Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Director of National Orientation
Agency (NOA), Hajiya Jummai Bello, has called on the people of the state to imbibe the spirit of peaceful co-existence.
Bello who said this in Bauchi last Tuesday, during an interview said that no meaningful development could take place in an atmosphere of rancour and hatred.
She said the agency was committed to sensitising the people of the state on the need to use cultural diversities as a tool for the development of the state.
“Our campaign is geared towards the propagation of the Federal Government’s transformation agenda. We try to entrench positive attitude, peaceful co-existence among people due to the decay that cut across the strata, “ she said.
Borno
Eighteen persons were feared dead after suspected Boko
Haram militants attacked a community along the Alau Dam -Alau Ngawo Fate in Jere Local Government Area of Borno on Sunday night.
A village head in the area, Malam Ibrahim Modu,told newsmen that the attackers invaded the community at about 10p.m. last Sunday before carrying out their evil act.
He said the invaders divided themselves into groups with some attacking residents while others set fire on the houses.
The spokesman for the 7 Division of Nigerian Army, Col. Mohammad Dole, confirmed the attack.
Ekiti
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
on Monday warned residents of the state against indulging in hard drugs.
The State Commander of the NDLEA in Ekiti, Mr Bamidele Akingbade, who gave the warning in an interview in Ado-Ekiti assured that said the agency would step-up efforts toward sensitising residents on the dangers of indulging hard drugs.
The agency, he said, would partner with some radio and television stations in the state in its public enlightenment drive.
He said the sponsored radio and television programmes would also educate the public on the dangers of cultivating, selling and smoking Indian hemp and urged the residents of the state to expose drug peddlers in their midst to the appropriate authorities.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government said it spent N75 million
on nomadic education in 2013.
A statement signed by the Alhaji Ali Manu, the Executive Secretary of the state Agency for Nomadic Education, in Dutse indicated that N36.6 million was spent on the construction of eight blocks of classrooms, headmaster’s offices and furniture.
The statement said that N9.3 million was used to procure and distribute instructional materials to all the schools in the state.
It said that N7.2 million was spent on the renovation of two blocks of classrooms in Guraja nomadic school and N6.2 million on furniture in its nine zonal offices.
Kano
The Kano State Government has approved money for
media campaign against increasing rate of rape cases in the state.
The state Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Maliki Kuliya, told newsmen in Kano last Monday, that the measure was necessary in order to sensitise the public on the problem as no fewer than 100 rape cases were recorded in Kano state between November and December, 2013.
He urged parents and Islamic scholars to take up the challenge by sensitising their wards and members of the public on the alarming rate of the menace in the state.
“The most disturbing thing is that most of the suspects are people that are known to the victims. So parents need to watch where their children go to or whom they relate with,’’ he said.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government last Monday distributed
reflective jackets, helmets and boots to 3,500 registered commercial motorcyclists operating in the state.
Distributing the items to the beneficiaries in Katsina, the Chairman, Committee on Sanitisation of commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators, otherwise known as ‘’Okada and Keke NAPEP’’ in the state, Alhaji Alhassan Muhammad, said that the items were given free of charge.
Muhammad said that the beneficiaries were selected from the 34 local government areas of the state, adding that the gesture was aimed at regulating the operations of commercial motorcyclists in the state.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Chairman of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders and Owners Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in the state, Alhaji Dikko Kofar-Sauri, commended the state government for the gesture.
Kogi
The Kogi State Government last Monday said it had or
dered for 40 new trucks as part of efforts to strengthen the activities of the State Sanitation and Waste Management Agency.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Abudulrama Huya, said in Lokoja that the trucks, on arrival, would be deployed to 40 strategic locations to ensure clean environment.
He said the vehicles would come in from China and Germany, adding that the state government would engage more people to clean the streets to enhance cleanliness in the state.
The Managing Director of the State Waste Management Board (SWMB), Mrs Florence Joseph, also said that the agency had only three trucks and urged people in the state to be patient as the delivery of the new trucks would positively impact on their operations.
Niger
Eleven members of J’amatul Izalatul Bidia Wa Ikamati
Sunnah (JIBWIS) from Kebbi lost their lives in an auto crash in Suleja, Niger, on Sunday.
The accident occurred when the victims were returning to Kebbi after attending an education appeal fund programme in Abuja.
The unit commander of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Edwin Nwokike,in Suleja, told newsmen that the incident involved a Toyota Hiace bus conveying members of JIBWIS from Abuja to Suru in Kebbi and a Volkswagen Gulf car coming from Minna and going to Suleja.
The unit commander said that the driver of the Gulf car was alone and died on the spot; nine passengers in the Toyota bus also died on the spot, and one other died in the hospital, while nine sustained injuries.
Ogun
The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Olatokunbo
Olopade, last Monday in Abeokuta charged Magistrates in the state to be proactive and firm while shunning corruption in the discharge of their duties.
She advised the magistrates to carry out researches so as to be in tune with the latest trends in the legal profession, stating that the magistracy was an important and vital part of the judiciary because of its closeness to the grassroots.
She regretted that magistrate courts were becoming “a grave source of embarrassment and a sign of failure of the criminal justice system,’’ attributing delays in trials to the poor attitude of some magistrates to work.
Ondo
Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has urged
chiefs and people of Akure kingdom to support and cooperate with the new regent of the land, Princess Adetutu Adesida.
Mimiko said during a homage to the regent last Monday in Akure that the supports would bring more peace and development in the kingdom.
He said that the reign of the late Oba Adebiyi Adesida, although very short, brought an “unprecedented development” to the land in the areas of sustainable peace and infrastructure development.
The governor said that the late monarch enjoyed tremendous support from his subjects and stressed that he was able to record more successes because of his tenacity of purpose and zeal to develop Akure and make it a befitting state capital.
Plateau
The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission
(PLASIEC) has cleared 574 persons to contest chairmanship and counsellorship positions in the January 30 local government elections.
The commission’s chairman, Peter Dalyop, said in Jos that 39 persons did not scale through the screening exercise.
Some of the chairmanship candidates who were not cleared include Mrs Rose Yakubu Chollom, the All Peoples’ Congress (APC) candidate for Barkin-Ladi Local Government and her Vice, Dung Stephen.
Zamfara
The Emir of Kaura-Namoda, Zamfara State, Alhaji Ahmad
Asha, has warned village and district heads in the emirate against all forms of corrupt practices.
The emir who gave the warning when he addressed the traditional rulers in Kaura-Namoda said it was only by shunning corruption that they would earn the respect of their subjects.
He particularly warned them against tampering with the financial assistance given to the less privileged known as Zakkat by the state government and disclosed that the emirate would inaugurate a monitoring committee to ensure that the funds were not tampered with.
Nation
Anglican Bishop Urges Politicians To Lead With Integrity
The Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Niger Delta, Dr Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, has called on Nigerians, especially those in positions of authority to uphold moral standard and integrity.
Oko-Jaja said this at a thanksgiving service to mark the 90th birthday of Prof. Sylvanus Cookey at Saint Paul Anglican Church in Opobo Town, Rivers yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that Cookey was the second Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) in 1982.
Oko-Jaja advised political leaders to always be self-aware and avoid actions that could damage their reputation.
“In today’s Nigeria, hardship has changed how the people behave, as lies have become more popular than the truth.
“We now live in a country where injustice is now celebrated and lowering moral and social standard have become the new normal.
“Leaders must follow the exemplary legacies set by our forebears by becoming upright and live a life that would not bring shame to their family and community,” he said.
He attributed the country’s current economic challenges and declining living standards to leaders failing to prioritise the well-being of citizens.
“The younger generation should emulate the virtues of our predecessors like Prof. Cookey, who prioritised integrity over material gain.
“Good reputation was the norm back then, and I hope that God will restore it to Nigeria, where leaders’ goal will be to have good names.
“If anyone wants to commit evil, they should remember that their actions can bring a bad name to their family and community,” he cautioned.
Addressing the celebrant, the King of Opobo Kingdom, HRM Dandason Jaja, praised Cookey for his impact on society and described him as a mentor and philanthropist.
He said that the celebrant was a distinguished academic, who had impacted numerous youths through vocational training, leading to their successful employment in different sectors.
Speaking earlier, Cookey expressed gratitude to God for attaining 90 years and acknowledged the support of his family and friends.
Reflecting on his contributions to the country, he encouraged leaders to leave behind positive legacies for future generations to celebrate.
Nation
Senators, Reps To Resume Plenary In Remodelled Main Chambers
Nineteen months after federal lawmakers movement to temporary chambers, the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives would finally resume sittings in their newly remodelled main hallowed chambers tomorrow
Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Akin Rotimi Jnr, and the Clerk to the Senate, Barrister Chinedu Akubueze confirmed the planned movement to the main chambers in separate written announcements made penultimate week on the change in resumption date by lawmakers from their ongoing recess.
Hon. Rotimi, who is the chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in the official announcement dated April 4, 2024 to the honourable members, cited the need to resume plenary at the renovated and reconfigured main chamber, as reason for the postponement in line with the general wish of the lawmakers.
“The House of Representatives wishes to inform the public and stakeholders of the rescheduling of the resumption date from the ongoing recess, originally slated for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, to Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
“This adjustment is necessary to accommodate the completion of renovations to the main chamber of the House of Representatives to ensure its readiness for plenary sessions, henceforth,” he stated.
Two days after, the Clerk to the Senate also issued a statement, postponing resumption of plenary by the Senate from April 16 to 23, 2024.
Akubueze ‘s statement reads in part: “Distinguished Senators are hereby invited to note that the resumption of the plenary sitting of the Senate, which was scheduled for Tuesday, 16th April, 2024, has been postponed to Tuesday 23rd April, 2024”
It would be recalled that ahead of the projects delivery, the Site Engineer of Visible Construction, Tajudeen Olanipekun, had early last month informed journalists covering the Senate, that the two main chambers, would be ready for use by both the Senate and the House of Representatives in April this year.
Olanipekun’s assurance on delivery of the fully transformed and reconfigured hallowed chambers to management of the National Assembly, coincided with call by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to the Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA, Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal that both the Senate and the House of Representatives, want to move to their main chambers as soon as possible after close to two years of using temporary ones.
In carrying out the subtle marching order, the construction firm in the last five weeks has carried out the required finishings on
the upgraded and reconfigured hallowed chambers fixed with state-of-the-art chairs, parliamentary equipments, appliances and extended sitting terraces.
Physically, the entire ambience of the space in and around the hallowed chambers have been transformed, just as barricades used to restrict movements at the foyer have been removed.
The Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, had in March 2021 awarded a N30billion renovation contract to Visible Construction Limited to rehabilitate critical segments of the National Assembly complex.
The law makers had in September 2022 vacated the main chambers to enable the Contractors; handle the renovation work of both chambers
Some of the critical segments are the office buildings housing the office accommodation for the senators and honourable members, watertightness of the roof of the complex, the cooling system, replacement of lifts that are inoperable in the White House as well as in the House of Representatives and in the new Senate Wing among others.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
Nation
Police Commence Recruitment Process In Anambra, Enugu
The Zone 13 of the Nige- rian Police Force, comprising Anambra and Enugu States, has announced the venue and time for both General Duty and Specialist Constable recruitment medical screening in the two States.
This is contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Ihunwo, yesterday in Enugu.
Ihunwo said that prospective candidates from Zone 13 should note that the exercise would take place at Police Hospital, Awka.
She said that the medical screening would commence simultaneously nationwide on Tuesday, April 16, and end on April 30, 2024.
“Candidates are advised to visit the recruitment portal: https://apply.policerecruitment.gov.ng to know their status, specific time, date and other mandatory requirements.
“So also, qualified applicants are to appear in clean white T-shirt and short with the following requirements;
“National Identity Card/Slip; Print Out of Medical Examination Slip and all necessary documents.
“The Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 13 Command, AIG Godwin Aghaulor, wishes all prospective candidates success as they embark on this exercise,” he said.
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