Nation

THE STATES

Published

14 years ago

May 23, 2012

Adamawa

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa.

More than 5, 000 people were on Sunday displaced in 12 villages in the area following what community described in a statement as retaliatory attack by mercenary herdsmen.

Presenting the items in a ceremony in Lamurde, headquarters of the local government , on Saturday, the North East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, sympathised with the victims over the unfortunate incident.

Kanar said the Federal Government intervention through NEMA had come with the necessary requirements that would ameliorate the sufferings of the victims in the camps and promised that the agency along with other stakeholders would make sure that adequate facilities, such as toilets and drinking water, were provided to ensure good hygiene in the camps.

Benue

No fewer than 30 PHCN wooden and concrete poles were destroyed by windstorm in Makurdi last Friday night.

The PHCN poles were destroyed by the windstorm that was preceded by rain, which only lasted 30 minutes.

Some of the worst hit areas were Gboko Road, Wurukum Roundabout, Ahmadu Bello Way in old GRA, North Bank and Highlevel Areas.

Both wooden and concrete poles were damaged by the storm, while some of the cars parked under trees were damaged as the trees fell on them. However, no roof was destroyed by the storm.

Borno

The Borno State Government said on Saturday that it has set aside N3. 9 billion for the renovation of eight secondary schools in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Malam Inwa Kubo, who made the disclosure in an interview in Maiduguri said that the rehabilitation had reached advanced stage in most of the schools.

He named the schools as Government College Maiduguri, Government Girls Secondary School Yarwa and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Gajiganna. Others are GGSS Baga, Government Secondary School(GSS) Kumshe, GGSS Lassa and GGSS Miringa.

He said that the project also include the conversion of Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Marama in Hawul Local Government Area to a boarding school.

FCT

A health advocacy group, the Norsemen Club, says it will begin an awareness campaign in schools in Abuja to sensitise the students on tips for healthy living.

The President of the group in the FCT, Mr Shegun Fakehinde, announced the plan last Saturday during a “Walk for a Healthy Nigeria’’.

According to him, there is the need to carry awareness campaigns in school, where younger ones will also have knowledge on how to live healthy.

“Most of our dear ones have fallen victims of HIV and AIDS and other dangerous diseases because adequate knowledge and education on their prevention were in short supply.

“We will propagate this massage in all nooks and crannies in the FCT to ensure that most people do not only exist but live,’’ he said.

The Grand Patron of the group, Dr Samuel Gambo, said the group would continue to create awareness and unite the youth.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, said in Dutse on Sunday that government disbursed about N86 million to women groups in the state to improve members’ living standards.

She said that catering to the needs of vulnerable groups was one of the cardinal principles of Gov. Sule Lamido’s administration.

The commissioner explained that it was based on the governor’s principles that the government released the money.

Abdulwahab said since the inception of the administration in the past five years, the welfare of women and children had “tremendously improved”.

She announced that the government had established 335 safe motherhood initiatives from the 36 it inherited from the previous government.

Kaduna

Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has appointed a former Secretary to the State Government, Me Waje Yayock and 10 others as special advisers.

This is contained in a statement, signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Ruben Buhari, it named the others as follows Musa Kali, Simon Gwaza, B.D. Galadima, Ibrahim Doka, Ali Waziri, Abdulkadir Kapaka, Mohammed Kampa, Edward Masha, Hajia Zulai Bello and Bala Sani.

The governor also appointed Alhaji Maisukuni Jema’a as the Chairman of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board with 29 others as members while the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero is the Chairman, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency.

Kano

The Chairman of Shanono Local Government Council of Kano State, Malam Sagir Abdullahi, has lauded the tireless efforts of traditional rulers in polio eradication in the state.

Abdullahi stated this last Saturday during the flag off ceremony of the polio immunisation for the month of May in Shanono Local Government Area of the state.

He said that if not for the full involvement of the traditional rulers, the resistance level for polio immunisation would still be high.

The chairman charged parents to ensure that all their children were immunised to guard against further spread of the virus in the area and to other parts of the country.

Kebbi

Delegates to the forthcoming Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) conference have been admonished to shun sentiments and elect people of proven integrity.

Mr Rotimi Obamuwagun, Deputy National President of the NUJ,who is also seeking re-election, gave the advice last Saturday in Birnin Kebbi while on campaign tour.

He said his role in the past three years had been guided by the spirit of cordial relationship and mutual respect, which enabled the incumbent NUJ President, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, to reposition the union.

“The support you gave us three years ago enabled us to restore dignity, respect and peace within the various state councils of the NUJ as such we plead for another chance to enable the present leadership improve on welfare and professional rating of members,” he said.

Lagos

The police in Lagos last Saturday arrested one Asiribo Baba, 40, for allegedly shooting a bricklayer who attempted to rape his daughter.

Insp. Femi Martins said that Baba shot Ifeanyi Arinze, 29, who was making blocks at a building site in Agbara, Lagos.

He said investigations revealed that Arinze climbed the fence of Baba’s residence in Agbara to pluck oranges in the compound when he saw Baba’s 14-year-old daughter, who was sleeping outside.

“After he plucked the oranges, he went to the girl, who slept on the mat, and touched her breast but the girl screamed.

“Arinze covered the girl’s mouth with his hand but her younger sister, who had been playing outside, came and called people,’’ he said.

He said Baba, who had been listening to the screaming of her daughter, came out with a gun, ran after Arinze and shot him in the leg when he was about to jump the fence.

Osun

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has inaugurated the 3rd Children’s Parliament in the state with a call on children to shun all forms of immoral behaviors.

Aregbesola was represented by Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Olusegun Adeyeni,at the ceremony in Osogbo last Friday.

He described the new lawmakers as “special children”, advising them to be focused and responsible in handling the affairs of the parliament and urged them to leave a legacy of service to not only the children but the entire residents of the state and the nation.

Earlier, Mrs Mofolake Adegboyega, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, said the “children are being exposed to parliamentary duties with a view to enabling them know more about law-making and to be involved directly in decision making in matters that really affect them.”

The commissioner urged the parliamentarians to be law-abiding and shun malpractice, thuggery and all forms of negative activities.

Deborah Popoola, was sworn-in as the Speaker, Abiola Agboola, Deputy Speaker, Islamiat Kolawole, House Leader, Bukola Adepoju, Chief Whip and Seyi Afolabi as the Mace bearer.

Oyo

The Oyo State Government has rewarded medalists and officials in its contingent to the 2011 Garden City Games with monetary gifts for their heroic performances.

Mr Dapo Lam-Adeshina, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, said the state had earlier promised to reward the athletes.

He described the occasion as a milestone, as it was the first that athletes were rewarded in the state, and expressed the hope that they would win more medals at the 2012 festival in Lagos.

Gold, silver and bronze medalists among the athletes went home with N500,000, N300,000 and N200,000 each respectively, while Coaches with gold, silver and bronze medalists were rewarded with N300, 000, N200,000 and N100,000 each respectively. Also among those rewarded were the officials who went home with N250, 000 each.

Yakub Adesokan, who sets a two world record in Power Lifting, was also awarded a cheque of N250, 000.

Sokoto

Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has called on parents to ensure the immunisation of their children during the on-going polio vaccination in the state.

Speaking on the occasion of the start of 2012 Immunisation Plus Days at Rumbukawa Primary Health Centre in Sokoto North Local Government., Wamakko said government had already taken proactive measures to ensure that all under-five children were immunised.

He explained that government had partnered with the Sultanate Council, religious leaders and development associations to enhance the success of the exercise.

The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu said that a workable formula had been put in place to mobilise parents to participate in the exercise.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Malam Ibrahim Jibril, said that the involvement of eminent stakeholders would ensure full participation of children in the exercise.

Nation

Youths Vow To Continue Protest Over Dilapidated Highway

Published

5 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Youths from five local government areas in Northern Cross River State have concluded a one-week warning protest and blockade of the dilapidated Ikom-Wula-Obudu federal highway over the weekend.
They have vowed to resume the road blocks if by this week the authorities do not intervene to fix the road.
More than five thousand locals, mostly youths from Obanliku, Etung, Obudu, Ikom and Boki LGAs trooped out everyday for one week, used palm trees to block the highway to draw state and federal government’s attention to their plights, requesting the repair of a road has has been unmotorable for about 40 years.
They warned that if they do not see any actions from the state or federal governments, they will resume their Plan B protest, stop revenue collections and make governance unpalatable.
The youths also warned that without interventions on the road which has claimed several lives, including that of last week when a pregnant woman died with her baby in the full glare of the protesters because of the terrible road, no election can hold in the area next year.
One of the leaders of the No Road , No Election protest, who is also the Abo Youths in Boki LGA, Dr Martins Assam said both the federal and state governments have neglected the region, which generates more than 70 percent state revenue from agriculture.
He said if machinery is not deployed by next week, they will not have any option than to embark on unpalatable and disastrous protest, and stop revenue collections in the area.
“Last week we had only a warning strike for one good week. We’ll embark on a more elaborate, disastrous one-month blockade of this highway until they intervene. We call on our Governor and representatives in the National Assembly to act now by impressing on the federal government to immediately fix this road else. We’re not asking for two much but to be treated as human beings.”
Another protester, Clinton Obi from the Etung axis said, “We’ve been neglected for 40 years. This Ikom-Obudu federal highway had been impassable. The government has removed its concentration from our plights. By this one week protest, we want action on this road otherwise the next phase of protest will be costly.”
Reverend Father Francis Amaozo, priest in charge of St. Nicholas parish in Nashua, Boki LGA said, “I have also been a victim of this very deplorable road. Enough is now enough. We’ve been betrayed by our representatives and other leaders, so that we in this axis have become endangered species on this road. I have lost some many members on this road.”
Member, representing the Boki-Ikom federal constituency of the state in the House of Representatives, Bisong Victor Abang had pleaded with the locals to be a bit more patient with the government as action will commence shortly.

Nation

UNIPORT VC Receives Inaugural Lecture Brochure As Professor Highlights Urgent Need For Drug Repurposing In Malaria Fight

Published

5 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Owunari Georgewill, last Thursday received the inaugural lecture brochure from the Inaugural Lecturer, Professor Udeme Georgewill, during a ceremony at the university’s Centre of Excellence attended by academics, researchers, students, and distinguished guests.
Delivering her lecture, Professor Udeme Georgewill described the occasion as the culmination of years of dedicated research, teaching, and service to humanity. He explained that his work as a pharmacologist has consistently focused on finding practical, affordable, and scientifically sound solutions to health challenges that disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly malaria, which remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health concerns.
She noted that Nigeria continues to bear one of the heaviest malaria burdens globally, accounting for a significant percentage of worldwide cases and deaths. The disease, largely caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes, remains especially dangerous for children under five years and pregnant women, threatening not only present populations but unborn generations. Despite years of intervention efforts, malaria continues to strain families, health systems, and the national economy.
Prof Georgewill empha-sised that while Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies such as Artemether-Lumefantrine remain the gold standard for malaria treatment, emerging resistance patterns pose a serious challenge. He explained that drug resistance is a survival mechanism of the parasite, enabling it to adapt and reduce the effectiveness of medications designed to eliminate it. According to her, instances where patients do not feel better after initial treatment sometimes lead to repeated dosing or the search for injectable alternatives, practices that can worsen resistance and complicate treatment outcomes.
Against this backdrop, she advocated strongly for drug repurposing as a strategic and urgent response. Drug repurposing, he explained, involves identifying new therapeutic uses for already approved and widely available medications. He likened the concept to “old wine in new wineskins,” stressing that medicines already proven safe for certain conditions can be carefully re-evaluated and optimised for new roles in malaria management. This approach, she argued, offers advantages such as reduced research timelines, lower development costs, and faster clinical application compared to developing entirely new drugs from scratch.
She disclosed that her research had progressed from laboratory investigations to clinical evaluations, where his team is studying combinations involving Artemether-Lumefantrine and Ivermectin to determine their effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes and possibly reducing transmission. Clinical trials are ongoing, and findings will be communicated upon completion of regulatory processes. However, he cautioned strongly against self-medication, warning that misuse of drugs without proper diagnosis and prescription can lead to organ damage, treatment failure, and increased resistance.
Referencing global health commitments, Prof Georgewill highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, which seeks to end epidemics of malaria and other major infectious diseases by 2030. She questioned whether the goal remains attainable under current realities, especially with growing resistance and funding gaps. He also referred to strategies of the World Health Organisation aimed at drastically reducing malaria incidence and mortality while pushing toward elimination in several countries.
Looking ahead, she revealed that her team is building comprehensive research databases to support artificial intelligence-driven drug repurposing. He stressed that the integration of artificial intelligence, molecular docking, and advanced screening technologies is transforming global drug discovery, and Nigerian researchers must be equipped to participate competitively in this evolving scientific landscape.
In her recommendations, she called for the establishment of a National Centre for Drug Repurposing to coordinate research efforts and leverage artificial intelligence in identifying new indications for existing medicines. He urged policymakers to simplify and accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical application, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs benefit the public more efficiently. She also appealed to the university and relevant authorities to increase funding and modernise laboratory infrastructure, including high-throughput screening facilities, to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global biomedical research.
The lecture concluded with expressions of gratitude to God, the university leadership, colleagues, students, and guests, as the event underscored the University of Port Harcourt’s commitment to research excellence and its role in addressing critical public health challenges facing Nigeria and the wider world.

Nation

Niger CAN Rejects Proposed Hisbah Bill, Urges Gov Bago Not To Assent

Published

5 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State Chapter, has rejected the proposed Niger State Hisbah Directorates Bill, describing it as controversial and capable of deepening religious division in the state.
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and made available to The Tide’s source yesterday, the association urged Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago not to assent to the bill if it is passed by the State House of Assembly.
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar, seeks to establish a Hisbah Directorate in Niger State.
CAN warned that the legislation could be perceived as discriminatory against Christians and may heighten tension in the religiously diverse state.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, we, the entire Christendom in the state, wish to draw your attention to what could easily create division among the people you govern,” the statement read in part.
The association questioned the necessity and benefits of the proposed law, asking what economic or social value it would add to the state.
It further argued that existing security agencies, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, already have constitutional mandates to maintain law and order.
The Christian body also faulted the legislative process, disputing claims that it was consulted during a public hearing on the bill.
It insisted that it was neither invited nor notified of any such engagement, despite being a critical stakeholder in the state.