Adamawa

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday in Yola condemned the recent mayhem in Adamawa where 26 persons were killed by gunmen.

Obasanjo made the condemnation when he visited the Christ Apostolic Church where 12 worshippers were killed.

The former President, who described the incident as “callous and shocking’’ said the perpetrators of the crime were possessed by Satan.

Obasanjo, who was in Yola for the grand finale of Governor Murtala Nyako’s campaign, said: “If the intention of the perpetrators is to cause ethnic and religious crisis, the people of Adamawa have disappointed them by their resolved to continue to live in peace.’’

Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Commissioner, Mr Ikechukwu Aduba, on Monday commended the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for conducting itself peacefully during the ongoing strike over the fuel subsidy removal.

He made the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.

Aduba said that the labour leaders kept to their promise of ensuring a peaceful atmosphere during the strike.

He, however, regretted that some hoodlums attacked the Police during the protest.

Aduba also commended his men for displaying professionalism by not being provoked but kept the hoodlums at bay to avoid clash with the protesters.

‘’As a matter of fact, I give kudos to the leadership in charge of the affair, but that notwithstanding, there was some levels of infiltration. The hoodlums tried to hijack it at the Government House.

Borno

Borno government has presented a N100 million cheque to the family of Malam Baba Fugu, the slain in-law of late Boko Haram leader Malam Mohammed Yusuf.

Fugu was allegedly shot while in police custody in Maiduguri during the 2009 Boko Haram crisis.

The Fugu’s family sued the state government to court, and a Maiduguri High Court last year ordered the state to pay N100 million compensation to the family.

Not satisfied with the judgment, the state government took its case to the Appeal Court, Jos.

Presenting a cheque for the amount at a ceremony in Government House, Maiduguri, Gov. Kashim Shettima explained that the action was aimed at terminating the ongoing legal tussle between the two parties.

“No amount of money can adequately compensate for the loss of Fugu.

FCT

The Managing Director of Urban Development Bank of Nigeria (UDBN) PLC, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, said in Abuja on Tuesday that about N50 billion capital injection would be needed to meet the “built-up’’ demands of the nation’s mass transit revolving loan scheme.

Oyinloye said that to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy withdrawal, the Federal Government had entrusted UDBN with additional N15 billion for the mass transit revolving loan scheme under its Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE).

He said that the N15 billion would create a much larger pool of funds to enhance improved access to affordable public mass transportation across the country.

Gombe

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Billiri East Constituency, Gombe State House of Assembly, Mr. Sunday Mela says he has trained 20 youths and some women in various skills since he was sworn in, six months ago.

Mela, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Billiri on Monday.

He said the beneficiaries were trained in various skills including hair dressing and computer and internet operations.

Mela said that kits would also be provided to the trainees in batches, to enable them to establish their own businesses and become self-reliant.

“I know it is a different thing for you to train someone and allow him to keep roving the streets.

“I don’t have the capacity to take the whole 20 at a time, but I am working out a formula, whereby I would be settling one or three at a time,” he said.

Jigawa

An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Isa Kachako, has advised the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, to employ dialogue and consultation in pursuing the issue of fuel subsidy removal.

Kachako told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that anarchy and confrontation by the unions would not solve the current situation, adding that people must seek dialogue as a means of resolving crisis.

The cleric explained that the government alone should not be blamed for the removal of fuel subsidy, saying that some persons in the society should also share from the blame for exploiting the fuel situation.

Kachako urged parents to ensure that their children and wards stayed away from any act that could create problem in the society.

Kano

The Police in Kano State arrested 24 persons allegedly involved in an attempt to take over Government House, Kano, during protests against the removal of fuel subsidy on Monday.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, told newsmen that the suspects pulled down part of the fence of the Government House and burnt 20 vehicles at the cabinet office.

Kebbi

The Kebbi government has released 200 vehicles on loan to the state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

The union on its part, immediately announced a reduction in transport fares by 15 per cent.

Gov. Saidu Dakingari, said in Birnin Kebbi while addressing a procession of protesters, that the vehicles were “highly subsidised”.

The governor, added that the government would also provide ferries to ease problem of movement in Dole Kaina, Lolo, Kwanji and Laffagu fishing communities of Dandi and Shanga local government areas of the state.

Lagos

A twenty-three-year old, Suleiman Ajanaku, has been arraigned before a Surulere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing a Blackberry mobile phone valued at N120,000, property of one Miss Clara Nwafor.

The prosecutor, Inspector James Olumide, told the court that the accused had on December 31, at Akerele Street, in Surulere, Lagos, confronted Nwafor and demanded for her phone.

He said Nwafor had refused to surrender her phone to the accused, who forcefully snatched the phone from her, and pushed her to the ground in the process.

Plateau

The Jos Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has kicked against the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

The students’ body has therefore asked the President to reverse the decision while dissociating itself from any decision taken by a faction of NANS’ national body in support of the removal.

In a statement in Jos on Monday, Mr Dazi Mangse, the Public Relations Officer Zone C of NANS, accused the government of carrying out the removal “undemocratically.”

According to him, the president should respect the constitutional rights of Nigerians who voted him by reversing the decision of removing fuel subsidy.

Sokoto

Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State on Tuesday in Sokoto assured residents of their safety.

Wamakko gave the assurance when he met with a delegation of the Association of Resident Communities led by its President, Mr Patrick Atusu .

“I want to reassure you that as a responsible government, we take responsibility for each one of you just like any other indigene of the state.

“You should feel free to do your businesses in Sokoto State. You should shun rumour mongering and all forms of sentimental comments of some leaders elsewhere in Nigeria.

“The country belongs to all of us and everyone should be free to do business anywhere he or she wants”, he said.

Zamfara

Following the violence, which trailed Monday’s protest against the removal of fuel subsidy in Gusau, the Zamfara Government has accused politicians of instigating the destruction of public property.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Alhaji Sani Tsafe said “some politicians hide under the cover of the ongoing strike to cause havoc in the state.“

The statement said politicians instead of allowing the protest to go on peacefully instigated the youth to engage in the destruction of government and public property.

“If it is right for anybody to embark on strike to make his grievances public, it is equally the right of the public not to be victims of his action“ it said.

The government warned that it would not fold its arms and allow miscreants to plunge the state into crisis and strip it of its credible status as one of the most peaceful states.

Meanwhile, the police in Bauchi State on Monday announced that it would intensify a joint patrol with soldiers in Bauchi metropolis.