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THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State Government has approved N873.4 million for the renovation of its secondary schools.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Musa Bubakar, told newsmen in Yola on Wednesday that the decision was taken last week at the state’s executive council meeting.
He said the project would be executed in selected schools in the three senatorial zones of the state including Government Secondary School, Mayo Belwa and Government Day Secondary School, Banjiram in Guyuk local government area.
The commissioner said the executive council had also approved the immediate release of N48.9 million for the implementation of the “Access To Education Programme,” launched by the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, early in the year.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA), is to train 20 doctors from private and public hospitals on new guidelines for the treatment of malaria.
The Chairman of BACATMA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, made the plan known on Wednesday in Bauchi during an opening ceremony of a two-day workshop, organised by the agency in Yankari.
Mohammed said that 60 per cent of deaths in Nigeria were caused by malaria.
He said that patent medicine dealers in the 20 local government areas of the state would also be trained by the agency on the appropriate dosage of drugs for the control of the disease and prevention.
Benue
The Benue State Government has concluded plans to recruit 1,000 teachers in all academic disciplines to enhance the quality of education in the state.
Mr Benjamin Ashaver, the state’s Commissioner for Education said on Thursday in Makurdi at a news conference said the Benue State Teaching Service Board (BTSB), had been given the go ahead to handle the recruitment.
“The gesture is to minimise the shortage of manpower, to be precise shortage of teachers in secondary schools in the state, the recruitment will commence this October”, he stated.
On promotion of teachers in the state, Ashaver said that those who met the conditions for promotion had been promoted while others were being processed.
Borno
Governor Ali Sheriff of Borno State on Thursday ordered the immediate completion of the fencing and renovation of the permanent site of the NYSC orientation camp in the state.
Sheriff gave the directive in Maiduguri at the passing out ceremony of 2009 Batch “C” Corps members.
He disclosed that the state government would construct additional hostel blocks for corps members before the end of the life of his administration.
The governor, who was represented by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Amb. Ahmed Jidda, lauded the corps members for their effort toward the development of the state.
FCT
Senator Kolawole Bajomo, (PDP-Ogun West), has called for the construction of more dams, to check the inflow of water into Ogun River and Lagoons.
Bajomo made the call on Thursday in Abuja, while briefing newsmen on the flood in some communities in Ogun and Lagos, which displaced inhabitants and destroyed farmlands.
He called on the Ministry of Water Resources to come out with the design and location of small dams in the adjourning areas, to control the inflow of water.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government is to spend N118.36 million as subsidy for the accommodation of 2,500 pilgrims in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The Executive Secretary of the State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Umar Abdulsalam, told newsmen in Gombe on Wednesday that the government would subsidise each pilgrim with 1,076 Saudi Riyals (N47,344).
He said the 2,500 intending pilgrims comprised 1,510 males and 1,003 females, to be accompanied by 13 officials.
Jigawa
Jigawa State House of Assembly has approved N2 billion for the implementation of a new salary structure for workers in the state service.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Alhaji Inuwa Udi, told newsmen in Dutse on Wednesday that the legislature approved the salary structure based on a supplementary budget of N3.96 sent by the executive arm of the government.
Udi said that the payment of the salary would take effect from October, adding that the salary structure was agreed between the government and Nigeria Labour Congress.
He said all provisions in the supplementary budget would be funded with money from the federation allocation with some adjustments.
Katsina
Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State has commended the Federal Government for awarding the contract for the installation of 10 megawatts Windmill in the area.
The contract was awarded in June 2009 at N492 million.
Shema made the commendation on Thursday in Rimi village while inspecting equipment at the project site, located in Rimi local government area.
He said that when completed, the project would not only boost power supply to the state, but also enhance the socio-economic status of the benefiting communities.
Kogi
The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Chief Clarence Olafemi, on Thursday in Lokoja inaugurated 25 House Standing Committees for the 2010/2011 legislative year.
Inaugurating the committees on the floor of the House at a plenary session, Olafemi said the committees were to perform oversight functions of the House in the various ministries, departments and agencies.
He asked the chairmen and members of the committees to ensure proper conduct of government activities in the various ministries, departments and agencies under them, especially as the current political dispensation was on its last lap.
Lagos
The police in Lagos on Thursday arraigned a 34-year-old driver, Abudlkareem Suleh, for allegedly stealing a Toyota Corolla car belonging to his employer, Leadway Assurance Ltd.
Suleh, charged before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Eshiet Eshiet, submitted that the accused stole the saloon car with registration No. FF 123 KRD, worth N2.5 million, on September 15 at Bode Thomas St., Surulere, Lagos.
He told the court that Suleh made away with the car when he was sent on an errand by his boss.
Osun
Six lives and property worth about N253.4 million were lost to fire outbreaks in Osun State between January and September.
The state Director of Fire Service, Mr Timothew Ogunje, made the announcement in Osogbo on Thursday in an
interview with newsmen.
He said that 155 persons were rescued, while property worth more than N48 billion were salvaged in fire incidents during the period.
He attributed the success recorded by the department to the six newly acquired vehicles, which enhanced its operations and facilitated quick responses to emergencies.
Plateau
A 75-year-old grandfather, Mr John Davou, has dragged his 20-year-old proposed wife, Hope Joseph, to a Hwolshe Area Court in Jos over alleged cheating and deceit.
Davou, who lodged a direct criminal complaint, told the court that his estranged lover collected the sum of N63,655. after promising to marry him.
“She deceived me with a fake promise to marry me and collected a lot of money from me,” he told the court.
Sokoto
National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayodele Oritsejafor, has urged the media to mobilise the people to actively participate in the electoral process.
Oritsejafor told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that such mobilisation would ensure that all Nigerians contributed to the much needed transparent, free and fair elections in 2011.
He said the 2011 elections are too significant to be left to go the way of past elections, which led the country to the current situation it found itself.
Yobe
The League for Human Rights has alleged that forceful and early marriages are still practised in Yobe State.
Mrs Tamwakat Golit, the Project Coordinator of the League, told newsmen in Damaturu on Thursday that such marriages usually made the girls not to complete their education.
She claimed that in spite of the campaign for free and compulsory basic education by the state government, girls in the villages still suffered forceful and early marriages.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State House of Assembly has announced the death of Alhaji Saidu Bawa Bagega, member representing Anka constituency.
Alhaji Bature Umar Sambo, the Speaker, said in a statement in Gusau on Thursday that Bagega died after a brief illness in Gusau.
Bagega died at the age of 44. Sambo, who prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased, described the late member as a pillar in the Assembly.
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.