Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Malam Isa Aminu, a health practitioner, has advocated proper education of communities on the use of mosquito treated nets.
“This is to enhance the malaria control programme in the country,” Aminu said on Saturday in an interview with newsmen in Mubi, Adamawa State.
He said the enlightenment was necessary to promote the malaria control programme.
Aminu said the measure would encourage the proper use of the nets and control prevalent cases of malaria in the country.
“The high prevalent rate of malaria was due to poor sanitation and lack of community education on how to use the nets effectively.
“Most families in rural settlements are wary of using the treated nets,” Aminu said.
Bauchi
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), has urged Nigerians to participate actively in environmental sanitation activities to curb water borne diseases in the country.
Hajiya Jummai Bello, the NOA Director in Bauchi State, made the call in a statement signed by the agency’s Head of Information and Publication, Malam Danmusa Muhammad, in Bauchi yesterday.
Bello said the call became necessary due to the importance of environmental sanitation to the health, social, economic and moral well-being of the people.
She added that this call was also based on the prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) that there would be heavy rainfall in the country this year and its implication to the environment.
Benue
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue said yesterday in Makurdi that it had set up a committee to address the issue of unpaid allowances of its ad hoc staff.
Mr Jacob Ayanda, the INEC Assistant Director, Public Affairs, announced the setting up of the committee when the ad hoc staff staged a protest over the non-payment of their allowances for election duty.
The protesters, mainly male students of higher institutions within and outside the state, had participated in the just concluded general elections as presiding officers.
They alleged that the female presiding officers were paid, while their male counterparts were left out.
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said in Ado-Ekiti that it arrested 935 motorcyclists between January and April for various traffic offences.
Mr Francis Udoma, the Sector Commander, told newsmen that the command’s special patrols apprehended 210 of the traffic offenders in January, 406 in February and 222 in March, with the remaining 97 arrested in April.
He said the lawbreakers were arrested at various locations across the 16 local government areas of the state and noted that their offences ranged from number plate violation and overloading to failure to use safety helmets.
FCT
Electricity supply in the country has grown by 1,000 megawatts since President Goodluck Jonathan assumed power a year ago, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
Dr Sam Amadi, Chairman of the Commission, said this in a letter to Jonathan yesterday, congratulating him on his success in the April presidential election.
Amadi attributed the level of stability in electricity supply in the country to the president’s commitment to ensure safe, stable and adequate electricity supply.
Katsina
Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has accessed the N1.2 billion year 2010 UBE intervention from the state government and UBEC for the implementation of its programmes.
Alhaji Sule Kuki, the Executive Chairman of the board, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Katsina on Saturday.
Kogi
The Federal College of Education, Okene in Kogi is to commence degree programmes in education from the 2011/2012 academic session.
A lecturer at the institution, Malam Musa Jibrin, disclosed this on Friday in Anyigba, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi.
He spoke at the end of this year’s three-day Teachers Professional Development Workshop for Universal Basic Education (UBE) Teachers and Managers in the state.
Jibrin, who also coordinated the workshop, said the degree programmes were aimed at producing quality teachers for the Basic Education Programmes.
He said that the education sector would take a nose dive if teachers were not adequately trained.
Lagos
The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted N260 million worth of unregistered pharmaceuticals and packaged food at the Seme border.
Sources close to the agency told newsmen on Saturday that acting on a tip-off, operatives at the Seme border intercepted a truck conveying a 2×20 feet container load of unregistered pharmaceuticals.
“NAFDAC operatives at the border have intercepted a large quantity of unregistered pharmaceuticals and packaged foods worth N260 million,” the NAFDAC sources said.
Niger
About 1,670 students of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna have benefited from the entrepreneurship training in the university, Dr Oladiran Abubakar, the coordinator, has said.
Entrepreneurship lecture tagged ‘Competency based on Economy through the Formation of Enterprise’ (CEFE) was a sponsored programme of the university by the German Government through its GTZ project.
Abubakar, on Saturday in Minna while welcoming a delegation of German Embassy officials on a tour to review its project in the state, said that the programme had impacted positively on both staff and students.
“Till date, more than 400 students have benefited from five to seven day intensive training conducted during various coaching sessions.
“About 1,760 students have benefited from attending entrepreneurship lectures tagged CEFE integrated curriculum,’’ he said.
According to him, 23 lecturers are trained and are delivering CEFE integrated curriculum in their various departments.
He added that a staff of the university had been certified CEFE master trainer, adding that many of the beneficiaries were potential master trainers
On the benefits of the training, he said that it has helped to change the mind set of many students.
He added that six departments out of the 35 departments in the university were at present offering the entrepreneurship training in their departments.
Plateau
A Batch B corps member, Dr Francisca Ekwuruibe, has conducted free eye screening on 500 pupils of St Paul’s Township Primary School, Jos.
Ekwuruibe, who is an optometrist, told newsmen yesterday that she was moved because majority of eye patients were children.
According to her, most of the pupils with undetected eye challenges are usually labelled as unintelligent by their teachers, because they can’t read what is written on the board.
“This visual screening exercise would detect such pupils. Free eye medications and glasses will be given to those with minor eye impediments for correction.
“Pupils with severe impediments will be given referral letters to JUTH for further management,” she said.
Ekwuruibe advised parents to always feed their children and wards with food and fruits rich in Vitamin A, which helps in improving eye sight to minimise sight-related issues.
She advised them to be very observant of their wards, especially those who go very close to the television system while watching.
“Parents should also watch out for children who usually complain after walking under the sun.
“Once these defects are not identified and treated on time, most of the cases could degenerate into various complications which may lead to blindness if not properly managed,” she said.
Sokoto
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has urged Journalists in the country to be objective and fair in their reportage.
Wamakko made the call on Saturday in Sokoto at the 2011 maiden congress meeting of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists ( NUJ), Sokoto State council.
Wamakko, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dangusau, added: “This is the only way journalists can work in line with the laid down ethics of this noble profession.
“The press can make or mar any society and those in the profession should tread with caution in order not to go astray.’’
Wamakko commended journalists in the state for their steadfastness and urged them to sustain the existing cordial relationship between them and the state government.
He also stressed the need for the journalists to give top priority to development journalism and rural reporting.
The Commissioner for Information, Malam Dahiru Maishanu, promised that the state government would implement the proposed media salary anytime it is approved by the Federal Government.
Maishanu also promised to continue to improve the working condition of journalists in state-owned media organisations.
He challenged the Nigerian media to always portray the nation to the outside world in good light.
The Zonal Director of the NTA Sokoto Network centre, Alhaji Dayo Salawu, represented by the Assistant Director of News , Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed, urged members of the union to be united and disciplined .
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.