Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
No fewer than 245 intending pilgrims are to perform this year’s Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Adamawa.
The Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Mr Philibus Ishaku, made this known to newsmen in Yola on Monday
Ishaku said that the number was a great improvement on the 143 pilgrims that performed the exercise last year.
He said that arrangements had reached advanced stages for the exercise, as the airlift of the pilgrims was expected to commence on Oct. 28.
“Infact, we are almost done with preparations, as all prospective pilgrims had paid up and the state government had also approved the list of officials to accompany them,” Ishaku said.
The secretary said that there was a strong possibility that this year’s pilgrims from the North-East would be airlifted from the Yola Airport.
On the issue of pilgrims absconding, while in the Holy land, the executive secretary said that it only happened in Adamawa once and that the culprit was not an indigene of the state.
“And that is why we are very vigilant and thorough on those intending to perform the exercise from Adamawa,” he said.
Bauchi
Malam Musa Chibiyayi, an agricultural expert, has called on the Arable Crop Development and Marketing Company to buy surplus grains from Bauchi farmers to encourage them to produce more.
Chibiyayi, who is also the Special Adviser to Gov. Isa Yuguda on Agriculture, made the call on Tuesday in Bauchi in an interview with newsmen.
He expressed optimism that the state would record bumper harvest this year in view of the high amount of rainfall recorded in the state.
Chibiyayi said that the company might have to mop up the excess crops produced by farmers at a reasonable price to enable them break even.
Borno
Suspected Boko Haram sect members on Monday night attacked the Gamboru Police Station in the Maiduguri metropolis, leaving four policemen injured.
The attack came at a time serial killings by suspected members of the sect continued in Borno.
A police officer, who sought anonymity, told newsmen on Tuesday in the state capital that the assailants raided the police station at night on Monday with local explosives.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdu, confirmed the attack, but declined to comment further.
In July 2009, members of the sect, which is opposed to Western education and wants Shariah enforced, attacked a police station in the state capital during which five of them were killed by soldiers deployed to counter the insurgence.
Ekiti
To prevent post-harvest losses, members of the Cassava Growers Association in Ekiti have called on the state government to establish silos for the storage and preservation of their cassava products.
The Chairman of the association, Mr Joseph Akinjobi, made the call in Ado-Ekiti in an interview with the newsmen.
Akinjobi, who is also the Ekiti Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said tonnes of cassava products were being wasted annually due to the lack of preservation facilities.
The association chairman also stressed the need for the state government to establish cottage industries where cassava farmers could sell their products.
He identified high production costs due to the high tractor hiring charges and the lack of farm inputs as some of the problems faced by his members during the farming season.
Akinjobi said that owing to these problems, farmers in the state were compelled to travel to neighbouring states such as Osun, Ondo, Kogi and Kwara to hire tractors.
FCT
The Federal Government said in Abuja on Monday that Nigeria and Burkina Faso bilateral relationship on defence cooperation would be strengthened.
Alhaji Murtala Yar’Adua, the Minister of State for Defence, said this while receiving Mr Yero Boly, the Minister of Defence of Burkina Faso in his office.
Yar’Adua said the relationship was premised on Burkina Faso’s role in mediating and settling disputes in some African countries.
Speaking earlier, Boly said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen bilateral relationship on defence cooperation between the two countries.
Jigawa
Gen. Aliyu Gusau, a former National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, has donated N5 million to flood victims in Jigawa.
Gusau, a PDP presidential aspirant, presented a cheque for the amount when he paid a courtesy call on Gov. Sule Lamido in Dutse on Monday.
He said he was in the state to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the recent flood that ravaged the state.
He prayed God to stop the event from repeating and enjoined the people to take what happened as an act of the Almighty.
Responding, Governor Sule Lamido expressed appreciation to Gusau for the donation to the victims of flood.
Lamido promised to deliver the money to those affected by the flood.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government has released N9.6 million for disbursement to 335 victims of this year’s flood disaster in Katsina metropolis.
The state’s Commissioner for Justice and Chairman of the Disbursement Committee, Alhaji Muktar Ibrahim, disclosed this while launching the disbursement in Katsina on Monday.
He said the amount represented 40 per cent of the estimated loss incurred by the victims during the disaster.
According to him, the state government decided to assist the affected persons with 40 per cent of their total loss to alleviate their sufferings.
He called on the affected persons to use the money in re-constructing their damaged houses, disclosing that the state government was still planning to also assist them with grains.
Kebbi
Hajiya Asama’u Dakingari, the wife of Kebbi Governor, has donated relief materials worth N6.5 million to victims of flood in Gwandu and Argungu Emirates in Kebbi.
One of her assistants, Alhaji Ibrahim Jambali, made this known to the newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
Jambali said the materials included 400 bags of rice, 300 bags of assorted grains, 300 mats and 300 mosquito nets.
Others are 300 pairs of slippers, 300 kettles, and 50 cartons of detergent, 80 cartons of soap, 200 blankets, 500 buckets and 200 textile materials.
He said the materials were distributed to the victims at their temporary resettlement centres in Argungu and Gwandu.
“Hajiya Asama’u Dakingari, during the visit, was told that about 12,000 people were rendered homeless and their farmlands and life savings lost in the disaster,’’ he added.
Our correspondent recalls that the Federal Government had donated N752 million to the victims. Some states, individuals and organisations had also visited and made donations.
Kwara
An apprentice tailor, Kabiru Yusuf of Agbo Oba area, Ilorin, was on Monday sentenced to two months imprisonment for stealing a handset.
The convict, 19, prior to his conviction, had pleaded guilty to the offence.
In view of his admission of the offence, the prosecuting police officer, Insp. Jimoh Kareem, prayed the court to give the accused ‘summary trial’, which was upheld.
Magistrate Abdullahi Bello sentenced the accused to two months in prison with an option of N500 fine.
The convict on September 28 stole a Nokia handset valued N3,500 belonging to one Edungbola Adeniyi of Ita Alamu, Ilorin.
The convict trespassed to where the owner parked his car on Coca-Cola Road, Ilorin and stole the handset put on the dashboard.
Niger
Umar Ma’ali, the Speaker of the Niger House of Assembly, has said that the assembly would support all efforts to promote girl-child education in the state.
Ma’ali said during the unvealing of the mascot for the state’s edition of the “Queen of Culture and Tourism” in Minna on Monday that the girl-child deserved the best in education.
The event was organised by Twani Global Concept in collaboration with the state’s ministry of culture and tourism.
He said the assembly was partnering with the executive arm of government to ensure that the girl-child suffered no form of discrimination.
“We are in partnership with the executive in this project and we shall ensure that no girl-child is discriminated against”, the speaker said.
Ogun
Four students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, on Tuesday appeared before an Abeokuta Chief Magistrate’s Court for their alleged involvement in cultism.
The students are Akinsanya Babatunde, Samuel Gbenga, Qudus Ayilara and Adewusi Yomi.
They are all facing a three-count charge of membership of an unlawful society as well as illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Prosecutor Paul Etusi told the court that the accused persons engaged themselves in the activities of an unlawful society, Eiye Confraternity, at Oloke junction in the Abeokuta metropolis.
He also alleged that they possessed two double-barrelled guns and 30 rounds of ammunition.
Etusi said the act was contrary to Section 4 and punishable under Section 5 of the Secret Cult (Prohibition and Special Provision Act), Laws of Ogun State, 2006.
Sokoto
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has urged the Jonathan-Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation to reach out to grassroots politicians instead of Abuja-based politicians to succeed.
Wamakko gave the advice in Sokoto on Monday while receiving Dr Sarki Tafida, the Chairman of the Organisation, saying Abuja politicians had nothing to offer as they were not with the grassroots.
Wamakko explained that Sokoto State had been the home of PDP and would remain so.
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.