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Only 20 textiles industries operational in Nigeria — Senator Jibrin

A former chairman of the Textile Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Senator Walid Jibrin has said no fewer than 20 textiles industries are currently in operation in the country.

He also said a few years ago, they were 175 textiles industries in operation in the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday, Jibrin remarked that the textiles industry used to be the second employer of labour after the government.

However, he posited that “unfortunately the story is different today as the sector is a mirage with a lot of challenges that led to its gradual collapse.

According to the former chairman of PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) epileptic power supply, lack of water and insecurity had contributed to the collapse of the industry.

Nonetheless, he maintained that he is hopeful and optimistic that the textiles will bounce back as far as there’s life.

On the state of the nation, the PDP chieftain said, Nigerians should stop using religion to hit the polity, saying, “l am calling on all Nigerians to be very careful in using religion to solve their selfish activities.

“In Nigeria today we have Muslims and Christians who live peacefully by working together with everyone practicing his or her religion based on the belief of their Quran and Bible.

“Since the Independence of Nigeria, we have devoted leaders who ruled Nigeria successfully without using religion to ginger their successes and they were fully accepted by Nigerians.

“May I point out that Kaduna was successfully used by some Northern leaders for total advancement of the North using both Muslim and Christian leaders? Sardauna of Sokoto used many Christian leaders to assist in his administration of the North.”

On bandits that attacked his residence in Abuja, he said, “I don’t have the money (N5b) they are asking. Iam not rich. If Nigerians want to know my bank statement, I can make it public.

“The Jeep I have, I have been using it for the past 13 years. What will a man of 84 years old want?

“Ladies and Gentlemen can I use this opportunity to announce that recently some suspected bandits/kidnappers forcefully entered my rented House at Brains and Hermas Estate APO 3 FCT Abuja by seriously vandalising my main bedroom and going away with vital documents.

“They tied my house boy, Awwalu and told him that they came to take away 5 billion naira hidden by me and also to take away some so-called ammunition kept by me but unfortunately found nothing at all.”

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