Shekarau takes Dantata’s daughter as fourth wife today

Former governor of Kano State, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, will today take his former aide Dr. Gaji Fatima Dantata as his fourth wife. Gaji was commissioner for women affairs during Shekarau’s first term as governor.

Dr. Gaji was a lecturer at the faculty of Education, Bayero University, Kano when Shekarau invited her to serve in his cabinet as women affairs commissioner in 2003.


The wedding fatiha will take place at the residence of Kano business tycoon, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, at Koki quarters in Kano city shortly after today’s Juma’at prayers. The bride is Aminu Dantata’s niece having been daughter of Dantata’s elder sister Hajiya Bara Alhassan Dantata.

There have been speculations for the marriage all over the state even right from the time she was commissioner. Many in Kano saw her resignation as commissioner then as a way to prepare ground for the wedding and the speculations have now come to pass as all is set for the event.

Shekarau’s media aide Sule Ya’u Sule confirmed the marriage, saying the wedding is going to be a low-key affair. He said Kano business tycoon Alhaji Aminu Dantata will preside over the marriage as a father to the groom and the bride. Shekarau is seen in Kano as Dantata’s godson having worked with him after his retirement from the civil service.

Police ban rally for Shekarau over security

Kano state police command yesterday banned a planned rally for former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who was billed to arrive in Kano from Saudi Arabia.


The ban was contained in a statement signed by the command’s Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Musa Magaji Majiya.



It reads: “The command will like to refer to the announcement by a faceless group of people in which they indicated that there will be a rally or procession during the return of the former Governor of Kano state Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau from Saudi Arabia, that such rally or procession is considered illegal by the command.”

The statement added that the ban became necessary in view of the “current security situation in the country and the likely hood of some hoodlums and miscreants to take advantage to disrupt peace and tranquility in the state.”

The command reminded the general public that all political campaigns, gathering and rallies have been suspended after successful completion of April 2011 elections.

Meanwhile, the command has called on screened candidates into the Nigeria Police Force as Cadet ASPs and inspectors to check their names on Tuesday 6th, Septembe at Guidance and Counselling Board along Emirs Palace Road, Kano.

Corruption: Jonathan asks EFCC, AGF to work together

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) “must work in collaboration” with the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke to enforce anti-corruption laws and recover looted funds stashed in foreign accounts.

Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, said this yesterday at the opening ceremony of the 8th National Seminar on Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.



Jonathan also admitted Nigeria still had huge stolen assets abroad yet to be uncovered.

He reiterated that his government would not protect any person from being investigated for allegations of corruption by the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies.

The Human Rights Watch in a 64-page report chronicling the performance of EFCC since 2002 published recently said it had performed poorly due to executive interference and a political establishment that continues to reward corruption.

“We will give all the necessary support and encouragement to all the anti-corruption agencies to vigorously enforce the enabling anti-corruption laws. I urge these agencies to do their work fairly but firmly within the ambit of the law without regard to position or status. There shall be no sacred cows. This government will not protect any so-called sacred cows. The wheel of justice must run its full course in tackling anti-corruption cases.

“The private sector equally has a big role to play. There can be no successful corruption in the public sector without connivance and collaboration with the private sector consistent with current International Best Practices.

In a keynote address, the Liberian President, Mrs Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, took an historical excursion into the travails of her country, lamenting the nation’s huge losses to graft and poor governance, in spite of the enormous natural resources available in the country.

Sirleaf said that through “structural and systemic reforms”, she has succeeded in stirring Liberia out of “systemic and suicidal corruption level.” She gave the credit to the independence of the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission, fashioned after the EFCC and with unfettered freedom to carry out its job.

In her welcome address, Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, described national economic and security challenges as man-made and largely traceable to corruption where a few individuals are bleeding the wealth of the nation and causing great pain to the larger society. Waziri said the corruption of a few has caused and is causing crushing and debilitating poverty and unemployment. “This poverty has led to despair and anger which in many cases has ignited violent unrests with attendant unpleasant consequences including loss of innocent lives and property”.

In his remark, Adoke, revealed that his office has taken seriously the issue of stolen assets recovery.

According to him, “this is borne out of the desire to ensure that corrupt persons are not only punished but are prevented from enjoying the proceeds of their crimes. In this regard, we have continued to assist relevant agencies to recover and repatriate stolen assets to Nigeria. Only recently, we negotiated the recovery and repatriation of the sum of 22.5 million pounds sterling from the Island of Jersey being the proceeds of money laundered from Nigeria,” he said.