The Katsina State Government, has earmarked N5 billion for the construction of affordable housing units for residents of the state.

The General Manager, Katsina State Housing Authority, Mr Aliyu Rabiu-Kurfi, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Katsina.

Rabiu-Kurfi expalined that N2.5 billion, would be utilised by the government to construct 100 housing units in the state capital.

He said that the other part might be spent on fencing and site clearance of another land to be procured in Abuja, adding that a final decision had not been reached on that.

“A decision is not yet reached, the government might clear the land, put in place all required infrastructure and make provision for individuals to come and build their own houses, both private individuals and developers.

“So, our governor has good plan for housing sector in the state, beginning from this year.

“The governor has already designed a policy tagged ‘Katsina State Housing Policy, 2024’, to serve as foundation and cornerstone for all programmes in the sector,” he said.

He general manager also revealed that the successive state governments had so far constructed 1,848 housing units since the creation of the state in 1987 to date.

“The state has always been blessed with governors who have been patriotic in establishing housing estates.

”These housing estates have been established in Batagarawa, Kofar Marusa, Ahmadu Coomassie, Goruba, all in Katsina district.

”Some were also built in Dutsin-ma, Kankia, Daura, Mani, Funtua and Malumfashi, Barhim, Sarki Abdulrahman, Fatima Shema, Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, and one in Abuja,” he said.

Rabiu-Kurfi disclosed that while some of the houses were allocated to civil servants, others were allocated to private individuals.

He however said that those allocated houses still had about N2 billion yet to be paid to the state government.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano State Command, has arrested a 75-year-old man, Nuhu Baba, for allegedly selling illicit substances for over two years to youths in the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kano.

Muhammad-Maigatari said the suspect, upon investigation, confessed he was engaged in the illicit trade in his community Tumbau Village, Gezawa Local Government Area, as a means of sustainance.

“Baba’s case underscores the alarming reality of drug trafficking and abuse, which affects individuals across all demographics, including the elderly.

“This incident serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive nature of substance abuse within communities.” he added.

The PRO said that the command successfully recovered various illicit substances such as Tramadol, Cannabis Sativa, Diazepam, Exol-5, and Rubber Solution.

According to him, the State Commander of the agency, Mr Abubakar Idris-Ahmad, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to combating drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

He emphasised the importance of community involvement in the fight against drug trafficking and urged the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to drug trafficking.

The Police Command in Jigawa says it has begun the enforcement of the Third-Party Motor Insurance Policy across the state.

The Command’s Spokesperson, SP Lawan Shiisu, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Dutse on Tuesday.

Shiisu said the enforcement aligned with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun.

The spokesperson, therefore, advised vehicle owners to have valid third-party insurance “to avoid any embarrassment”.

“In accordance with section 68 of the Insurance Act 2003, the Jigawa Police Command initiated the implementation of third-party vehicle insurance on Feb.1, 2025, across the 27 local government areas of the state.

“This is in compliance with the directive issued by the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, to all state police commissioners,” he said.

Shiisu added that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmadu Abdullahi, called on motorists to obtain a valid third-party insurance policy from only licensed insurance entities authorised by the National Insurance Commission.

“Abdullahi emphasised the policy’s importance and noted that in the event of an accident, it is easy to facilitate safety of innocent third parties and ensure financial recovery/compensation for damages, injuries or loss of life.

“The commissioner also warned officers involved in this national assignment to maintain a high level of professionalism, respect human rights, be civil but firm and avoid extortion.

“He also warned that any errant officer found wanting will face disciplinary actions,