Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

March 21, 2016

L-R: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, former governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Oba of Lagos State, Oba Rilwan Akiolu and Vice Chancellor Usman Danfodiyo University (UDU) Sokoto, Prof Abdullahi Zuru at the Convocation of the University in Sokoto, recently.

Benue
The Benue House of Assembly has passed the state’s
second supplementary appropriation bill of N24 .5 billion for the 2015 fiscal year.
The appropriation comprised a recurrent expenditure of N12.5 billion and a capital vote of N12 billion.
Mr Adam Okloho (APC-Adoka/Ugboju), Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, had frowned at the indulgence of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in extra budgetary expenditure.
Okloho said that the state government had paid backlog of salary arrears of N12.5 billion owed workers, using the bailout fund from the Federal Government.
Mr Ianna Jato (PDP-Katsina-Ala East) said the House welcomed any further complaints on disbursement of the bailout fund if any for amicable resolution.

Borno

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
said that it had presented foodstuff to the Yobe Government for the feeding of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state.
NEMA North-East Information Officer, Malam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stated this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Ibrahim said that the gesture was in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the state and the agency.
“The Zonal NEMA North-East Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, presented foodstuff provided by the agency to the Secretary to the Yobe Government, Alhaji Baba Wali in Damaturu,’’ he said.
Ibrahim said the gesture was in line with the mandate of NEMA of providing succour to victims of disasters in the country.

Kano

The Global Partnership on Education (GEP) has allocated
27 million dollars to Kano State as part of its support to the development of education in the area.
The state Deputy Governor and Commissioner of Education, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, disclosed this at the launch of the Global Partnership for Education/Nigerian Partnership for Education in Kano recently.
Abubakar said no fewer than 5,000 primary schools; 45,000 teachers and 500,000 pupils would benefit from the gesture between 2016 and 2019.
He said, “with this support, the future of education will be very bright in the state’’.
According to him, GPE has earmarked 100 million dollars for the implementation of the project in five states of the North-West.

Katsina

A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State
has dismissed application by the police to stall a case of assault on the pretext of continuing with investigation.
Three persons, Abubakar Magaji, Abubakar Umar and Sagir Iliya all residents of Malumfashi, were arraigned for beating up one Kamilu Sheikh-Munir, on March 13.
The three had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal force and assault, which contravened Sections 97, 263 and 264 of the Penal Code Law.
In spite of their plea, the prosecuting Police Officer, Cpl. Joseph George, forwarded a written application for withdrawal of the case to allow the police continue with investigation.
Senior Magistrate Mannir Shehu, however rejected the application on the ground that the accused persons had already pleaded guilty and would only require summary trial.

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government has released N60million for
procurement of animals feeds to promote livestock production to stem clashes between farmers and cattle breeders.
The state chairman of the Cattle Breeders Association Alhaji Mohammed Dan-Ali, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
He said the association submitted the proposal for the procurement of the feeds, adding, “Government has since released the fund to the state Ministry of Animal Husbandry for supply and sale of feeds to breeders.”
He said the feeds that included livestock salt, dust and cotton seeds would be sold to Cattle breeders and other livestock producers at subsidised rate.
Dan-Ali, however, called on the state government to hasten grazing range demarcation to end encroachment by farmers, stressing that farmers had encroached about 150 kilometres into the grazing reserve.
Lagos

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called on the
National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to collaborate with it in the area of revenue generation.
The Customs Zone ‘A’ Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller-General Charles Edike, made the call in Lagos while speaking at a Stakeholders‘ Forum organised by NAGAFF.
He said the collaboration between the Customs service and other stakeholders, especially freight forwarders, was necessary to improve on revenue and boost non-oil revenue of the Federal Government.
“These are indeed hard times. The price of crude oil is falling, so are imports declining. So the revenue focus is on non-oil, especially revenue from the Customs.
“We know that one hand cannot wash itself clean. It takes both hands to clean each other.

Nasarawa

A 20-year-old student, Blessing Igobo, has been arraigned
in a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Nasarawa State, for alleged theft of telephone recharge cards worth N10,000.
Igobo was arraigned on a two-count charge of mischief and theft.
The prosecutor, Mr Friday Adaji, told the court that Patience Okpara, a resident of Mararaba, reported the case at the ‘A’ Division Police Station on March 11.
Adaji said that on March 1, at about 10 a.m., the accused came to the complainant’s shop located at Mararaba to buy recharge card.
The prosecutor said the complainant, however, had no change for the denomination the accused brought.

Niger

The Niger Government said that it had concluded
arrangement to establish grazing reserves in the state in order to forestall conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen.
Niger Commissioner for Agriculture Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, stated this in Minna, in an interview with newsmen.
He spoke on the sideline of the ministry’s budget defence at the Kwara House of Assembly.
The commissioner said that government would build settlements on the grazing reserves for the Fulani herdsmen to make them settle down conveniently.
“The Federal Government as well as the state government is concerned about the problems of herdsmen/farmers, with each contesting for the same farmland.

Osun

An Osogbo Customary Court has dissolved an 8-year-old
marriage between Suliyat Adedeji and her husband, Teslim, over complaint of battering by the defendant.
Suliyat, a petty trader, also accused her husband, a shoemaker, of lack of proper care of her and their two children.
“My husband is fond of beating me. I had reported him to his parents several times but they always tell me they are less concerned.
“His parents usually say we should sort ourselves out since we agreed to marry each other from the beginning,’’ Suliyat told the court.
Teslim, in his defence, denied the allegation by his wife, but agreed that the marriage be dissolved.

Oyo

An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ court sitting at Ibadan
has sentenced 29-year-old Dare Idogbe to 21 months imprisonment for stealing a motorcycle packed beside the court.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.F.Richard, ordered that prison term should be with hard labour.
Richard sentenced Idogbe to six months imprisonment for the first charge of conspiracy and one year and three months for stealing, and ordered that the sentences should run concurrently.
Idogbe with no known address was arraigned on March 8, on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
He pleaded guilty to the charges, admitting that he was introduced to how to steal motorcycles by somebody he met at an Indian hemp joint at Beere.
He told the court that he usually sold motorcycles he stole at N15, 000.
At arraignment, Police prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Ogunremi, had told the court that Idogbe and one other, now at large, conspired to steal a Bajaj motorcycle.

Plateau

Ahead of the PDP state congresses slated for May 7, former
Sports Minister, Damishi Sango and Rep. Bitrus Kaze are among the top contenders for the chairmanship post in Plateau.
Also among those that had so far indicated interest in the race are the immediate past Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Chris Hassan.
A top party source, who craved anonymity, told our correspondent in Jos that two other members, Jonathan Dabo and Mr Adi Kaba, were also interested in the seat.
The Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Pam Sale, said that the party was happy that “such high calibre of persons” were keen on providing leadership.
“The party has yet to start selling nomination forms, but we are impressed with the quality of those seeking the seat.

Yobe

The Yobe State Government has bought equipment worth
N20 million to rehabilitate 16 boreholes for returning internally displaced persons (IDPs) to the 17 communities liberated by the Joint Task Force (JTF) from Boko Haram insurgents in Gujba local government.
The State Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Dawa Maigari, said this in Damaturu while conducting newsmen round the equipment.
Maigari, also the Chairman, Technical Committee on Rehabilitation of Water, added that the state government would rehabilitate all the boreholes vandalised by the insurgents in the wake of attacks on the communities.
He said that the rehabilitation would be continuous as the IDPS who fled the villages during the attacks by the insurgents had started returning.
Chairman, Gujba Local Government Council, Alhaji Kyari Batarama, lauded the state government for rehabilitating the boreholes to serve the people.
“Residents of about 17 villages have returned and the rehabilitation of these boreholes will assist them in resettling after fleeing the communities for a long time.

Nation

Youths Vow To Continue Protest Over Dilapidated Highway

Published

1 day ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Youths from five local government areas in Northern Cross River State have concluded a one-week warning protest and blockade of the dilapidated Ikom-Wula-Obudu federal highway over the weekend.
They have vowed to resume the road blocks if by this week the authorities do not intervene to fix the road.
More than five thousand locals, mostly youths from Obanliku, Etung, Obudu, Ikom and Boki LGAs trooped out everyday for one week, used palm trees to block the highway to draw state and federal government’s attention to their plights, requesting the repair of a road has has been unmotorable for about 40 years.
They warned that if they do not see any actions from the state or federal governments, they will resume their Plan B protest, stop revenue collections and make governance unpalatable.
The youths also warned that without interventions on the road which has claimed several lives, including that of last week when a pregnant woman died with her baby in the full glare of the protesters because of the terrible road, no election can hold in the area next year.
One of the leaders of the No Road , No Election protest, who is also the Abo Youths in Boki LGA, Dr Martins Assam said both the federal and state governments have neglected the region, which generates more than 70 percent state revenue from agriculture.
He said if machinery is not deployed by next week, they will not have any option than to embark on unpalatable and disastrous protest, and stop revenue collections in the area.
“Last week we had only a warning strike for one good week. We’ll embark on a more elaborate, disastrous one-month blockade of this highway until they intervene. We call on our Governor and representatives in the National Assembly to act now by impressing on the federal government to immediately fix this road else. We’re not asking for two much but to be treated as human beings.”
Another protester, Clinton Obi from the Etung axis said, “We’ve been neglected for 40 years. This Ikom-Obudu federal highway had been impassable. The government has removed its concentration from our plights. By this one week protest, we want action on this road otherwise the next phase of protest will be costly.”
Reverend Father Francis Amaozo, priest in charge of St. Nicholas parish in Nashua, Boki LGA said, “I have also been a victim of this very deplorable road. Enough is now enough. We’ve been betrayed by our representatives and other leaders, so that we in this axis have become endangered species on this road. I have lost some many members on this road.”
Member, representing the Boki-Ikom federal constituency of the state in the House of Representatives, Bisong Victor Abang had pleaded with the locals to be a bit more patient with the government as action will commence shortly.

Nation

UNIPORT VC Receives Inaugural Lecture Brochure As Professor Highlights Urgent Need For Drug Repurposing In Malaria Fight

Published

1 day ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Owunari Georgewill, last Thursday received the inaugural lecture brochure from the Inaugural Lecturer, Professor Udeme Georgewill, during a ceremony at the university’s Centre of Excellence attended by academics, researchers, students, and distinguished guests.
Delivering her lecture, Professor Udeme Georgewill described the occasion as the culmination of years of dedicated research, teaching, and service to humanity. He explained that his work as a pharmacologist has consistently focused on finding practical, affordable, and scientifically sound solutions to health challenges that disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly malaria, which remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health concerns.
She noted that Nigeria continues to bear one of the heaviest malaria burdens globally, accounting for a significant percentage of worldwide cases and deaths. The disease, largely caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes, remains especially dangerous for children under five years and pregnant women, threatening not only present populations but unborn generations. Despite years of intervention efforts, malaria continues to strain families, health systems, and the national economy.
Prof Georgewill empha-sised that while Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies such as Artemether-Lumefantrine remain the gold standard for malaria treatment, emerging resistance patterns pose a serious challenge. He explained that drug resistance is a survival mechanism of the parasite, enabling it to adapt and reduce the effectiveness of medications designed to eliminate it. According to her, instances where patients do not feel better after initial treatment sometimes lead to repeated dosing or the search for injectable alternatives, practices that can worsen resistance and complicate treatment outcomes.
Against this backdrop, she advocated strongly for drug repurposing as a strategic and urgent response. Drug repurposing, he explained, involves identifying new therapeutic uses for already approved and widely available medications. He likened the concept to “old wine in new wineskins,” stressing that medicines already proven safe for certain conditions can be carefully re-evaluated and optimised for new roles in malaria management. This approach, she argued, offers advantages such as reduced research timelines, lower development costs, and faster clinical application compared to developing entirely new drugs from scratch.
She disclosed that her research had progressed from laboratory investigations to clinical evaluations, where his team is studying combinations involving Artemether-Lumefantrine and Ivermectin to determine their effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes and possibly reducing transmission. Clinical trials are ongoing, and findings will be communicated upon completion of regulatory processes. However, he cautioned strongly against self-medication, warning that misuse of drugs without proper diagnosis and prescription can lead to organ damage, treatment failure, and increased resistance.
Referencing global health commitments, Prof Georgewill highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, which seeks to end epidemics of malaria and other major infectious diseases by 2030. She questioned whether the goal remains attainable under current realities, especially with growing resistance and funding gaps. He also referred to strategies of the World Health Organisation aimed at drastically reducing malaria incidence and mortality while pushing toward elimination in several countries.
Looking ahead, she revealed that her team is building comprehensive research databases to support artificial intelligence-driven drug repurposing. He stressed that the integration of artificial intelligence, molecular docking, and advanced screening technologies is transforming global drug discovery, and Nigerian researchers must be equipped to participate competitively in this evolving scientific landscape.
In her recommendations, she called for the establishment of a National Centre for Drug Repurposing to coordinate research efforts and leverage artificial intelligence in identifying new indications for existing medicines. He urged policymakers to simplify and accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical application, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs benefit the public more efficiently. She also appealed to the university and relevant authorities to increase funding and modernise laboratory infrastructure, including high-throughput screening facilities, to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global biomedical research.
The lecture concluded with expressions of gratitude to God, the university leadership, colleagues, students, and guests, as the event underscored the University of Port Harcourt’s commitment to research excellence and its role in addressing critical public health challenges facing Nigeria and the wider world.

Nation

Niger CAN Rejects Proposed Hisbah Bill, Urges Gov Bago Not To Assent

Published

1 day ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State Chapter, has rejected the proposed Niger State Hisbah Directorates Bill, describing it as controversial and capable of deepening religious division in the state.
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and made available to The Tide’s source yesterday, the association urged Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago not to assent to the bill if it is passed by the State House of Assembly.
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar, seeks to establish a Hisbah Directorate in Niger State.
CAN warned that the legislation could be perceived as discriminatory against Christians and may heighten tension in the religiously diverse state.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, we, the entire Christendom in the state, wish to draw your attention to what could easily create division among the people you govern,” the statement read in part.
The association questioned the necessity and benefits of the proposed law, asking what economic or social value it would add to the state.
It further argued that existing security agencies, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, already have constitutional mandates to maintain law and order.
The Christian body also faulted the legislative process, disputing claims that it was consulted during a public hearing on the bill.
It insisted that it was neither invited nor notified of any such engagement, despite being a critical stakeholder in the state.