Benue

A 28-year-old student, Japhet Fahonum, has appeared
before a Makurdi Magistrates’ Court, charged with raping a 15-year-old mentally challenged girl.
Fahonum, who resides at Benseer Street, Owner Occupier, Makurdi, is facing a one-count charge of rape.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Terzungwe Kajo told the court that a brother of the victim reported the case at the “E’’ Division Police Station, Makurdi on January 1.
Kajo said that the complainant alleged that the accused lured his sister, who is mentally challenged, out on the night of the fateful day and had unlawful carnal knowledge of her.

FCT

Some education stakeholders have blamed poor standards
in Nigeria’s basic education system on the absence of quality teachers, poor infrastructure and inadequate funding.
The educationists made the observation in separate interviews with newsmen across the country.
Mr Ishaya Tabat, a lecturer with Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, said that dearth of quality teachers and poor funding remained the major set-backs to efforts at strengthening education at the basic level.
Tabat said that 90 per cent of teachers in primary and junior secondary schools lacked the basic training needed to teach at that level.
Jigawa

Alhaji Ali Alkali, Sole Administrator, Malammadori Local
Government of Jigwa State, has urged members of the state’s taskforce Committee on Revenue to be diligent in their duties.
Alkali told newsmen in Malammadori that it was imperative for the committee to be fair and just in the discharge of its duties.
He said that such commitment to duty would ensure financial probity and boost the council’s revenue base.
The sole administrator commended traders’ associations and cooperative bodies for their support to the committee, adding that the gesture had facilitated smooth operation of the committee.
Kogi

The new Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said
that he was ready for action and determined to give the state a new direction.
He also said he would use President Muhammadu Buhari as his model for governance, stressing that  his administration would have zero tolerance for corruption.
Bello, in his inaugural address, laden with emotion as he wept while recognising notable personalities in his life, especially his late father, said it would not be business as usual with him at the helms of affairs in the state.

Kaduna
The Senate Committee on Defence, has  commenced in
vestigation into the Army/Shiite clash in Zaria, Kaduna State, which occurred on December 12, 2015.
Chairman of the committee, Senator  Ahmad Lawal told newsmen in Kaduna shortly after a meeting with Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai, that their interaction with all interested parties would be in secret.
“We have come for a courtesy call and we have had a meeting with the Nigerian Army led by the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division.
“We are also meeting the Director DSS and also the Commissioner of Police, “ he said.

Kano
Alhaji Gambo Danpass, a chieftain of All Progressives
Congress (APC) in Kano State, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to use the money recovered from looted funds to develop the education sector.
Danpass gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Kano on Saturday,saying that there was need for the Federal Government to use the recovered money to promote education particularly in the area of science and technology.
“The Federal Government should channel the money in the education sector especially science and technology; government needs to encourage students to study sciences,” he said.

Lagos
A 27-year-old commercial sex worker, Faith Imojire, who
allegedly assaulted a policeman, has been arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The accused, who gave no fixed address, is facing a charge of assault.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Mike Unah, told the court that the accused committed the offence on January 21 at No. 14 Aromire St., Ikeja, Lagos.
Unah said the accused assaulted one Sgt. Friday Orah by beating him up and attempting to seize his rifle.
He said the policeman was trying to settle a dispute between the accused and a man who refused to pay her after having sex with her.
“In the process of settling the fight, the man escaped and the accused pounced on the policeman, blaming him for allowing the man to escape.

Nasarawa

A Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, has dissolved
the three-year-old marriage between Shehu Habeb and his wife, Marufia Afolabi, for lack of understanding.
Habeb, 38, who resides at Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said that his wife no longer respect him, noting that he was tired of the relationship.
“Please I want an end to this marriage because I cannot continue any longer with the constant misunderstanding and lack of respect.
The petitioner said that the marriage was contracted in 2013 and blessed with a male child.
Marufia, 35, denied all the allegations, saying that Habeb was just tired of the marriage and did not love her anymore.
She said that all effort to settle the issue proved abortive, she therefore, urged the court to grant her husbands request.

Oyo

An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has  fixed February
16 for hearing in a motion seeking to stop the Olubadan-in-Council from appointing the new Olubadan of Ibadan land.
Justice Muktar Abimbola fixed the date at the resumed hearing of a case filed by Chief Adebayo Oyediji and others against the state government, the Council and other contending lines to Olubadan throne.
Our correspondent  reports that Oyediji of Seriki Chieftancy line is claiming that it is the turn of their line to produce the next Olubadan, following the death of Oba Samuel Odunlana.
The plaintiff is challenging the alleged consistent occupation of the throne by the Olubadan chieftaincy line and the Balogun Chieftaincy line.

Ogun

The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) has petitioned
the Chief Judge (CJ) of Ogun State, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, over alleged unlawful detention of seven persons by Ota Chief Magistrates’ Court, without trial.
The PCC Commissioner for Ogun, Mrs Oluyemisi Dawodu, submitted the petition in Abeokuta when she paid a courtesy call on the Judge.
A copy of the petition made available to  newsmen Dawodu said that the suspects, who are between ages 16 and 23, had been in prison custody since July 19, 2014.
She said the suspects had been kept behind bar on the claim that the court was yet to receive an advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on their alleged crime.
Dawodu said that the perpetual detention of the suspects without trial is an infringement on their fundamental rights.

Plateau
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr
Babatunde Fashola, has advised communities to shun actions inimical to the construction of infrastructure that enhance development.
Fashola made that call while addressing newsmen at the end of an assessment tour of the 132/33KV sub-station in Pankshin, Plateau State.
He said his call became imperative after learning from the state government that the project, since completion, had not been operational due to land dispute involving host communities.
“As you can see here in Pankshin sub-station, the problem we have is that the community is standing in the way of its own development — right of way to give them power.

Zamfara
The High Level Women Advocacy, a group sponsored
by UNICEF, on Thursday said the high level of poverty in Zamfara is limiting access to education by school-aged girls in the state.
The leader of the group, Suwaiba Barau made the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Gusau.
“The major factor limiting the development of girl child education in this state is poverty, because some children have no financial support to further their education to secondary or tertiary schools, some cannot even finish their primary schools.
“Even when government is giving free education some parents cannot take care of their children up to the finishing time.
“Some children are very good, some are brilliant but little financial problem can delay them the chance to move ahead positively in life, which is highly unfortunate,’’ she noted.

Chairman, Army-Shitee Clash Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Justice Mohammed Garba (right), taking oath of office before Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, during the inauguration of the judicial commission of inquiry in Kaduna on Friday.