Bauchi

Unknown gunmen have attacked a bank and police station in Misau, Bauchi State, killing an undisclosed number of persons, including a policeman

Eye-witnesses told newsmen that the assailants raided the station and bank on Monday, exchanging fire with policemen.

Our correspondent learnt that the attackers who were trying to force themselves into the bank and the station were repelled by the policemen guarding the bank.

The attack on the police station in Misau is the second this year. A similar attack occurred earlier in the year when unknown gun- men attacked the same station and bank.

FCT

The Commissioner, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr Fola Daniel, has assured the organisers of the 2011 summit of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) of the commission’s support.

This is contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Lucky Fiakpa, in Abuja..

The statement stated that Daniel gave the assurance when a delegation of the NESG 2011 Summit Organising Committee visited his office.

The committee was led by Dr Abdu Garba, from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Kaduna

Bishop Adeolu Kolawole of the Church of the Lord (Aladura), Northern Diocese, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately resolve the controversy over the proposed Islamic system of banking.

Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, Kolawole said educating the Christian community on Islamic banking would make the issue simple enough for all to appreciate.

He said more than half of those commenting on Islamic banking do not know what it means.

The cleric said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also helped in spreading the ignorance and confusion.

Kano

The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to sustaining its policy on subsidising fertiliser and other inputs in order to boost food production in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Adewumi Adesina, gave the assurance on Monday in Kano at the opening of the Second General Assembly of Nigerian farmers.

He said government was aware of the challenges facing the sector and it would do its best to address the problems.

“Logistics and all other unforeseen setbacks that continued to hamper the process of actualising the lofty objectives of agricultural development in the country would be addressed,” Adesina said.

Kogi

The Joint Fellowship of Christians and Muslims of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kogi, has donated gift items to orphanage homes in Ayangba, Dekina Local Government Area.

The items, which included clothes, consumables, provisions and toiletries were donated to three orphanage homes on Sunday during separate humanitarian visits to the inmates by members of the fellowship.

Making the presentation, the Chaplain, Mr Joe Uhunmwangho, said that the visit was part of the reach out programme of the fellowship.

He said the gesture was to ameliorate some of the difficulties confronting the orphanage homes.

Kwara

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has promised to be fair to all the three senatorial districts in the distribution of the dividends of democracy.

The governor made the pledge in Ilorin on Tuesday while inaugurating some projects executed by his administration to mark his 100 days in office.

He promised to ensure equitable distribution of projects, saying that no part would be marginalised in the effort to develop the state.

Ahmed expressed his determination to improve the standard of living of the citizens and ensure that necessary infrastructure were provided and maintained across the state.

facilities in their environment.

Nasarawa

Nasarawa  State Government has  inaugurated a 9- man committee to verify the construction of bore holes awarded by previous administration in the three senatorial zones.

The  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Philip Audu inaugurated the committee.

He urged them to live above board as they ascertained the presence of the bore holes in the senatorial zones as the previous government awarded them .

The permanent secretary stressed the need for attitudinal change, saying the present administration would “leave no stone unturned” in providing social amenities to the people.

“Al-makura’s administration is committed to providing basic social needs to the people, especially potable water, as water is essential in human life”.

Ogun

The Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, Prof. Segun Awonusi, in Ijebu-Ode has expressed worry over dearth of academic staff in the universities.

Awonusi told newsmen that no university in the country could claim to have enough academic staff.

On the large number of students seeking admission into the universities every year, Awonusi noted that the human resource base of the universities was meagre compared with the number of candidates seeking admission into the institutions.

Besides, Awonusi decried the poor environment, lack of equipment, dilapidated building as well as inadequate funding of the universities.

The vice chancellor, however, appealed to government at all levels to invest more on education to solve these problems.

Ondo

The Chairman of Ondo State Teaching Service Commission, Dr Akin Adegboye, has called on teachers to co-operate with the government on the on-going re-articulation of secondary schools.

Adegboye made the call in Akure  at a meeting with principals and vice- principals of schools on how the policy would improve the management of secondary schools for educational enhancement.

“Re-articulation simply means the merger of the erstwhile junior and senior secondary schools into one with one principal and one administrator, for better management,’’ he explained.

Adegboye said the arrangement would provide opportunity for addressing the imbalance in appointments and grading of staff in the commission.

He said the arrangement would also make the commission to be effective in ranking personnel by seniority and schools by population.

“This is a new dawn in the education system in the state and we are optimistic that the policy would make a great impact in the life of our children and the sector as a whole,’’ Adegboye said.

Osun

National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Osun has trained more than 5,000 youths for its Rural Employment  Agricultural Scheme.

Mr Isaac Odebiyi, the directorate’s Acting Coordinator in the state, told newsmen on Tuesday in Osogbo that the youth underwent training at the centre established in Osogbo in 2009.

He explained that the centre focused on arable and livestock farming, and added that the trainees were attached to relevant establishments for a period of three months “to sharpen their knowledge”.

Odebiyi further said that the participants were exposed to the practical aspects of rabbit rearing, poultry, fishery, bee-keeping and cultivation of cassava and plantain, among others.

Sokoto

PDP chieftain Muktari Mapia has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare a state of emergency against the high level of insecurity threatening nation’s corporate existence.

Mapia, who is the party’s deputy treasurer, told newsmen in Sokoto that the Federal Government must be resolute in protecting lives and property of the citizenry through effective security network.

He added that the kidnapping and rising bombings in some parts of the country needed government urgent attention.

He also called on Nigerians to rise up and defend the nation’s hard-earned democracy by exposing the people behind the planting of bombs in the country.

Mapia also called for active participation of stakeholders in promoting security in the country.

Zamfara

Zamfara State  Government has approved the immediate release of N14 million for the payment of one year salary arrears to workers of Gusau Hotels, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Aminu Dankwangila, said.

The Commissioner told newsmen in Gusau that the government was touched by the plight of the workers who were not paid salaries and other entitlements for twelve months.

He said the salary arrears accrued during the tenure of the previous administration and assured them that the current administration would live up to its responsibilities to the workers and the people of the state.

In this respect, the government, he stated, had conducted a census of the hotel workers, as part of its plans to rejuvenate the hotel to commence full services.

The commissioner charged the workers to reciprocate the gesture by dedicating themselves to their duties and ensuring that all revenue generated from the hotel were lodged into government coffers.