Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Stakeholders in Mubi, Adamawa, on Monday urged INEC to ensure prompt and adequate distribution of election materials for the April 9 National Assembly elections.
The elections could not hold last Saturday due to the non-delivery of election materials, forcing the electoral commission to shift the polls to April 9.
The stakeholders, including voters, political parties and their candidates, called for effective measures to ensure early distribution of election materials across the country.
A cross-section of the stakeholders told the newsmen in separate interviews that the need for adequate preparation was imperative to forestall any recurrence.
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi on Monday expressed confidence in the ability of the Prof. Attahiru Jega-led INEC to conduct credible elections in spite of the initial hitches that led to the rescheduling of the polls.
In a statement in Bauchi signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the governor, Malam Sanusi Muhammad, said the postponement would give INEC enough time to perfect its ‘’strategies’’.
“INEC was faced with some teething problems, which forced it to readjust the various dates for the elections to enable it, strategise and restore the confidence of the international community in the country’s electoral process.
“The postponement of the elections should be seen as part of the strategy by INEC to give Nigerians a credible election,” it said.
FCT
The police in Gwagwalada on Monday said 34 persons were arrested in Dobi, Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, over a clash between PDP and ANPP supporters in the area.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area, CSP Charles Mozie, who confirmed the arrest to newsmen in Gwagwalada, expressed dismay over the persistent political violence in the community.
Mozie said dangerous weapons like machetes, axes, daggers as well as bows and arrows were recovered.
The dangerous weapons, he said, were recovered from five of the suspects whose cases would be referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
He warned residents against involvement in political violence, noting that the police would no longer tolerate lawlessness in the community..
Gombe
Mr Godfrey Miri, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Gombe, has debunked speculations that a prominent personality in the state was caught with ballot papers during the botched National Assembly election.
Miri told newsmen on Monday in Gombe that the unfounded rumour had circulated widely within and outside the state.
He said, “There is no way a politician will tamper with the ballot papers because they have serial numbers.
“I am appealing to people to please ignore such rumours because the same people tomorrow will say there was rigging during the election.
“INEC of today is different from the one you knew in 1991, 2003 and 2007. This time around it is a different game.”
The commissioner also said that during the botched election, some people refused to be accredited before the exercise because they believed that it was a waste of time.
Kaduna
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kaduna State says it has retrieved the electoral materials that were distributed for the botched National Assembly polls.
The INEC Administrative Secretary in the state, Alhaji Musa Adamu, said in Kaduna on Monday that all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials had been recovered from the local government areas.
Adamu told mewsmen that INEC was taking stock “to ascertain what had either been used or lost” during the aborted poll and to get them replenished.
He said that the commission and its staff were on top of the situation, and gave the assurance that “a credible poll will be conducted with the cooperation of the political parties, candidates, supporters and observers’’.
Adamu said that it was untrue that the commission’s office at Anchau in Kubau Local Government Area was burnt down because of the postponed election.
Kebbi
The CPC governorship candidate in Kebbi, Alhaji Abubakar Mallam, has welcomed the shift in election dates, saying the party would consolidate on its strength.
Alhaji Addullahi Zuru, who spoke on behalf of the candidate, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday that the CPC had mobliised its voters for the elections.
The candidate said the party was fully prepared for the governorship election as it had conducted adequate campaign.
He called on voters not to be discouraged by the change in election as it had conucted adequate campaign.
He called on voters not to be discouraged by the change in relection dates, adding: “We have shown the people in the state that what is required for rapdid development is a change in leadership.
Nasarawa
Mr Baba Ayiwulu, the President, Nasarawa State Law Students, Nigerian Law School 2009/2010 set, on Monday in Lafia, urged beneficiaries of the bursary and Law School allowances to be prudent.
Ayiwulu, who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen, said that the advice became necessary to enable the students to enhance their academic pursuit and for the over all development of the state.
He expressed delight that the financial assistance would enable the students to service their debts especially those who borrowed to pay their Law School fees..
The president said that the students had passed a vote of confidence on the Commissioner for Education in the state, Mr Suleiman Ubam, and the Chairman, Nasarawa State Scholarship Board, Mr Joseph Umaru.
Niger
Ustaz Mustapha Umaru-Edota, former Chairman of Bida Local Government Council of Niger, has described the call for INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega to step down as misplaced.
Reacting to INEC’s postponement of the April general elections in an interview with the newsmen in Bida on Monday, Umaru-Edota said Jega should be given time to fine-tune his programme.
“The decision is a step in the right direction as long as it will give him time to conduct credible, peaceful, free and fair elections that Nigerians have been yearning for,” he said.
He further observed that because of his desire to carry everyone along, the INEC chairman had consulted with all the stakeholders before taking the decision.
“They all agreed and were on a common ground, unlike what we use to witness in the past,” the former chairman said.
Umaru-Edota said that rather than criticise Jega, Nigerians should commend him for the arrangement he was making for the elections.
He observed that with Jega in charge at INEC, Nigerians should be confident that they would get the best.
Umaru-Edota, however, advised the INEC chairman to rise to the challenge of holding credible elections and deliver acceptable results at the end of the exercise.
Oyo
A 26-year-old driver/mechanic, Saheed Raji, on Monday in Ibadan, committed suicide by hanging himself in his one room apartment at Oke-Sapati, Beere.
The father of the deceased, Mr Lasisi Raji, told our correspondent that the late driver was last seen at 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Raji that his son, until his death, had four children and a wife who left him two years ago.
He described the deceased as a gentle man who never fought with anybody, but quickly added that his son was fond of taking beer after the day’s work.
He confirmed that policemen from Mapo Police Station had visited the scene and removed the lifeless body from the ceiling of the room.
Raji told the police that he did not suspect any foul play but expressed surprise that his son commit suicide.
An officer at the Mapo Police Station who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident.
Plateau
Plateau Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board says it has commenced the collection of Hajj deposits people prospective to perform the 2011 Hajj exercise.
Its Executive Secretary, Alhaji Salisu Musa, told newsmen in Jos on Monday that the board was receiving N350, 000 each from intending pilgrimsas initial deposit pending the final announcement of the fare by the National Commission.
“What we doing is to receive the monies gradually to give intending pilgrims ample time to pay up.
“The early payment of the deposits will assist the board to make adequate arrangement for the pilgrim at home and in the Holy land,’’ he declared, stressing that the step would guard against any fire brigade approach as was done in the past.
Yobe
Yobe State Deputy Governor Abubakar Ali says the free drugs programme for pregnant women and children initiated two years ago has reduced the rate of maternal and infant mortality in the state.
Ali, who is also Commissioner for Health, stated this in an interview with the newsmen in Damaturu on Monday.
“There has been gross increase in women patronising hospitals for ante and post natal check-ups, which has tremendously reduced complications in childbirth.
“The Federal Government intervention of posting 124 midwives to the state under the National Midwifery Service Scheme (MSS) has tremendously boosted our strength in health personnel to tackle maternal and child related issues,” the Deputy Governor said.
He explained that government procured drugs and consumables worth N20 million monthly for the free drug programme.
According to him, the free drugs are available in all government hospitals and clinics across the state.
“To ensure sustainability and availability of the free drugs, government is constructing a store for the programme within the Ministry of Health in the state.
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.