The Gusau Dam holds a reservoir on the Sokoto River just upstream from Gusau , capital of Zamfara State in Nigeria. It supplies water to the city and neighboring communities. In 2006, the dam collapsed, killing 40 people and destroying 500 homes.
17-662: The dam was insufficient to meet local needs in times of drought. In January 2001, the Zamfara State Governor, Ahmed Sani Yerima met the federal minister of Water Resources, Mohammed Bello Kaliel and told him that Gusau Dam could dry up soon, asking the Federal Government to transfer water from the Bakolori Dam to Gusau . Kaliel said the Federal Government was committed to provide quality water to all Nigerians and would soon provide assistance to
34-512: A political career. Yerima met President Muhammadu Buhari , to inform him of his intention to run for president. He announced his candidacy on 6 May 2022. He said the President gave him the nod to contest the ticket. He further explained that he is acting within the provisions of the Nigerian constitution. Yerima said if elected he would fight insecurity, poverty and ignorance. However,
51-655: Is a Nigerian politician who was Governor of Zamfara State from May 1999 to May 2007, and served as Senator for Zamfara West and Deputy Minority Leader in the Senate. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ahmed Rufai Sani was born on 22 July 1960 in Anka town, Zamfara State. As part of the National Youth Service , he was posted to Borno State where he worked in
68-456: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the former Governor of Zamfara state, Ahmad Sani Yarima , for mismanagement of funds, including an N1 billion loan for Gusau dam repairs. 12°08′41″N 6°40′15″E / 12.14472°N 6.67083°E / 12.14472; 6.67083 Ahmed Sani Yerima Ahmed Rufai Sani Yerima (born 22 July 1960)
85-537: The Red Cross . Drinking water wells were polluted by the floodwater. The accident occurred after sluice gates failed to function, causing the water to overwhelm the dam, says the operator, the Zamfara Water Board. After the dam collapse, many residents had to resort to stream water. Water vendors more than doubled their price, selling a 25-litre Jerry can for N50 compared to N20 before. In March 2007,
102-747: The 9 April 2011 elections for Senator for Zamfara West on the ANPP platform. He was reelected with 154,359 votes. Senator Sani was accused of marrying a 13 year old child bride from Egypt and was investigated for having violated Nigeria's Child Rights Act of 2003. However, under Article 61 Second Schedule of the Nigerian Constitution, the Nigerian Government has no power to legislate on “marriages under Islamic law and Customary law including matrimonial causes relating thereto”, meaning that Senator Yerima had no legal case to answer and
119-721: The ANPP candidate for the 2007 presidential election and won backing from the Christian Alliance, but withdrew from the contest at the party's 2007 national convention to back former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari as the ANPP candidate. Yarima was elected Senator representing Zamfara West constituency for the All Nigeria People's Party in April 2007. He was appointed to committees on Selection, Federal Character & Inter-Government Affairs, Drugs and Narcotics, Anti Corruption and Agriculture. Yerima ran again in
136-532: The Barrage at #92million and de-siting of the Gusau Dam Barrage at #1.8 million. However, nothing appreciable had been done. A disaster occurred on Saturday, September 30, 2006, when the dam collapsed after heavy flooding. 40 people were killed and approximately 500 homes were destroyed, displacing 1,000 people. It occurred after the heaviest downpour ever recorded in the area, which had fallen for
153-815: The Budget Department of the Governor's office and also taught at the Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri. In 1983, he began his career in the Sokoto state civil service as an economic planning officer in the Ministry of Finance. In 1994, Yerima returned to the Sokoto state civil service as the Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance. In September 1998, he left the civil service to pursue
170-592: The Federal government released #2.4 billion for the rehabilitation of the Gusau dam. In May 2007, the Zamfara state government said they were giving top priority to ensuring that water was retained in the dam, rehabilitating the water treatment plant, introducing modern equipment at the pumping stations, and developing the distribution network. In January 2010, a Zamfara-based group called Concerned Citizens petitioned
187-540: The Senator immediately after the programme for making 'inciting' comments. Yerima was released three hours later after questioning. A spokesperson for the All Nigeria Peoples Party condemned the arrest and claimed that it suggested that the ruling People's Democratic Party were determined to frustrate the opposition coalition for the 2015 election. List of Governors of Zamfara State This
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#1732772684292204-560: The investigation was dropped. He maintained that he has not violated sharia: "History tells us that Prophet Muhammad did marry a young girl as well. Therefore I have not contravened any law." According to Al Jazeera, he paid $ 100,000 as dowry for the 13-year-old Egyptian. Senator Yerima was arrested on 9 March 2013 after taking part in a live Hausa radio programme broadcast by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria . The Kaduna State Police Commissioner arrested
221-420: The party did not clear him to contest the party primaries. Yerima was elected governor of Zamfara State in 1999. He was re-elected in 2003 for a second term, which ended on 29 May 2007. Yerima was the first Nigerian state governor to implement Sharia law in his state, which came into effect on 27 January 2000. This was greeted with enthusiasm by the state's Muslim majority; thousands of people gathered on
238-467: The previous two days. In addition to lost and damaged houses, large amounts of farmland that was almost due to be harvested was devastated and hundreds of livestock were killed. As well as the dam, a bridge linking the city to the northern part of Zamfara State was destroyed. Around 700 people were temporarily sheltered in a nearby secondary school in Birnin Ruwa area, where assistance was provided by
255-418: The state. The sale and consumption of alcohol and prostitution were subject to a statewide ban. The introduction of Sharia in Zamfara was challenged in the courts by Huri-Laws, a Nigerian human rights NGO, and by a Christian citizen from the state. The Zamfara State High Court dismissed both cases, ruling that the statute did not infringe upon the rights of either claimant. Yerima put his name forward to be
272-578: The states, with priority given to Gusau. In June 2002, two groups in Zamfara State petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that Ahmed Sani Yerima had mismanaged and misappropriated Federal funds. The state government had made claims for improvement, dredging and repairs of a collapsed portion of the Gusau barrage at the cost of #14.2 million, resuscitation of
289-534: The streets of Gusau cheered and shouted "God is great". Sharia implementation bodies were established in Zamfara, including the Council of Ulama, Hisbah Commission, Zakkat and Endowment Board, Sharia Research and Development Board, and the Preaching Commission. The Governor stressed his commitment to Nigeria as a multi-faith society. However, some of the changes introduced affected all citizens of
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