Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Former Adamawa Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Aliyu Marafa, on Friday lost his bid to return to the House at the PDP primaries held in Mubi town.
Marafa (Mubi-North constituency), who is the junior brother to the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Isa Ahmadu, polled 66 votes as against 87 votes scored by a clergyman, Rev. Illiya Aguwa.
Our correspondent, who monitored the primaries reports that nine candidates contested in the election, which was held under tight security.
Other candidates including a housewife, Hajiya Maryam Babangida and Alhaji Sulaiman Yahaya, polled six and 33 votes, respectively.
The Returning Officer, Mr Aliyu Bakari, said that more than 240 delegates and party executives drawn from the 11 wards in the area participated in the election.
He added that the election was conducted in accordance with the party’s guidelines.
Bauchi
Bauchi State Police Command says that it will deploy 5,000 policemen to provide security during the voter registration beginning tomorrow.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Muhammad Indabawa, made this known in Bauchi yesterday, while fielding questions from newsmen.
Indabawa said that he had held meetings with all the divisional police officers in the state and put in place strategies to ensure the success of the exercise.
He warned that the police would arrest any prospective voter, who might want to make double registration or cause chaos at registration centres, during the exercise.
Indabawa urged the electorate to actively participate during the voter registration and report any incident during the exercise to the police for prompt action.
FCT
Mr Nduese Essien, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, says no effort will be spared in addressing the housing needs of Nigerians.
Essien made the pledge on Tuesday in Abuja when he received Mr Jong Hak-SE, the Ambassador of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who visited him in his office.
“I want to assure you that no effort will be spared in addressing the 17 million housing deficit in the country.
“We have developed a number of programmes to actualise the vision and in the next couple of months, the ministry will begin to roll out the houses,’’ Essien said.
According to him, the Ministry will collaborate with Korea in the area of housing development because of the similarities in the two countries’ housing programmes aimed at addressing their housing needs.
Gombe
Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, a former director with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has been nominated as the governorship candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Gombe State.
Aliyu polled 55,254 votes during the party’s governorship primaries to defeat two other aspirants, Mohammed Daudu and Abubakar Danburam, who scored 1,545 and 231 votes respectively in the contest.
Announcing the result on Wednesday, the Chairman of the party’s primary election committee, Mr. Musa Bishara, said the election was conducted without any hitch.
He, however, said that the election took place in 112 of the 114 wards in the state, adding that it could not hold in Pantami and Burok wards in Shangom Local Government area.
Jigawa
The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Jigawa, on Tuesday elected a former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Farouq Aliyu, as the party’s flag bearer for the April general elections.
The Chairman of the election panel, Prof. Mohammed Bello, who announced the results of the primaries in Dutse, said the party adopted option A4 method, whereby all its registered members participated in electing candidates for various positions.
Bello said that Aliyu polled 368,999 votes to defeat his opponent, Dr Lawal Hadejia who scored 114, 885 votes.
Kebbi
Health workers in Kebbi State have suspended their indefinite strike “on principle”.
The Chairman of the workers’ union, Dr Tanko Sununu, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi yesterday that the state government had assured its members that their demands would be met.
“We have been assured that the demand for reduction on taxation of our members and implementation of policies that would reduce the exodus of medical workers and better conditions of service would be met.
“The union and the negotiation committee will sign an agreement while a circular will be issued to formalise the implementation of our demands,” Sununu said.
Kano
The Kano State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has asked the state government to implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) for its members or face industrial action.
A statement issued on Wednesday in Kano by the union’s Chairman, Dr Dayyabu Ibrahim and Secretary, Dr Kabir Abubakar, gave the government 21 days within which to effect CONMESS.
“We give a 21-day ultimatum effective from January 10, 2011, to the Kano State Government to fulfill its promise, failing which the NMA would have no option but to commence immediate withdrawal of services of its members,” the statement said.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has released N1.3 billion for the payment of 2011 leave grant to its civil servants.
A statement in Katsina yesterday by Alhaji Nasiru Abdul, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Relations, said the payment was in continuation of Gov. Ibrahim Shema’s commitment to pay the grant early in the year.
The statement noted that of the amount, N434.2 million was for the workers in ministries, departments and agencies.
It added that N493.4 million was for the workers in the 34 local government councils while the balance of N429.7 million was for primary school teachers.
“This is the fourth year running Gov. Ibrahim Shema’s administration effected the payment of leave grants to all workers in the state at the beginning of each year,” it added.
Lagos
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos has called on Mr Hafiz Ringim, the Inspector General of Police, to prosecute political thugs and their sponsors.
Mr Adebamigbe Omole, the chairman, NBA, Ikeja Branch made the call at a press briefing ahead of its 7th Annual Gani Fawenhinmi Lecture/Symposium scheduled to hold tomorrow in Lagos.
Omole said the call was imperative following the incessant violence which has characterised the primaries of the various political parties across the country in the past few weeks.
“Let the Inspector General of Police take the advice of President Goodluck Jonathan and go ahead to prosecute all of them and their sponsors to set an example that nobody is above the law.
Oyo
Amidst tight security, PDP delegates in Ibadan on Wednesday voted Gov. Adebayo Alao-Akala to re-contest the state’s governorship election in April.
Alao-Akala, in the governorship primary election held at Obafemi Awolowo (Liberty) stadium, Ibadan, scored 1,239 votes to defeat a former Minister of Special Duties, Elder Wole Oyelese, who got one vote.
The PDP National Electoral Panel, headed by Alhaji Buhari Bala, declared 66 votes void.
However, members of the PDP faction to which Oyelese belongs, were not present at the venue of the congress.
Our source recalls that Oyelese had on Tuesday instituted a legal action at the Federal High Court, Ibadan, seeking an order to stop the conduct of the governorship primary election.
Plateau
Police and military personnel are to begin joint special patrols to boost the security situation and restore confidence in Jos residents.
Mr Abdulraham Akano, the Plateau Commissioner of Police, told newsmen on Wednesday in Jos that the initiative would reduce the mistrust against the two security forces by residents
“We have resolved to patrol the streets together. While the Hausa/Fulani community trusts the soldiers to maintain peace, the natives have shown some preference for the police.
“To put an end to that, the two forces have decided to work jointly in the interest of peace,’’ he said.
He advised Jos residents to ignore text messages being circulated that six more villages would be attacked.
Sokoto
The Shagari local government of Sokoto State spent N310 million to provide basic infrastructure in the area in 2010.
Alhaji Abdullahi Maigwandu, the Chairman of the Council, told newsmen in Sokoto yesterday that the council executed the projects because of their importance.
He said that about N140 million was used in building 30 units of houses for sale to members of staff of the council on owner/occupier basis.
Maigwandu also said that about N100 million was used to drill 10 motorised boreholes in each of the 10 wards of the council to boost water supply.
Yobe
The Gudi Emirate Council in Yobe State has organised a cultural festival to mobilise its people to participate in the forthcoming voter registration exercise.
Declaring the festival open, the Emir of Gudi, Alhaji Isa Ibn Khaji, said yesterday in Dazawa in Yobe that “traditionally, the Kanti festival is used to celebrate the harvests and to give thanks to Allah.
The emir charged the people to suspend farming and grazing activities during the exercise to ensure they registered.
Khaji advised the people against abstaining from the exercise, and said, “many communities have cried of disenfranchisement in the last census.
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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