Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Armed policemen averted an attempt by some youths to burn down Adamawa Broadcasting Corporation in Yola yesterday.
The mob stormed the station over a popular Hausa language entertainment programme.
In the programme entitled, “Taba Kidi Taba Karatu,” its producer, Alhaji Adamu Katakore interviewed a lady who identified herself simply as Hajiya.
She claimed to have contacts with three Holy prophets and that she was the mother of one of them.
General Manager of the ABC, Mr Ayuba Tumba, described the incident as unfortunate.
“We saw hell. The timely intervention of the police saved the station and its staff.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ms Altine Daniel, confirmed the incident and called for calm, saying the police were investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, normal broadcasting has since resumed in the station.
Bauchi
A Bauchi High Court yesterday struck out a criminal case filed by the state government seeking an order to arrest Alhaji Ahmed Muazu, the former Governor.
Delivering judgment in Bauchi, Justice Kunesa Hamidu, said the ex-parte motion filed by the state government against Muazu lacked merit and therefore, struck out the case.
He said the grant of an order to arrest Muazu was a discretionary power, which ought to be exercised pending the determination of a substantive case before the court.
Hamidu said that in line with the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), to issue an order for the arrest of an accused could only be exercised when the court believed that the accused had absconded or will not obey court summons.
He observed that an affidavit of service tendered as exhibit before the court, which states that “all efforts made to serve Muazu proved abortive because his security and thugs refused to allow the bailiff to go near him,’’ was contrary to the CPC.
Ekiti
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr Adeniyi Olajide, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for the Moba Constituency 1 by-election held on Wednesday in Ekiti State, as the winner.
Announcing the results in Otun-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area of the state, the INEC Returning Officer, Mr David Arabambi, said Olajide polled 4,837 votes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr Gboye Afilaka, who got 2,568 votes.
The Labour Party candidate, Mr Babatunde Yinka, had 239 votes.
The election took place in 49 polling units in five wards which had 25,753 registered voters.
The seat became vacant following the death of the former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr Saliu Adeoti (ACN), on October 27 after a protracted illness.
FCT
The FCT Command of the NDLEA yesterday paraded a 20-year-old student of Delta State University who was caught with 498kg of Indian hemp.
The FCT NDLEA Commander, Mrs Omolade Omole, who paraded the suspect in Gwagwalada, said he was arrested on the Abuja-Lokoja road.
She said the suspect was conveying the drug in a 406 Peugeot car with a fake Federal Government registration number, FG 28D50.
Omole said the drug was being conveyed from Akure, Ondo State, to Maiduguri before it was intercepted in Abuja.
She said two 406 cars with fake Federal Government registration numbers were used in the trafficking, with one of them escaping.
“Immediately we intercepted the second 406 car, we sent intelligence report to our offices in Maduguri, Jos and Yobe.
“The first vehicle has also been intercepted in Maiduguri with 450 wraps of Indian hemp.
“Efforts are being made to ensure that the suspect in Maiduguri and the one at large in Abuja are arrested,” she said.
Kaduna
Fifteen out of the 17 governorship aspirants in the North-West zone have been screened by the People Democratic Party (PDP), an official said yesterday in Kaduna.
The party began the screening of governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly aspirants nationwide on Tuesday.
The national secretariat of the party had set up a five-member committee to conduct the exercise for all those contesting in the 2011 general elections on its platform.
Mr Baba Lawal, the PDP Zonal Secretary and Secretary of the Screening Committee, told newsmen at the end of the exercise in Kaduna that two aspirants did not appear before the committee.
Lawal said the exercise was scheduled to last for two days in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act and the party’s guidelines.
He gave the names of the governors of Zamfara and Kaduna states, Alhaji Mahmuda Shinkafi and Mr Patrick Yakowa, as well as Hajiya Mairo Habib as the early aspirants who kept to time.
Others who appeared before the committee were the governors of Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina and Jigawa, Alhaji Sa’idu Dakingari, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema and Alhaji Sule Lamido respectively.
Similarly, a former Minister of State for Information, Alhaji Ikra Bilbis, from Zamfara, is challenging the incumbent governor.
Besides, Alhaji Suleiman Hunkuyi and Alhaji Shu’aibu Mikati from Kaduna State as well as Alhaji Rabi’u Kwankwanso from Kano State honoured the invitation.
Other contenders from Kano State who were screened included Alhaji Bello Mohammed, Alhaji Adamu Suma’ila, retired Col. Habibu Shu’aibu and Alhaji Mohammed Kabir.
However, Rep. Faruk Lawal and Alhaji Yaro Farakwai from Kano and Kaduna states respectively could not make the screening for unknown reasons.
Lagos
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, yesterday urged Lagosians to work hand-in-hand with the government to ensure the total eradication of polio in Nigeria.
Speaking in Lagos at a stakeholders Town Hall Meeting on the eradication of polio, Fashola said that the responsibility of immunising children should not rest solely on the shoulders of their mothers.
“Both parents should be concerned about taking their newborns to the nearest primary healthcare centre to have them vaccinated,” he said.
The governor urged parents to boil and filter water before drinking it and ensure that toilets and bathrooms are kept clean.
“It is a continuing agitation and the battle is not won until we kick polio out of Nigeria,” he said.
Plateau
The Federal Government has blamed the incessant crises in some parts of Nigeria on the proliferation of small arms.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Salamatu Suleiman said this at a sensitisation workshop on small arms in Jos, yesterday.
She said government was worried about the persistent ethnic and religions crises; hence it was taking steps to end the proliferation.
“It is sad that small quarrels that should be settled quietly snowball into violent dimensions simply because there are arms in circulation.
“Our community leaders and other stakeholders need to sensitise their wards on the dangers and negative effects of these small and light weapons they are holding and using,” she said.
Suleiman said it was to check the trend that the Federal Government, in 2008, endorsed the ECOWAS Convention on Control and Prevention of Small and Light Weapons (SALW).
”It is high time we rose to the challenge and take concrete and practical action to curb the menace of proliferation of SALW in Nigeria so as to bring about meaningful development,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Martins Uhomoihi, said that an estimated 630 million illegally acquired SALW were in circulation.
“The sectarian crises in Jos, the Niger Delta as well as the ‘boko haram’ attacks are results of these dangerous weapons,’’ he observed.
Sokoto
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Sokoto says intelligence officers have been deployed in the metropolis to carry out surveillance during the Christmas period.
Altai Amino Kofar-Soro, Sokoto State Commandant of the Corps, told newsmen in Sokoto yesterday that the measure was to enhance security in the state during the period.
Kofar-Soro said that NSCDC, alongside other security outfits, were working hard to sustain the peace in the state.
According to him, units commanders in the 23 local government areas of the state have been briefed on security methods to be adopted in their respective areas of jurisdictions.
“We are working like a family to ensure peaceful co-existence among the good people of Sokoto State,” he said.
Kofar-Soro called on the people to support the efforts of the security agencies by reporting any suspected character to the nearest security office for prompt action.
“We are battle ready to ensure peace, progress and political stability in our areas of assignment,” he said.
The commandant also solicited the support of stakeholders in promoting security situation in the state.
Youths from five local government areas in Northern Cross River State have concluded a one-week warning protest and blockade of the dilapidated Ikom-Wula-Obudu federal highway over the weekend.
They have vowed to resume the road blocks if by this week the authorities do not intervene to fix the road.
More than five thousand locals, mostly youths from Obanliku, Etung, Obudu, Ikom and Boki LGAs trooped out everyday for one week, used palm trees to block the highway to draw state and federal government’s attention to their plights, requesting the repair of a road has has been unmotorable for about 40 years.
They warned that if they do not see any actions from the state or federal governments, they will resume their Plan B protest, stop revenue collections and make governance unpalatable.
The youths also warned that without interventions on the road which has claimed several lives, including that of last week when a pregnant woman died with her baby in the full glare of the protesters because of the terrible road, no election can hold in the area next year.
One of the leaders of the No Road , No Election protest, who is also the Abo Youths in Boki LGA, Dr Martins Assam said both the federal and state governments have neglected the region, which generates more than 70 percent state revenue from agriculture.
He said if machinery is not deployed by next week, they will not have any option than to embark on unpalatable and disastrous protest, and stop revenue collections in the area.
“Last week we had only a warning strike for one good week. We’ll embark on a more elaborate, disastrous one-month blockade of this highway until they intervene. We call on our Governor and representatives in the National Assembly to act now by impressing on the federal government to immediately fix this road else. We’re not asking for two much but to be treated as human beings.”
Another protester, Clinton Obi from the Etung axis said, “We’ve been neglected for 40 years. This Ikom-Obudu federal highway had been impassable. The government has removed its concentration from our plights. By this one week protest, we want action on this road otherwise the next phase of protest will be costly.”
Reverend Father Francis Amaozo, priest in charge of St. Nicholas parish in Nashua, Boki LGA said, “I have also been a victim of this very deplorable road. Enough is now enough. We’ve been betrayed by our representatives and other leaders, so that we in this axis have become endangered species on this road. I have lost some many members on this road.”
Member, representing the Boki-Ikom federal constituency of the state in the House of Representatives, Bisong Victor Abang had pleaded with the locals to be a bit more patient with the government as action will commence shortly.
Nation
UNIPORT VC Receives Inaugural Lecture Brochure As Professor Highlights Urgent Need For Drug Repurposing In Malaria Fight
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Owunari Georgewill, last Thursday received the inaugural lecture brochure from the Inaugural Lecturer, Professor Udeme Georgewill, during a ceremony at the university’s Centre of Excellence attended by academics, researchers, students, and distinguished guests.
Delivering her lecture, Professor Udeme Georgewill described the occasion as the culmination of years of dedicated research, teaching, and service to humanity. He explained that his work as a pharmacologist has consistently focused on finding practical, affordable, and scientifically sound solutions to health challenges that disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly malaria, which remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health concerns.
She noted that Nigeria continues to bear one of the heaviest malaria burdens globally, accounting for a significant percentage of worldwide cases and deaths. The disease, largely caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes, remains especially dangerous for children under five years and pregnant women, threatening not only present populations but unborn generations. Despite years of intervention efforts, malaria continues to strain families, health systems, and the national economy.
Prof Georgewill empha-sised that while Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies such as Artemether-Lumefantrine remain the gold standard for malaria treatment, emerging resistance patterns pose a serious challenge. He explained that drug resistance is a survival mechanism of the parasite, enabling it to adapt and reduce the effectiveness of medications designed to eliminate it. According to her, instances where patients do not feel better after initial treatment sometimes lead to repeated dosing or the search for injectable alternatives, practices that can worsen resistance and complicate treatment outcomes.
Against this backdrop, she advocated strongly for drug repurposing as a strategic and urgent response. Drug repurposing, he explained, involves identifying new therapeutic uses for already approved and widely available medications. He likened the concept to “old wine in new wineskins,” stressing that medicines already proven safe for certain conditions can be carefully re-evaluated and optimised for new roles in malaria management. This approach, she argued, offers advantages such as reduced research timelines, lower development costs, and faster clinical application compared to developing entirely new drugs from scratch.
She disclosed that her research had progressed from laboratory investigations to clinical evaluations, where his team is studying combinations involving Artemether-Lumefantrine and Ivermectin to determine their effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes and possibly reducing transmission. Clinical trials are ongoing, and findings will be communicated upon completion of regulatory processes. However, he cautioned strongly against self-medication, warning that misuse of drugs without proper diagnosis and prescription can lead to organ damage, treatment failure, and increased resistance.
Referencing global health commitments, Prof Georgewill highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, which seeks to end epidemics of malaria and other major infectious diseases by 2030. She questioned whether the goal remains attainable under current realities, especially with growing resistance and funding gaps. He also referred to strategies of the World Health Organisation aimed at drastically reducing malaria incidence and mortality while pushing toward elimination in several countries.
Looking ahead, she revealed that her team is building comprehensive research databases to support artificial intelligence-driven drug repurposing. He stressed that the integration of artificial intelligence, molecular docking, and advanced screening technologies is transforming global drug discovery, and Nigerian researchers must be equipped to participate competitively in this evolving scientific landscape.
In her recommendations, she called for the establishment of a National Centre for Drug Repurposing to coordinate research efforts and leverage artificial intelligence in identifying new indications for existing medicines. He urged policymakers to simplify and accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical application, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs benefit the public more efficiently. She also appealed to the university and relevant authorities to increase funding and modernise laboratory infrastructure, including high-throughput screening facilities, to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global biomedical research.
The lecture concluded with expressions of gratitude to God, the university leadership, colleagues, students, and guests, as the event underscored the University of Port Harcourt’s commitment to research excellence and its role in addressing critical public health challenges facing Nigeria and the wider world.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State Chapter, has rejected the proposed Niger State Hisbah Directorates Bill, describing it as controversial and capable of deepening religious division in the state.
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and made available to The Tide’s source yesterday, the association urged Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago not to assent to the bill if it is passed by the State House of Assembly.
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar, seeks to establish a Hisbah Directorate in Niger State.
CAN warned that the legislation could be perceived as discriminatory against Christians and may heighten tension in the religiously diverse state.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, we, the entire Christendom in the state, wish to draw your attention to what could easily create division among the people you govern,” the statement read in part.
The association questioned the necessity and benefits of the proposed law, asking what economic or social value it would add to the state.
It further argued that existing security agencies, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, already have constitutional mandates to maintain law and order.
The Christian body also faulted the legislative process, disputing claims that it was consulted during a public hearing on the bill.
It insisted that it was neither invited nor notified of any such engagement, despite being a critical stakeholder in the state.