Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Borno State Governor, Ali Modu- Sheriff last Thursday, inaugurated caretaker committees for the 25 of the 27 local governments in the state, urging them to deliver service to the people.
Speaking at the ceremony in Maiduguri, Sheriff advised the committee chairmen to be fair and just in their assignment to ensure peace and harmony in communities.
Sheriff also pointed out that the selection of the caretaker chairmen was based on experience and dedication to the development of the state.
“They were also appointed in accordance with sections
192, subsection 208, sub section 2 (B) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ he said.
The Chairmen included the immediate past Information Commissioner, Alhaji Isa Benishiekh, posted to Kaga local government, and Alhaji Abba Lawan, Gwoza local government area.
Others are Alhaji Mohammed Bello, Kwaya Kusar local government, and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi, Nganzai local government.
FCT
Vice-President Namadi Sambo last Thursday in Abuja urged the Ministry of Environment to provide a roadmap on how to address the challenges of desertification and deforestation in Nigeria.
Sambo made the call at a meeting he convened to discuss the issue of desertification and deforestation, saying the roadmap had become necessary in view of the outcome of the Conference of Heads of State on Green Tree.
He said an agreement had been signed to carry out massive plantation of trees to check deforestation in Nigeria.
Sambo also noted that erosion and desert encroachment had become a menace, which required huge funds to tackle.
The vice-president said that President Goodluck Jonathan had directed him to look into the issue of erosion and other environmental challenges in the South-East region.
He urged the South-East and South South states to partner with the Ministry of Environment to get the services of experts and consultants in order to know the projects to be executed to tackle environmental problems.
Kano
The city of Kano is suffering heavy traffic jams with major constructions going on under the Kano State Government’s Urban Renewal programme.
The development, which has made movement on major roads in the city difficult, is more pronounced whenever it rains.
The residents, especially commercial vehicle operators and commuters, are complaining over the situation.
Malam Usman Alhaji, a taxi driver, said the development had affected his daily income as he wasted a lot of time in the traffic.
“On a normal day, I make several trips but now with the heavy traffic, I take few trips a day and I lose a lot to that,” Alhaji said.
Muhammad Sanusi, a businessman at Kwari Market, told newsmen that the traffic situation has led to his going late to the market with the result that his customers, especially those from other states, went elsewhere to buy.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim Garba, the Commissioner for Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, has threatened to sanction contractors who fail to complete their jobs on schedule.
Katsina
The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State, has expressed doubt over the conduct of free and fair elections come 2011 if the traditional rulers continued to be partisan.
The state Chairman of CPC, Dr Armaya’u Yusha’u, made the observation while addressing a news conference in Katsina on Saturday.
Yusha’u accused Governor Ibrahim Shema of using traditional rulers in the state as campaign agents for the ruling PDP.
He said unless the trend was reversed, the possibility of conducting free and fair election in the state come 2011 would be a mirage.
“Unless the state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, stop using traditional rulers as campaign agents of the PDP, there may not be a free and fair election in Katsina State Come 2011,” Yusha’u emphasised.
According to him, the CPC has enough evidence to prove the allegation that the traditional institution in the state was deeply involved in partisan politics.
“ At the appropriate time, CPC will release the name of places where meetings were held and the traditional title holders who addressed the meetings on behalf of the emirs,” Yusha’u said.
Kebbi
Alhaji Salihu Nabara, the Sole Administrator of Aliero Local Government Area of Kebbi, said on Friday that the council spent about N806 million within five months to provide amenities.
Nabara said N506 million was used to construct 15 kilometres of road and drainages in the rural areas.
The roads included Aliero to Jiga, Jiga to Birnin Jiga, Birnin Jiga to Sala and Sala to Makera.
He said the creation of access roads to these areas would enable farmers to evacuate farm produce from rural areas to urban centres.
Nabara said N124 million was used for maintenance at the Comprehensive Health Centre located in Danwarai village while N70.2 million was also used in constructing block of classrooms, offices, and to provide furniture in primary schools.
He said that N120, 000 was being spent monthly on security to sustain the peaceful coexistence in the area.
A resident of the area, Alhaji Musa Galadima, commended the efforts of the council, noting that provision of additional funds to the council would facilitate rapid development.
“At the moment community members are involved in decision-making as well as selection of projects to be sited in their environment,” he said.
Lagos
A middle-aged man and a woman were lastThursday in Lagos brought before an Apapa Senior Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stealing recharge vouchers of the various networks, worth N1.5 million.
The accused, Augustine Okokowa and Mary Ojo, the receiver of the stolen vouchers, are facing a four count-charge of burglary, stealing, shop breaking and receipt of stolen items.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
But the prosecution said that the accused and others still at large committed the offence on May 24, 2009 when they broken into a shop at 42, Cardoso St., Ajegunle, Lagos, and stole the vouchers belonging to Mr Murphy Oseni.
Cpl. Ibinedien John said that Ojo had a case to answer for receiving the stolen items.
He said that the offence contravened Sections 390, 411, 427 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
Niger
The enrolment of Nomadic children in schools has doubled in Niger since 2008, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Nomadic Education, Alhaji Mohammad Sadiq, said.
Sadiq told newsmen in an interview in Minna on Thursday that the increase in enrolment in the 20 nomadic schools was due to a mobilisation campaign by the government.
“The enrolment rose from 10,000 pupils to 20,000 pupils in the past one to two years, owing to the high level of mobilisation of the nomads to allow their wards to attend schools within their settlement,” he said.
He said most of the nomadic schools were currently manned by qualified teachers.
Ogun
The Ijebu Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Agans-Irabor, has warned the Ijebu-Ode branch of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) against lawlessness.
Irabor issued the warning in Ijebu-Ode during a peaceful protest staged by members of the union on Saturday against the State Chairman, Mr Tajudeen Baruwa.
The protesters had trooped out to the streets as early as 9a.m., saying they were against the decision of Baruwa to form a caretaker committee to manage the Ijebu-Ode branch of the union.
Irabor told the protesters that the police would not tolerate any act of violence that might arise from the protest.
He stressed that anyone caught causing trouble would be punished and urged the protesters to take legal action if they were not satisfied with the decision.
Irabor, however, commended the union members for the way they conducted the protest and urged them to be law-abiding.
The branch Chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Babs Oseni, later told newsmen that the decision to install a caretaker committee for the branch would not work.
Oseni explained that the protest was aimed at sensitising the public to prevail on the chairman to allow peace to reign in Ijebu-Ode Township.
Osun
Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) will this week relocate to Osogbo if the Osun Government fails to meet its demands.
The South-West Zonal Coordinator of the union, Mr Gbenga Ekundayo, made the statement at a news briefing in Osogbo last Thursday.
The state chapter of the union has been on strike since May 24 over demands of improved welfare.
Ekundayo said although the government had not paid arrears of monetisation benefits to members of the union, the teachers were asking for the immediate payment of the new salary package.
The coordinator said that the approved wage increase for the union took effect from July 1, 2009.
Other demands which Ekundayo listed include, approval of 65 years retirement age for the teachers and that the retirement benefits for officers on GL 15 be upheld.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Ministry for Religious Affairs, has screened 1,040 scholars, known as ‘Tafsir’, to preach in the state during Ramadan.
Alhaji Tukur Sani, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, made the statement on Friday in Gusau at the close of the weekly preaching, organised by the ministry.
Sani said that government had approved N10,000 allowance for each scholar while their assistants would receive N5,000 each.
The Commissioner urged the scholars to avoid criticising themselves and to preach the truth for peace in society.
He also said that government would establish 160 feeding centres across the state during the period.
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.