Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State Government, says it has begun payment of workers’ salary arrears, courtesy of the Paris Club refund as from last Wednesday.
The chairman of the committee set up by the State Government for payment of outstanding salaries and liabilities, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abba-Jimeta, made this disclosure in Yola while briefing newsmen.
Abba-Jimeta said that the state government had received N4.8 billion out of the expected N12.8 billion from the Federal Government.
He said that based on the available funds, the salary arrears of teachers, primary health care workers, local government staff and political office holders at the council areas would be paid.
He explained that the total bill stood at N4.7 billion, adding that pensioners would be considered when next the state received the expected balance of the Paris club refund.
Benue
Benue State Government says it has given out 10 hectares of land to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing for the construction of housing estate in Makurdi.
Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom, Bureau for Lands and Survey, Prof. Jonathan Uever, made this known in Makurdi, the state capital.
Uever, while conducting a Federal Governmental team led by Malam Musa Mohammed round the proposed site, said that the project, when completed, would mitigate housing challenges in the state.
Speaking, the Federal Controller of Housing in Benue, Mr Patrick Nziwu, said that the project was in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda of meeting the housing needs of ordinary Nigerians.
Jigawa
Residents of Hadejia in Jigawa State have blamed petroleum products dealers for diversion of kerosene resulting to the current acute scarcity of the product in the town.
The situation has also resulted in price hike of the commodity in the market .
Investigations showed that most of the petroleum products service stations had run out of stock of the product in the past weeks.
It was discovered that kerosene was only obtainable at the black market outlets, where it sold for between N400 and N450 per litre, above the N83 approved pump price.
Black-market operators are making brisk businesses due to the high patronage of the trade occasioned by the scarcity.
Kaduna
A total of 110 prisoners were released from various prisons in Kaduna State in 2016, as part of efforts to decongest the prisons, officials have said.
Some 75 of the prisoners were released by State Committee on Prisons Decongestion while 35 were pardoned by the state Chief Judge, Justice Tanimu Zailani.
Chairperson of the Committee on Prisons Decongestion, Mrs Amina Sijuwade, said they had released 75 inmates, out of whom 71 were men and four were women.
Sijuwade, who is also the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said that the gesture would continue throughout 2017 and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Prison Comptroller in the state, Mr Yazid Alhassan, confirmed that 35 other inmates were released by the Chief Judge during his routine visits to prisons in the state.
Kano
A Magistrates’ Court in Rijiyar Zaki, Kano State, has remanded a 28-year-old man, Oluwaseun Lasisi, in prison for allegedly forging a diploma certificate of Bayero University, Kano.
Lasisi of New Road, Sabo Gari, Kano, is facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and forgery.
Senior Magistrate Aminu Fagge ordered the remand of the accused in prison till January 30 when the case would come up for mention.
The Prosecutor, Mr Yusuf Sale, had earlier told the court that a security officer attached to Bayero University, Tasiu Muhammad, reported the case to the Rijiyar Zaki Police Division in Kano on January 4.
Kebbi
No fewer than 1,447 cattle rustlers and other bandits have renounced criminality and surrendered to the authorities in Yauri Emirate of Kebbi State.
The Press Secretary to the Emir of Yauri, Dr Muhammad Zayyanu, Alhaji Ibrahim Yauri, made this known in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi.
Yauri said the repentant rustlers agreed to swear by the Holy Quran and Bible not to indulge, assist or harbour any criminal henceforth in the area.
He appealed to local communities to embrace those who surrendered, stressing the need for forgiveness to allow peace in the area.
Kogi
Kogi State House of Assembly has threatened to sue Leadership Newspaper over what it termed “libelous editorial comments”, condemning its stand on the report of the State Staff Audit Committee.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion on Matters of Urgent Public Importance raised by Mr Sunday Shigaba (PDP-Bassa), over the branding of its members as “PDP syndicates and renegades of the APC “ by the newspaper.
Shigaba said that the newspaper editorial of January 20, 2017 edition, titled; “Our Stand As Kogi Buries Ghost Workers”, had smeared the integrity of the House and should not be condoned.
Seconding the motion, Mr Oluwatoyin Lawal (PDP-Yagba West), commended the mover of the motion as he described the editorial as the position of the editorial board of the paper, adding that the publication was libelous and in bad taste.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Aliyu Akuh (PDP-Omala) and John Abah (PDP-Ibaji) ,also condemned the publication while the Majority Leader, Matthew Kolawole (PDP-Kabba-Bunu), described the editorial as indicting, inciting and incriminating.
Kwara
The Kwara State House of Assembly in Ilorin said it would collaborate with the executive to ban construction of petrol stations in residential premises.
The Speaker of the House, Dr Ali Ahmad, made the disclosure at the first plenary of the assembly after the Christmas and New Year recess.
Ahmad said that the assembly would liaise with the executive and come out with laws that would discourage indiscriminate erection of petrol stations and shops in densely populated areas across the state.
He stressed the need to overhaul and review the state Town Planning Law with a view to curbing the menace as well as preventing any disaster associated with filling stations in the state.
Nasarawa
Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has ordered Interim Management Committee chairmen in the 13 local government areas in the state to declare their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) the face sanctions.
Al-Makura gave the order in Lafia while inaugurating the Interim Management Committee Chairman of Keana Local Government Area.
He said that given the current economic crunch, it behoved on the chairmen to come up with alternative sources of revenue rather than rely solely on allocation from the Federation Account.
According to him, henceforth, any chairman of a local government area or overseer of development area in the state who fails to declare his IGR does so at the peril of his job.
Niger
Niger State Government has distributed relief materials worth N28 million to victims of tanker fire in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Areas of the state.
Director-General, State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
The tanker fire incident, which occurred on December 2, claimed 18 lives, injured five and destroyed property worth millions of naira.
Inga, who described the incident as unfortunate, noted that the relief materials was not a compensation but government intervention to cushion effect of the disaster.
Osun
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun State says it confiscated more than 1,000 underweighed bags of rice in Osogbo markets.
The SON State Coordinator, Mr Sunday Badewole, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Osogbo.
Badewole said the agency made the confiscation during the enforcement operation where more than 1,000 bags of 5kg, 10kg and 25kg of bags of rice were confiscated.
He said many of the rice sellers had reduced the quantity of rice from the kilogrammes that were indicated on the bags, to make more money.
Badewole said the observation carried out by the enforcement team of the agency in the markets during the raid revealed that rice sellers would remove some measures from the bags of rice and seal it back for sale.
Oyo
Some village heads in Oyo State have stopped the February 11 local government poll and the disbursement of the monthly federal allocation to the 33 local governments.
The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Seun Abimbola, said this at a news conference in Ibadan.
The 15 village heads had approached the Federal High Court in Abuja on issues bordering on the newly created Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs) in the state.
The village heads, he said, had obtained an injunction from the court last Friday and the state government was notified through its Abuja Liaison Office on Monday.
Those restrained, according to the injunction, were the Attorney General of the Federation, Accountant General of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Finance and Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission.
Plateau
A bill to establish the Plateau State Multi-Door Court House, has scaled through second reading at the state’s House of Assembly.
Presenting the bill for second reading, Majority Leader of the House, Mr Henry Yunkwap, said increasing social vices from increase in population necessitated the introduction of the bill.
According to him, the Multi-Door Court, if established, will serve as alternative way of resolving disputes in communities.
The Minority Leader of the House, Mr Daniel Dem, said that the bill, if passed into law, would promote peace and harmony among people and community disputes would be resolved amicably.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Yusuf Gagdi, said “the bill is apt because a lawless society is automatically a hopeless society.”
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has set up a taskforce that will monitor the distribution of petroleum products in the state.
A statement by Governor Aminu Tambuwal’s Spokesman, Malam Imam Imam in Sokoto noted that the task force was necessary, in the midst of fuel scarcity bedevilling the state.
Imam stated that the task force would monitor and ensure effective dispensing of petroleum products by selling outlets in all parts of Sokoto.
He added that the aim was to return to normal distribution since no part of the country was presently experiencing disruption in the supply chain of products.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi