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Bauchi

Hajiya Habiba Ali, the Co-ordinator of Rahma Women Development Programme, a Bauchi-based NGO, said on Wednesday that the organization had trained religious leaders on preventive measures against HIV/AIDS.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, Ali said the trained religious leaders were to enlighten their followers in various Mosques and Churches on how to avoid the virus.

The co-ordinator said the religious leaders were also tutored on why the people should not stigmatise those living with HIV/AIDS, as prevalent in some communities.

Ali named other professional groups, youth peer-educators and some care givers as others sensitized by the NGO to carry the message to various segments of the society.

                             Borno

 

University of Maiduguri graduated 48,401 students between 1978 and  2006, the Vice-chancellor, Prof. Mala Daura, said in Maiduguri on Thursday.

Daura, who made the fact known at a news conference, explained that 6,842 of the graduates received diplomas and certificates, 36,848 received first degrees and 1,711 were awarded postgraduate diplomas.

He also said the university awarded 2,893 masters’ degrees and 107 doctorates over the period.

Daura said the university would graduate 15, 881 students at its 21st convocation, “the students are those who passed out during the 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 academic sessions.

                             Ekiti

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Felix Ajakaiye, on Thursday, ordered the compulsory recitation of the National Anthem in all Catholic schools in the state.

Ajakaiye also directed that all social events organised by the Catholic Church’s establishments must start and end with the singing of the anthem from now.

He gave the directives when he visited the Holy Child Secondary School, Ado-Ekiti, for its 15th Founders’ Day celebration during which he discovered that there was no provision for the anthem on the programme of events.

The school is one of the nearly 60 institutions owned by the Catholic Mission in the state.

FCT

FCT

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has expressed readiness to assist Nigeria in the implementation of the Global Jobs Pact aimed at wealth creation.

Mr David Lamotte, ILO’s Special Adviser and Co-ordinator of the Global Jobs Pact, disclosed this on Thursday, in Abuja, when he met with the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu.

Lamotte said his visit to Nigeria was to enlighten stakeholders in the labour sub-sector on the implementation strategy for the Global Jobs Pact which would help in reducing unemployment in the country.

 

                       Jigawa

No fewer than 75 per cent youth corpers constitute the teaching staff in Jigawa, Mr Nurudeen Baba, the state’s NYSC Coordinator has said.

Baba said this in Gumel during the swearing-in ceremony of Batch ‘C’ corps members posted to the state.

He explained that due to the dearth of teachers in the state, the NYSC posted 80 per cent of the corps members to schools in the rural areas to teach.

“From our statistics, more than 75 per cent of teachers in Jigawa are corps members. In some schools, some corps members are even made vice principals,” he said.

                     Katsina

 

A total of 5, 505 out of the 6,100 intending pilgrims from Katsina State have so far been airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the 2010 Hajj.

The Secretary of the Katsina State Hajj Committee and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Alhaji Nasiru Abdul, disclosed this in Katsina on Thursday.

He said the pilgrims were transported to the holy land by Max Airlines on 11 flights, stressing that the 11th flight of 502 pilgrims took-off from the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport, Katsina at 12:17 a.m.

                          Kaduna

Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has inaugurated a 30-member Governorship Campaign Council with his former boss, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi as a member.

Other people on the council are the Adviser to the Vice- President, Sen. Isaiah Balat, the Chairman of Peugeot Automobile Ltd, Alhaji Sani Dauda, and Alhaji Yusuf Hamisu, a PDP senatorial aspirant.

The team is to be chaired by the governor while Alhaji Muktar Yero, the Deputy Governor, will serve as the Deputy Chairman.

Inaugurating the council, Yakowa warned PDP supporters against campaigns of calumny and the use of indecent language, adding that they must be peaceful in their conduct.

 

                             Kogi

The Management of Obajana Cement Company in Kogi has finally agreed to send 1,200 truck drivers in the company to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for safety driving training.

The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Kogi, Mr Sunday Maku, confirmed the development in Lokoja, on Thursday, in an interview with newsmen.

He said the training would be handled by the commission’s headquarters and that it would last for three days.

The management of the cement company had been under pressure from the FRSC which has consistently requested it to send its truck drivers for safety training.

 

                             Lagos

Workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on Thursday cautioned the Federal Government against sacking 50, 000 workers in the company to avoid industrial crisis.

In a statement issued in Lagos, the workers said that the sack of the workers could also lead to a national blackout.

The statement was signed by Mr Mansur Musa, President, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), and the General Secretary, Mr Joe Ajaero.

The statement said that the workers were also planning a campaign for the removal of Prof. Bath Nnaji, the President’s Adviser on Energy, for allegedly misrepresenting the government.

                         Nasarawa

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar, says regular training and exercises by officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force will boost their combat readiness.

Umar said this on Thursday, in Keffi in Nasrawa State, at the “Small Arm Range Classification Exercise,” organised by the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters (NAF) for its personnel.

He was represented by Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, Air Officer Policy and Plans at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

“In protecting the nation you need the riffle, so the training that is being carried out is to give our air men and women proficiency on their jobs”.

Niger

The Niger state Government has promised to complete all projects conceived under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement in the state.

The state’s Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Ahmed Matane, disclosed this in Minna on Wednesday, while reacting to recent media reports calling on. The media reports indicated that some Niger State indigenes had criticized the manner of implementation of the PPP projects.

They alleged that most of projects had been abandoned after expending huge sums of money on them.

The head of service, however, said that the government had pursued the partnership to achieve physical development against limited resources with “all honesty and due process”.

Osun

Physically challenged persons in Osogbo, the Osun capital, have appealed to governments at all levels to assist them financially to promote their vocational businesses.

Our correspondent reports that majority of those interviewed earn a living from hat, shoe and soap making.

Blessing Babatunde, a fashion designer, said: “Being

crippled is not the end of life. I am able to cater for myself and assist my younger ones.

“Despite all efforts to be independent, there is no help from government; the government should assist the physically challenged people so that beggars would reduce on the streets.“

Plateau

The FRSC in Plateau has started to clamp down on unregistered motorcycles and other vehicles in Plateau.

The Sector Commander, Mr Samuel Odukoya newsmen in Jos on Thursday, that owners of impounded vehicles were liable to a fine of N10,000 each.

“We are aware of the influx of motorcycle operators from neighbouring states and we want to ensure that they register their motorcycles before they operate here,” he said.

Odukoya called on motorists to ensure that their motorcycles and vehicles were “duly registered” to avoid being impounded or arrested.

 

Sokoto

Council has approved the electrification of 28 communities in 14 of the 23 local government areas of the state.

Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council meeting in Sokoto on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Faruk Yabo, said that the project would gulp N839 million.

He explained that the project work would include the upgrading, extension and improvement of some of the electricity installations in the communities.

He said that the council had also approved the divestment of the state government’s 766 million shares in Unity Bank of Nigeria Plc at N1 per share.

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Bikers, Others Grace Burial Of Rivers Philanthropist

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Bikers were among prominent dignitaries who recently attended the burial ceremony of late Mrs. Nimi Obata Grant Offor (née Lawson) in Omagwa Community in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The burial service, held at the St. Martin’s Anglican Church field, attracted a large turnout of religious leaders, business executives, political figures, celebrities, bikers’ groups, traditional rulers and community members from different parts of Nigeria. Also present were the Bishop of the Anglican Province of the Niger Delta, Most Rev. Blessing Enyindah, and popular businessman and socialite, Obi Cubana, among other notable personalities.
The remains of Mrs Grant Offor, a respected professional, philanthropist and devout Christian, were laid to rest amid an elaborate and well-coordinated funeral ceremony that reflected her wide-reaching influence and the high regard in which she was held by family, associates and the larger community.
The ceremony drew public attention due to its unique logistics, as two helicopters were deployed. An air ambulance helicopter conveyed the casket to the church field, while another helicopter transported members of the deceased’s family from Abonnema to Omagwa Community.
Dignitaries and mourners gathered in large numbers to pay their final respects.
In an emotional tribute, High Chief Engr. Grant Offor, described his late wife as everything to him, stating that her passing had created a deep void in his life and in the lives of their children. He disclosed that he committed his time, resources and efforts in a bid to save her life, adding that if money or human effort alone could prevent death, she would still be alive.
Mrs. Nimi Obata Grant Offor was born on May 4, 1978, at the Ibiso Maternity Clinic, Port Harcourt, and passed away on November 15, 2025, after a prolonged illness that lasted nearly three years. She was born a twin and grew up in a family noted for service and leadership. Her father, the late Engr. Benoni Lawson, served as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), while her mother, Mrs. Irene Lawson, is a nurse.
She attended Port Harcourt Primary School and International Secondary School (ISS) before proceeding to the University of Science and Technology (UST), Port Harcourt, and later the University of Port Harcourt, Choba, where she studied Accountancy and graduated with honours. She was widely known during her academic years for her discipline, focus and reserved lifestyle.
After completing her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, Mrs. Grant Offor began her professional career in the banking sector, including service with the defunct All States Trust Bank, and later worked in other professional capacities. She earned a reputation for integrity, diligence and ethical conduct.
She was married to Engr. Grant Offor for over 20 years, a union blessed with three children. As a wife and mother, she was described as deeply devoted to her family, instilling values of faith, patience, kindness and discipline. Her home was known among close associates as one built on prayer, love and godly counsel.
A committed Christian, Mrs. Grant Offor was known for her strong faith and love for gospel music, particularly songs of healing and deliverance. Even while receiving specialist medical care in the United Kingdom, she reportedly remained steadfast in her belief, trusting in God until her final moments.

Adding to the show of solidarity, the President of the Rivers State Chapter of the Pantas Female Bikers Group, Mr. White Timano, disclosed that High Chief Engr. Grant Offor is a major sponsor of Uyo Micah’s Carnival, one of the group’s major events. He said bikers and supporters travelled from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta States to commiserate with the family and show support during the period of mourning.

Mr. Timano described death as inevitable and encouraged the family to remain strong, stressing that only God grants the grace required to endure such painful loss.

The church field was tastefully decorated, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere. The burial ceremony featured hymns, live music, scriptural exhortations, eulogies and tributes celebrating the life and legacy of Mrs. Nimi Obata Grant Offor. Messages from notable personalities highlighted her contributions to family life, philanthropy, professional service and community development.

On behalf of the family, High Chief Engr. Grant Offor expressed appreciation to all who stood by them throughout the period of mourning, thanking guests for their prayers, presence and support.

The burial ceremony stood as a testament to the enduring legacy of Mrs. Nimi Obata Grant Offor, whose life of service, faith and quiet generosity left a lasting impact on many across Rivers State, the Niger Delta and beyond.

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Security Guard Missing After Fence Demolition In PH

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Asecurity guard has been reported missing following the demolition of a fence at a property located at No. 19D, Golf Course Layout, Old Government Residential Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The incident reportedly occurred late Sunday night at the disputed property said to be owned by Ozone Global.
Eyewitnesses revealed that a group of men, some of whom were dressed in what appeared to be naval uniforms, arrived at the premises on motorcycles and allegedly pulled down the fence surrounding the property.
During the incident, a security guard on duty, identified simply as Abubakar, was allegedly taken away by the group to an unknown destination.
A relative of the missing guard, Musa, said efforts to get immediate help, including alerting a nearby police point, proved abortive as the incident had already occurred before any intervention could be made.
“I escaped because I noticed them early, but my brother was taken away. Up till now, we don’t know where he is or how he is doing. We are appealing to the authorities to help locate him,” Musa said.
Meanwhile, one of the intermediaries involved in the land transaction, Mr. Chimezie Bright, alleged that the incident may be connected to an ongoing land dispute over the property.
Bright claimed that the land was purchased by Ozone Global from one late Mr Felix Orie and that documents from the Rivers State Ministry of Lands and Housing indicate that the land was allocated to Mr Orie.
He further alleged that another claimant to the land, Mr. Mac Oruche, had allegedly challenged the ownership and opposed development on the property, despite the matter being the subject of a court case.
According to Bright, tensions over the property had previously resulted in disagreements during attempts to fence the land.
“We carried out due diligence before the purchase, including verification at the Ministry of Lands. However, the dispute has persisted,” he said.
Bright expressed concern over the alleged involvement of uniformed personnel in a civil land dispute and called for a thorough investigation into the incident, particularly the whereabouts of the missing security guard.
As at the time of filing this report, Abubakar’s location had remained unknown.
Efforts to reach Mr. Mac Oruche for his reaction were unsuccessful, while the police are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

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OIU Protests Arrest Of Witnesses In Okon Aku Crisis Probe

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The apex socio-cultural and development association of the ancient Ohafia Kingdom, the Ohafia Improvement Union Incorporated (OIU) has formally petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, expressing grave concern over the arrests of several individuals from the Okon Aku community who were cooperating with a state-constituted Panel of Inquiry investigating the recent communal crisis in the community located in Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.
The union also called for the immediate release of those arrested.
In a letter dated February 6, 2026, and received at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, the union described the arrests as troubling and procedurally irregular, noting that the affected individuals had either testified or were preparing to testify before the government-sanctioned panel.
Those reportedly arrested include Udo Ukoha of Ndi Envoke; Okereke John, Udonsi Obin, Eteo Ayo, Idika I. Kalu, and John Ukwakwe of Ndi Owom; and Ukpabi Uche Idika of Ndi Ebin.
While emphasizing that it does not seek to prejudge the legal culpability of any individual, the OIU stressed that the timing, context, and manner of the arrests could undermine the credibility, independence, and integrity of the Panel of Inquiry.
“The arrest of individuals cooperating with an official inquiry poses a serious threat to the fact-finding process, creates fear among potential witnesses, and may discourage public participation,” the union stated, warning that such actions could obstruct efforts to uncover the root causes of the crisis.
The union further noted that panels of inquiry rely heavily on voluntary and truthful cooperation, and any action that instills fear in contributors risks eroding public confidence in the justice system, violating principles of fairness, transparency, and natural justice.
Consequently, the OIU urged the Office of the IGP to immediately review the circumstances surrounding the arrests, suspend any further actions perceived as targeting witnesses, and issue clear directives to guarantee the safety and freedom of all individuals participating in the inquiry.
The President General of Ohafia Improvement Union, Chief Prince Kalu Ikpemini, signed the petition, which was also copied to the Executive Governor of Abia State and the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, Umuahia.
The union reiterated that the Ohafia community desires lasting peace and reconciliation, which can only be achieved through a transparent, fair, and uncoerced investigation into the Okon Aku crisis.
The Okon Aku communal crisis erupted in early January 2026, prompting the Office of the Deputy Governor of Abia State to immediately establish the Panel of Inquiry to determine both the immediate and underlying causes of the conflict, with the aim of preventing future occurrences.
It is against this backdrop that the Ohafia Improvement Union has raised an alarm over the arrests, calling for the immediate release of those detained and emphasizing the need to protect witnesses rather than intimidate them.

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