Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Former Governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu has been barred from holding political office for 10 years by the state government. He is also to refund N2.6bn which he allegedly misappropriated while in office.
The ban on Muazu and others who saved in his cabinet followed the Isa Yuguda administration’s acceptance of the white paper of Justice Bitrus Sauya commission of inquiry while probed the activities of industries, parastatals and agencies during his tenure.
Muazu’s deputy, Abdulmalik Mahmud however escaped the ban but he will refund N74 million to the state government. Also banned from holding public offices were former 20 local council chairmen who are to refund N740 million to the state purse.
Also affected is former commissioner for Finance Haruna Alfa Ahmed who was banned for 10 years and ordered to refund N2 billion.
Taraba
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been urged to as a matter of urgency declare vacant the seat of the only All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) member in the Taraba State House of Assembly Hamman Adanu Abdullahi who has decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party.
In a statement made available to journalists in the state capital, the chairman of the party Hamilla Suleiman decried the attitude of the lawmaker and called on INEC to urgently declare the seat vacant.
Abdullahi who is the only ANPP member in the House, last Saturday decamped from the party that brought him to lime-light to joint he ruling PDP.
Citing relevant portions of the constitution, Suleiman faulted Abdullahi’s defection, saying it was not a result of division in his former party or merger of two or more political parties or faction Suleiman said the decampment can only be possible in a situation where there is chaos in the ANPP.
Ekiti
The Ikole Descendants Association Ibadan branch, has described Ikole Local Government Area as the most appropriate location for the new university proposed by the Governor Segun Oni’s administration.
The group in a communiqué issued at Ibadan and signed by Chief S. A. Olominu stated that siting the university in Ikole LGA would promote distributive justice and equitable distribution of the dividends of democracy.
The group stated that it considers the rumoured intention of government to site the university in Elfaki as unjustifiable because of its closeness to Iworoko that hosts the university of Ado Ekiti as well as the federal medical centre in Ido Ekiti.
It promised that a high powered delegation be sent to the governor and the Ekiti State House of Assembly on the above issue.
It observed that the association was not oblivious of the on- going contention on the location of the university of Education, saying it does not intend to benefit from any community’s misfortune.
The union said it is highly concerned about the continued marginalisation of the towns and cities in the defunct Ekiti North Local Government of which has been the headquarters.
Kwara
The Kwara State Acting Chief Judge, Justice Tunji Bamigbola has asked judicial officers in the state to accord priority attention to bail applications with a view to accelerating the country’s prison decongestion drive.
He also asked the officers to expedite action on speedy completion of criminal cases in their respective courts in the interest of justice.
The Chief Judge dropped the hint over the weekend during the visit of the State Criminal Justice Committee to the Ilorin Federal prison on jail delivery exercise.
“We have to warn all of us judicial officers, magistrates; area court judges especially that in communal cases as in all other cases, there should not be delay at all. Criminal cases should not be adjourned for more than two weeks.”
“Also, we should give priority to bail applications, infact, recently, the CJN, issued a circular that once you have a bail application before you, it should be given utmost attention because it should not be a pre-trial punishment” he said.
Justice Bamigbola however, commended the prison officials for “taking good care of the inmates” and making them “good citizen” after completing their jail terms.
The committee, however, released eight awaiting trial inmates for offences ranging from house breaking, theft, assault and trespass.
Bamigbola, who advised the released inmates to learn one trade or the other, admonished them to desist from crime in their own interest. He also promised to make the committee’s visit to the prison as regular as possible.
Damaturu
To meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN-MDU) on housing for all by 2015, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, has indicated his intention to construct 406 additional housing units with the recapitalisation of Yobe savings and loans scheme so that the people could have access to funds build their houses and complement governments an achieving affordable and decent shelter.
All the completed housing units are, however, to be sold on an owner occupier housing scheme (OHS) at 50 per cent subsidy. The governor made the declarations yesterday in Damaturu, while laying the foundation stone for 256 housing units on the Maiduguri-Gashua road.
He said apart from meeting the UN-MDG on housing for all, the provision of decent shelter gives psychological satisfaction and improves the efficiency and productivity of workers.
He disclosed that as the state government continues to accord priority to the housing sector, the construction of 406 houses, including the 256 units being awarded to 128 indigenous construction firms, is to promote healthy living and sense of fulfillment for enhanced performance and productivity.
He said that over 1,485 housing units have been completed by the state government and the Yobe State Housing and Property Development Corporation.
He therefore urged the committee for the 256 housing units to work as a team with the contractors handling the N1.024 billion projects.
Kaduna
To meet the 6,000 megawatts target by December the federal government has committed N43.28 billion to the rehabilitation of the nation’s power plants, minister of state for Power Nuhu Wya, has disclosed.
Wya spoke last Thursday at the Joint annual General Meeting of the Kaduna branches of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
In the paper titled, “Federal Government’s target of generating 6,000 megawatts of electricity by December 2009, A mirage or reality, the minister assured that government would meet the target.
According to him, following the result of the technical appraisal carried out on the nation’s power plants, the government expended N43.27bn on the rehabilitation of existing power facilities.
This he said was expected to generate about 1,500 megawatts. The minister also disclosed that N10.21bn and N11.50bn were injected into the rehabilitation of the nation’s transmission and distribution infrastructure in that order.
Wya noted that the current poor state of electricity supply has had a debilitating effect on the socio-economic development of the country, saying unavailable and inadequate power supply had been identified as the biggest problem to the conduct of business in Nigeria.
Kano
The only panacea for national development is a total transformation of the education sector, with good packages that would promote qualitative education for the Nigerian youth.
The wife of the first National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Ambassador Mary Lar made assertion in Kano during the closing ceremony of Teachers’ Professionals Development Programme (TPDP) held in the ancient city powered by her pet project, aunty Mary literacy project.
Ambassador Lar urged individuals, agencies and the government to invest hugely on education to save Nigeria from running shot needed hands to steer the ship of the nation in the nearest future.
She further stated that Nigeria is in dire need of quality leaders and called for stringent efforts at giving quality education to our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.
The envoy who was one time Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland urged Nigerians to reflect candidly on the quality of leaders they would vote in 2011 election.
She charged the youths of the country to shun vices capable of truncating their education and life endeavour, adding that there was need for parents to pay more attention to the upbringing of their children.
Niger
The kidnapped Niger State permanent secretary, Alhaji Adamu Umar returned to his family after been in captive for one week in far away Warri in Delta State.
Looking so frail in a white Kaftan and a black slippers, Umar was abducted at Dikko junction on his way from Zaria, was driven to the Government House at about 5.30p.m by the State Commissioner for Police Zuokumor after his released by security operatives in Warri.
Recounting his ordeal in the hands of his captors, Umar who was so grateful for the divine intervention over his freedom said that he was abducted at about 7.45p.m after buying palm oil at Dikko junction before he was abducted and taken to Warri.
Umar who was to be received by the state governor Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu at about 11.00a.m had the reception delayed due to his inability to catch a flight from Benin to Abuja.
“If you see me cry, it simply means I am over joyed I did not cry in the hands of my captors. For one week we have been under control of these men of the underworld. Today, I thank Almighty Allah that I am back in one piece with my family. I am grateful to all those who saw to my release. I thank you all” Umar said.
Speaking during the brief reception, the SSG condemned kidnapping, describing it as an act against humanity, adding that the dastardly act should not be encouraged.
Ogun
Ogun State House of Assembly has described an oil magnate, hotelier and philanthropist, Alhaji Esho Jinadu, as a responsible and law abiding citizen.
The lawmakers said the allegations of criminal conducts leveled against him were not only baseless but flowed from an unwarranted organised campaign of calumny being weighed against him by faceless group in Ogun and urged him to sue anybody that accused him of any criminal charges.
Esho, an emerging political kingmaker in Ogun and whose rising profile is causing not a small jitters in the top echelon of the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, had petitioned the House, notifying it of the attempt by some people within the state PDP to malign his character with a view to rubbishing his philanthropist gestures to the mass of the people in rural areas.
The House committee on ethics, justice and public petition, led by the deputy speaker, pastor Remmy Hassan, while presenting the committee’s report said the politician had been cleared of alleged stealing of children by the law enforcement agency.
While explaining that all the parties were invited including the petitioner during the meeting by the committee, it found out that the people accusing the politician of wrong doings were faceless people.
The speaker, Mr Tunji Egbetokun who allowed members of the House to adopt the report asked for comment where all members unanimously adopted the report.
Lagos
It was a drama of sorts Saturday at the blue roof of the Lagos State Television (LTV) Ikeja, venue for the celebration of Governor Babatunde Fashola, (SAN), 900 days in office as the governor and artisans brainstormed on issues that would further reposition the sector to be more efficient.
The event which was well attended by top government officials, party chieftains, also drew representatives of the various operators in the sectors including market women, carpenters, hair dressers, among others.
Addressing some of the issues raised by participants at the forum, Governor Fashola said the contribution of the sector had been one of the major backbones that have sustained the nation’s economy.
He said, “very often, people have made the mistake to think that you are poor. But I will never fall into that error because I know or at least you have fair sense of your contribution to the state and national economy.” He added that their little savings in the bank that they have no control over provide cash with which various banks satisfy the cash needs of the economy.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the mangrove wetlands in Ogoniland have been officially designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The designation, according to HYPREP, underscores the global ecological significance of Ogoniland’s mangrove wetlands and highlights ongoing restoration efforts aimed at addressing environmental degradation in the area.
In a press statement issued by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, the recognition was described as a major milestone for the agency, the people of Ogoni and other stakeholders working towards environmental restoration in the region.
Zabbey explained that the mangrove wetlands, which cover more than 31,700 hectares, consist of islands, tidal creeks, mudflats and mangrove forests that support a wide range of biodiversity. The ecosystem provides habitat for several species including fin fish, shellfish, crustaceans, crocodiles, turtles and the endangered grey parrot.
He noted that beyond biodiversity conservation, the wetland also provides essential ecosystem services such as fisheries production, flood control, water purification and carbon storage. According to him, the international recognition will further support local livelihoods, promote ecotourism and bring global attention to the region.
The HYPREP coordinator disclosed that the designation followed a meticulous process that began in 2024 when the project submitted a memorandum to the National Council on Environment seeking support for the recognition of the Ogoni wetlands as a Ramsar site.
Following the council’s review and approval, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, formally wrote to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat requesting international recognition of the wetlands.
After a comprehensive ecological assessment, the Ramsar Secretariat granted the designation, officially recognising the Ogoniland wetlands as one of the world’s sites of international importance.
Zabbey said the recognition would strengthen ongoing environmental restoration efforts in the area and encourage stronger conservation measures and sustainable management of the wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
He added that the designation also fulfils a key recommendation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, marking another significant step in the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
The HYPREP project coordinator reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to restoring the Ogoni environment through the remediation of oil-polluted land, shorelines and mangrove ecosystems.
He also called for collective responsibility and stakeholder support to sustain the progress of the Ogoni cleanup programme and facilitate the development of a comprehensive and sustainable management plan for the Ogoni mangrove wetlands.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, has attributed the successes of the 12-day programme organised for adolescent girls aimed at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in some parts of the State to the ability of the respective stakeholders to take ownership of the programme.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa, who dropped the hint in an interview at the end of the programme in Elele-Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area on Saturday, said the event had a buy-in component, an ownership mentality, whereby facilitators, staff, and everyone involved took ownership of the project.
She explained that the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had packaged a series of training sessions for adolescent girls aimed at ending the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in some communities across the State.
According to her, the initiative was designed to educate young girls on the harmful effects of the practice and empower them to become advocates against it within their communities.
She noted that the programme, which lasted for several weeks, targeted adolescent girls from different local government areas where the practice is still prevalent, stressing that
data collected by UNICEF and the Ministry revealed that Female Genital Mutilation is still practised in some parts of the State, prompting the need for intensified sensitisation and community engagement.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa explained that the programme adopted a “train-the-trainer” approach where adolescent girls were educated on the dangers of the practice and encouraged to share the knowledge with their peers, families and communities.
“This is a programme by the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation with support from UNICEF and UNFPA to train adolescent girls towards ending Female Genital Mutilation, which is still practised in some local government areas,” she said.
She further explained that each participating local government area had a three-day training session, with the exercise running for a total of 12 days.
The local government areas, where the programme took place, she noted, included Ahoada West, Abua-Odual, and Emohua, adding that the initiative is part of broader efforts by the state government and development partners to eliminate harmful traditional practices and protect the rights and wellbeing of girls.
She revealed that prior to the training of the adolescent girls, the Ministry and its partners had also engaged community facilitators, including older women and men, to sensitise them on the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
According to her, the involvement of community leaders and adults is essential in addressing the cultural and social factors that sustain the practice.
Speaking on the response of the participants, the permanent secretary expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement and enthusiasm shown by the girls throughout the training sessions.
She noted that many of the participants said they were learning about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation for the first time.
“The girls are between the ages of 12 and 17 and from the interactions we had with them, they were very excited. Some of them are hearing these things for the first time and never knew that the practice is harmful,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the training would enable the girls to serve as advocates for change within their communities.
She added that the Rivers State Government, alongside its partners, would continue to intensify efforts and expand community-based interventions aimed at ending the practice across the State.
Meanwhile, the participants for Emohua Local Government Area were drawn from Elele-Alimini, Egbeda, Rumuji, Ibaa, Rumuekpe, Rumuakunde, Eligbarada, and Ogbakiri Communities.
The participants,who spoke in separate interviews described the training as eye-opening, noting that it helped them better understand issues surrounding adolescent health, personal hygiene, reproductive health, and the harmful consequences of Female Genital Mutilation.
Favour Azukwu from Rumuekpe community, said the programme provided a deeper understanding of the dangers associated with the practice, particularly its impact on the health and wellbeing of girls and women.
She explained that the training sessions exposed participants to the medical, social and psychological effects of Female Genital Mutilation, including severe bleeding, infections and complications during childbirth.
She revealed that she personally experienced the practice at the age of 12 and suffered heavy bleeding afterwards, an experience that has strengthened her determination to advocate for its eradication.
According to her, many communities still practise Female Genital Mutilation because it is perceived as a cultural tradition, despite the dangers associated with it.
“I do not support Female Genital Mutilation because there are many dangers involved. I experienced severe bleeding when it was done to me as a child.
Another participant, Glory Ken, a 16-year-old secondary school student from Rumuji community, said the programme broadened her understanding of several important topics affecting adolescents.
She explained that beyond the discussion on Female Genital Mutilation, the training also focused on issues such as personal hygiene, reproductive health, peer education, and self-care.
According to her, the sessions helped participants understand the importance of making informed health decisions and supporting one another as peer educators.
“I learned about many things that affect young people in society and how to take care of myself. I also learned that Female Genital Mutilation is harmful to our health. The message I am taking back to my community is that this practice should stop,” she said.
Also speaking, Goodness Kenjika Nyeche described the programme as very impactful.
She noted that the training equipped participants with the skills and confidence to educate others about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation.
She said she plans to organise sensitisation among adolescents in her community, particularly girls between the ages of 10 and 19, to ensure they understand the dangers associated with the practice.
“I learned many things from this programme and I feel very good about it. I will educate other young girls in my community and help them understand why Female Genital Mutilation should not continue,” she said.
For Queen Dike from Ibaa community, the programme helped clarify misconceptions surrounding the practice.
She explained that in some communities, the practice is still referred to as circumcision and is viewed as part of cultural identity.
She said the training helped participants understand that Female Genital Mutilation involves the cutting or removal of parts of the female genital organs and that it has serious health consequences.
She stressed that awareness and education are key to ending the practice, especially among communities that continue to uphold it as tradition.
“I think the programme is very helpful because many people still believe it is part of culture. More awareness is needed so people can understand why it should stop,” she said.
Another participant, MyJoy Echika Amadi, said the programme provided critical information about adolescent health and the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
She described the initiative as enlightening and said it encouraged young people to become advocates for change in their communities.
According to her, participants were encouraged to use various platforms such as churches, peer groups, schools and community gatherings to spread awareness about the harmful effects of the practice.
“This programme has enlightened us about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation. I will do my best to create awareness in my community and encourage people to stop the practice,” she said.
Many of the participants emphasised that the knowledge gained during the programme has empowered them to challenge harmful traditions and promote healthier practices among young people.
They also called on the Rivers State Government, development partners and civil society organisations to sustain the sensitisation campaigns and extend the training to more communities across the State.
According to them, empowering young people with the right information will play a critical role in eliminating Female Genital Mutilation and protecting the rights, health and dignity of girls in Rivers State.
The participants expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, UNICEF and UNFPA for organising the programme and for investing in the wellbeing and future of adolescent girls in the State.
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