Talata Mafara residents have received condolences from Senator Kabir Garba Marafa on the market gunpowder explosion, which he stated claimed to have implicated around forty-four people.

The senator was shocked to learn about the incident, according to a statement he released on Thursday through his spokesperson, Adamu Garba Anka.

The statement added that it is believed to have been caused by the powder of a traditionally made weapon.

He went on to say, “Natural disasters cannot be prevented, but we must always take precautions and develop plans to avoid them.”

“The impacted victims, their relatives, Talata Mafara Local Government, and the Zamfara State Government all get our sincere condolences. May Almighty Allah (SWT) grant them a quick recovery.”

As the Nigerian Army steps up its efforts to combat criminal groups in the area, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff, has promised that Katsina State will soon be free of banditry.

Oluyede made this pledge on Wednesday during his maiden operational visit to the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army at the Natsinta Barracks in Katsina.

After meeting with commanders behind closed doors, he told reporters that the purpose of his visit was to evaluate the brigade’s activities and resolve any issues impeding their efficacy.

“The main goal of my operational visit to Katsina State 17 Brigade is to evaluate the brigade’s operational activities, examine their difficulties, and determine how quickly I can resolve them so that they can perform the task we have given them to do exceptionally well,” he said.

The Army Chief praised the brigade’s efforts to combat instability and ordered them to further up their efforts to eradicate bandits from the state entirely.

I’m sure you’ll concur that the brigade has been performing admirably. In order to eradicate all of these outlaws from the state and make it a safer place for us to live, I have come to exhort and charge them to do more,” he stated.

Oluyede reiterated the army’s dedication to bringing Katsina’s security back, emphasizing that their goal is to make sure that banditry is totally eradicated from the state.

Since the goal is to completely eradicate the bandits from the state, he continued, “we have recorded a number of successes, which is why I’m here to charge them to do more.”

The Army Chief also emphasized the significance of his troops’ role in protecting lives and property and asked them to stay committed to their mission of safeguarding the country.

Oluyede underlined that since eradicating bandits from the area is in line with the soldiers’ primary role of protecting Nigeria, it is their fundamental obligation.

He emphasized that maintaining security will make the public’s surroundings safer, free up government resources for development, and eventually enhance Nigerians’ quality of life.

As violent crime continues to rise around the nation, authorities reported Tuesday that an 18-year-old man was shot and murdered overnight in the northern village of Hamaam.

Although the motivation is still unknown, authorities say the shooting is thought to have been criminal in nature rather than terror-related. The tragedy occurs at a time when violent killings, especially among Arabs, are on the rise.

Homicide rates increased in 2023, with a record 244 murder victims in the Arab sector, according to recent data from the Israel Police.

21 persons were slain in violent crimes last month alone, which is more than twice as many as were killed during the same time last year.

Concerns over government intervention and law enforcement activities have been highlighted by the increase in crime.

Amid rumors that far-right Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir may rejoin the cabinet, acting national security minister Haim Katz, who now serves in a number of capacities, is viewed as a stopgap measure.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Kaduna State University, KASU branch, on Tuesday commenced an indefinite strike over unresolved welfare concerns.

This was captured in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chairman of the union, Peter Adamu and secretary, Peter Waziri.

According to the statement, the action followed the approval of the National Executive Council of ASUU, stating that the strike was total, comprehensive and indefinite.

The statement added that the union “unanimously and vehemently rejected the promises from the Kaduna State government for lack of substance, specific details and actionable timelines on the payment of the outstanding entitlements to members”.

The union pointed out that non-payment of all withheld salaries was part of the unresolved welfare issues it has been fighting for.

It said other issues were non-payment of Earned Academic Allowances from 2016 till date, payment of promotion arrears and Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme supervision allowances.

The union claims that the restoration of the university’s autonomy is another gray area. Other issues that remain unresolved include the execution of 25 percent and 35 percent salary awards, non-remittance of pensions from 2009 to 2019, and Group Life Assurance and other benefits to deceased members.