Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi (right) and Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State (2nd right), sympathising with the victim of Gombe ‘s multiple bomb explosion, during their visit at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe on Friday. Photo: NAN

Adamawa

The police in Adamawa State have arrested four sus
pected kidnappers believed to be terrorising the residents of Yola and its environs.
A statement by Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Othman Abubakar, said two AK 47 rifles and sixty rounds of ammunitions were found with the suspects at the time of arrest.
It said they were responsible for the recent kidnap of Adamawa House of Assembly member, Alhaji Usman Adamu and Sarkin Tsafta of Adamawa, Alhaji Aliyu Aminu.
It added that the gang was also responsible for the kidnap of Wilson Gundiri, brother to Marcus Gundiri, governorship candidate of SDP in the last general elections.
The statement said the suspects were undergoing investigation at the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Bauchi
Governor Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State has
urged journalists working in the state to always abide by the ethics of their profession.
The Governor made the call in Bauchi when a delegation of the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him.
He advised them to shun reports that would mislead members of the public and threaten the peace of the state
The governor pledged to provide the necessary support that would enable journalists discharge their duties without hindrance.
On the payment of weigh-in allowances to staff of state-owned media outfits, the governor said that he was yet to be briefed on the issue by the appropriate authorities.

Benue

The Chairman, Benue NGO Network, (BENGONET), Mr
Justin Gbagir, has advised Governor Samuel Ortom to conduct an audit of civil servants in Benue State to weed out ghost workers and reduce monthly wage bill.
Gbagir newsmen in an interview in Makurdi that the current wage bill of N3.7 billion being incurred by the state was unacceptable.
He said the audit would determine the actual staff strength of the state, saying that a lot of administrative lapses in the last regime in the state, might have been responsible for the huge amount.
He commended Ortom for his management of the resources of the state, urging him to continue the good work.
“What he (Ortom) has done shows an improvement over what we witnessed in the past eight years in this state.

FCT
The Department of State Services (DSS) has reassured
Nigerians of its readiness to check activities of criminal gangs in the country.
This is contained in a statement by the department, signed by Mr Tony Opuiyo in Abuja
It assured Nigerians that it would not relent in its efforts to checkmate the activities of any criminal gang that terrorised innocent citizens across the federation.
The statement urged members of the public to volunteer useful information that would assist the service in apprehending criminal gangs, promising that such information would be treated with ”utmost confidentiality and dispatch”.
It said that any suspect arrested by the service would be arraigned in courts in accordance with the law, adding that efforts were on to apprehend fleeing members of some kidnap gangs and others hiding across the country.
It disclosed that it had arrested some criminals in some states across the country.

Gombe
Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, has do
nated undisclosed amount of money to 48 victims of the recent Gombe bomb blast admitted at the Federal Teaching and Specialists’ Hospital (FTH), Gombe.
Jibir member representing Dukku/Nafada Federal constituency of Gombe State, Hajiya Aisha, presented the money Saturday in Gombe,on behalf of the First Lady.
Jibir told the victims that she was sent by the president’s wife to commiserate with them and give them a token assistance.
“The president’s wife was told about your conditions and being a caring mother, she decided to assist.
“The amount is just a token to help relieve you of the suffering you are encountering.
“She also prayed for the soul of those that lost their lives in the blast, to rest in peace,” she told the victims.

Jigawa

Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa State has said
that it immunised 111,372 children against polio virus during the recent round of polio immunisation.
The Manager, National Programme on Immunisation for the area, Alhaji Suraj Muhammad, told newsmen in Dutse last Sunday the council received 121,000 doses of Oral Polio Vaccines and used 119,040.
He said 150 non-compliance cases were recorded out of which 142 cases were resolved and eight cases pending.
Muhammad said that the non-compliance cases would have resulted in the non-immunisation of 282 children, but its resolution led to 272 children being immunised.

Kebbi

The wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Atiku,
has donated drugs and food stuff to people living positive and drug addicts in Zuru Emirate of Kebbi state.
The donation was presented in Zuru to Sani HIV/AIDS Trust Fund, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) established by the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sani Gomo II.
Atiku told the Emir that the donation was to reduce hardship faced by the victims, make them have a sense of belonging, as well as erase the pain of stigma.
She pledged to sustain her support to the victims and other under privileged members of the society, calling on other privileged persons to do same.
In his remarks, the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sani Gomo II, commended the donor and called on other members of the public to emulate her by providing employment, material and financial support to the victims.

Lagos

The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria
(NAPTAN) last Friday urged state governments indebted to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to pay up, to avoid jeopardising the children’s future.
NAPTAN’s National Coordinator Babs Animashaun made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
WAEC had on July 27, threatened to withhold results of thousands of students from 19 states, who participated in the May/June WASSCE, over non-payment of their registration fees.
WAEC said that the affected state governments were indebted to the council to the tune of over N4 billion.

Nasarawa

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has of
fered employment to 10 persons out of 40 persons living with HIV/AIDs who had just concluded a skills acquisition programme in the state.
Al-makura announced the gesture last Saturday in Lafia at the 5th graduation of beneficiaries of the programme, trained at Mother and Child Care Enhancement Foundation, a pet project of Mrs Salamatu Umaru-Almakura.
About  reports that 40 beneficiaries were trained in different skills, including tailoring, knitting, hairdressing, interior decorations and catering.
He said that providing employment to people living with HIV/AIDs was to give them a sense of belonging as well as to improve their standard of living.

Plateau

The Transition Interim Chairman of Bokkos Local Gov
ernment of Plateau State, Mr Luka Makut, has urged workers to be committed and diligent in the discharge of their duties.
Makut gave the charge in Bokkos as he took over the mantle of leadership of the council.
”As workers, you are the engine room of the council, therefore, it behoves on you to be diligent and hardworking to assist me in my quest to transform the area.
”I need your cooperation in my drive to ensure that Bokkos Local Government becomes one of the well-developed councils in Plateau, ” he said.
The new council boss pledged to do his best in improving the living conditions of the good people of Bokkos.
According to him, the little resources of the area will be fully utilised to transform the council and to give workers welfare priority attention.

Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has warned
middlemen to steer clear of fertilisers purchased by the state government.
Tambuwal spoke in Bodinga Local Government Area when he inaugurated the sale of the 6,600 bags of NPK and Urea brands of fertlisers allocated to the council area.
Represented by Alhaji Mainasara Ahmed, Permanent/Clerk of the House of Assembly, Tambuwal said that 3,975 bags of fertilisers would be sold only to small-scale farmers.
He said that the remaining would be sold to large-scale farmers, traditional and religious leaders, politicians, and civil servants who engage in farming activities.
Tambuwal warned that the state government would not fold its arms and allow some unscrupulous and unpatriotic elements to prevent the genuine farmers from getting the subsidised commodity.
According to him, the NPK and Urea brands will be sold to the farmers at the highly subsidised prices of N1,700 and N1,800 per bag, respectively.

Zamfara

Over 10,000 people have been treated and discharged
in Sokoto State in the past two years under free medical treatment programme of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN).
The National President of the Association, Dr. Salisu Isma’il, stated this recently in Gusau while fielding questions from newsmen in Gusau, as part of activities of the 16th National Scientific Conference and National General Meeting of the association.
Dr. Isma’il said that the beneficiaries comprised men and women in Sokoto metropolis and some neighbouring local government areas.
“The treatment was part of the assistance rendered by the association as we always work towards assisting patients, especially those without the means to foot the bills of their medical treatment.
“We also organise seminars and workshops on health related issues for our members and other community members, conduct enlightenment campaign with the aim of improving knowledge and understanding of the people on health related issues”, he said.