacable foe.

*Adesina is Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity.

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