Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Federal Government says that it has evolved a comprehensive inland basin oil exploration framework to enhance the national oil and gas reserve.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, said this at the 11th combined convocation of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi in Adamawa.
Allison-Madueke, who was represented by the Zonal Manager of NNPC, Kaduna, Alhaji Salihu Sambo, said the framework was designed to intensify oil exploration not just in Chad basin.
She explained that the framework covered other basins such as Sokoto, Bida, Yola, Gongola, Anambra, Benue trough and Dahomey.
The minister, who was conferred with a fellowship award of the polytechnic, reiterated the government’s commitments toward increasing the nation’s oil and gas reserves.
“Already our neighboring countries that have similar geological setting like Chad, Niger and Cameroun have recently discovered oil in commercial quantity.
Bauchi
Hajiya Biodun Yuguda, wife of the Bauchi State Governor, has charged religious leaders to instill good values in youths for a brighter future.
Yuguda stated this at the convention of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), with theme “Building the New Bauchi State”.
She said that to ensure a virile society and a bright future, religious leaders should teach the youths good moral values as contained in the holy books so that they would grow with the fear of God.
The governor’s wife commended the organisers of the convention and urged the participants to contribute their quota in building a new Bauchi State.
Borno
The Borno State Judiciary is planning to hold market day meetings in villages across the state, the Chief Judge, Alhaji Kashim Zannah, has said.
Zannah told newsmen in Maiduguri on Sunday that the meetings were part of a renewed effort to sensitise rural communities on the need to engage the services of the judiciary.
“We plan to hold market day meetings with the villagers as part of our enlightenment campaign on how individuals can access our services easily,” he said.
The chief judge added that the move was part of the justice sector reform initiated in 2008, aimed at enhancing access to justice.
The reform action plan was aimed at enhancing access to justice, as well as timely and quality justice delivery, he added.
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has paid the two months salary arrears owed its workers in the local government service, Chief Femi Akinyemi, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC), has said.
Akinyemi told newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Sunday that workers in the 16 local government areas were owed April and May salaries “due to dwindling allocation from the federation account”.
He, however, explained that the two months salary had now been paid into the workers individual accounts, adding that “we do not owe any local government staff salary as at today”.
The chairman attributed the delay in the payment to the drop in the monthly allocation from the federation account “and the current global economic melt down.
FCT
The FCT administration has promised to compensate more than 6,000 persons whose land title were revoked on grounds of overriding public interest by the government.
Sen. Bala Mohammed, the FCT Minister, disclosed this during the presentation of the report of the Ministerial Committee on Repositioning Land Administration in the territory.
He said allottees who lost their land titles as a result of the government’s action were awaiting alternative allocation.
He explained that “in order to address this problem, I will dedicate appreciable percentage of all land allocation during my tenure to providing alternative plots to this category of victims”.
He said the administration would establish FCT Civil Service Commission to correct the abnormalities in personnel management and to check indiscipline among the staff.
The Federal Government has ordered the release of N15 billion for the construction of a 200 megawatts power plant in Kaduna State.
The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, made the disclosure in Zaria at a reception organised in his honour by the Zazzau Emirate Council on Saturday.
He said that President Goodluck Jonathan gave the order as part of efforts to improve electricity supply in the country.
He stated that already a letter of credit had been issued to the manufacturer of the equipment meant for the project.
“Very soon the project site will be handed over to the contractors,” he said.
Kano
Commercial motorcyclists in Kano metropolis now harass motorists, making driving a nightmare in the commercial town, The Tide’s source’s check has shown.
The survey found that many of the cyclists, popularly known as “achaba,” often abuse motorists at the slightest encounter.
The source also found that the motorcyclists usually rode recklessly and often hit other vehicles passing by, smashing their bumpers or side mirrors.
A car owner in the city, Alhaji Na’Allah Abubakar, told the source that he was apprehensive about driving in the city because of the attitude of the motorcyclists on the road.
“Driving has become a nightmare for me because of the irresponsible traffic conduct of the achaba boys.
Kwara
Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara has vowed not to sign the Pension Bill passed by the state house of assembly until some controversial areas are resolved.
Speaking on Saturday during a media chat, the governor said that the executive would soon return the bill to the assembly with a view to amending some of the controversial areas.
“There are many controversial issues in it and I will not sign the bill because I am sending it back to the house for them to take a look at some of the issues therein.
“I know that about eight states are now operating similar pension schemes but some things must be amended,” he said.
The governor explained that he was more concerned with the resources of the state and the ability to implement the bill, saying that “definitely the bill will return to the house for a second look and to see what they can shave-off from the bill”.
Lagos
Some aviation professionals have advised airline operators to adopt manpower development as a means of solving the dearth of professionals in the industry.
The professionals were reacting to the approval given by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to Aeroconsult Training Organisation (ATO) to undertake training of professionals in the industry
In an interactive session with aviation correspondents in Lagos, the professionals decried the trend whereby airline operators, rather than train personnel, poach from each other to fill existing vacancy.
Mr Ayo Obadofin, the Managing Director of Aeroconsult said instead of the operators training their personnel to handle equipment, most of them rather seek for experienced hands to employ.
Nasarawa
Dr Peter Agu of the Nasarawa State Ministry of Science and Technology, has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that would make technical and vocational education functional.
Agu gave the advice while delivering a paper at the 3rd Academic staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) Conference at the Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia on Saturday.
He said the low esteem of technical and vocational education had reduced enrolment into the polytechnics.
He stressed the need for intensified advocacy to improve the image and acceptance of vocational education in the country.
Niger
Sheikh Mohammed Yahaya, the Director of Propagation of Izala Islamic Movement, has called for an increase in the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) of Muslim pilgrims during Hajj to ease their hardships.
Yahaya told newsmen in Minna on Sunday that the current minimum BTA of 500 dollars was grossly inadequate to cater for the needs of a pilgrim during Hajj.
He said that Nigerian pilgrims spent more than one month in the holy land during Hajj, resulting in the complete exhaustion of the allowance.
He added that “pilgrims who found themselves in such a situation were forced to beg to feed themselves or sell their personal belongings at give away prices just to feed before their return to the country.
Ogun
Former President Olusegun Obsanjo has advocated the use of green economy to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change in Africa.
Receiving participants in a climate change workshop in his Abeokuta residence, Obasanjo said: “Green economy is the vogue now; people are talking and doing something about it. We in Africa should go beyond talking about it and do someting about it.”
The Tide’s source reports that the workshop, which was for parliamentary support staff of the national and states assemblies, was organised by Africa Leadership Forum, Ota, Ogun, to enhance their capacity to perform their legislative and oversight functions.
Obasanjo told the participants that there were sufficient evidence to prove that climate change was real in Africa.
“One of the proof I know is that our own Lake Chad will no longer be in existence with water in it in the next 50 years, and the lake provides the means of livelihood for more than 1.5 million people in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun and Niger,” he noted.
Yobe
Alhaji Muhammad Ahmadu, Yobe Resident Electoral Commissioner, said that less than 700 new voters in the state have registered in the continuous voter registration exercise in the last two years.
Ahmadu disclosed this on Saturday at a meeting organised by INEC for election stakeholders in Damaturu.
He said the exercise had been on since 2008 for those who did not attain voting age as at the last general elections.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.