Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government has procured 21,300 tonnes of assorted fertiliser worth N2.2 billion for distribution to farmers in the state for 2012 Cropping season.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Tasiu Muhammed, disclosed this in Bauchi while briefing newsmen on the activities of the Ministry in the past 12 months.

Muhammed said that that 5,000 tonnes of Urea was procured at the cost of N580 million while 1,500 tonnes of NPK had been blended by the state fertiliser company.

He further explained that the Federal Government allocated another 14,800 tonnes of the commodity valued at N1.62 to the state.

He said that the commodity would be sold to farmers in the state at 50 per cent subsidy through the e-wallet system.

According to the farmers, the state had registered more than 300,000 farmers under the scheme, adding that arrangements had been concluded to commence the sale of the commodity.

Borno

The Borno State Government on Tuesday said that it would sanction teachers found to be absent from school.

The Commissioner of Education, Comrade Inuwa Kubo, said this when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Shehu Garbai Secondary School, Maiduguri. Kubo expressed shock over the poor attendance by both the school management and teachers.

“I am disappointed with what I have seen today at the school. “It is really disheartening to say that neither the school principal nor any of his two vice had reported to duty as at 7.30 a.m.,’’ he said.

Kubo, who waited for about 30 minutes for the principal to show up, then presided over the school morning assembly during which he interacted with the students in the absence of the principal.

He advised the students to face their studies diligently to justify huge government expenditure.

FCT

The Federal Government should not hesitate to sanction anybody found culpable in the June 3 Dana plane crash in Lagos, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has said.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Danladi Zhin, the ALGON National Publicity Secretary, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Kuje, headquarters of the Kuje Area Council of the FCT on Tuesday.

“We encourage the Federal Government to go a step further to ensure that any agency, airline or individual indicted at the end of government investigation is brought to book with a view to avoiding future occurrence,” the statement said.

It said that the constitution of an investigative panel by the Federal Government would unravel the cause of the crash, which claimed the lives of the 153 passengers on board the ill-fated plane.

The statement called on regulators in the aviation industry to ensure strict compliance with aviation regulations, and advised airline operators to ensure routine maintenance of their fleets and do proper checks on aircraft before departure.

Gombe

The Director of the State Security Service (SSS) in Gombe State, Mr Bitrus Asher, announced on Tuesday that unknown gunmen had killed a retired officer of the SSS, Malam Aliyu Abubakar in Gombe.

Abubakar was shot by the gunmen in Yulunguruza Quarters in Gombe at about 6.30 p.m. on Monday while Abubakar was performing ablution in his friend’s house.

The director said the deceased was shot in the back and was immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, where he died.

Asher said the deceased was buried on Tuesday and that security operatives in the state were investigating the matter.

He said that no arrest had been made on the incident.

Kaduna

The New Nigerian Newspapers (NNN) Company resumed production on Monday after a 4-month strike by its workers. The workers had in February embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of outstanding salary arrears and other allowances.

The Managing Director of the company, Malam Tukur Abdurrahman said  in Kaduna that the company had released its first publication in four months.

Abdurrahman said he was satisfied with the turn-out of workers and commended them for their commitment and the interest shown in the progress of the company.

He said the company would continue with its publication as issues on the outstanding salary arrears that led to its closure were almost resolved.

Kwara

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State says cultural revival among various ethnic groups in Nigeria is the panacea to the nation’s multi faceted problems.

Fayemi said this in a lecture entitled: “Federalism and the quest for national integration and development in Nigeria” organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to commemorate its Law Week on Monday in Ilorin.

“Nigerians lost their culture of dialogue in a period when militarisation and the primacy of force had become state policy,” he said.

He added that unemployment and poverty were the immediate causes of increased violence in the country.

The governor advocated for the country’s return to the culture of dialogue, saying: “this may not necessarily culminate in a sovereign national conference, but opportunity to discuss issues.

Ondo

The police in Akure have arraigned two men before an Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court on a six-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, stealing, defacing of beacon pillar and breach of peace.

The accused, Oluwole Abiodun, 55 and Adedeji Olusegun, 60 were said to have committed the offence with others at large sometimes in 2011. They were accused of committing the offence of felony to wit: removing boundary mark with intent to defraud.

The offences were allegedly committed at various times at plots 1-3; block A on the State Industrial estate on Ilesa Road, Akure. They were also accused of converting N4 million, being proceeds of plots 1-3, block A on the State Industrial estate to their use.

The property was said to belong to Ind/Chem Technologies limited and Samson Adebayo.

The police prosecutor, ASP Pelumi Adejuwon, said the offence was contrary to and punishable under section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. I Laws of Ondo State 2006.

The accused persons were also said to have unlawfully defaced four beacon pillars lawfully erected as indications of boundary of land belonging to Ind/Chem Technologies limited and Samson Adebayo.

Oyo

Governor  Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has urged the Federal Government to confer the GCFR award on the late Chief MKO Abiola.

Ajimobi made this known in a release issued in Ibadan on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo.

The governor said that the Nigerian nation should see the late business mogul as a symbol of democracy and the martyr who laid down his life for the democracy enjoyed today by Nigerians.

“To have continued with this perennial silence on the democratic feat that Abiola wrought through his sheer bravery and belief in Nigeria would show to the whole world that we are an ungrateful nation.

“ But for Abiola and his bravery in choosing to die rather than allow his mandate to be exchanged for the biblical mesh of portage, we would perhaps still be in the bondage of military rule and crying out for democratic salvage,” the governor said.

He commended President Goodluck Jonathan for seeking to name monuments after Abiola, Ajimobi.

Plateau

The new Sector Commander of the (FRSC) in Plateau, Mr Sunday Maku, has called for stronger collaboration among security agencies.

Maku made the call during a courtesy visit to the Plateau Command of the Nigeria Immigrations Service (NIS) in Jos, Monday.

He said that a stronger tie would enhance the duties of the agencies toward protection of lives and property in Plateau and reduce incidences of breach of law among the populace.

The sector commander noted with satisfaction that the issue of “inter-security” rivalry no longer existed.

The State Comptroller of Immigration, Mr Gambo Wuyep, assured the sector commander of the cooperation of his command in his assigned duties.

He said that the NIS would contribute its quota for the good of the state and the nation.

Taraba

The Taraba Police Command has arrested five persons in connection with ethnic clashes between the Bachama and Fulani people at Badun in Lau Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Amos Olaoye, who confirmed this to newsmen on Monday in Jalingo, said the persons were arrested with machetes, bows and arrows.

“On June 9, a group of armed men suspected to have come from neighbouring Adamawa State launched an attack on Badun and burnt down three houses.

“No one was hurt in the attack. The five persons arrested are under interrogation at the state command,’’ he said.

Olaoye added that normalcy had been restored in the affected area as investigations continued.