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THE STATES
Abuja
The police has arraigned Kabiru Salisu, 26, of Kurudu and Ebijimi Adeola, 35, of Karu at the Karu Upper Area Court for alleged disturbance of public peace.
Police prosecutor, Francis Udifai told the court that on May 4, at about 9 a.m., the accused persons engaged in physical combat at Abattoir market in Karu, Abuja.
He added that during police investigation, it was discovered that the accused had disagreement during meat supplies to their customers at the market.
He further said that the offence contravened provisions of section 113 of the Penal Code.
The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The presiding judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N20,000 each and a surety each in like sum.
He adjourned the case to July 1 for further hearing.
Adamawa
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has inaugurated the sale of fertiliser for the 2013 farming season to farmers in the state.
Nyako urged farmers to take advantage of the government’s various agricultural programmes to facilitate agricultural production.
The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Kobis Aris, gave assurance that the government would continue to support farmer groups in the state.
He also assured farmers that the government would partner with international and national agencies in promoting the state’s agriculture sector.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Lucy Ishaku, said that the launch was an annual event intended to herald the formal commencement of the sale of inputs to farmers.
Benue
Wife of Benue State governor and founder of the SEV-AV Foundation, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam has been named the face of Akata fishing and Cultural Festival.
The festival, a celebration of the rich culture of the Tiv people in Benue State, will begin on Tuesday, June 4, 2013.
A statement issued in Lagos by the principal consultant, Gren Business Dimensions, Mrs. Rosemary Duamlong named the first lady of the state as the ambassador and face of Akata 2013 because of her achievements in the area of women and youths empowerment through the SEV-AV Foundation.
The statement commended Mrs. Suswam for the establishment of crafts and skills acquisition centres at Vandeikya and Gboko, Sev-Av Agro-processing Centre in Katsina-Ala and Ukum Local Government Areas and the three PMTCT Clinics in Vandeikya, Gboko and Otukpo.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Scholarship Board on Thursday said it had disbursed more than N200 million bursary to indigent students in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Babandi Abubakar, said in Dutse that, 11, 218 students benefited from the exercise.
Abubakar said the beneficiaries include 3, 074 students studying in various state and federal universities and 4, 606 students of the colleges of education. He said that 3, 538 students of the polytechnics also benefited from the scholarship.
Abubakar explained that, the board had deployed personnel to more than 60 universities and other tertiary institutions in the country for the payment of the money.
He said that the gesture was part of the state government’s effort to assist the students and promote academic excellence.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has said that it would prosecute three suspects for theft.
Our correspondent reports that the suspects were arrested in Dukku section of the metropolis for possession of diesel suspected to be stolen.
The state NSCDC Commandant, Alhaji Aminu Abubakar, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the suspects had been in the custody of the corps.
He said the first suspect confessed to the theft while the second denied involvement in the crime. He said the third suspect, a commercial motorist, however, admitted that he was instructed by the second suspect, a businessman, to load the commodity for him before they were arrested.
Kogi
Hundreds of people displaced in the current face-off between Fulani herdsmen and Agatus in Benue State are now taking refuge in some communities in Kogi State.
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State confirmed this in Lokoja during a meeting with the chairmen of the 21 local government councils in the state.
He said that the displaced persons, including women and children, took refuge in Bagana, Abejukolo and six other communities in Omala Local Government of area of the state.
The Governor said that the influx of people from Benue to Kogi was an indication that the government and the chairmen of local government councils must be on red alert.
Earlier in the day, the Chairman of Omala Local Government, Alhaji Labaran Oigebe, expressed concern over the influx of Agatus from Benue into his local government.
Kwara
The newly-appointed Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Mr. Agboola Oshodi-Glover, on Tuesday formally assumed office at the police headquarters, Ilorin.
Our correspondent reports that the police boss arrived at the office at about 8.00 am.
Oshodi-Glover, while addressing newsmen, warned criminals to keep away from the state.
The commissioner urged the people of the state to continue to give useful information to police to curb crime to the barest minimum.
Oshodi-Glover is the 28th commissioner of police in Kwara and succeeds the late Mr Chinweke Asadu who was assassinated at his native home in Enugu in February.
Lagos
The Director of Studies, Lagos School of Travels and Tourism, Mr Segun Adeshina, said the institute had trained 2,800 students in eight years.
Adeshina told newsmen in Lagos that the management of the school had been training an average of 350 students per year since 2005.
The director expressed the need to train more professionals to explore and develop the industry to meet foreign standard.
He noted the shortfall of professionals in the industry, and called for establishment of more tourism schools to produce additional professionals.
Adeshina urged the Federal Government to invest more resources in the sector so that more people could be employed.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Mr Hussaini Abubakar, said on Thursday that principals and teachers found to be aiding students in examination malpractice would be sanctioned.
The commissioner who gave the warning in an interview in Lafia said that government would not spare anyone found indulging in the act.
He warned that chief education officers of any examination centre that had been de-registered by WAEC or NECO as a result of malpractice would also be sanctioned.
He charged education officers to ensure proper monitoring of the ongoing WAEC examinations in their schools to reduce malpractice.
Abubakar also called on parents, conniving with teachers to perpetrate the act to desist as the government would not hesitate to sanction them.
“Anybody that is caught involved in it, be it a teacher, principal, student, parents or anybody in the system would face the full wrath of the law,” he said.
The commissioner also called on the management of private schools across the state to also guard against the act.
Plateau
A Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State has dismissed a case of negligence brought against security agencies by some victims of 2011 attack at Rukuba road, Jos.
One Mohammed Abdullahi and 10 others had filed a suit on behalf of 27 others before Justice Ambrose Allagoa, claimed that they were attacked by some miscreants on Auugust 29, 2011 at a praying ground.
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, Mr. Hassan Liman (SAN), claimed that during the attack, they sustained injuries while some lost their lives and property worth millions of naira.
Liman prayed the court to compel the Federal Government and its agencies to pay his clients N100 million as general damage and N280,000 being expenses incurred on treatment of injuries sustained during the attack.
But the counsel to the security agencies, Mr Ali Zachariah, who also represented the Attorney-General of the Federation, objected to the claims, saying that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
Zechariah prayed the court to dismiss the entire case for lack of merit.
Allagoa, in his ruling, struck out the case for lack of merit.
“This case didn’t fall within the purview of section 251 (1) of 1999 Constitution in view of the proviso therein, therefore this court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain this matter.
“Since the case was not brought in a way of writ of summon, it is hereby struck out, “ the Judge said.
He added that by virtue of that ruling, three similar cases before him had collapsed and therefore dismissed.
Shortly after the ruling, Zachariah told newsmen that he was satisfied with the ruling and described it as “well thought out“.
But Liman, who spoke through Mr. Aliyu Sange, said “we are heading to the court of appeal to challenge this ruling which is a miscarriage of Justice.”
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3