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THE STATES
Adamawa
Vice-President Namadi Sambo has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to good governance and delivery of dividends of democracy to the citizenry.
Sambo gave the assurance on Saturday at a grand reception organised for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the National Chairman of PDP in his home town of Mayo-Kalaye in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa.
The reception was packaged by members of PDP from the North-East geo-political zone to honour the party’s national chairman.
He said it was based on the government’s commitment to deliver on its campaign promises that the administration had focused on power, agriculture, education, among other sectors of the economy.
In his remarks, Gov. Babangida Aliyu, of Niger State and Chairman of Northern Governors Forum, who spoke on behalf of PDP governors, described Tukur as a responsible elder that would add value to the party.
In his address, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said his new position was an opportunity for him to offer selfless service and to provide President Goodluck Jonathan and his team the needed support to deliver on good governance.
The PDP national chairman called for unity among Nigerians so that the nation could make progress in all fields of human endeavours.
Bauchi
The wife of the FCT Minister, Hajiya Aisha Muhammed, on Saturday distributed poverty alleviation materials to 120 women and youths in Alkaleri town in Bauchi State. The materials include sewing machines, welding machines and knitting machines.
Distributing the materials to the beneficiaries, Muhammed promised to work to reduce poverty and idleness among the people, especially in Alkaleri Local Government Area and Bauchi State.
Muhammed, who is the founder of Al-Muhibba Foundation, which distributed the materials, said the foundation started as an NGO that focused attention on the rehabilitation of cemeteries.
She noted cemeteries were the final resting places of all human beings and added that she decided to expand the project to cover skill acquisition, particularly among women and youths.
Mohammed condemned youths who allowed themselves to be used as political thugs instead of going to school to be educated or be involved in other useful ventures.
She promised to extend the services of the foundation to other parts of the state. “Al-Muhibbawill extend its services to Gamawa and Darazo local government areas as part of our determination to cover the entire state,’’ Mohammed said.
In her remark, Hajiya Aisha Yuguda, the wife of Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, commended Muhammed for offering such services to her immediate constituency.
The governor’s wife, represented by Mrs Lydia Shehu, a Director in Bauchi State Ministry of Women Affairs, said she would collaborate with any organisation in efforts to improve the standard of living of the youth and women.
Jigawa
The residents of Dutse in Jigawa last Saturday celebrated the first rainfall for the year.
A cross section of residents who spoke to newsmen in Dutse on Saturday, said they had now ‘heaved a sigh of relief’.
Mrs Zainab Abubakar, a house wife and a resident, said that the rainfall would cool the hot temperature experienced in the town in the last couple of months.
She explained that the heat before the heavy downpour on Saturday had made their homes uncomfortable for them.
Another resident, Malam Ahmed Yakubu, expressed delight on the rainfall and said that he hoped that the rain would continue because of what the family had gone through as a result of heat.
Many Dutse residents were heard congratulating themselves over the rain even as the downpour, which started at about 1:30 a.m., lasted for two hours. It was accompanied by windstorm.
Kaduna
Some youths stormed the Zaria Police Station on Saturday to protest the alleged killing of one Abdullahi Nura by a middle age man, over a N250 snatched from a girl.
The protesting youths demanded that the suspect, who was in police custody be handed over to them. It took the intervention of the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, to disperse the crowd.
According to our source, the youths were aggrieved because they claimed that this was not the first time the suspect had committed murder in Zaria.
One of the youths said that the suspect allegedly snatched N250 from a young girl sent on errand by her parent, adding that the deceased asked the suspect why he took the money from the girl.
Katsina
The Katsina State chapters of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), have called on Imams and clerics to continue to mobilise their followers for peaceful co-existence.
The associations made the call on Saturday in Katsina at a joint meeting on mutual understanding and maintenance of peace between their members.
The chairmen of JNI, Alhaji Isa Dodo and his CAN counterpart, Dr Adewale Adediran, said Imams and clerics should, in their sermons, mobilise and encourage their members to embrace each other so as to ensure continued peace in the state and the nation at large.
According to them, Katsina has been one of the most peaceful states in the federation, “but we need to maintain that peace by enlightening our followers on the importance of peaceful co-existence among ourselves’’.
Nasarawa
The Police have recovered three locally-made pistols in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Corlineuos Ocholi, made this known in Lafia last Saturday.
Ocholi said the pistols were recovered by “some good people’’ in Lafia East, when they were cutting grass in their premises.
“The pistols were believed to have been buried in the premises by some unknown persons.’’
Ocholi said that the police had been drafted to the area to keep surveillance, pointing out that the police had commenced investigations to fish out those behind the act.
He, however, appealed to the public to always furnish the police with necessary information that would assist in ensuring that law abiding citizens slept with their two eyes closed.
Osun
Govenor of Osun Rauf Aregbesola on Saturday in Osogbo urged youths to support the campaign against polio across the state.
He made the call while flagging off the “Youth Polio Awareness Campaign 2012”, organised by the Ministry of Health.
The governor said it was necessary to step up campaign on the deadly disease’s prevention even though the state had not recorded any case of poliomyelitis in the last four years.
He said the programme involved the immunisation of every child under the age of five, adding that this was to forestall any possible outbreak in the future.
Aregbesola said his administration placed priority on the health of the state’s citizens and urged community leaders, market women and religious bodies to help mobilise mothers to embrace the programme.
Sokoto
The Chairman of Silame Local Government in Sokoto State Alhaji Mani Maishinko, has said that his administration spent N4 million in the rehabilitation of four boreholes in Silame, Gande, Katami and Kobudo towns.
Maishinko told newsmen in Silame on Saturday that the local government also expended N1 million monthly in the maintenance of the boreholes.
He said the local government also constructed eight open dug wells at more than N6 million.
‘’All these excluded several other projects being carried out by the state and Silame local governments aimed at providing adequate potable water for the people.
“Water is life and if you provide it regularly and adequately for the people, you have solved most of the water borne diseases.’’
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Anti-Corruption Commission has commenced investigation on a petition against top government official over alleged fraud and breach of trust
Seventeen aggrieved persons petitioned the commission, claiming that one Alhaji Dandosara, believed to be close to Zamfara State government collected a total of N472,000 from the petitioners, promising to secure them jobs.
The chairman of the commission, Dr Atiku Balarabe said while briefing newsmen that Dan Dosara collected N27,000 from each of the 16 victims to secure them teaching appointments.
He added that the suspect also collected N40,000, eight chickens, 150 pieces of eggs and cooking oil from the 17th victim, with a promise of securing for him appointment as Judge under the state judiciary.
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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