Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Two persons, Kparev Kamnan and Aondofa Nor, were yesterday remanded at the Federal Prisons, Makurdi, for allegedly robbing one Dominic Pila of the sum of N5,000.
The Police Prosecutor, Mr Godwin Ebonyi, told the court that the victim reported the matter to the Ayati police station on January 12.
According to him, Pila said, on the same date, while he was sleeping in his house, three men armed with axes and cutlasses attacked him, stating that he raised an alarm as the robbers tried dispossessing him of N5,000.
The prosecutor said that the arrested suspects confessed to committing the offence while the third suspect was still at large. Ebonyi said that the offences were contrary to Sections 6(B) 1(2) of the Armed Robbery and Fire Arms Act.
Borno
The Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) in Borno State said it welcomed the ceasefire announcement by one Sheikh Mohammed Abdulaziz Ibn Idris, who said he represented the Boko Haram sect.
Ibn Idris had told a news conference on Monday in Maiduguri that the sect had directed all its members to lay down their arms and end hostilities forthwith. He said the ceasefire took effect from Monday, January 28.
Ibn Idris had also told journalists that the ceasefire order emanated from Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the sect after series of discussions between the group and the government.
“Actually, the ceasefire message came through Sheikh Abubakar Idris from Bauchi,” he said.
Jigawa
The Chairman, Kiyawa Local Government in Jigawa State, Alhaji Dahiru Madaki, says he is determined to execute projects which have direct bearing on the lives of the people of the area.
Dahiru who said this when he received representatives of other political parties in the area on a courtesy visit to him in his office in Kiyawa, Monday however called for tolerance among the political parties to ensure a sustainable democracy.
The LG chairman assured of his determination to be just and fair in the provision of social amenities to the people.
“No meaningful development will take place without the support and co-operation of all and sundry,’’ he said.
Earlier, in an address, the political parties’ spokesman, Alhaji Garba Mohammed, expressed the readiness of the parties to support the present administration in the council and the state in general.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Agency has blamed some pregnant women, for the increase in maternal mortality rate in the state.
Its Executive Secretary, Dr Sufiyan Babale, said in an interview in Kaduna that the women were mostly ignorant on ways to access health care services, adding that this had resulted in their inability to recognise the danger signs in pregnancies.
Babale urged women to identify their strengths and weaknesses during pregnancy, so as to curb complications, which could lead to death, and lamented that most pregnant women skip ante-natal clinics, which was important to their safe delivery.
Babale blamed the increase in maternal mortality to lack of required manpower for effective medical services stating that most of the personnel working in the primary health centres were community health extension workers.
Kano
Kano State Government on Monday said it would give titles to at least 100,000 plots before the end of the administration in 2015.
The Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Dr Nadu Yahya, said this while receiving the Presidential Task Force on Land Reform in Kano.
Yahya said it was an honour that Kano was selected by the Federal Government as a pioneer state for the systematic registration of lands.
“Kano has begun systematic land registration about a year ago and it has registered at least 5,000 plots till date.”
Kebbi
Birnin Kebbi Local Government in Kebbi State said it would sanction parents who refused to avail their children of routine polio immunisation.
Chairman of the council, Alhaji Musa Dan-Illela, in Birnin Kebbi said that a taskforce on polio had been inaugurated to ensure strict compliance by parents.
He said that 34 districts and village heads in the area had been directed to embark on intensive sensitisation campaign against polio in remote areas. They were also to report parents who prevented their children from being immunised, he added.
Dan-Illela said the taskforce was also directed to monitor the performance of vaccinators and warned that “deviants would not be spared.”
Kwara
The General Secretary of the Kwara Council of the NUJ, Mr Bisi Adedayo, has advocated a review of the Official Secrets Act to ensure the workability of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
Adedayo said yesterday in Ilorin that the two Acts were antithetical to each other.
He said that the Official Secrets Act was no longer necessary as “we cannot say as a civil servant you cannot divulge official information about government, whereas the FOI Act has empowered every Nigerian access to information.’’
Adedayo noted that the National Assembly needed to review the Official Secrets Act to ensure a workable FOI Act. He, however, said aspects bordering on national security should not be amended.
Nasarawa
A Mararaba Upper Area Court in Nasarawa State on Tuesday sentenced Sanusi Haruna, 23, of Sabon Gari, Mararaba, to five years imprisonment for theft and possession of deadly weapon.
The Presiding Judge, Mr Vincent Gwahemba, sentenced Haruna to three years imprisonment for the offence of theft and two years imprisonment for possessing deadly weapons. He said that the sentences would run concurrently.
Gwahemba, however, gave the convict an option to pay N6,000 fine for the offence of theft and N4,000 fine for possessing deadly weapons.
Ogun
The Ogun Police Command has asked owners of recovered vehicles and motorcycles to report at its Isara division within two weeks to claim them.
The command’s spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that vehicles and motorcycles not claimed within two weeks would be sold by public auction.
The vehicles, according to him, included a Volkswagen bus marked XE 308 BOJ, a Volvo car marked DE 45SMK, and a Mitsubishi Space bus with registration number DD 02 APP. Others were a Mercedes Benz marked AH 359 AGG and a Mazda car with registration number AV 684 KJA.
Adejobi also said that two Boxer motorcycles marked QU 576 BDG and Q 300 LSR as well as a Jincheng motorcycle marked LA 8099 SM and unmarked Qlink motorcycle were also up for retrieval.
Plateau
The security agencies in Plateau and Taraba States have formed a partnership to forestall the escalation of last week’s violence that hit Wadata, a border village between the two states.
Capt. Salisu Mustapha, Media Officer of the Special Military Task Force maintaining security in Plateau, had confirmed that nine people were killed in the Wednesday’s attack on the village located in Wase Local Government of Plateau.
He also said that investigation had commenced to unravel the attackers.
Yiljap, who reviewed the security situation in the affected area, said that the synergy between security agencies in the two states was a proactive step to ensure that the violence was contained.
Sokoto
A Sokoto-based Islamic scholar, Sheik Yusuf Alibawa, on Monday urged the Muslim community to practically demonstrate the teachings of the religion on good neighbourliness.
Alibawa said in Sokoto that ,” Nigeria will be a better place for all of us if we totally practise in our lives what Islam really says about being a good neighbour.
The cleric said, “your neighbour will be the one to be your witness before the creator in the hereafter. Therefore, the need for the Muslim community to show love and care among their neighbours irrespective of religious differences becomes a task that must be accomplished.”
He also called for religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians in confronting the current security challenges facing the country.
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government yesterday said it would save N2.34 billion annually from the ghost workers discovered on its payroll after staff verification.
Chairman of the Workers Assessment and Rationalisation Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Gusau, revealed this while presenting the committee’s report to Gov. Abdulaziz Yari in Gusau.
According to him, the state government is saving N195 million monthly, translating to N2.34billion yearly, adding that the government would save about N360million from the health sector alone, being the ministry with the highest number of ghost workers in the state.
Responding, Yari commended the committee for a job well-done, and pledged to implement the recommendations without delay.
The governor announced a seven- man committee to be headed by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Abdulkarim Tsafe, to fine tune the report.
According to him, the committe will also recommend ways of implementing the report.
An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre is set to be established in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema /Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The initiative is being championed by the Omoku People’s Forum, a global association of Omoku elites, under the leadership of its President-General, Dr. George Ada Ubah.
As part of efforts to ensure the successful execution of the project, a prominent son of Omoku, Chief (Barr.) Dennis Masi, has been appointed by the Forum as the Chairman of the ICT Centre Project Committee, entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating and driving the initiative to fruition. Upon completion, the ICT Centre is expected to serve as a major hub for the training and empowerment of youths in digital and technological skills, equipping them to actively participate in the increasingly technology-driven global environment.
The project is also widely regarded as a significant step towards positioning Omoku as an emerging ICT hub within Rivers State, fostering innovation, digital literacy, and economic development in the region.
Concerned Rivers Chiefs For Peace And Development has said it formation was not politically motivated or has any links to political parties or candidates.
The group which said this at a media briefing at Abuloma in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area said it’s formation has nothing to do with politics.
According to the text for the briefing jointly signed by Chief Boma Kele Oyika it’s chairman and Chief Inemo T Ikama Deputy Secretary General said the organization is expected to focus on conflict Resolution, community engagement, collaboration with government and private sector actors
‘it mandate also includes promoting peace building initiative, supporting local economic empowerment programms and strengthening traditional institutions in our state and beyond as partners in governance ”
It said the body is led by a team of respected traditional leaders serving as trustees
“Their collective leadership reflects a blend of experience cultural authority and grassroots connection
“Key elements considered vital for addressing long standing,socio economic and security challenges in the region”
The release further says ” the formation of this organization comes at a time when communities in Rivers state continue to navigate between issues ranging from youth unemployment, environmental concerns and intermittent conflicts amongst the traditional rulers and beyond
“By bringing together influential traditional figures under a unified platform, the group aims at serving as stabilizing force while advocating for inclusive development policies ” it said
It also described its emergence as a new chapter in grass roots leadership and regional development
Earlier, chairman of the body, Chief Boma Kele Oyika said the organization will work with relevant authorities to promote peaceful coexistence in the state, reduce crime and promote economic development.
He said it is open to all Chiefs from the 23 local government areas.
The Chairman of The Nigeria Delta Chamber of Commerce, Trade, Mines and Agriculture NDCCTMA,Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC ) Dr Samuel Ogbuku have challenged Niger Delta entrepreneurs to close the gap in Gross Demostic Products (GDP) differences between the region and that of the South Western part of the country by coming home to invest.
The two leaders spoke at a business round table organized by NDDCTMA in Port Harcourt
Chairman of NDDCTMA Ambassador Idaere Gogo Ogan, said to close the gap between the south west region which he said has a GDP seize of about #59 trillion and that of the Niger Delta which is about #34 trillion was to massively invest in the region.
He said no other persons can do this except sons and daughters from the region.
“For me I believe in statistics,I believe in data and everyday I looked at the data concerning development in Nigeria and from the GDP point of view, the South West has #59 trillion, that is the seize of the south west region economy, the second region following them is the Niger Delta region with GDP seize of #34 trillion,so there is a yearning gap of #25 trillion that separates the south west and the Niger Delta region, that is why we are here”
Ogan said the region has the capacity to close the gap and even surpassed it but regretted that indigenes of the region have chosen to ignore it in terms of investment.
“We need to close that gap .If we close that gap and even surpassed it,all the negative problems of militancy and unemployment will automatically erase “he said
Ogan said the event was organized to remind the people that past efforts of militancy and agitations have not led the region to any where
“That is why we are gathered here in this room “he said.
Also speaking Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission( NDDC) Dr Samuel Ogbuku urged indigenes of the region not to use the problem of insecurity as an excuse to continue to deny the region of investment as every part of the country have in one time or the other experienced crisis.
Ogbuku said most indigenes have displayed high level of unpatriotism towards the region by taking investments that would have benefited the people to either Lagos or Abuja.
“With little threat we have left the city,we have gone to Lagos,we have moved our families to Abuja and Lagos
“If you go round GRA all the property, you will see,”to let to let”most of them are now empty “he said.
The NDDC MD said despite the fact that people from the region are doing well in the oil and gas, banking and other sectors, its impact are not being felt at home because they are stationed outside the region.
He said time has come for potential investors from the region to have a change of heart by coming home to invest.
John Bibor