Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Federal High Court, Yola, has discharged and acquitted former Adamawa State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Emmanuel Vahyla, on corruption charged involving N30 million filed against him by ICPC.
The presiding Judge, Justice S. M Musa, said the prosecutor failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused violated section 14 (1) of the money laundry Act.
Vahyla, who is presently the Commissioner representing Adamawa State in Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission (RMFC) was dragged to court by ICPC for allegedly using seven different cheques to withdraw the money from government’s account in Diamond Bank in December 2007 while serving as commissioner.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Commissioner for Animal Resources and Nomadic Resettlement, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim, has called for a law prohibiting the consumption of dogs and selected domestic animals.
Ibrahim told newsmen in Bauchi that the law should also prohibit the consumption of donkeys, and horses.
He said that the law became necessary because of the pivotal roles played by the animals in human life.
The commissioner said that the animals due to their cultural heritage had played pivotal roles either as means of transportation or security.
He expressed concern over the extinction of such animals, and said, “their numbers have reduced to a negligible level in spite of their importance to human life”.
FCT
The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, has presented N171 million life insurance benefits to the 41 nearest relatives of military personnel killed in various operations.
Petinrin presented the cheques to the beneficiaries of the military personnel killed between March, 2010 and November 2011 on Wednesday in Abuja.
He urged them to desist from fraud and spend the money judiciously to improve the welfare of their families.
He promised that the Nigerian Armed Forces would stand behind the deceased’s next of kin by ensuring that the payment of their benefits was given priority.
The defence chief commended the leadership of the Budget Office, Standard Alliance Insurance and Leverage Insurance Broker, for making Nigerian Armed Forces realise its dream in terms of the staff welfare.
Gombe
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Gombe state has trained more than 582 youths in various skills since January, the state Co-ordinator, Mr Abdulkadir Mabudi disclosed on Thursday in Gombe.
He told newsmen that 168 other youths were currently receiving training in various skills in the vocational institutions in the state.
Mabudi said that the directorate, in collaboration with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Office in the state, established a training centre in each of the three senatorial zones in the state where the beneficiaries received their training.
Kaduna
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) branch has urged understanding among parents and students over the ongoing nationwide strike by the union.
The branch Chairman, Dr Mohammed Kabir-Aliyu, told newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State that “the union was pushed to the wall.”
He said that the essence of the industrial action was to press home the union’s demand for adequate funding to pave way for favourable learning atmosphere in Nigerian universities.
Kano
The students of Bayero University, Kano, on Wednesday pleaded for a quick resolution of disagreement between Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government.
Speaking with newsmen Amar Idris, a 200 level student, noted that ASUU’s decision to embark on the indefinite strike was unfortunate.
He said the strike came at the time the students were already preparing for their examinations.
Also speaking, a 300 level student, Malama Sadiya Balarabe, also argued that the strike should have begun after the examinations so as not to disrupt the academic calendar.
Lagos
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has reconstituted the state’s security committee to address more effectively some of the security challenges posed by commercial motorcycle operators.
Inaugurating the committee in Ikeja, the governor said the number of lives lost to motorcycle accidents in the state was unacceptable, saying that the committee also had the mandate to check the problem.
The 32-man committee, chaired by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr Waheed Olusegun, had three weeks to submit its recommendations to the state government.
Niger
President of the Association of Fish Farmers of Nigeria (AFFAM), Mr Gogwim Shiumang, says the country can produce two million tonnes of fish for local consumption, if the fish industry is properly harnessed.
Shiumang told newsmen in Minna that the industry was also capable of producing fish for export.
He said that a meeting would be held to create awareness among members on ways to improve their production techniques to achieve maximum production.
Osun
No fewer than 2,000 patients suffering from various diseases are to benefit from the free surgery programme of the Osun Government.
The state’s Commissioner for Health Dr Temitope Ilori, made the disclosure in Osogbo on Wednesday while speaking with newsmen.
The programme was organised by the Oranmiyan Group Worldwide, an interest group, in collaboration with the Osun State Ministry of Health and Hospitals Management Board.
Plateau
A group of the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) and Keffi Old Boys Association (KOBA) is organising a campaign against same-sex marriage in the country.
In a statement signed on Thursday in Jos, the organising committee said that the campaign, tagged: “Trek against Same-sex Marriage”, was aimed at commemorating the 2011 International Human Rights.
It said the trek was aimed at expressing solidarity with African leaders, who were against legalising and celebrating same-sex marriage as part of the fundamental human rights declaration by the UN General Assembly.
“The trek will mobilise those, who are against same-sex marriage to use this year’s International Human Rights Day to express dismay over Western countries concepts of human rights, which allows same-sex marriage.”
Taraba
An educationist, Dr Gambo Matudi, said in Jalingo on Wednesday that 45 per cent of teachers in Taraba’s primary schools have not obtained the required minimum qualifications to teach.
Matudi, the leader of a team charged with the responsibility of developing a new development plan in the education sector in the state, made this known at a one-day education stakeholder’s sensitisation meeting.
He explained that some problems confronting the education sector were identified by the team.
According to him, almost half of those teaching in the Taraba’s primary schools are not trained teachers and are just there because they have no other job opportunities.
Yobe
The Secretary Gashua Vegetables Farmers Union in Yobe Alhaji Mohammed Kaku has warned of an impending scarcity of vegetables because of poor storage facilities in the country.
Kaku told newsmen in Gashua in Yobe that the situation was forcing farmers to abandon the cultivation of vegetables.
“It is the same predicament facing vegetable farmers in Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Jigawa, Kano and all other states in the country,” he said.
Kaku said that there was gross decline in the number of irrigation farmers growing tomatoes, onion and pepper now, when compared to previous years.
He said, “The farmers had in the previous years been forced to sell their produce at give-away prices at the peak of harvests and, therefore, operating at a loss.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the mangrove wetlands in Ogoniland have been officially designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The designation, according to HYPREP, underscores the global ecological significance of Ogoniland’s mangrove wetlands and highlights ongoing restoration efforts aimed at addressing environmental degradation in the area.
In a press statement issued by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, the recognition was described as a major milestone for the agency, the people of Ogoni and other stakeholders working towards environmental restoration in the region.
Zabbey explained that the mangrove wetlands, which cover more than 31,700 hectares, consist of islands, tidal creeks, mudflats and mangrove forests that support a wide range of biodiversity. The ecosystem provides habitat for several species including fin fish, shellfish, crustaceans, crocodiles, turtles and the endangered grey parrot.
He noted that beyond biodiversity conservation, the wetland also provides essential ecosystem services such as fisheries production, flood control, water purification and carbon storage. According to him, the international recognition will further support local livelihoods, promote ecotourism and bring global attention to the region.
The HYPREP coordinator disclosed that the designation followed a meticulous process that began in 2024 when the project submitted a memorandum to the National Council on Environment seeking support for the recognition of the Ogoni wetlands as a Ramsar site.
Following the council’s review and approval, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, formally wrote to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat requesting international recognition of the wetlands.
After a comprehensive ecological assessment, the Ramsar Secretariat granted the designation, officially recognising the Ogoniland wetlands as one of the world’s sites of international importance.
Zabbey said the recognition would strengthen ongoing environmental restoration efforts in the area and encourage stronger conservation measures and sustainable management of the wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
He added that the designation also fulfils a key recommendation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, marking another significant step in the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
The HYPREP project coordinator reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to restoring the Ogoni environment through the remediation of oil-polluted land, shorelines and mangrove ecosystems.
He also called for collective responsibility and stakeholder support to sustain the progress of the Ogoni cleanup programme and facilitate the development of a comprehensive and sustainable management plan for the Ogoni mangrove wetlands.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, has attributed the successes of the 12-day programme organised for adolescent girls aimed at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in some parts of the State to the ability of the respective stakeholders to take ownership of the programme.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa, who dropped the hint in an interview at the end of the programme in Elele-Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area on Saturday, said the event had a buy-in component, an ownership mentality, whereby facilitators, staff, and everyone involved took ownership of the project.
She explained that the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had packaged a series of training sessions for adolescent girls aimed at ending the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in some communities across the State.
According to her, the initiative was designed to educate young girls on the harmful effects of the practice and empower them to become advocates against it within their communities.
She noted that the programme, which lasted for several weeks, targeted adolescent girls from different local government areas where the practice is still prevalent, stressing that
data collected by UNICEF and the Ministry revealed that Female Genital Mutilation is still practised in some parts of the State, prompting the need for intensified sensitisation and community engagement.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa explained that the programme adopted a “train-the-trainer” approach where adolescent girls were educated on the dangers of the practice and encouraged to share the knowledge with their peers, families and communities.
“This is a programme by the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation with support from UNICEF and UNFPA to train adolescent girls towards ending Female Genital Mutilation, which is still practised in some local government areas,” she said.
She further explained that each participating local government area had a three-day training session, with the exercise running for a total of 12 days.
The local government areas, where the programme took place, she noted, included Ahoada West, Abua-Odual, and Emohua, adding that the initiative is part of broader efforts by the state government and development partners to eliminate harmful traditional practices and protect the rights and wellbeing of girls.
She revealed that prior to the training of the adolescent girls, the Ministry and its partners had also engaged community facilitators, including older women and men, to sensitise them on the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
According to her, the involvement of community leaders and adults is essential in addressing the cultural and social factors that sustain the practice.
Speaking on the response of the participants, the permanent secretary expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement and enthusiasm shown by the girls throughout the training sessions.
She noted that many of the participants said they were learning about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation for the first time.
“The girls are between the ages of 12 and 17 and from the interactions we had with them, they were very excited. Some of them are hearing these things for the first time and never knew that the practice is harmful,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the training would enable the girls to serve as advocates for change within their communities.
She added that the Rivers State Government, alongside its partners, would continue to intensify efforts and expand community-based interventions aimed at ending the practice across the State.
Meanwhile, the participants for Emohua Local Government Area were drawn from Elele-Alimini, Egbeda, Rumuji, Ibaa, Rumuekpe, Rumuakunde, Eligbarada, and Ogbakiri Communities.
The participants,who spoke in separate interviews described the training as eye-opening, noting that it helped them better understand issues surrounding adolescent health, personal hygiene, reproductive health, and the harmful consequences of Female Genital Mutilation.
Favour Azukwu from Rumuekpe community, said the programme provided a deeper understanding of the dangers associated with the practice, particularly its impact on the health and wellbeing of girls and women.
She explained that the training sessions exposed participants to the medical, social and psychological effects of Female Genital Mutilation, including severe bleeding, infections and complications during childbirth.
She revealed that she personally experienced the practice at the age of 12 and suffered heavy bleeding afterwards, an experience that has strengthened her determination to advocate for its eradication.
According to her, many communities still practise Female Genital Mutilation because it is perceived as a cultural tradition, despite the dangers associated with it.
“I do not support Female Genital Mutilation because there are many dangers involved. I experienced severe bleeding when it was done to me as a child.
Another participant, Glory Ken, a 16-year-old secondary school student from Rumuji community, said the programme broadened her understanding of several important topics affecting adolescents.
She explained that beyond the discussion on Female Genital Mutilation, the training also focused on issues such as personal hygiene, reproductive health, peer education, and self-care.
According to her, the sessions helped participants understand the importance of making informed health decisions and supporting one another as peer educators.
“I learned about many things that affect young people in society and how to take care of myself. I also learned that Female Genital Mutilation is harmful to our health. The message I am taking back to my community is that this practice should stop,” she said.
Also speaking, Goodness Kenjika Nyeche described the programme as very impactful.
She noted that the training equipped participants with the skills and confidence to educate others about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation.
She said she plans to organise sensitisation among adolescents in her community, particularly girls between the ages of 10 and 19, to ensure they understand the dangers associated with the practice.
“I learned many things from this programme and I feel very good about it. I will educate other young girls in my community and help them understand why Female Genital Mutilation should not continue,” she said.
For Queen Dike from Ibaa community, the programme helped clarify misconceptions surrounding the practice.
She explained that in some communities, the practice is still referred to as circumcision and is viewed as part of cultural identity.
She said the training helped participants understand that Female Genital Mutilation involves the cutting or removal of parts of the female genital organs and that it has serious health consequences.
She stressed that awareness and education are key to ending the practice, especially among communities that continue to uphold it as tradition.
“I think the programme is very helpful because many people still believe it is part of culture. More awareness is needed so people can understand why it should stop,” she said.
Another participant, MyJoy Echika Amadi, said the programme provided critical information about adolescent health and the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
She described the initiative as enlightening and said it encouraged young people to become advocates for change in their communities.
According to her, participants were encouraged to use various platforms such as churches, peer groups, schools and community gatherings to spread awareness about the harmful effects of the practice.
“This programme has enlightened us about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation. I will do my best to create awareness in my community and encourage people to stop the practice,” she said.
Many of the participants emphasised that the knowledge gained during the programme has empowered them to challenge harmful traditions and promote healthier practices among young people.
They also called on the Rivers State Government, development partners and civil society organisations to sustain the sensitisation campaigns and extend the training to more communities across the State.
According to them, empowering young people with the right information will play a critical role in eliminating Female Genital Mutilation and protecting the rights, health and dignity of girls in Rivers State.
The participants expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, UNICEF and UNFPA for organising the programme and for investing in the wellbeing and future of adolescent girls in the State.
