Bauchi

The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Sulemanu Adamu, has cautioned politicians against violence and thuggery before, during and after the April general elections.

Adamu gave the warning when the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, paid him a courtesy visit in his palace in Bauchi recently.

The emir said that politicians should play the game according to the rules, adding that no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of chaos.

He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for approving the execution of the Mambilla hydroelectricity project in Taraba.

He said the project would engender socio-economic development of the North-East zone in particular and the nation in general.

Earlier, the First Lady solicited the support of the emir for the PDP to succeed.

She told the emir that the Federal Government had initiated many projects for the North-East zone and called on the emir to assist in ensuring that they were completed.

Ekiti

The Management of the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti has fixed March 2, for the mass burial of unclaimed corpses in the hospital’s mortuary.

Mr Anthony Awolusi, the hospital’s Public Relations Officers, stated this in a statement in Ado-Ekiti last Thursday.

Awolusi said that the measure became necessary in order to decongest the mortuary.

He said that there were many unclaimed corpses in the mortuary, and that some had stayed for more than four years without any form of identifications.

“The management of the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti once again appeals to the public to collect the corpses of their relations in the hospital’s mortuary within a week.

“These bodies have been lying in the mortuary without any form of identification for years and are now causing congestion and health hazards in the hospital.

“The hospital mortuary is going to be decongested and the management will proceed on mass burial of the corpses any time from March 2,” Awolusi said.

FCT

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) says it will prosecute anyone who uses residential areas for rearing animals or pets.

Mr Ahmed Abubakar, the Head, Environmental Health Department at the board, said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja.

He said that with the structure of residential houses in the territory, the activity of a resident might affect neighbours negatively.

He also warned that residents who use residential premises as business centres and those who pollute the environment with excessive noise would face the law.

“Conversion of premises into commercial use is not allowed; some people even renovate and change wardrobes to toilets; the sippage goes into the next person’s wardrobe.

Gombe

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Gombe State Chapter, has appealed to the state government to distribute fertilisers on time to enable farmers to plan ahead.

Alhaji Gambo Sarkinnoma, the Secretary of the association, made the appeal  last Thursday in Gombe in an interview with newsmen.

“We are appealing to the state government to distribute fertilisers on time at least during the first or second week of March,” he pleaded.

He said that early distribution of the commodity would enable farmers to estimate their yield during harvest.

“If a farmer gets his allocation on time, he will be able to know the size of the land to cultivate.

Kaduna

Governor  Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State on Wednesday unveiled his development plans if elected in the April gubernatorial election.

Yakowa made the disclosure while fielding questions at an interactive forum organised by the state council of the NUJ in Kaduna.

He said that agriculture would form the cornerstone of his administration to achieve food security, gainful employment and self reliance.

He added that security would be given priority attention along with the peaceful co-existence among the diverse people of the state.

The governor pledged to eradicate poverty and improve transportation, education, health, water supply, infrastructure, housing and electricity.

Yakowa said he would adopt a “deliberate and pragmatic strategy’’ to implement the programmes if given the mandate.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government plans to introduce improved firewood stoves to reduce the quantity of firewood used for domestic cooking.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Zakariya Shamaki, disclosed this last Thursday in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.

Lagos

An Ebute Meta Magistrates Court, Lagos on Wednesday granted a N200,000 bail to a septuagenarian landlord, Adesomoju Odoro who was docked for alleged defilement of a nine-year-old girl.

Odoro, 79, is standing trial before Mrs Folashade Kayode on the charge of defiling a primary two pupil (names withheld).

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Paul Inedu told the court that the landlord unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the minor, whose parents’ were tenants in his house at No 3, Aiyetoro St., Ebute Meta, Lagos.

Inedu said that the offence was allegedly committed on February 12.

According to the prosecutor, the minor came to meet the septuagenarian in the communal kitchen where he was preparing lunch and told him she wanted to defecate.

“After taking the girl to the toilet, the accused took her into his bedroom and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her,’’ he said.

The prosecutor said that the accused had been previously arrested over similar allegations of having carnal knowledge of three other minors but was let go by the police.

Niger

President Goodluck Jonathan in Minna commended former Head of State retired Gen . Abdulsalami Abubakar for entrenching democracy in the country.

Jonathan made the commendation in Minna at a presidential campaign.

He held that the former head of state had the opportunity of perpetuating himself in office without any opposition but decided to hand over to democratic government.

“If he had wanted to stay in power for four years, he could have done so without any opposition, but he said one year was more than enough to transit from military to democratic rule.

He, therefore, said politicians must show gratitude to the man for allowing democratic tenets to flourish in the country “We are grateful to him for giving us democracy.’’, adding that  the country must learn to show gratitude to those who meant very well for the country.

Ondo

The police in Irele town, Ondo State, have arrested seven suspects in connection with a recent robbery incident in the area.A reliable police source told newsmen on Thursday that the suspects were arrested following a tip-off.He said the police were still on the trail of other key actors in the robbery in which a victim was killed at Legbogbo Village in Irele Local Government Area.The source said an undisclosed amount of money and some dangerous weapons, including a pistol, ammunition and charms were recovered from the suspects.The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Irele, CSP Lasisi Titilola, told newsmen that the case had been transferred to the state CID, Akure for further investigation.The Chairman of Irele Local Government Area, Mr Shedrack Olowojuni, said the suspects should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Sokoto

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed the need for Nigerians to be united in spite of their cultural , religious and ethnic differences.

Obasanjo, who spoke last Tuesday in Sokoto at the flag off of the second term re-election bid of Governor Aliyu Wamakko, said the nation must manage its diversity well.

The former president urged Nigerians to elect a leader who would be able to provide stability and visionary leadership.

“We should not vote on the basis of religion or sectionalism but on the basis of the present need of the country,’’ he said.

Obasanjo expressed delight that the country had continued to remain united , adding: “I thank God that we still have a country we can call Nigeria undiminished .’’

Yobe

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam last Yobe State has assured the people of the state of equal opportunities, irrespectiove of their political leanings.

He gave the assurance on Thursday at a political rally in Tarmuwa, Tarmuwa Local Government Area of the state.

Gaidam said his administration was determined to provide equal opportunities to every part of the state to bring development to the grassroots.

He said government had since 2007 invested heavily in the construction of urban and rural roads, education and manpower development in most parts of the state.

“We are committed to providing more roads, health care delivery and improving the quality of education in all parts of the state in the next dispensation,” he added.

Gaidam promised that his administration would continue to promote religious harmony and peaceful coexistence among the various communities in the state.