Court convicts man for illegal possession of firearms
By Uthman Yawa-Siraja
Niger State Command of the Department of State Service (DSS) has secured the conviction of one Usman Abubakar by Minna Chief Magistrate Court Number One.
He was arraigned by the operatives of the secret security agency for being in illegal possession of an automatic pump-action gun and four cartridges.
The defendant was brought to the court amidst tight security by the operatives of the DSS and arraigned by the head of the legal unit of the command, Mallam Abdulmalik Sani, a legal practitioner.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) made available in court by the head of the legal unit and obtained by our reporter, it was disclosed that the defendant was arraigned on one count of being in possession of a magnum pump action rifle without lawful authority.
The charge sheet marked MN/02/2024 read in part: "That you Usman Abubakar, adult, male, Bororo of Beji Town, in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger State, that on December 12, 2023, at Paiko, within the jurisdiction of this court, committed a criminal act to wit: you had in your possession without lawful authority two (2) magnum pump action rifles with registration numbers 18-0223 and 18-0254, respectively, contrary to sections 9 (1) and (2) and punishable under section 27 (I) (b) (111) of the firearms Act, Cap F28".
The legal officer told the court that the defendant was arrested by a joint patrol team along Minna Paiko Road with the gun concealed in a bag, along with his brother, who was now on the run.
He further told the court that the defendant had confessed during interrogation that he bought the gun from Toto in Nasarawa State at the rate of six hundred thousand naira (N600,000) for self-defence as a result of the incessant armed banditry attacks on their community.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate Hajiya Imma Mohammed, after taking the plea of the defendant, who pleaded for leniency that he bought the gun to defend himself as a result of the activities of armed bandits and was begging the court to temper justice with mercy, then convicted him and reserved the sentence till January 17, 2024, for the final judgement.
The National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) in Niger State, which was aimed at improving health outcomes and custodians of a brighter future.
Addressing journalists during a news briefing at the Federal Secretariat office of the Commission in Minna on Thursday, the Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Niger State, Hon. Mohammad Dattijo Usman, stated that the support and cooperation of all stakeholders and non-governmental organisations (NGO) were required for the success of the survey.
The Federal Commissioner, who was represented at the news briefings by the State Director of the National Population Commission, Alhaji Nma Shehu, noted that the support, engagement, and collaboration received from relevant donor partners have been instrumental in bringing the commission to this point.
According to the federal commissioner, the success of the 2023–2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey will hinge significantly "on your continued commitment, and we are deeply grateful for your unwavering dedication to this cause."
The National Population Commission, he explained, in collaboration with key partners, has diligently implemented the NDHS consistently, raising the bar for demographic and health data collection in Nigeria.
The launch of the survey at the state level, he explained, has reiterated the commission's commitment to upholding the same high standards of excellence and precision that have defined the NDHS over the years.
He enumerated the objectives of the 2023–2024 NDHS to include gathering high-quality data on a wide range of vital indicators, including fertility rates, maternal and child health, contraceptive use, childhood mortality, gender-related issues, nutrition, and HIV/AIDS.
Also, he said it included providing data supporting the evaluation needs of maternal and child health and family planning programmemes, enabling evidence-based planning and resource allocation, producing timely results, ensuring wide data dissemination, and informing programme managers and policymakers, among other objectives.
Speaking further, Alhaji Dattijo Usman noted that these objectives were not mere words on paper, "but they represent the path to a healthier, more prosperous Nigeria, a Nigeria that can address the unique needs of its citizens, promote gender equality, improve health outcomes, and reduce the burden of disease.".
While expressing his gratitude to some international donor agencies for their invaluable partnership, the NPC federal commissioner in Niger State appreciated the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Bureau of Statistics, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and other ministries, departments, and agencies for their support and their integral role in aligning the efforts with broader societal goals.
