Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government is to merge the College of Administrative and Business Studies Azare and the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic to transform into a full-fledged institution.
The Bauchi State Head of Service, Mr Abdon Dala-Gin,made the announcement on Tuesday in Bauchi when he inaugurated an 11-man committee, set up by the government to work out modalities for the merger.ions
Dala-Gin said the committee would be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Service Matters Bureau, Alhaji Hashimu Dori.
He named Chairman, Governing Council of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Prof. Andrew Haruna representatives of the state’s Attorney General as well as representatives of staff unions of ASUBP as members.
Speaking after the inauguration of the committee, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of College of Administration and Business Studies, Mr Adamu Waziri, described the merger as a “welcome development. ’’
FCT
To avoid a spillover of the Kaduna and Yobe crises, the Federal Government has commenced a nationwide peace-building efforts, starting with Plateau.
Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Mike Omeri, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Paul Odenyi.
Omeri said time had come to take practical steps not just for religious and social tolerance but also for mutual acceptance among the citizenry.
He appealed to chief imams and other Muslim clerics across the country to always emphasise peace, unity and mutual acceptance in their sermons as there was no alternative to peace and unity.
The NOA director general denounced the attacks on ECWA headquarters in Plateau and other parts of the country.
According the statement, these are the handiwork of mischief makers who take advantage of issues that can be resolved through dialogue to foment trouble.
Kaduna
Some customers on Wednesday trooped to various banks in Zaria, Kaduna State, to withdraw money following the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew imposed by the government.
The state has been under 24-hour curfew imposed since Tuesday, June 19, due to the spate of attacks on worshiping centres.
Malam Bala Tijjani, who was on queue to use an ATM, commended the government for relaxing the curfew, saying it was a thing of joy.
“We have been at home days and nights like women. Apart from that, all our pockets are dry.
Another customer, Mr Mike Okey, said that money was a basic necessity to keep life going and for meaningful survival.
“Without money, nothing moves perfectly. However, I can testify that peace is by far greater than money,’’ he said.
Kogi
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has set up a new special patrol exercise code named “stop the killing/eagle eye’’ on Lokoja-Abuja Road and other highways in Kogi.
The state Sector Commander, Mr Mohammed Garba, made the disclosure at the commencement of the exercise in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Garba said that the initiative was to curtail the excesses of drivers plying Lokoja-Okene-Abuja Road and other highways in the state
He said that the operation would entail creating special corridors on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Road to check over-speeding, overloading and motorists that engage in phoning while driving.
Garba said that 100 marshals, 10 patrol vehicles and one ambulance had been deployed for the exercise, which would hold simultaneously in Isanlu, Kabba, Ankpa, Magongo, Zariagi, Okene and Koton-Karfe towns.
Kwara
Five professors from the University of Ilorin are now jostling for the position of vice-chancellor of the institution .
The office is due to be vacant in October when the incumbent, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, would have completed his tenure.
At the close of the application for the job of Vice-Chancellor on Monday night, five of the professors from the institution had applied.
They included Prof. Hassan Salihu of the Department of Political Science, Prof. Ganiyu Hambali, Dean of Veterinary Medicine, and Prof. Luke Ayorinde, immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management) of the university.
Others are Prof. Albert Olayemi, the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and Prof. Musbau Akanji, Director of Academic Planning.
The authorities of the institution had in an advertorial on May 14, declared that the exalted office of the Vice-Chancellor, currently occupied by Oloyede would be vacant by October 6.
Lagos
The Social Workers League, a human rights group, on Tuesday blamed the continued killing and destruction of properties in some parts of the country on mass poverty and high level of illiteracy.
The League, in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by its co-ordinator, Mr Baba Aye, said that economic underdevelopment had also encouraged discontent among some youths to cause havoc in the society.
“For about one week, Nigerians have been killed in Kaduna and Yobe states. There is need for the Federal Government to do all within its powers to guarantee the safety and security of Nigerians,’’ it said.
The statement said the level of destruction of lives and properties showed that the guns, vehicles and other logistics used by the Boko Haram group did not come from the contributions of their members who are poor.
It noted that the killing had forced communities to form vigilante groups to defend their lives which encompassed Christians and Moslems, amongst others.
“There is the need to forge greater unity of working people in the communities within the states now faced by this painful violence,’’ it said.
Niger
The Northern States’ Governors Forum (NSGF) on Tuesday expressed sadness over the death of ASP Ado Yahaya , a security aide to Gov. AbdulAzeez Yari of Zamfara.
Yahaya died in an auto accident on the Gummi-Sokoto road during an official assignment with the governor.
In a condolence message to Yari, signed by Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger and the Forum’s Chairman, the forum said they were pained by the sudden death of the well groomed cop “who died in active service’’.
“We can only pray God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest and his family, friends and the Nigeria Police, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement said.
Ogun
The Ogun police command said on Tuesday in Abeokuta that it has uncovered a shrine belonging to ritualists and fraudsters in Iganke, a boundary town with Lagos States. The shrine, located deep in a forest was filled with charms and other scary objects.
The Ogun Police Commissioner, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, who supervised the operation, told newsmen later that his men had been on the lookout for shrines and other places where evils were perpetrated.
He said the arrest of two members of the group in Abeokuta led to the discovery of the shrine, and attributed the breakthrough to the cooperation and collaboration with various communities in the area.
Okoye said, “One of them tried to dupe someone of huge amount of money, but through intelligent gathering we got to hear about it.
The commissioner further said that the two suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation into the matter was concluded.
While thanking members of the various communities for the cooperation extended to the force, he charged anyone with useful information to supply such to the command.
“I can assure you that the identity of anyone, who volunteered information that will help us uncover men of the underworld will be highly shielded,’’ he said.
Ondo
An Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded two officials of the State Security Service (SSS) in prison custody for alleged armed robbery.
The officials, Owolabi Kolawole, 25, and Okunola Kayode, 28, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Igbekele Akinyele on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
They were said to have committed the offence with others at large on June 14, 2012 at about 11.30 a.m. at UBA on Owo/Ado Road, Akure. The police accused the two SSS operatives of robbing a car dealer, Peter Charles Denis of his N480,000.
The offence, the police said, was contrary to and punishable under Section 402 (1) of the Criminal Code cap 30 Vol. II laws of Ondo State, 1978. The accused pleaded not guilty.
But Magistrate Akinyele, however, told them that in legal parlance, what they did amounted to taking bribe.
Police prosecutor, ASP Pelumi Adejuwon, informed the court that he had four witnesses and urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable him to assemble them.
Counsel to the accused persons, Mr Ilesanmi Ikuemenisan, urged the court to admit the accused persons to bail on liberal terms.
Plateau
A Jos State High Court on Tuesday ordered the Nigeria Police to pay N1 million as damage to a suspect, the Secretary, Kanam Traditional Council, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi.
The court also ordered the police to refund N700, 000 said to have been extorted from Abullahi, who was unlawfully detained and prosecuted for a crime he was not guilty of.
Justice Yargata Nimpa of High Court 4, while delivering judgment on the case of conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal offence, said that the police over-stepped its bounds by extorting N700, 000 from Abdullahi.
The court had heard that Abddullahi was arrested in Kanam Local Government and taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department where he was forced to “cough out N700, 000 said to be part of N8 million given to one Nafiu Abubakar.
The court further heard that one Mohammed Kabir, proprietor of Al-yusura Primary and secondary school, Konar Shagari, Jos, was alleged to have given Abubakar, a cousin to the Emir of Kanam, the said money to organise a launching for his school.
Zamfara
Barely one month into the commencement of fertiliser sale for 2012 farming season, the Zamfara Government has jacked up the price of the commodity from the initial N1,000 to N3,000 per 50kg bag.
The decision is viewed by political observers as a policy reversal after the landslide victory of the ANPP in the June 23 local government elections in the state.
Announcing the new price to newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Malami Yandoto, said the new price would affect all categories of farmers who applied for the input through the ministry.
He said that the state government had fulfilled the promise to sell fertiliser at N1,000 per bag to smallholder farmers through their polling units.
According to him, 550,000 bags of fertiliser out of about 800,000 bags procured for distribution to farmers for the 2012 farming season, were sold at N1,000.
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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