Nation
Fadama III Launch: Farmers Get N59m
Not less than N59 million was disbursed to Fadama Community Associations (FCAs), at the launch of the Fadama III National Development Programme on Friday in Jos.
Speaking on the occasion, Gov. Jonah Jang said the programme was conceived as a tool to alleviate poverty and achieve the Federal Government’s food security agenda.
Jang, who was represented by Agriculture and Natural Resources Commissinoer, NaAllah Mutbam, advised the benefiting FCAs to utilise the grants judiciously as specified in their local development plans.
He expressed optimism that diligent implementation of the programme would yield positive results.
He urged local government council chairmen to pay their counterpart funds to enable the participating councils to draw-down funds.
The governor advised farmers who were not participating in the programme to register and work closely with the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in order to boost their activities.
He said the government had taken steps to transform agriculture in the state through the establishment of Agricultural Services and Training Centres (ASTCs) in the three senatorial zones.
The governor used the forum to challenge youths to engage in farming as a viable option rather than searching for non-existent white-collar jobs.
Giving an overview of the Fadama III Project, the Zonal Project Coordinator, North Central, Mr Musa Dalang, said, the programme was a poverty alleviation project with the objective of increasing the income of farmers.
Dalang said, the programme was currently the largest in the country with 560 local governments and more than 7,400 FCAs participating.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the state Fadama III Coordinator, Mr Gideon Dandam, said that all the 17 councils of the state were involved in the programme.
Dandam appealed to the governor and council chairmen to continue to sustain their commitments under the programme.
Nation
Katsina Chief Judge Frees 95 Inmates In Jail Delivery Initiative
The Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi, has granted bail to 91 inmates.
He also completely discharged four others during the first-quarter jail delivery exercise for 2025 at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Katsina.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Justice Danladi explained that the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres carefully assessed the cases before recommending the inmates for release.
Factors considered included age, length of time spent in custody, and medical conditions.
He further announced that going forward, the personal details and photographs of released inmates would be officially recorded to ensure proper documentation and accountability.
Addressing the freed individuals, he urged them to stay on the right side of the law, emphasising that another chance at clemency might not be available if they reoffend.
The Katsina State Controller of Corrections, CC Umar Baba, praised the initiative, stating that such interventions ease congestion, improve prison conditions, and support rehabilitation efforts.
He also called on judges and magistrates to consider alternative sentencing options to prevent unnecessary detentions and allow correctional facilities to focus on reforming and reintegrating offenders into society.
Nation
Court Strikes Out Charges Against Ex-Ooni’s Wife
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out murder charges against Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Queen Naomi Silekunola; the owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat; and principal of Islamic High School, Abdullahi Fasasi.
The Tide’s source recalls that the trio have been facing murder charges following the December 2024 children’s event stampede that led to the death of 35 children.
Justice B. K. Olawoyin delivering judgment yesterday, ruled that holding the defendants liable could discourage the public from engaging in humanitarian activities.
The court dismissed the four count charge, which included acceleration of death, conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm and failure to provide adequate medical facilities and security.
Nation
Military Denies Knowledge Of Community Negotiations With Terrorists
The Nigerian Military high command has stated that it is unaware of any community in the Northwest negotiating or entering peace agreements with bandits and terrorists for protection.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, dismissed reports suggesting such peace deals.
He questioned why any community would resort to negotiations, given the sustained military offensives against terrorist groups.
“The military is carrying out its operations in line with established protocols for internal security. If any community claims to be seeking peace with bandits, the military does not support that,” Kangye asserted.
He further emphasised that joint military operations, in collaboration with hybrid forces and other security agencies, have remained relentless in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
Throughout the past week, troops conducted a series of combat patrols, raids, ambushes, clearance operations, and search-and-rescue missions, resulting in significant successes.
According to Kangye, several terrorists were neutralised, their collaborators were captured, and kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.
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