Voting at the AU Suleman 003 polling unit in Abaji Area Council has been disrupted after ballot papers were reportedly whisked away, leaving voters angry and perplexed.

According to our reporter, no voting is currently taking place at the unit, as tensions escalated over the missing ballot papers.

Reports indicate that the incident occurred when an unidentified individual, accompanied by a security personnel, entered the polling venue without proper identification.

A PDP agent, Bala Abubakar Hassan, at the polling unit recounted the events, “Our election was moving successfully here.

“Unfortunately, someone came in with security personnel at his back. I asked him, please, who are you? He said he’s a local government agent but could not provide any identification. I told him to leave. That’s where the crisis occurred,” he said.

According to Hassan, the situation escalated when security personnel reportedly used tear gas, causing voters to scatter. In the chaos, the person responsible for the ballot papers reportedly left the venue, leading to their disappearance.

“Everyone was running, and that’s where the ballot paper was missing,” Hassan added.

The development has sparked accusations among party agents, with fingers being pointed at both the PDP and YPP. Voting remains suspended at the unit while authorities investigate the incident.

…As Gov Radda unveils N857bn 2026 budget to accelerate development

Katsina State Government has recorded 81.66 per cent revenue performance in the 2025 fiscal year, generating N565.28 billion against a revised budget of N692.24 billion.

The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Malik Anas disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the 2025 Budget Performance Report at Government House, Katsina.

He explained that the state spent N482.41 billion during the year, representing 69.69 per cent budget performance, with N343 billion invested in capital projects across infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, and social sectors.

The Commissioner noted that recurrent expenditure recorded 88.56 per cent performance, with personnel costs achieving 93.47 per cent and overhead costs reaching 84.82 per cent.

“Capital expenditure recorded 64.11 per cent performance, reflecting the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development despite revenue challenges,” he stated.

According to a statement by Mohammed Kaula Ibrahim, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Radar, Anas disclosed that the economic sector received the highest allocation at 47 per cent of total expenditure, followed by the social sector at 37 per cent, administrative sector at 16 per cent, and law and justice sector at one per cent.

The Commissioner presented the 2026 budget framework, which totals N857 billion—the largest in the state’s history.

He explained that the budget is anchored on Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda’s “Building Your Future” agenda and focuses on five strategic pillars: security and sustainable peace, economic empowerment and job creation, human capital development, sustainable infrastructure, and agriculture with environmental resilience.

Under security, the state has allocated N1.2 billion for critical security assets, N500 million for ammunition and cartridges, N9 billion for the Security Escrow Account, and N100 million for Rugu Forest grazing facilities to promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.

For economic empowerment, N10 billion is allocated for MSME support, N3.33 billion for the Graduate Entrepreneurship Programme, N10 billion for the Social Investment Programme, and N7.68 billion for palliatives.

In education, N28 billion is provided under the TESS programme for school infrastructure, N17.5 billion for new secondary schools, N15 billion for AGILE projects, N13.6 billion for primary school construction, and N6.1 billion for scholarships and examination subsidies.

The health sector receives N5 billion for Emergency Medical Services, N5 billion for upgrading primary health centres, N3 billion for the Imaging Centre at GARSH Katsina, and N20.5 billion for hospital renovation.

For infrastructure, N15 billion supports urban renewal road projects, N12.21 billion completes the Kunduru-Kadanya Road, N12 billion completes the Daura Western Bypass, N15 billion develops new housing estates, and N5 billion completes the supply of 30 hybrid buses.

Agriculture receives N20 billion for subsidized fertilizer, N4.5 billion for mechanization, N2.38 billion for irrigation across 361 wards, N17.5 billion for a livestock and meat processing centre, and N10 billion for pastoralist programmes.

Power and energy receive N10 billion for renewable energy generation, N3.33 billion for rural electrification, and N1 billion for solar street lighting.

Environmental resilience is supported with N28.04 billion for ACReSAL projects, N6.3 billion for flood and erosion control, and N3 billion for the Compressed Natural Gas initiative.

The Commissioner assured that the 2026 budget reflects the administration’s determination to translate plans into concrete actions that will reshape cities and improve lives.

The Department of State Services (DSS) will, on February 25, arraign former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on alleged cybercrime and breach of national security.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court (FHC) fixed the date after the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, assigned the case to her.

The DSS, on Monday, filed a three-count criminal charge against El-Rufai following his alleged involvement in wiretapping the telephone lines of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The charge, instituted by the Nigerian secret police, is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026.

The service accused El-Rufai of breaching the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act (2024) and the Nigerian Communications Act (2003.)

In court, El-Rufai was alleged to have, on Feb. 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, admitted during the interview that he and his cohorts unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, Mr Ribadu.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

In count two, the ex-governor was alleged to have, on Feb. 13, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, stated during the interview that he knew and related with a certain individual who unlawfully intercepted the phone communications of the NSA, without reporting the said individual to relevant security agencies.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024.

Count three alleged that El-Rufai and others still at large, sometime in 2026, in Abuja, did use technical equipment or systems which compromised public safety and national security and instilled reasonable apprehension of insecurity among Nigerians by unlawfully intercepting the NSA’s phone communications.

The act, which the DSS said the ex-governor admitted during an interview on Feb. 13th on Arise TV station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, “and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 131(2) Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”