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THE STATES

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Adamawa

The Adamawa State government has presented 775 bags of rice and N10 million cash assistance to the people of Kodomon Community affected by the crisis in Demsa Local Government Area of the state.
Presenting the foodstuffs and cash at a ceremony in Kodomon, the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Martins Babale, said the measure was part of the recommendations of the Panel of Enquiry set up by the government to investigate herdsmen/farmers clashes in the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh, said some herdsmen who lost 47 cattles were  given  some amount of money to cushion the lost.
In her welcome address, the Chairman, Demsa Local Government Area, Mrs Wale Fwa, lauded the government for the concern shown, and promised to ensure that the items donated reaches the intended people.

Borno

Some Maiduguri residents have decried the high rate of crime among youths in the area.
This is coming against the backdrop of the fight against insecurity to the state and the North East zone.
Some of the residents, who spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri, said: “peace and normalcy are back in Maiduguri but what is still lacking is law and order as citizens go about doing their normal businesses.
Others appealed to the security agencies to take  measures that would foster peaceful coexistence through effective enforcement of law and order.

FCT

Consumers of  the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) also
known  as cooking gas at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried an abrupt increase in the cost of re-filling the various  cylinders.
Some of them said that the increase was further depleting their income, coupled with the current increase in the price of foodstuffs.
A survey in the domestic gas depots showed that the cost of re-filling a 12.5kg gas cylinder had risen to between N3,700 and N4,500, against the earlier cost of N3,200.
The price of a 6kg cylinder went up to N2,200 against N1,900 being sold earlier.

Jigawa

Prices of locally produced rice have shot up by more than 20 per cent in Hadejia, Jigawa State.
Hadejia and Malammadori markets investigation showed that prices of the commodity have increased significantly in spite of the steady supply of the foodstuff.
A 100-kilogramme bag of local rice now sells for between N29, 000 and 36, 000 as against its previous price of N26, 000, respectively.
Price of beans has also shown similar hike as a measure is sold at N600 as against N500 before.
However, prices of imported rice had indicated a slight decrease, as a 50-kilogramme bag of the commodity now sells at N17, 500 and a measure for N1, 020 as against its old price of N18, 000 and N1, 100, respectively.

Kaduna

Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has recorded high turn out of prospective pilgrims making deposits for the 2017 Hajj.
Acting Executive Secretary, Imam Hussaini Tsoho-Ikara, said the bulk of those who had so far paid their deposits were from rural areas.
Tsoho-Ikara said in Zaria that the board had introduced measures to block unscrupulous elements from defrauding the intending pilgrims.

Kano

The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika,
says the runway and taxi pavement of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport are in perfect shape.
Sirika said this during a facility tour to the airport in Kano. He said the existing runway had the capacity to carry all types of aircraft, adding that he had high confidence in the airport facility.
The minister said the ongoing new terminal project at the airport was at advance stage, saying the contractor has not given any definite date of completion.

Kebbi

The Emir of Zuru in Kebbi State, Alhaji Sani Sami II, has urged youths in tertiary institutions to work hard, so that they could be self-employed after leaving school.
Sami made the call in Zuru when the Principal of the School of Health Technology in the area, Alhaji Musa Abdulkadir, met with students of the institution on a courtesy visit to his palace.
The Emir said the era of relying on white collar jobs was gone, stressing that the engagement of youth on self-sustaining entrepreneurship would ensure rapid development in the society.
He urged them to ensure they use their initiative, not only to become self-employed, but also job creators.

Kogi

The Kogi State of Living Faith Church, Lokoja, David
Popoola, says it takes spiritual warfare and personal responsibility for prophecies to be fulfilled in the life of a Christian.
Popoola made the disclosure in his sermon entitled: “Gateways to operating  in the supernatural “ in Lokoja.
The state pastor said no prophecy could fulfill itself except by spiritual warfare of prayer and fasting to bring the prophecy into reality.
Taking his lesson from the Book of James 5 v 17 and 18, he urged the congregation to participate actively in the 21-Day prayer and fasting of the church.
Kwara

The PDP  will  challenge the legality of the inauguration of  Transition Implementation Committees (TICs) in the 16 local government councils in Kwara State.
The Chairman of  PDP  in the state, Mr Iyiola Oyedepo, made this known in a statement issued in Ilorin after a meeting of  critical stakeholders of the party.
According to the chairman, the implementation of   TICs is  illegal and this informed the party’s  resort  to legal process. Oyedepo said the party had  perfected the legal papers and assembled  a team  of lawyers to  challenge the implementation of the TICs  in court.

Lagos

The Best Graduating Student of the 2015/2017 set at
Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State, Ireti Akinsola, says the current national economic recession is an opportunity for the country to develop its other sectors.
Akinsola, a Geology graduate with CGPA of 4.89, said in Lagos that the over-reliance on oil had greatly affected other sectors of the economy such as the solid minerals.
“I think this recession should have taught us a big lesson not to put all our eggs in one basket. It is time for us to wake up to the challenge, he said.

Ogun

Workers of Sagamu local government, Ogun State, have been charged to make diligence, sincerity and unity their guiding principles in the new year. The Chairman, Sagamu local government, Hon. Femi Kafaru gave the advice during the interdenominational service held at the council premises to usher the year.
Kafaru expressed appreciation to God for seeing the workers through 2016, while thanking God for the opportunity to see another year.
He urged the workers to continue to maintain existing cordial relationships amongst themselves in order to foster unity and progress at the council.

Plateau

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has lauded the
commitment of the Nigerian military in defending, uniting and ensuring peace in the country.
Lalong spoke at the Armed Forces Remembrance Mass at Church of Immaculate Conception (CIC), Zaramaganda, Jos.
The governor said that the military had given its best to keep Nigeria one, pointing out that some of them had paid the supreme price in the course of duty.
Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Maj.-Gen. Nicholas Rojas, said the day was a great one in the life of soldiers, and appreciated Plateau citizens for their prayers.
Rev Fr Cletus Ikpa, who celebrated the Mass, prayed for the families of the fallen heroes, ex-service men and those still in active service.

Sokoto

The Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State has demolished hideout of criminals, popularly called Banchu village in the area.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Bashire, said in Sokoto that the illegal village was destroyed on Tuesday, January 3 by security operatives.
The illegal village, he said, was located near Dogon-Daji town and it had became a criminals’ safe haven.
“All sorts of criminality like prostitution, armed robbery, kidnapping, gambling and murders were going on in the village,” he added.

Yobe

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Yobe State has appealed to the state government to introduce Christian Religious Studies in public schools. The state CAN Chairman,  Rev. Jibrin Joshua, made the call when he briefed newsmen in Damaturu.
According to him, despite the constitutional provision for freedom of worship, the teaching of Christian religious knowledge is prohibited in Yobe and some Northern states.
Jibrin urged government “to revisit the policy and give our children the privilege of Christian religious education.”

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NGOs Urge RSG To Prioritise Child Protection Funding 

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The South South Sexual and Gender Based Violence Prevention Info Hub, in partnership with the Child Protection Network(CPN), Rivers State and the Gender and Development Action (GADA) has called on the Rivers State Government to prioritise dedicated funding for child protection and the eradication of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence(SGBV), and put measures in place to facilitate transformative reforms in the State’s budgeting and planning, to prioritise children’s rights, with focus on combating SGBV.
The NGOs, which made the call during a media briefing as part of activities to commemorate this year’s Day of the African Child in Port Harcourt last Monday, said Rivers State particularly faces a severe SGBV crisis, profoundly affecting children and caregivers.
They noted that this year’s theme of the Day of the African Child, ‘Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights:Progress Since 2010’, is apt and timely, as it urges African Union(AU) member states to assess progress in integrating children’s issues into national budgets since 2010 and adopt child rights-based budgeting approaches.
According to the media statement signed by Inyingi Irimagha of the Gender and Development Action(GADA); Darling Ogbulu Peter of the Child Protection Network (CPN); and Loretta Ahuokpeme of the South South SGBV Prevention Info Hub, in Rivers State, SGBV, inadequate funding, and political instability exacerbate vulnerabilities, leaving critical social services under-sourced.
The NGOs frowned at a situation where Rivers State is the only State in the South South without accredited Sexual Assault Referral Centres(SARCs), saying, this leaves child survivors without critical medical care, psychological support or legal aid, thus, resulting in prolonged trauma, physical injuries, and social stigmatisation, violating their rights to safety and well-being.
They, therefore, urged the state government to prioritise dedicated funding for child protection and the eradication of SGBV, contending that as the only State in the South South region without an accredited SARC, Rivers State must act swiftly to establish explicit budget lines and engage stakeholders to address critical issues affecting children and caregivers.
To align with the African Union’s theme for this year’s Day of the African Child, they called on the State to reform her budgeting, to prioritise SGBV and child protection; and the State’s Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and the Ministry of Finance, to prioritise funding for critical infrastructure supporting vulnerable populations.
The organisations equally urged the state government to adequately fund the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation to protect, safeguard and rehabilitate susceptible children and persons, and harped on the need for the government to strengthen the Ministry of Women Affairs to enhance its legal capacity.
They challenged the government to without further delay establish SARCs in the State and allocate funds to build and operate them; fund safe spaces and halfway homes to shelter SGBV survivors and at-risk children; strengthen child protection infrastructure by investing in shelters, counselling centres, and legal aid, to safeguard children from abuse and exploitation; as well as support caregivers by implementing vocational training, microfinance, and financial assistance to empower them, preventing child abandonment and supporting children’s right to a family.
The NGOs called on the state government to enhance law enforcement capacity by training and equipping the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) to handle SGBV cases, ensuring children’s right to justice; and also strengthen the Ministry of Women Affairs by establishing a legal department within the Ministry to handle SGBV cases and refer them to courts. They also advocated for a special SGBV court, to expedite justice, ensuring swift prosecution of offenders and perpetrators.
They stressed the need for the state government to fully fund the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation by providing adequate resources to enable effective protection, safeguarding and rehabilitation services for vulnerable children and persons, thereby reducing the burden on NGOs, saying, the government could as well improve inter-ministerial coordination by funding regular meetings among Ministries and agencies like the police and NAPTIP, for cohesive responses.
The NGOs urged the government to promote transparent budget tracking by establishing monitoring mechanisms for child- specific allocations, ensuring accountability in accordance with AU standards.
The event also featured the presentation of a short film screening highlighting the dangers of SGBV against children and vulnerable persons.
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Oceans Exhibition Understand And Act: Raising Awareness Through French Language

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The Alliance Française Port Harcourt recently hosted a- 4 Day programme in conjunction with the 3rd United Nations Oceans Conference ( UNOC:3) to mark the World Environment Day, 2025.

The Programme which was supported by the Embassy of French in Nigeria was focused on ocean protection and held from 9 to 13 June, 2025 at the premises of the Alliance Franchise.

The Tide News reports that the week long event was inspired by the Educational booklet “Understand Ocean And Act” created by the French Development Agency (AFD),was free and open for all.

The exhibition adapts complex environmental challenges into engaging educational contents for learners of all ages. It also placed special focus on French Language Learners at the beginner level( A1-A2) and school students.

According to the Director of Alliance Française Mrs Marina Lacal, 130 pupils from six schools in Port Harcourt and additional 60 students from local Universities participated in the guided visit and interactive activities.

Schools that took part in the Programme include Cornerstone International school, Vine, International, Greenoak, Gold gate Montessori, Helm Bridge and Virgo Praedicanda International school.

Others are the University of Port Harcourt,(UNIPORT) Rivers State University (RSU)and the Ignatius AJuru University of Education (AUE)

Mrs Lacal further said that through this initiative Alliance Française Harcourt and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to educating younger generations and promoting global awareness through language, culture and environmental engagement

However, the exhibition witnessed interactive tools such as French-Language game, quizzes, memory challenges, fill-in -the -blanks. It also provides a platform to explore major ocean issues including climate change,biomliversity loss, plastic pollution, sustainable fishing and climate induced migration all through a linguistic and civic lens.

In line with it’s eco conscious approach , all displayed banners used for the exhibition will be recycled into eco friendly souvenirs such as(key chains) that would be given to participants after the event, to further help reinforce the message that every action counts.

It would be recalled that all snacks and drinks provided during the visit were served with low plastic packaging in line with the environmental message of the event.

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Deputy Commandant Hails  Tinubu For Signing NFSS Bill Into Law 

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The Deputy Commandant General of the Nigeria Forest Security Service (NFSS) Anti- Bunkering Agency, Amb Wachukwu Adah, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed  Tinubu for signing into law the Nigeria Forest Security Service Bill, describing the gesture as a right step in the right direction. The operatives of the NFSS are known as forest guards.
Amb Adah, who made the commendation  during the official structuring of the Nigeria Forest Security Service Anti-Bunkering team and  induction of legionnaires in Omoku Town, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday, described President Tinubu as the best President of Nigeria following his monumental achievements in office.
He said the  Local Government Autonomy Bill recently signed into law by the President Tinubu administration has tremendous impacts on  the lives of the  average Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots level.
He noted that by this singular gesture, the President had hit  the ground running, for the meaningful development of the country.
Amb Adah reiterated that Rivers youths would utilise the opportunity to serve the country to the best of their ability, acknowledging their readiness to do the needful by ensuring that the  forests across the nation  are adequately secured.
The Deputy Commandant General also applauded the transformation of the Federal Capital Territory by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, saying, the Minister has turned Abuja to London.
He, however, appealed to the Minister to assist Rivers youths to get sensitive positions in the new Nigeria Forest Security Service ,saying, there is need for him  and other leaders to assist  the youths who are interested in  jobs at the NFSS to secure them, as it is done elsewhere.
“ We need your backing on securing the jobs at NFSS”, he said.
Amb.Adah, who represented the National Commandant, Amb Joshua Osatimehia, said the youths are fully ready to contribute to the security, progress and growth of the nation, and emphasised the essence of character, professionalism and quality service delivery at the NFSS.
In his address, the Administrator of Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Council, Dr Ndu Ajie assured the security outfit of the total support of the council.
Dr Ajie, who was represented by the Secretary of the council ,Mr.Onyedibia Ndulaka,  praised the determination and sacrifices made by  the security operatives in ensuring and fostering the peace  and security of the State.
On their part, heads of security agencies in the local government area, including the Joint Task Force(JTF);  the Police; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC); and the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), commended  the efforts of the security outfit in the security of national  assets, assuring them of collaboration to achieve common goals.
During the event, the 23 LGA commanders and other ranking  officers were commissioned.
Recall that President Tinubu had commissioned the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and a committee to work out modalities on the operations of the NFSS.
The former State Commander of NFSS, Chief Will Wegwu showered encomiums on the Deputy Commandant General for  his sacrifices and untiring  efforts to keep the flag flying.
Chief Wegwu assured the participants that the  officers and men would continue to support the Deputy Commandant General to succeed in his assignment.
The Omoku Police Area Commander, ACP Mahe Mohammed; and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Omoku Police Division, CSP John Landan, were among a host of other security chiefs and personalities that graced the occasion.

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