Insecurity in Kaduna exaggerated, says NIPR

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has declared that reports of insecurity in Kaduna State are exaggerated.

The Chairman, Planning Committee, Nigerian Public Relations Week, entitled, ‘’Croc city 2026’’, Chief Yomi Badejo Okusanya, stated this during a media tour of some projects in the state.

He commended Governor Uba Sani for establishing the Command and Control Centre as an intelligence gathering hub, in his efforts to contain insecurity in the state.

Also, Sani has been conferred with the Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations(NIPR) for demonstrating merit in service to the state and the nation.

Underscoring the importance of the investiture at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, the National President of NIPR, Dr Ike Neliaku, said: ‘’We are very careful of those that wear the brand of NIPR.’’

Okusanya said there were a lot of outside pressures discouraging the institute from holding the   Week in Kaduna, arguing that the state is not safe.

‘’Yes, it has some challenges like every other place, but I think two things; efforts have been made to tackle this issue and then secondly, it’s not as bad as what people think,’’ he clarified.

He advised the state government to share its efforts at curbing insecurity not just to its citizens but the whole country, adding that the Centre should be replicated in the 23 local government headquarters.

The tour took officials of NIPR and reporters to Badarawa Primary Healthcare Centre, Kawo General Hospital, Government Secondary School Nasarawan Rigachukun, Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development, and the Kakuri Southern Terminal which is under construction.

At the Badarawa PHC, the Commissioner of Health, Hajiya Umma K Ahmad, said Kaduna is the only subnational whose 255 PHCs have been upgraded to Level 2.

According to her, all the PHCs operate 24 hours, and they provide basic emergency, obstetrics and neonatal care, adding that they are also stocked with adequate medical consumables.

‘’A woman can walk into this facility, do her antenatal clinic, deliver in this facility and then her baby will do immunisation and other basic care. And then if the patient requires referral, then there is a referral pathway. We have ambulances that will immediately refer these patients to the next higher facility, that is the general hospital.

‘’The governor has recently approved CONMESS and CONHESS salary scales for our health workers. Kaduna State pays hazard allowance, which has been increased in recent years,’’ she added.

At the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development, the Provost, Malam Hussaini Haruna Muhammad, said the institute has three campuses at Soba, Rigachukun and Samarun Kataf, to cater for the Northern, Central and Southern senatorial districts.

He said the institute is running 14 trade areas and has three courses, namely, National Skills Qualification (NSQ), whose certificate is internationally recognised.

According to the provost, the institute also runs the Level Qualification which has a range of six months and the Unit Qualification for short-term courses as well as two-week courses in cosmetology.

Hussaini also said the institute has a course module named Recognition of Prior Learning, which is for skilled artisans who have hands-on experience but require certification.

The provost, who said there are 497,000 students at the Rigachukun campus, took the delegates to ICT Department, Fashion Design as well as Carpentry and Joinery departments, including Solar Installation and Maintenance Department, Electrical and Electronics.

The team also visited the 35-kilometre asphaltic road, the longest road that has been constructed in the last two decades, cutting across three local governments and linking more than 76 farming communities, in Kaduna.

The road, which stretches from Igabi, to Kajuru and Chikun local governments, includes a 130-metre bridge over River Kaduna which serves several rural communities.

Speaking on the road project, the Managing Director of Kaduna Roads Agency, KADRA, Dr Baba Ahmed, noted that the 35-kilometre asphaltic road linking Gadan Gayan through Gwaraji to Kujama Junction, has transformed mobility, agriculture and rural economies in those communities.

According to him, the honouree must have demonstrated that he has ‘’something to offer the citizens, something to offer the nation, something to offer your people.’’

‘’And from our record, Your Excellency, you have met those requirements. And that is why the entire council of the institute from all over Nigeria are here with us,’’ he added.

The National President recalled that Sokoto Road that leads to Government House Kaduna, was dualised in 1999 and since then, ‘’no administration has touched the road until you came 27 years after.’’

He pointed out that Sani is not just rehabilitating the road but doing a reconstruction of the road.

Neliaku further said the NIPR Act stipulates that the governor of a state is the patron of the institute while the President of Nigeria is the Grand Patron.

He however pointed out that not every governor is privileged to be celebrated or honoured as a Patron ‘’because once you wear our brand, you become an icon of reputation and that means whatever happens anywhere, we stand with you.’’

The National President argued that in conferring the Fellowship on Sani, the institute has gone beyond Patronship, adding that the Fellowship is an honour that remains with him after leaving office.

The NIPR leader said Nigeria will be hosting the World Public Relations Forum, adding that more than 126 countries ‘’will be converging on Abuja to celebrate Nigeria as a hub of communication in Africa.‘’

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According to him, NIPR will combine the event with the 37th conference of African Public Relations Association from November 15 to 21 2026 and ‘’I’m delighted to announce that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has graciously accepted to be the Chief Host of this very important forum.’’

Neliaku said the leadership of Global Alliance has decided to confer on Sani the World Public Relations Forum’s Ambassador.

‘’What this means is that, in the 136 countries where Global Alliance functions, you have a right to enter any of the countries and tell them that you are an ambassador of WPRF and doors will open to you,’’ he added.

Sani expressed appreciation to NIPR for honouring him with the Fellowship of the institute, adding that he accepts the recognition with humility and a sense of responsibility.

“It’s a call to remain steadfast in the pursuit of transparency, accountability and ethical communication in the discharge of public duty,” he added.

According to him, Kaduna state is fully prepared and honoured to host the third NIPR week, adding that it’s an opportunity to contribute to meaningful national discourse and to demonstrate its commitment to ideas, dialogue and inclusive development.