Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government, has released about N10 million to sensitise nomads across the state on the need to allow their children to acquire Western education.
Chairman Bauchi State Agency for Nomadic Education, Alhaji Umar Mustapha , disclosed this on Tuesday in Bauchi in an interview.
Mustapha said the agency was established by the incumbent administration in the state to cater for the educational needs of pastoralists, fishermen, nomads and immigrant farmers.
He expressed satisfaction with the increase in the number of primary schools for nomadic pupils and said that the number increased from 233 some few years ago to 245 this year.
Benue
The Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Benue, Mr Anum Iho, said on Tuesday that the welfare of teachers in the state would soon be enhanced.
Iho stated in Makurdi while addressing teachers at the Makurdi Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) that he had already initiated discussions with appropriate authorities towards enhancing the teachers’ package.
The chairman said that, being a teacher; he would take up the challenges of the sector with urgency, urged primary school teachers to always channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities through dialogue.
Also, the Education Secretary of Makurdi LGEA, Mr Godfrey Torgeri, commended the state governor for appointing a teacher as the head of the board.
Borno
The Shehu of Borno, on Tuesday renewed call Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, on the Boko Haram sect to dialogue with the government to end the violence in parts of the country.
Ibn Garbai made the call at the opening of a capacity workshop for Local Government Hajj Fare Collectors in Maiduguri.
“Let me add my voice to the numerous appeals to our brothers in the Jama’atul Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati Wal Jihad by well meaning Nigerians. “They should seek the course of peace and harmony in the months ahead and beyond.’’
Ibn Garbai pointed out that Islam did not encourage violence in any form. “The bedrock of Islam is peace and this great attribute of our religion must not be overlooked.
“I am appealing to our brothers to stop the acts of violence and come forward for dialogue if they wish to seek redress on any issue.”
Gombe
A consultant haematologist with the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe, Dr Ahmed Girei, has advised intending couples to ensure they go for genotype test before planning marriage.
He gave this advice during the World Sickle Cell Day commemoration in Gombe.
“It is important for intending couples to know their genotype so that they will not produce children who are carriers. “People should be aware that sickle cell condition is an inherited disorder and is in existence.’’
Girei advised people to seek the necessary information to enable them take precautionary measures, noting that for those that inherited the gene, it was possible to live a normal live with proper care.
According to the consultant, sickle cell is not curable but there are measures that patients need to take to limit the crisis and complication.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State chapters of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atul Nasir Islam (JNI) on Tuesday appealed to residents of the state to be calm “no matter the provocation or agitating passion’’.
Addressing a joint news conference in Kaduna, the organisations also called on the residents to be law abiding and not to take the laws into their hands.
The conference was addressed by the chairmen, Rev. Samuel Kujiat and Alhaji Ja’afaru Makarfi of CAN and JNI, respectively.
The chairmen also told the residents that they would render account of their deeds before God, urging them to cooperate with government and security agencies to restore peace.
Kogi
The Police in Kogi have arrested four persons for allegedly exhuming a corpse for ritual purposes at a cemetery in Ayetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government of Kogi.
Briefing newsmen on Tuesday in Lokoja, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Katsina, said the suspects were arrested on June 7 by the command’s ambush squad at the cemetery after exhuming the body.
He said his men laid ambush for the alleged ritualists and watched them “desecrate the serenity of the environment” as they exhumed the body.
Katsina said the suspects were in the process of dismembering the head when policemen swooped on them.
Kwara
A labour activist, Mr Emmanuel Aiyeoribe, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to prosecute those involved in the oil subsidy scam in the interest of the masses.
Aiyeoribe, former Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kwara chapter, said in Ilorin that the report of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee was unique.
He said it should be separated from the bribery allegation leveled against Rep. Farouk Lawan and others. “The Federal Government should separate the issue of subsidy scam from the bribery allegation in the interest of the Nigerian masses and justice.
Lagos
A former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), on Tuesday said that good leadership would sustain Nigeria’s existence in the face of security challenges.
Agbakoba, also a rights activist, said that providing dividends of democracy would avert religious and ethnic clashes among Nigerians.
He spoke against the backdrop of continued bomb attacks on churches in some northern states of the country.
“Until the leadership ensures that Nigerians partake in the dividends of democracy, terrorism, kidnapping, robbery and other vices will thrive. “There is the need for governments to make sure that Nigerians are provided with good education, adequate and free medicare. “This is the only way to prevent a revenge of the people,’’ he said.
Plateau
Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Jos, Tuesday reprimanded lawyers who appeared before him and expressed regrets that standards had fallen “abysmally low.”
“Some lawyers who come to this court are not worthy to be addressed as lawyers because they mess up cases with their very poor knowledge of even basic processes. “Sometimes, I have to be a teacher for things to move smoothly; this is not good for the law profession to which I also belong,” Allagoa lamented.
The judge said that only “very few solicitors” were serious with the profession.
Sokoto
Secretary of Aliyu Magatakarda Advocacy Group (AMAG), Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Yabo, on Tuesday called on members of the National Assembly (NASS) to come up with more stringent laws that would end the senseless killings of Nigerians in some parts of the country.
Yabo said in Sokoto that the NASS should also ensure adequate provisions for the purchase of modern equipment and up-to-date training for security agencies to ensure they could more effectively tackle the current crime situation in the country.
He was of the view that a better trained security force would be able to map out strategies that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in planting bombs in some parts of the country.
Yabo said that as representatives of the people, time has come for them to work out security modalities that would guarantee the safety of Nigerians.
Taraba
The Deputy Chairman, Taraba chapter of the PDP, Alhaji Danladi Shehu, on Tuesday called on political appointees and elected representatives of the people to commit their earnings into the well-being of their communities.
Shehu said in Jalingo that a situation where politicians stayed away from their constituencies only to resurface during campaigns was not encouraging.
He added that restiveness in some of the communities nationwide was due to unfulfilled promises by the political class.
Shehu said it would not take much for politicians to create jobs such as vulcanising, carpentry, bricklaying and farming to keep youths in their communities.
He said governments at all levels must also wake up to their responsibility of meeting the challenges of development by providing the required basic infrastructure and social services.
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government has voted N50 million to upgrade facilities and renovate dilapidated structures at the College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences at Bakura.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Malami Yandoto disclosed this on Tuesday during a facility inspection visit to the college.
Yandoto said that the college would continue to attract the attention of the state government to stand the test of time.
He said that the college remained one of the lasting and virile legacies of the late premier of the defunct Northern Region, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello Sardauna, adding that the state government had prioritised agriculture as the mainstay of the state economy, adding that it would provide facilities that could assist farmers to imbibe mechanised agriculture.
“The government would do everything possible to provide facilities that could transform our farming,’’ he said.
The commissioner said that provision of standard facilities at the college would enhance better learning of modern agricultural techniques and open more grounds for technical training of extension workers.
He said that the knowledge would be imparted to rural farmers by the extension workers so that agricultural production in the state would triple while the local economy could grow fast.
Yandoto said that some of the facilities that would be renovated included classroom blocks and students hostel while laboratory and research equipment would be upgraded.
The Provost of the College, Malam Umaru Muhammad, commended the state government for coming to the aid of the institution.
He promised to make use of the facilities for high quality teaching and learning.
Nation
FG Restates Commitment To Seafarers’ Welfare, Safety
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Nation
Ogoni Stakeholders Hail Zabbey’s Performance

Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
Nation
TETFunds’ South Rep Visits CEAPOLY …Unveils Mass Communication Dept Building
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
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