By Abdallah el-Kurebe.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has warned against the dangers of hate speech in Kano’s political space .The group cautioned  that something  be urgently done to guard against hate speech resulting from political bickering between supporters of different political parties in Kano state.

Addressing a Press Conference in Kano on Thursday, the Centre, through its Senior Programmes Officer, Isah Garba noted that the trend would result in dangerous tide if nothing was done about it.

“This press conference is intended to draw the attention of all stakeholders on the potential dangers to the state in particular and the country in general as a result of the elite contestation for positions, bargaining for power, expression of disappointments and frustration for being sidelined.

“Democracy and democratic governance can only be strong and effective if there is there strong and vibrant opposition that stimulates the party on the throne to deliver the mandate given to it by the electorate through constructive criticism and actions that can be called ombudsman work, without which the ruling party may possibly be reluctant and in effective,” the statement read.

CITAD observed that in spite of the nation’s democracy of two decades, the key actors in the political scene were dragging the development backward through the growing inter and intra party enmity, which was posing threat to the democratic processes in the country at the advent of the 2019 general election.

The Centre further observed that with Kano as the driving force of politics in northern Nigeria, the current political bickering is a serious issue to pay attention to.

“Kano is without doubt the centre and the driving force of the politics in northern Nigeria which makes it to serve as a pointer to the direction of politics in the region either positively or negatively. The nature of the political scene in Kano today is becoming a serious issue of concern to all peace loving and patriotic citizens.

The growing inter party enmity between the Gandujyiya and Kwankwasiyya groups of the All Progressive Congress (APC), which sounds of the drums of war is going higher on daily basis and  posing threat to the peace of the centre of commence and at the same time showing wrong directions to the politics of Northern Nigeria in general,” it observed while describing as dangerous, recent development in which supporters of the two groups blow trumpets of conflict each time opportunities arose.

CITAD expressed concern on a statement allegedly made by a serving commissioner and published on an online medium (not Newsdiaryonline.com), warning that if nothing was done the situation may result to anarchy. “It is almost certain that if nothing is done, the mobilized groups mayexecute the calls of their principals to action.”

The Centre called on Kano state government “Not to allow itself to be used by political conflict entrepreneurs who enrich themselves through conflicts; to condemn the alleged statement through the media if the speaker was not speaking for the government; to seek means of resolving the inter party differences amicably without given chance for bloodbath; the Governor shouldshow example by disassociating himself from the growing spread of hate speech with impunity among political party supporters.”

While calling on the Kano Emirate Council to intervene in this issue “by issuing statement callingfor calm and peace,” it also called on Kwankwasiyya group to, “remain calm and not be provoked by the alleged statement; not take laws into their hands but rather seek for legal redress on any perceived threat; collaborate with security agencies in the state to ensure that the programme is peacefully conducted and Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to call on his supporters to remain calm and law–abiding

The Centre advised security agencies in the state to “be objective in handling political matters in the state; not be allowed to be used by any group to achieve political or any other interests; invite anyone alleged to make statements that are capable of threatening peace and unity in the state.”

The Centre for Information Technology And Development, CITAD, has attributed the mass failure recorded in the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, especially among female candidates in northern Nigeria, to lack of internet access.

In a research it conducted, which was presented at a 2-Day Stakeholders Meeting to Greater Access to Internet for Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State, CITAD pointed out that lack of and internet access was the reason why the girls failed Computer Based Test, since it was by JAMB, 3 years ago.

Maryam Haruna, a Programme Manager at CITAD, who presented the research on Sunday, revealed that 90% of girls secondary schools in Kano lack computer laboratories, let alone, internet access.

She added that in spite of the fact that computer studies is compulsory for all students of secondary schools, according to the national education curriculum, many girls students were only coming into contact with the computer at the examination halls.

Mrs Haruna said, “In May 2017, the Joint Matriculation Examinations Board (JAMB), Nigeria’s tertiary admission examination agency, conducted for the fifth time Computer Based Test (CBT) for admission to tertiary institutions.

“A national outcry followed the release of the examination which saw massive failure, especially among female candidates in the north.

“One of the reasons implicated in the mass failure was the lack of access to computers and internet facilities in the schools in spite of the fact that computer studies is compulsory for all students of secondary schools according to the national education curriculum.

“Instead, many students were only coming into contact with the computer at the examination halls.

“The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) conducted a research to establish the extent of access to internet and computing facilities in girls’ public secondary schools in Kano State, the most populous state in the country with a population of 9,401,288 in the 2006 census and currently now having about 16 million people.

“Like many states in the north, Kano State runs separate schools for males and females at senior secondary school level, thus allowing the possibility of differential access to internet and other facilities in the schools along gender lines.”

On her part, a lecturer with the department of Computer Studies, Bayero University Kano, Sana Muazu, called on schoolgirls in Kano to embrace Information Technology to enhance their academic activities.

According to her, the alarming rate of girls not opportune to have internet access in girls secondary schools called for great action on the part of stakeholders.

She noted that the stakeholders were responsible for providing internet facilities for the girls to have an impeded access, especially now that the digital revolution had taken over.

She however called on the schoolgirls to embrace internet with sole aim of enhancing their academic career, not an avenue to engage on nasty stuff capable of ruining their future.

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Thursday demands security agencies to arrest and investigate Kano state Commissioner for Special Duties Abdulahi Abbas for reuesting his supporters to stone former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who is the Senator representing Kano Central at the Senate.

Abdullahi Abbas had appeared in a viral video clip that emerged on Wednesday asking his supporters to stone Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso during his scheduled visit to Kano by the end of this month.

CITAD said Abdulahi Abbas comments are capable of disrupting the peace enjoyed by the people of the state given his social and political standing in the society

At a news conference on Thursday, CITAD Senior Program Officer Isa Garba warned that the intra party rivalry  between the Gandujiyya and the Kwankwasiyya camps which all belong to the All Progressives Congress ( APC) is posing serious threats to Kano state.

“The most recent dangerous development in this crisis is the incessant blowing of conflict trumpet by the two groups, especially with respect to the scheduled visit of the former   governor , Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the reaction of the Gandujiyya group on the matter.”

“ This becomes clear when a high profile official of the Gandujiyya group who is also a commissioner was quoted in a video clip calling on their supporters to stone what he referred to as “ the political Satan of Kano”

The Civil Society Group said the state Commissioner for Special Duties Abdullahi Abbas indirectly in the video clip confessed to organizing the crisis in Minjibir and the clash at Hawan Daushe which resulted to the maiming of many people.

CITAD recommended that security agents should invite Abdullahi Abbas for investigation on the statement and his planned   actions on the visit of Senator Kwankwaso to the state.

The security agents should also use the statement in furthering their investigation on the Hawan Daushe crisis as well as urging the security agents to always handle issues objectively