Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Bauchi State Police Command says it has spread its dragnet to apprehend kidnappers of an 11-year-old girl last Thursday.
The minor and daughter of former Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, was kidnapped on her way to school.
The spokesman for the Command, Mohammed Barau, told newsmen in Bauchi on Friday that the command received the information from Sadiya, mother of the girl at about 8.45 a.m. on Thursday
“On receiving the information, the Housing Estate Division of the command immediately visited the residence of Alhaji Ahmed Al-Mustafa where preliminary investigation was conducted,” he said.
FCT
The Police in the FCT say they have arrested a man (name withheld) for allegedly defrauding an Abuja-based motor company of five Toyota Prado jeeps worth N78 million.
SP Moshood Jimoh, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, who disclosed this last Friday to newsmen, said all the vehicles had been recovered from the suspect.
Jimoh said the suspect presented a “manager’s cheque” to the company to convince it that he had enough money in his account to pay for the vehicles and the company released them to him.
He, however, said that when the company discovered that there was no money in the suspect’s account, it lodged a complaint with the police.
Gombe
Mr Ado Solomon, the Director, National Orientation Agency in Gombe State, has cautioned politicians against using youths to perpetrate violence in the course of their electioneering.
Solomon gave the advice during the presentation of an award to the Chairman, Gombe Local Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri, as the UN Ambassador of Peace in Gombe State.
He described Gombe as the most peaceful state in the North-East zone and called on politicians to sustain the prevailing atmosphere.
Solomom also called on the people to participate fully in the voter registration coming up soon.
Kaduna
An official of the World Bank has urged the Kaduna State government to remit the N45 million counterpart fund for Fadama III to fast track implementation of the programme.
Dr Lucas Akapa, the North-West Fadama III Task leader, made the appeal in Kaduna when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Gov. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.
Akapa appealed to the government to prevail on council chairmen to remit their contribution of N46 million to enhance implementation of Fadama projects.
He noted that timely remittance of funds would enhance implementation of the programme, increase the income of Fadama users and add value to their lives.
Kano
A CPC gubernatorial aspirant in Kano, retired Brig.-Gen. Lawal Ja’afaru-Isa, has regretted that cholera, typhoid, malaria and meningitis are still ravaging the population in the state.
Addressing newsmen in Kano last Friday, Ja’afaru-Isa said it was unfortunate that the diseases, which had been eradicated in some parts of the world, were still rocking the state.
He said that the diseases had been claiming lives in parts of the state and questioned the healthcare programme of the authorities concerned.
Katsina
The Department For International Development (DFID) has selected three local government areas in Katsina State for the implementation of the Sanitation, Hygiene And Water in Nigeria (SHAWN) project.
Under the programme, the selected councils are expected to achieve 100 per cent coverage in sanitation, hygiene and water supply.
Alhaji Aminu Dayyabu, the SHAWN Desk Officer in Katsina, told newsmen Friday in Katsina that the selected councils were Bakori, Kaita and Mai’adua.
Kebbi
The Border Communities Development Authority (BCDA) in Kebbi State says insecurity can be addressed effectively if local policing and welfare of security personnel could be improved.
Mr Numoipre Wills, the Executive Secretary of the authority, said this at a sensitisation workshop on Friday in Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi.
The workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Boundary Commission, BCDA and the Kebbi State Government.
Kogi
The Project Coordinator, World Bank Assisted FADAMA III Programme, Mr Musa Dalang, says the programme is capable of winning the war against hunger and poverty but through sustained efforts.
Dalang said this while speaking with newsmen in Mopa in Kogi at the Third Joint World Bank/FGN Supervision Mission to Kabba-Bunu and Mopa-Muro Local Governments of Kogi.
The coordinator assured farmers that with the level of capacity building and training imparted on farmers so far, operators of the programme were well equipped to guarantee the victory against hunger, diseases and poverty.
Lagos
Two commercial motorcyclists, docked last Friday in Lagos for allegedly stealing a motorcycle, have been remanded in Ikoyi Prisons pending when they would perfect their bail conditions.
The accused, Umaru Abubakar, 27, and Ali Abdulahi, 26, were arraigned at the Surulere Chief Magistrate’s Court for the alleged theft of a Bajaj motorcycle, valued at N99,000.
The duo, standing trial before Chief Magistrate Mrs Abiola Soladoye, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of stealing and conspiracy.
Ogun
Suspected armed smugglers on Thursday at Idiroko Border, Ogun, killed a customs officer and left two of his colleagues seriously injured.
The deceased (names withheld) was an Assistant Superintendent serving with the Federal Operations Unit.
It was learnt that the deceased officer was run over by a vehicle in a convoy of five suspected smugglers’ vehicles that rushed through a customs barricade at Ajilete, near Idiroko Border.
Osun
As the dry season approaches, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has advised market women to guard against fire outbreaks.
Mrs Bolanle Ojo, a top official of the agency gave the advice last week Thursday, when she visited the Atakumosa Market Ilesa, to inspect 15 shops that were razed by fire.
She called on the people to always employ the services of experts for the wiring of their shops to prevent fire outbreaks.
Ojo posited that power surge due to illegal connections, might have caused the fire.
Oyo
The Registrar, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Dr Oyedele Oyediji has stressed the need for feed millers in the country to comply with international standards.
He made the call in an interview with newsmen last Friday in Ibadan.
Oyedeji identified problems hampering the effort of millers to form a viable National Feed-Millers Association as a major challenge in the country’s feed-milling industry.
“Several efforts have been made to revive the feed-millers association without much success.
Plateau
Governor Paulen Tallen of Plateau last Friday declared that she had “never insulted” her boss, Gov. Jonah Jang.
The two former political allies are locked in a fierce contest for the PDP ticket for the governorship election in 2011.
“A newspaper quoted me on Monday as declaring that I will push out Gov. Jang in 2011.
“The report quoted me as saying so many things that I could not have said; this is not fair at all.
“It is not right to pit me against my boss,” she told newsmen by telephone in Jos.
Sokoto
Former Sokoto State Governor and presidential candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the 2007 general elections , Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has registered as a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
Bafarawa registered at the Gebe “B” ward of Isa Local Government Area of the state .
The former governor, who is also a presidential aspirant of the ACN, was registered by the chairman of the party at the ward, Alhaji Abdulrahman Dan-Amarya.
Bafarawa’s name is number one in the party’s register while his registration number is 1991801 ACN.
He later told newsmen after registering that, “ I am a founding member of the ACN because we have been discussing on the mega party issue over one year ago”.
Nation
Rumuaholu Community Denies Land Grabbing Allegations, Accuses Obio/Akpor Chairman of Interference in Land Dispute
The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.
Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.
The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.
“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.
Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state
He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.
“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.
While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.
He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.
Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.