THE STATES

Abuja

A neurologist, Prof. Sunday Bwala, says migraine sufferers are twice likely to have heart attacks as people without the disorder. Bwala told newsmen that migraines were as a result of chemical imbalance in the neurons of the brain.

Our correspondent reports that migraine is a common type of headache that may occur with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or sensitivity to light. In many people, a throbbing pain is felt only on one side of the head.

Bwala explained that women with occasional migraines have a higher risk of heart disease, while those with more frequent headaches are primarily at increased risk of a stroke.

“Heart disease is caused by an inflammation in the heart, an immune process that causes blood vessels and other tissues to set off emergency alarms throughout the body and migraine attacks trigger the inflammatory process,” he said.

He said that the disorder is most common between the ages of 25 and 55 and women are affected three times more than men. “It occurs more in women, it is genetic and has a gender predisposition.”

He said that although there were trigger factors such as intake of chocolates, sweet tasting food and pepper, it could also be caused by abnormalities in sleep patterns such as too much sleep or inadequate sleep.

Adamawa

Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa has emerged winner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primaries, winning all the 854 votes cast.

His only opponent, Dr Umar Ardo, did not show up at the venue of the primaries in Yola and had no vote.

Declaring Nyako winner, the Returning Officer, who is also the Minister of State for Education, Mr Ezenwo Wike, said that 863 votes were cast, out of which nine were invalidated. He added the 854 valid votes were cast for Nyako.

In his acceptance speech, Nyako thanked the delegates and officials of the party for conducting peaceful, free and fair primaries.  ‘We thank almighty God and the officials of the PDP for their maturity over the years.’’

Nyako also commended his opponent, Ardo, for ensuring that the election was conducted peacefully.

Over 2,000 security men were stationed at the venue of the election to avert breach of the peace.

Bauchi

The Bauchi State government on Monday signed a N7.99 billion contract for the construction of 3.4 kilometre Runway of the Bauchi International Airport.

The state Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Bappa Azare, said that the company, Triacta Construction Company Nigeria Ltd, was selected from various firms during a bid exercise.

Azare said the firm had been paid 70 per cent down payment out of the N7.99 billion approved by the state executive council to fast track the completion of the project within 18 months.

He said that the state government had paid compensation to all farmers, whose farmlands were affected by the project and assured that the project would be completed in April, 2013.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Triacta Construction Company Nigeria Ltd, Elie Abu-Jarhat, explained that the Bauchi airport was longer and bigger than that of Gombe International Airport in terms of area and volume of traffic.

Jigawa

The Jigawa State Government has declared that it would not pay the N18,000 minimum wage because it was not captured in the state’s 2011 budget.

Governor  Sule Lamido, who disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Government House in Dutse, said that the N18,000 minimum wage was not provided for in the 2011 Appropriation Bill.

“The minimum wage was not captured in our 2011 budget and no provision for minimum wage there-in. “We can not source funds outside the budget to pay new salaries and if we do that, it will amount to illegality,” he said.

Lamido said that the state workers were not wage earners, but stakeholders and partners that were ready to render services for the development of the state.

Kano

A total of 76 international companies are participating in the 32nd Kano International Trade Fair holding between November 19 and December 4 in Kano.

The Deputy President of Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), Alhaji Nasidi Yahaya said this at a news conference in Kano.

He said that of the companies expected, 40 would come from the Republic of China while the remaining 36 would come from India.

According to him, companies from Niger Republic, Ghana and other African countries have also indicated their interest to attend the fair.

“We expect participants from all over the world, especially from the new economic giants like China, India and the rest of them.

All necessary contacts have been made and the 2011 trade fair will be better than that of 2010,” he said.

Yahaya said that the chamber had made adequate arrangement to ensure security of lives and properties before, during and after the fair.

Kogi

Secondary school teachers in Kogi have expressed support for the state government’s decision to hand over the conduct of JSSC examinations to the National Examination Council (NECO) as from 2012.

The Chairman of the state chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Mr Ranti Ojo said that the decision would ultimately augur well for the future of education in the state.

Ojo spoke with newsmen in Lokoja

He stated that the state which was recently removed from the list of educationally disadvantaged states required drastic steps to arrest the yearly dismal performance of pupils in public examinations.

Kwara

An Ilorin Chief Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded in prison  a 34-year-old woman, Chizoba Godfry, for allegedly abducting some children for forced labour.

The accused, who resides at Asa Dam Area of Ilorin, was arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and abduction.

The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Sanni Abdullahi, alleged that the accused kidnapped some children and took them to Mokwa, Niger State, for forced labour. He said the accused was arrested by the police following a complaint by Mrs Rosemary Uche of Saw-mill Area, Ilorin, that the accused took her children away without her consent. Uche, according to the prosecutor, told the police that her daughters, Mercy Chukwu, 17, and Chioma Chukwu, 12, were missing.

The complainant also alleged that in the process of searching for them, it was discovered that the accused kidnapped them and took them to an unknown destination.

She said the accused and her daughters were later sighted in a shop at Mokwa, Niger, working for one Isaac now at large.

Lagos

Stakeholders in Lagos have warned that the proposed removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government might worsen the country’s security challenge.

The stakeholders gave the warning at the Fourth Annual Law and Social Develoment Lecture organised by a Lagos-based law firm, Bamidele Aturu and Company.

Our correspondent reports that the lecture was entitled “Security and Welfare of the People: The Historical Disconnect in Nigeria’’.

The speakers, who gave the warning included constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay and Prof Yomi Akinyeye, a Professor of History and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos.

Also featured at the lecture were Mr Fred Agbaje, a lawyer and human rights activist, Dr Dele Seteolu of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University (LASU) and Mr Bamidele Aturu, amongst others.

Sagay said Nigeria was currently ranked as the 142nd country globally in terms of welfare provisions for its citizenry, despite occupying the 42nd position in respect of national wealth.

Seteolu argued that the government should stop introducing neo-liberal policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy, adding that Nigerians had not benefitted from such policies in the past.

On his part, Agbaje urged the government to focus on the provision of basic infrastructure for Nigerians before attempting any removal of the subsidy.

Speaking in a similar view, Akinyeye said there was an intertwined relationship between the provision of welfare and security, stressing that insecurity thrives when there is absence of social welfare.

Niger

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu  has said that his administration remained committed to reducing poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment in the state.

Aliyu made the remark while inaugurating the 20-member Niger Investment Promotion Council in Minna.

He said efforts would be geared towards making the state evolve among the most three developed economies in the country by the year 2020.

“You will recall that during my second inaugural address on May 29, I said that the repositioning and resuscitation of the state’s economy for the attainment of our collective vision of 3: 2020 will be one of the key priorities of this administration.

Ogun

The Ogun Government is to distribute textbooks worth N1.8 billion to pupils and students in all public primary and secondary schools in the state.

The State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Segun Odubela, made this known in Abeokuta on Monday at a news conference.

Odubela, who said the exercise would cut across the 20 councils in the state, added that the textbooks would be on English Language, Mathematics and other core subjects curricular.

“ Every library must have books. I can assure you that there is no pupil in any of our primary and secondary schools that would not have textbooks,’’ he said.

The commissioner also assured the schools that the books would be supplied within the next 14 days by selected publishers.

Odubela said no fewer than 368, 087 primary school pupils and 143,043 Junior Secondary School students would benefit from the scheme.