Adamawa

Hawkers of various commodities, including food and hard currency are now making brisk business at the Yola International Airport due to ongoing airlift of pilgrims.

An intending pilgrim, Mr Usman Ibrahim, told our correspondent on Thursday in Yola, that the pilgrims were happy about the activities of the hawkers.

Ibrahim said that the hawkers of assorted goods were able to meet the needs of the pilgrims, as well as the needs of their friends and relations that came to see them off.

“However, one has to be vigilant, as some hawkers can give someone fake currency and that is why you need a guide, who can distinguish between fake and genuine currency,” Fatima added.

Bauchi

Senator  Iliya Audu, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Bauchi State, on Wednesday, urged journalists to expose underage persons wanting to register as voters during the voter registration.

Audu made the call at the opening of a two-day sensitisation workshop for journalists, organised by Bauchi State Television Corporation in Bauchi.

The REC, who appealed to the media to be positive in reporting election issues, called on all stakeholders to assist in ensuring credible elections in 2011.

Borno

The Police in Maiduguri on Wednesday, confirmed the killing of a Police Inspector by hoodlums suspected to be Boko Haram Sect members.

“We witnessed another ugly incident yesterday, when a police inspector, Mr Kashim Bukar, was shot dead by hoodlums suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect”.

“Bukar, an officer with the CID was trailed by the killers to his house at the Jajeri Ward, Maiduguri, shortly after closing from work before he was shot on the head severally,” Mr Lawal Abdullahi, Police Public Relations Officer, said.

Abdullahi said that the officer was in mufti when he was shot by the killers in front of his house.

Ekiti

The U.S. Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr Joseph Stafford, has promised to collaborate with the Ekiti State Government to provide development projects for the people.

Stafford told newsmen  in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, at the end of his tour of Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states, that the assistance would span through political and economic sphere.

“The consulate, in conjunction with the American Embassy, is ready to provide assistance to Ekiti State in the areas of political and economic developments through the U.S. intervention agencies,” he said.

FCT

The FCT Chief Judge, Justice Lawal Gummi, on Wednesday, inaugurated the FCT Family Court to entertain both civil and criminal matters involving children.

Gummi said the court, which is located in Apo District of Abuja, was a specialised court dealing with all matters relating to the enforcement of the rights of the child.

In addition, he said, the court would deal with other matters relating to a child, including monetary claims of N50,000 and above.

According to Gumi, the court will deal with the divorce and custody of the child and entertain appeals from the Family Court at the Magistrate’s Court level.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Government has set aside N624 million for the electrification of 28 towns and villages in the state.

The Commissioner for Rural Infrastructure and Community Development, Alhaji Abdulkadir Jinjiri, said in Dutse on Thursday, that contract for the electrification of the town had been awarded.

Jinjiri told newsmen  that 17 contractors would be involved in the execution of the projects, adding that the projects were captured in the 2010 budget.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government is to procure drugs and consumables worth N530 million for the treatment of pregnant women and children under five years.

The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, made the announcement while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State’s Executive Council Meeting on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Adamu said that over N400 million would be spent to purchase injectables and consumables for women and children.

Katsina

Alhaji Muntari Dandutse, the Chairman of Funtua Local Government Council of Katsina State, has emphasised the need for politicians to work for the interest of the people.

Dandutse made the call in Funtua at the swearing-in of Alhaji Haruna Suleiman, the new Supervisory Councillor in charge of Water and Sanitation Department of the council.

He enjoined public office holders to work for the people, saying that the people should in turn pray for their leaders and shun negative comments.

Dandutse also urged the people to register and obtain their voters’ cards, saying that they needed them to vote in the right candidates during elections.

Kogi

The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasir Ajanah, has condemned the practice of giving judgement to the highest bidder by the lower courts

“I discovered that some of our judges, particularly at the lower courts, were giving judgment to the highest bidder.’’

He said this at a special court session to mark the beginning of the 2010/2011 Legal Year in Lokoja, on Wednesday.

The chief judge said 33,750 of the cases recorded from the 208 courts across the state were disposed of, leaving 17,125.

He said 2,337 cases were registered at the state High Courts, out of which 1,867 were disposed of, with 470 outstanding.

Lagos

President, Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr Bode Adediji,  wants the Federal Government to set up a body that would oversee land matters.

Adediji told newsmen on Thursday, in Lagos, that the body was necessary in view of the National Assembly’s delay in the review of Land Use Act 1978.

According to him, several bills on housing had been sent to the National Assembly and none had received attention in the last 12 years.

Nasarawa

The Guards Brigade of the Nigeria Army in Keffi on Wednesday, began a three-day field training with other security agencies tagged“exercise sting ray“.

The exercise, which started at the Shittu Alao Barracks, Keffi, was a routine training to test the responsiveness of the brigade to civil strife.

Our correspondent  also reports that the exercise was in collaboration with the Nigerian Police and other para-military agencies like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the State Security Services (SSS).

Ogun

The Ogun State  Government has approved free distribution of 830,000 cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers in the state.

Chief Moyo Owotomo, Director, Extension Services, Ogun Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP), made the announcement on Thursday in Ijebu-Ode in an interview with newsmen.

He said the distribution of the seedlings was part of government’s effort to assist cocoa farmers to boost cocoa production in the state.

Owotomo urged farmers who had yet to receive the seedlings to contact the state ministry of agriculture for collection.

Sokoto

Governor  Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has advised intending Muslim pilgrims to pray for peace and stability of the country during their stay in Saudi Arabia.

Wamakko gave the advice in Sokoto, on Wednesday, at Sir Abubakar International Airport while addressing those from Shagari and Kebbe local government areas before their departure.

The governor emphasised that the nation was in need of prayers for God’s intervention in all the activities going on in the country.

“You should embark on special prayers for God’s guidance, so that the desire of Nigerians to conduct a credible election will be a reality.

Taraba

The National Association of Fulani Fulaku, has urged nomads in Taraba State  to come out en-masse to register in the forthcoming voter registration exercise.

The Representative of the association, Ahmed Liman, gave the advice on Wednesday in Iware Town in Taraba while addressing thousands of Fulanis.

The Fulanis converged on the town for the sensitisation exercise on the oncoming voters’ register.

He said that failure of the nomads to obtain voters’ registration cards would prevent them from voting for positive change in the 2011 general elections.

Liman urged nomads who attended 18 years and above to go and exercise their civic responsibility, stressing that any eligible voter who refused to vote had relinquished his rights.

Yobe

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd Armoured Division, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Idoko, says the military is ready to deal decisively with any threat to the nation’s internal security.

He gave the assurance on Wednesday in Damaturu when he paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe.

Idoko said the military was ever ready to deal with the challenges posed by the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping and other civil unrests, promising that the army would maintain a high sense of professionalism in the discharge of its duties.

Responding, Gaidam said that the combined efforts of the army, police and vigilante groups “have changed the status of Yobe from a state reputed for high incidence of highway banditry to one that is most peaceful and secured in the federation”.