Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has said he is to offer permanent appointments to all casual workers in the state.
He made the announcement last Wednesday in Bauchi when staff members in the Bauchi State Government House, paid him a congratulatory visit in his office.
Yuguda assured them that he would no longer work with any casual worker, saying that he would make every casual staff member of staff a permanent worker.
“Apart from the bona fide indigenes who are staffers, anybody who has lived up to seven years in every state is an indigene state according to the 1999 Constitution,“ he said
He urged junior workers in the state to improve themselves by acquiring more skills through higher education to enable them get promotions in their work places.
Ekiti
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court has remanded six suspects in prisons custody for alleged murder of one Miss Salewa Ojo.
The suspects are Oladipo Ebenezer, 45; Aluko Folorunsho, 39; Owolabi Ebenezer, 30; Dada Nathaniel, 29; Owolabi Alaba, 26; and Dada Felix, 34.
They were alleged to have murdered the deceased by shooting her with a gun at Iludun-Ekiti in Ilejemeje Council Area on April 25.
FCT
A 42-year-old man was last week arraigned for an alleged attempt to steal N1,555,000 from the account of one Saidu Bayero.
Olusegun Apalara of Itire Road, Lagos, appeared before Chief Magistrate Hafsat Soso of the Abuja Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of joint act, theft and forgery.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Abdul Alhassan, told the court that on April 28, Bayero reported at the station that Apalara and one Olufemi, now at large, connived and stole his UBA cheque slip.
She adjourned the case to May 31 for further hearing.
Jigawa
The Jigawa Government has approved N1 billion to boost large scale commercial agriculture in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Aminu Abdullahi, announced this last Wednesday in Dutse while addressing newsmen after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting.
Abdullahi explained that the money would be disbursed in form of Agricultural Credit Scheme for farmers to go into commercial farming.
He added that the move represents government’s commitment to boosting agriculture as one of the major ways to tackle poverty in the state.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Zonal Command of the FRSC has cautioned motorists on hazards associated with driving in the rainy season in order to save lives and property.
Its Commanding Officer, Mr Samuel Obayemi, last Thursday in Kaduna said that the caution was aimed at reducing casualties of road crashes during the wet season.
Obayemi said motorists should desist from using second-hand tyres during the season as the tyres could lose their grip due to the wetness of the road, thereby resulting in brake failure.
Kano
Kano State Governor-elect, Dr Rabi’u Musa-Kwankwaso, has said that he will not encourage the production and circulation of films capable of polluting the culture and religion of the people.
“We will, through the state Censors Board, ensure that films produced or circulated here do not negate our people’s religion and culture.”
Kwankwaso made the statement when he received the members of the executive of Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPAN), who came to congratulate him on his electoral victory, in Kano on Thursday.
Lagos
A visual artist, Alimi Adewale, on Thursday said it was absurd for some religious bodies to regard arts as occultism.
Adewale told newsmen in Lagos that some churches misunderstood artworks to be symbols of occults.
He regretted that the situation had led to poor appreciation of artworks in Nigeria.
Adewale said that churches should appreciate visual arts “because their windows are designed with artworks.
“Even Muslims should appreciate abstract designs.
Nasarawa
Fifty inmates of Lafia Prisons have benefitted from an Information Communication Technology programme, organised by Business Information and Training Centre (BITC), Lafia, .Mr Lawarence Adenitan, the Centre Manager, said.
Adenitan made the fact known in Lafia when a delegation of the German Embassy visited the centre last week to review some programmes supported by the German Government in the state.
He said that 25 inmates were currently undergoing the same training and that since 2007, no fewer than 3,382 inmates had benefitted from different training programmes, organised by the centre.
Ogun
Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger last week, told political office holders to ensure judicious use of public resources for the good of the people.
Aliyu gave the advice while receiving visitors in his residence and identified indiscipline among political office holders in managing public fund as the bane of some politicians.
He advised them to be sincere in managing public funds as the people were always monitoring how their leaders utilised public funds.
He said that only prudent management of public resources among political office holders would showcase their integrity and enable them to retain the support and loyalty of the electorate.
Plateau
Vehicle owners in the Jos metropolis are experiencing biting fuel scarcity, forcing many of them to patronise black-marketeers.
Our correspondent who went round the Plateau capital reports that long queues were seen at the filling stations which had fuel in stock.
Tamen Fredrick, a driver waiting to buy fuel at the Mobil Filling Station opposite the Plateau Polytechnic, Jos Campus, told NAN that he had being in the queue since 6 a.m. but had not been served.
Sokoto
The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Soro, said that officers and men of the command were on red alert to ensure peaceful co-existence in the state.
Soro told newsmen in Sokoto that already operational order on how to effectively manage the entire state had been mapped out.
“We have deployed well trained officers for intelligent gathering in and out of the metropolis on foot patrol to enhance security situation in our state,” he said.
He called for active participation from the stakeholders in ensuring peace, progress and political stability of the state.
Yobe
Civil servants in Yobe are celebrating the 65 per cent subsidy on housing granted them by the state government.
Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe announced the package on the 500 housing units that the government sold to the workers on owner/occupier basis.
The governor, who announced the subsidy at the May Day celebration on Sunday, said the gesture was aimed at empowering the workers on home ownership.
Our correspondent reports that Gaidam directed that the beneficiaries pay 35 per cent of the prices of the houses.
Those allocated government quarters between 2006 and 2010 and were initially offered 50 per cent subsidy would also pay 35 per cent instead.
Zamfara
The Secretary of the Election Petitions Tribunal in Zamfara, Hajiya Hannatu Bello, says no petition has been filed at the tribunal in respect of the April 9 National Assembly elections.
Bello made the disclosure to newsmen in Gusau.
She said as at April 30, the expiration of the 21 days of grace for filing grievances arising from the National Assembly elections in Zamfara, not a single petition was received by the tribunal.
Bello also said the tribunal had yet to receive any petition regarding the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
She, however, said the tribunal was expecting petitions on the governorship and House of Assembly elections held on April 29 before the expiration of the 21-day time limit for collection of petitions.
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.