Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

June 10, 2016

Adamawa
Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa State has
directed local government council chairmen in the state to account for the salaries of their workers.
The governor also asked the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Gazali Mohammed, to investigate four acting local government council chairmen over alleged misappropriation of money meant for workers’ salaries.
Jibrilla gave the directive recently after an emergency meeting with the acting chairmen of the 21 local government councils of the state over problem of salaries.
The affected local governments are Lamurde, Jada, Shelleng and Demsa.
The governor said that his administration hinged on transparency and accountability, adding that public funds must be adequately accounted for.

Borno

The Nigerian Army said that its troops in Borno State
have killed a top Boko Haram commander known as Ameer Abubakar Gana and 18 other fighters.
A statement issued by army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman said several arms, ammunition, vehicles and other items were recovered during the operation.
Usman said in the statement that the commander and his men were killed during a clearance operation on the terrorists’ stronghold at Chukungudu by troops from various army battalions with support from Air Force aerial surveillance.
Usman said the operation was conducted following intelligence report about the activities of the insurgents in the area.
“Following credible information on the presence of Boko Haram terrorists at Chukungudu, a carefully planned operation comprising troops of 22 Brigade Garrison and 153 Task Force Battalion as well as Nigerian Air Force Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaisance, was conducted.

Ekiti

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has re
manded a 19-year-old man, Seyi Oluwafemi, for alleged rape of a 13-year old girl.
The police prosecutor, Sgt. Caleb Leranmo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 26 at Efon-Ekiti.
He alleged that the accused, on the said date, unlawfully defiled the girl, which led to a serious injury on her.
Leranmo said the offence contravened section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
He said he had duplicated the case file and forwarded It to the Office of Director for Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

FCT

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
has secured three million dollars grant from the Government of Japan to accelerate the recovery and stability of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East.
A statement by Mr John Nwankwo, Information official of the Embassy of Japan, said the sum would be used to implement two new projects in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
Nwankwo said the two projects are “Support for Early Recovery and Social Cohension” and “De-radicalisation, Counter –terrorism and Migration”, which would be implemented over a 12 months’ period.
According to him, the Ministry of Budget and National Planning will coordinate the implementation of the two projects.
He explained that the support to early recovery and social cohesion would contribute to ongoing recovery interventions in the region, devastated by more than five-year-long insurgency.

Kaduna

A staff of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Joy
Enobong-Akpan, and her daughter, Akon Iyene, have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrates’ Court, Chediya GRA, Sabongari, Zaria for criminal conspiracy and offering false information..
The two were said to have connived and falsely accused six staff of the university of kidnapping the second accused, Iyene, a student of Human Anatomy Department of the institution.
Kano

The Kano State Government has approved N1 billion for
the construction of 348 classrooms in secondary schools across the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Muhammad Garba, announced this when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council meeting in Kano.
He said that the gesture was part of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s promises to embark on projects that would have impact on the people of the state.
Garba added that the new classrooms would not bear any inscription or name of individuals on them.
He noted that the Council had also approved N90.7 million for the conversion of Mariri orphanage home into boarding primary school in the state
The Council approved another N125 million for the construction of drains in Kano State University of Science Technology, Wudil, he said.

Kwara

The Chief Imam of Markaz Al Adaby Mosque in Ilorin,
Malam Abdulmumin Apaokagi, has urged Muslims to be spiritually prepared during Ramadan fast by moving closer to Allah and be steadfast in prayers.
Apaokagi made the call in Ilorin while delivering lecture as the last Friday preceding the Holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the month which Muslims fast for 29 or 30 days as prescribed for them in the Holy Qur’an chapter 2 verse 183
as “O ye who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint.”
The cleric said Muslims should not only prepare for Ramadan by stocking their homes with foodstuff but by purifying their hearts to usher in the holy month.

Lagos

No fewer than eight suspected fake optometrists have
been arrested in Lagos by the Registrar of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria, in conjunction with the Nigeria Police.
Our correspondent reports that the board members, the Ministry of Health and the police raided some areas in Lagos Island, including Tinubu Square, to make the arrests.
The Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Optometrists Association, Lagos State chapter, Dr John Sedi, who confirmed the number of arrests to newsmen, said that some eye glasses and some equipment for optometrists were recovered from the suspects.
He said that the raid was one way to protect the eyes of many Nigerians from being damaged, and to also enlighten the public on the dangers in patronising quacks.

Nasarawa

Maichibi Widow of Hope Foundation, an NGO, has ap
pealed to parents and guardians to ensure good education for their female children/wards before giving them out in marriage.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Mr Bitrus Maichibi, made the appeal in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, during an awareness campaign on girl-child education.
He explained that the campaign organised by the foundation for public and private school female students in Akwanga Local Government Area, was aimed at stressing the importance of girl-child education.
Maichibi said that sexual abuses, lack of proper education for the girl-child, were reasons for the sensitisation exercise, adding that parents should send their female children to school.

Ogun

The Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE)
in Ota, Ogun State has urged companies to retrain their drivers to cope with the challenges of driving during the rainy season.
The TRACE Zonal Commander, Mr Adekunle Ajibade, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Ota.
Ajibade said he would love to see the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) assisting the agency in spreading the campaign, especially now that the rainy season had started.
He said that retraining was needful because the rainy season was more prone to accident than the dry weather.
According to him, the slippery nature of roads during the rainy season had often contributed enormously to road crashes.
Plateau

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has inaugurated
the first ever Primary Health Care (PHC) Clinic in his own village, Ajikamai, in Shendam Local Government Area.
Inaugurating the N13 million facility, the governor described the event as “historic”.
“It is the first time my people are seeing an edifice like this in this village,” he said.
The governor said that the centre was built under the Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP) of the state.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work as well the speed with which it was completed, stating that the project would address the health needs of the people.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA) says it
hasso far remitted over N1.6 billion to the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) for the 2016 Hajj.
The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Ibrahm Umar made the disclosure in Sokoto during the payment of N159 million as refunds to 4,997 pilgrims from the state who performed the 2015 hajj.
According to the Umar, the remittance was for 50 per cent of the 4,948 hajj seats allocated to the state by NAHCON for the forthcoming exercise.
“All the seats had been allocated to the 23 local governments in the state, while efforts are on to collect the balance and remit same to the commission,’’ Umar added.

Nation

Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

Published

6 days ago

June 2, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

Nation

THE LAPSES OF THE MEDIA IN ELECTIONS

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2026

The Tide

The media is supposed to be a platform through which people express their thoughts, beliefs, and opinions on issues of public interest. Unfortunately, it has often failed to live up to its role as the fourth estate of the realm.During the 2023 elections, the media recorded several lapses that deserve critical examination in academic and professional spaces. Before discussing these failures in detail, it is important to briefly explain the meaning, role, and duties of the media. In simple terms, the media refers to the main channels of mass communication, including broadcasting, print publishing, and the internet.

It is a collective term for all means through which information reaches the public. The media is often called the fourth tier of government because of the popular saying, “No media, no society.” This is not an exaggeration. Scholars have shown that the media plays an integral role in society, since political, economic, religious, and academic activities all depend on information flow through the media.

The word MEDIA can be broken down to reflect its core functions: M – Meeting the People E – Educating the People D – Discussing with the People I – Involving the People A – Accessing the PeopleSpecifically during elections, the media is expected to provide accurate and timely information to the public by reporting and updating citizens on government and electoral activities. This responsibility is central to keeping the electorate informed.The media also strengthens democracy by engaging citizens on critical issues affecting the electoral process. When the media effectively disseminates relevant information, the public can see through the failures of government, hold leaders accountable, and propose solutions that serve the common good.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram play a vital role in democratic societies because they allow mass participation. Unlike radio and television, social media is accessible to anyone with a smartphone and data bundle, making it the most inclusive platform for political discourse. Despite these roles, the media must not abandon its ethics or promote partisan agendas that mislead the public. In many schools of thought, the media is described as closely related to the judiciary.

People often see the media as a place to voice grievances and seek justice.However, it is fair to say that the media has lost ground by failing to fulfill its duties during elections. Below are ten key lapses observed in the February 2023 elections.Lack of coordination among journalists. Many press personnel who covered different polling units were poorly equipped and unprepared. Some lacked functional cameras and modern technology needed to carry out professional reporting.

Partisanship and breach of ethics. Media personnel, who are supposed to remain non-partisan, openly violated professional ethics by taking political sides and favoring certain candidates in their reporting.Commercialization of coverage. Some journalists prioritized money over news. It was disappointing to see professionals from reputable stations engaging in what I call “Oga, find me something syndrome” begging politicians for money in exchange for favorable coverage or interviews.Loss of independence and self-censorship. On election day, some journalists took instructions from politicians on what to report and what to suppress. This compromised the independence of the media and reduced public trust.

Poor post-election reporting. Few media outlets reported what actually happened at the polling units. Incidents of violence, voter intimidation, and irregularities were either underreported or ignored entirely, while praise was lavished on politicians instead of amplifying the voices of the people.Spread of misinformation and unverified claims. In the rush to be first, some media houses published unverified results and rumors from social media without fact-checking. This fueled confusion and tension among the electorate.Inadequate coverage of rural and marginalized areas. Media attention was concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural polling units underreported. The experiences and challenges of rural voters were largely absent from mainstream coverage.

Sensationalism over substance. Some outlets prioritized sensational headlines and conflict-driven stories over factual analysis of policies and candidate manifestos, leaving voters uninformed about real issues. Failure to hold INEC accountable in real time. While INEC faced logistical failures and delays, many media houses were slow to question officials or demand explanations on air, missing opportunities for live accountability.

Neglect of voter education. Beyond reporting results, the media did little to educate voters on procedures, rights, and what to do in case of irregularities. This left many citizens uninformed and vulnerable on election day.These lapses weaken public trust and undermine the credibility of the electoral process. For the media to regain its role as a watchdog of democracy, it must return to the principles of accuracy, impartiality, and public service.

The media must be informed to follow its ethics as the 2027 elections approaches. This is encourage electorates rely on the authenticity and objectivity of media practice.Failure to uphold media standards will further make the country plunge into political apathy, electoral violence and disgust for those in the media practice.

By KRUKRUBO, NYE TAMUNODIKI.

Nation

RSU, Otonti Nduka Foundation Holds Centenary Conference, Unveil Book on Values in Nigeria

Published

3 weeks ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.

The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_

The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.

The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.

Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.

Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.

On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.

In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.

Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.

Amadi Akujobi