Uba Sani: The Triumph of Tenacity

ersons familiar with the antecedents of the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, readily attest to the fact that he is hardly ever deterred by challenges or adversities, no

how daunting. Stories abound of his daring exploits as a young civil and human rights activist when successive military juntas held sway in Nigeria.

Sani’s can-do spirit and raw courage are matched only by his crisp intellect. In the 9th Senate, where he represented Kaduna Central SenatorialDistrictforfouryears,hisdexteritywas all-tooapparent.SenatorUbaSaniconceptualised and sponsored 32 bills, including three seeking constitutional amendments to allow States to establish their own Police Force and State Police Service Commissions. Even more important, his bills were ranked as the most progressive bills by the very authoritative Nigerian legislative watchdog, orderpaper.com. Indeed, Senator Sani had the singular distinction of being the only senator in the 9th National Assembly who had three of his bills assented to law by the then President Muhammadu Buhari.

Long before he won the gubernatorial election DQG DVVXPHG R΀FH DV WKH *RYHUQRU RI .DGXQD State, Senator Sani knew that the job would be challenginggiventhathewasboundtoinheritthe seeminglyintractableproblemofinsecurityinthe state. Also, Kaduna State, historically, contends with ethno-religious tension. Knowing the State sowell,UbaSaniwasunfazed;hewasthoroughly prepared for the job and committed to returning Kaduna to its long-acclaimed status as the pride and shining star of northern Nigeria.

6DQL·VDVVXPSWLRQRIR΀FHDVJRYHUQRULQVWDQWO\ brought relative calm to the hitherto tensed Kaduna State. In just a matter of days the state startedenjoyingthedividendsofpeace,safetyand security. What was the trick? Sani mounted the saddle with a clear, and measurable mission - to EHDVHUYDQW OHDGHU DXQLÀHUZLWKKLVVLJKWVVHWRQ the economic empowerment of overwhelming majorityofthecitizenryirrespectiveoftheirplaces of abode, ethnicity or religious persuasions. His planswereeasilyunderstoodandwelcomedwith relievebythepopulace.Thepeoplequicklykeyed into his agenda, which was unambiguous – an inclusive governance that is calibrated to leave no one behind.

Working very closely and relentlessly with the President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the leadership of the nation’s armed forces, the police and other security agencies, Governor Sani, very early in his administration, began deepening peace, safety and security across Kaduna State. The UHVXOWV RI KLV HͿRUWV EHFRPH LQVWDQWO\ HYLGHQW The Kaduna -Abuja express way, once notorious for the nefarious activities of bandits and kidnappers, received a deserved respite and travellers, in their numbers, began plying the road regularly without fear or anxiety. The rail service between AbujaandKadunawhichwasmomentarilyhalted after a heinous attack that led to the abduction of several passengers, resumed in earnest. Previously traumatized farmers began returning to their abandoned farms. Even the worst critics (actually political opponents) of Governor Sani, WLOO GDWH UHDGLO\ D΀UP WKDW .DGXQD LV D IDU VDIHU place than he met the State on assumption of R΀FH LQ 0D\

For most residents of Kaduna State, the unfortunate security breaches in the state in recent days, notably, the unfortunate abduction of innocent children from their school in the Kuriga community in Chikun Local Government Area, though deeply saddening, have not blighted the great work Governor Sani has been doing VLQFHKHZDVVZRUQ LQWRR΀FH 5DWKHU IRUNHHQ observers,thelatestactsofbanditsinKadunaState clearly signpost the desperation of the criminal elements whose days are clearly numbered. Given that Governor Sani has, in less than one \HDU LQ R΀FH VXEVWDQWLDOO\ PDGH .DGXQD 6WDWH unattractive for criminal elements operating in the very vast forest that straddle all the states in the northwest of Nigeria. These cowards in their recent dastardly incursion into Kaduna State, chose very soft targets – innocent school children and their harmless teacher.

For the 16 days that the children were in captivity, Governor Sani with the full and ceaseless supportofPresidentAhmedBolaTinubuworked very closely with the highest levels of the nation’s military, police and other security agencies to rescue and safely return the abducted persons to their respective homes.

From the get-go, Governor Sani’s resolve to get the children back to school was resolute and unequivocal. During this very trying period, the governor doggedly, albeit quietly, OHG WKH UHVFXH HͿRUWV IURP WKH IURQW $QG LQ the numerous meetings he summoned and chaired he repeatedly assured parents and all stakeholders that working very closely with President Bola Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the Chief of 'HIHQFH 6WDͿ *HQHUDO &KULVWRSKHU 0XVD WKH Service Chief, the Inspector General of Police and heads of other security organisations, the abducted children would be speedily returned to their homes and their parents.

In the early hours of Sunday, March 24, the prayers and tenacity Governor Sani with the full VXSSRUWRI3UHVLGHQW$KPHG%ROD7LQXEXSDLGRͿ The 137 abducted Kuriga school children were released unharmed. The jubilation in Kaduna, nay, across Nigeria, was rapturous. Finally good has triumphed over evil. The people’s hope in government was rekindled, once again.

A very relieved Governor Sani announced WKH JRRG QHZV PRPHQWV DIWHU ´,Q WKH QDPH RI $OODK WKH %HQHÀFHQW WKH 0RVW 0HUFLIXO , ZLVK to announce that our Kuriga school children have been released. Our special appreciation goes to our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for prioritising the safety and security of Nigerians and, particularly, ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.

´:KLOH WKH VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ ZHUH LQ FDSWLYity, I spoke and met with Mr. President several times. He shared our pains, comforted us and worked round the clock with us to ensure the safe return of the children. Special mention must also be made of our dear brother, the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, for his exemplaryleadership.Ispentsleeplessnightswith 5LEDGX ÀQH WXQLQJ VWUDWHJLHV DQG FRRUGLQDWLQJ the operations of the security agencies, which eventually resulted in this successful outcome.

´7KH 1LJHULDQ $UP\ DOVR GHVHUYH VSHFLDO commendation for showing that with courage, determination and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities. We also thank all Nigerians who prayed fervently for the safe return of the school children. This is, indeed, a day of joy. We give Almighty Allah all the glory.”

Giving further update on the rescue of the Kuriga school children, the Director, Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj Gen Edward %XED FRQÀUPHG WKDW WKH VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ ZHUH rescued from the bandits at Dansadau Forest in =DPIDUD6WDWH ´,QWKHHDUO\KRXUVRI 0DUFK

WKH PLOLWDU\ ZRUNLQJ ZLWK ORFDO DXWKRULWLHV and government agencies across the country, in a coordinated search and rescue operation, rescued the hostages. The hostages are same persons that were abducted from the school at

Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State. These hostages were handed over to the Sokoto State *RYHUQPHQW 7KHVHHͿRUWVGHPRQVWUDWHWKHDUPHG IRUFHV UHVROYH WR ÀQGLQJ RWKHU LQQRFHQW KRVWDJHV and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.”

The released school children where eventually HVFRUWHG E\ R΀FHUV DQG PHQ RI WKH 1LJHULDQ Army from Sokoto to Kaduna where they were handed over to an excited Governor Uba Sani at theKashimIbrahimGovernmentHouse,Kaduna. The governor’s joy was unmistakable as he went about embracing and bantering with the school children immediately they arrived the Government House. He promptly instructed that the kids be cleaned up and given urgent medical and psychosocial attention before being handed over to their thrilled parents, who had already besieged the Government House to receive their children. Governor Sani, later in the day, hosted the now well-rested and freshened-up school children to a dinner in the Government House.

The formal hand-over of the rescued Kuriga school children to Governor Sani by the nation’s military and security agencies was done by the *HQHUDO2΀FHU&RPPDQGLQJWKH VW0HFKDQLVHG DivisionoftheNigerianArmy,Kaduna,Maj.Gen Mayirenso Saraso. At the brief but emotional KDQG RYHUIRUPDOLWLHV WKH*2&FODULÀHGWKDW students and a teacher were abducted from both the Government Secondary school and Local Education Authority Primary school in Kuriga (both schools share same vicinity).

´7KURXJK NLQHWLF DQG QRQ NLQHWLF HͿRUWV WKDW were deployed under the guidance of His Excellency,PresidentAhmedBolaTinubu,throughthe 2΀FH RI 16$ WKH VFKRRO FKLOGUHQ ZHUH UHVFXHG in Dansadau forest in Zamfara State. The 137 children were released and of this number six of them are in the hospital. But unfortunately, the teacher died in captivity. So, in all, 137 school children were abducted and the 137 children (76 females and 61 males) were rescued and are now being handed over to their parents through the Kaduna State Government,” the GOC said and thereafterhandedoveralistcontainingthenames of the released school children to Governor Sani.

Governor Sani who once again showered encomiums on President Tinubu, the NSA and the nation’s military and security chiefs, was quick to caution against the politicisation of security matters, especially the release of the Kuriga school children.

´:KHQ LW FRPHV WR LVVXHV RI VHFXULW\ SOHDVH and please let us be careful. Politicising issues that border on security endangers lives. People who do not mean well are cooking up all sorts of conspiracytheories.Themostimportantjobofany responsiblegovernmentisthesafetyandsecurity of lives and properties of citizens. That is what the Federal and Kaduna State Governments have just done in the matter of the abducted Kuriga students. It is not time for conspiracy theories. Just like any other good father, I was informed that the children have been released and I was extremely happy and I have received them with immensejoy.Weareallrelievedthattheyareback and we shall build on the experiences that we have garnered from the incident to consolidate RQDOORQ JRLQJHͿRUWVWRPDNHHYHU\FRPPXQLW\ in Kaduna safer,” Governor Sani said.

Similar view was expressed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Muhammed Idris shortly after the weekly FEC PHHWLQJLQ$EXMDRQ0RQGD\ WK0DUFK ´0U President and members of the Council were happy to note that, as promised by Mr. President, these children were reunited or have been rescued from the captors and in keeping with the commitment of Mr. President, no ransom was paid,” the Information Minister said

Mr. Idris further disclosed that FEC and the President had expressed their appreciation to the NSA, the security chiefs, and others who participatedintheprocessthatledtothefreedom of the captives.

´7KH )HGHUDO ([HFXWLYH &RXQFLO DQG 0U President are very grateful, to especially the National SecurityAdviser, the service chiefs, and all security agents, who participated diligently in ensuring that these kidnapped children are reunited with their families.”

,GULVFRQÀUPHGWKDWWKHQXPEHURIVFKRROFKLOdren kidnapped was the exact number rescued, DV WKHUH ZDV QR LQIRUPDWLRQ WR WKH HͿHFW WKDW DQ\ ofthemdiedorwasheldbackbythekidnappers.

´7KHUH ZDV D TXHVWLRQ RU UHSRUWV WKDW RI these children were taken. What I can tell you is that there is no report that any of these kidnap victims either died or has been withheld. So, all those that have been taken, have been brought back in safety to their families. I can tell you WKDW µ WKH PLQLVWHU D΀UPHG

Interestingly,whileheworkedroundtheclock with other stakeholders to secure the safe release of the Kuriga school children, Governor Uba UHPDLQHGÀUPO\IRFXVHGJRYHUQDQFHDQGPHHWLQJ his targeted goals in Kaduna State. If anything, the ugly incident brought out the best in him. In an audacious move that ‘shook’ Kaduna State andreverberatedacrossthecountry,SenatorUba 6DQLRQ0RQGD\ 0DUFK ÁDJJHGRͿWKH distribution of the second batch of palliatives to Kaduna State citizens and residents worth over N11.4 billion. The highest such intervention in one fell swoop, at least in recent times, by any state government in Nigeria.

GovernorSaniliterallysetanewnationalrecord on transparency, probity and accountability in the planning phase and the eventual distribution of the palliatives in the state. In a move that has been hailed by many as novel, prior to the distribution,thegovernorsetupahigh-powered PalliativesDistributionCommitteechargedwith developing an implementation strategy/plan and executing the distribution of the palliatives LQ D ´IDLU DQG HYHQ PDQQHU µ 0HPEHUV RI WKH committee include the representatives of Organized Labour (NLC and TUC), Civil Society Organizations, Persons with Disability, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Jama’atuNasrilIslam(JNI),ChristianAssociation of Nigeria (CAN), Traditional Institutions, Youth and Women Organisations, the Commissioner of Police, Director of DSS, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and R΀FLDOV RI WKH .DGXQD 6WDWH *RYHUQPHQW

´7KH EURDG EDVHG DQG LQFOXVLYH FRPPLWWHH underscoresourdeterminationtoensuretransparency and fairness in the palliatives’ distribution SURFHVV ,WLVDOVRDNH\VWHSWRZDUGVWKHHͿHFWLYH monitoring of the distribution exercise to check diversion of palliatives meant for the people. The labour/CSOs driven process will help strengthen and deepen engagement between the demand and supply sides of governance,” Governor Sani explained before astounding his people as he reeled out the long list of palliative measures to the jubilant populace.

The governor’s gestures were roundly applaudedbyacrosssectionofresidentsandcitizens of the state. Speaking on behalf of Organised Labour in Kaduna, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Suleiman commended the governor IRUUHOHDVLQJ PLOOLRQQDLUDIRUWKHZRUNHUV· revolving loan scheme.