Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa Local Government Election Petitions
Tribunal has received 38 petitions from the November 24, 2012 council election conducted in the state. The Secretary of the Tribunal, Mr Hashimu Suleiman, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola. Suleiman said the National Conscience Party (NCP) filed 12 petitions while the rest were filed by Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
He said further that the petitions comprised 23 for chairmanship and 15 for councillorship.
Bauchi
Bauchi State Government said it spent more than
N30 million on the vaccination of 1.7 million cows in 2012.
Dr Bala Musa, the Director of Veterinary in the state Ministry for Animal Health and Nomadic Settlement, said this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday in Bauchi.
“In the 2011/2012 vaccination period, we spent a little more than N30 million on vaccines, equipment, and personnel allowances; and we actually covered the 20 local government areas of the state. “We vaccinated more than 1.7 million cattle; this year, we are targeting the same figure and even more.
Benue
A 27-year old politician, Terfa Ankyo of Gboko Lo
cal Government Area of Benue, has been remanded at the Federal Prisons, Makurdi, for alleged terrorism.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Gabriel Ebonyi, told the court that one Yandev Amaabai, also of Gboko, reported the case at the Gboko Police Station.
Ebonyi said Amaabai told the police that the accused, on Nov. 24, 2012, while driving in two Hilux vans with six unidentified armed men in army uniform, shot at his Jeep on sighting him.
The prosecutor said the complainant sped off, but the suspects pursued him (Amaabai) for more than two kilometres before he managed to escape.
FCT
The FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps, has sealed up three illegal private guard companies in the territory.
They are Vault Security Company Ltd, Bright Star Security Ltd and E-Control Security Ltd.
Mr Abdullahi Kofaroro, the FCT Commandant of the Corps, said the defaulting companies failed to honour several invitations requiring them to make amend.
Kofaroro, who was represented by the command’s Officer-in-Charge of private guard companies, Mrs Florence Akalawu, said the companies had been operating without meeting the requirements for setting up security companies.
Gombe
No fewer than 430 people are undergoing training
on various skills organised by the National Directorate of Employee (NDE) in Gombe state .
Alhaji Abdulkadir Mabudi, the state Coordinator of NDE, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Gombe on Monday.
He said out of the 430 trainees, 100 youths were undergoing vocational training in Basic National Open Apprentices (BNOA) in each of the three senatorial zones of the state. “We sent 300 unemployed youths to various fields across the state to be trained in welding, metal fabrication, GSM repairs and maintenances, computer operation and maintenance, food processing and tailoring.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government said it has concluded ar
rangement to recruit 3,044 workers in 2013.
The state Head of Service, Alhaji Mustapha Aminu, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Dutse on Tuesday. Aminu said that 1,670 workers were also approved for promotion, saying that the recruitment and promotion would be spread across all sectors as captured in 2013 appropriation bill.
He explained that 1,200 teachers would be recruited under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to teach in primary and junior secondary schools.
Kano
The Kano State Government has budgetted N200 million
for the establishment of two Information Technology (IT) secondary schools in 2013.
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Alhaji Bala Gwagwarwa, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kano.
According to him, the schools are meant to boost the study of computer science in the state.
Gwagwarwa said the decision was borne out of the government’s effort to encourage more students to go into the study of computer science and other IT programmes.
Kwara
The Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Isa Aremu,
has urged the Federal Government to revive the nation’s textile industry.
Aremu told newsmen in Ilorin that reviving the industry would reduce unemployment rate in the country.
He said if such industries were in full production, Nigeria would have no business in importing textile materials.
Aremu said Nigeria was the third largest producer of textile in frica, adding that the sector employed close to 1.5 million persons in the past, with about 250 industries across the country.
Lagos
An Ojokoro Senior Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has sen
tenced two commercial motorcycle operators to 80 hours of community service each, for violating traffic laws.
The duo, in separate cases, had pleaded guilty to four-count charges bordering on violation of the laws.
Magistrate A.F. Adeeyo sentenced the accused, Ismaila Oyelowo, who resides at No. 11, Oyeyemi St. Igando and Solomon Rafiu, of 48, Adelakun Close, Igando, to 20 hours on each of the four counts of their charges. She ordered that the community service should be carried out within Ijaye/Ojokoro Local Council Development Area.
Nasarawa
Edward Collins, 24, of Behind City Rock Hotel, Mararaba
has been arraigned before a Senior Magistrates’ Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, for allegedly receiving stolen property.
The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Joseph Ahwo, told the court that Anayo Chukwu of Building materials market, Mararaba, reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division Police Station on December 18.
Ahwo said Emmanuel Madu of Aliada Road, Gboko, Benue burgled the shop of one Chibuike at the building material market, Mararaba, on November 13, and stole some electrical materials valued at N22,000.
He sold the electrical materials to the accused person.
Niger
The Niger government has received the N400 million do
nated by the Federal Government to flood victims in the state.
Ahaji Mohammed Shaba, the Director general, Niger State Disaster management Agency, announced this at a news conference in Minna.
He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had also fulfilled its pledge of N25 million to victims of the Madalla bomb blast.
Shaba said the donations, which were recently posted into the account of the agency, would soon be disbursed to the affected persons.
Ogun
An Abeokuta High Court has dismissed an application
filed by the former governor of Ogun, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, seeking its leave to reduce and quash some of the charges leveled against him by the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency had on April 2, 2012 instituted a 38-count charge against the former governor bordering on fraudulent conversion of land and diversion of public funds.
Daniel, through his counsel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, had last October filed an application to strike out counts 1-13 of the 38 charges which related to fraudulent conversion of various plots of land belonging to the state.
Oyo
A property developer, Mr. Richard Adeogun has criticized
successive administrations in Oyo State for lacking foresight in mapping out a comprehensive master plan for Ibadan, the capital city.
Adeogun, the Business Development manager at Zilt Consulting Firm, said this in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan.
He said that such neglect was reflective of the poor housing layout and difficulties encountered in acquiring land by prospective buyers.
Adeogun said that proper planning was needed if the state was to compete favourably with Lagos State as a real estate giant.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
