Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa Police Command has confirmed the death of a police inspector who was killed by suspected armed robbers while on duty.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Aderenle Shinaba, made this known at a news conference in Yola.
“Our men from Dumne District under Song Local Government Area, while on patrol on Sunday on Waldi- Suktu Road, had an encounter with armed robbers.
“On sighting our men, the robbers opened fire and killed the team leader, Insp Emmanuel Yarius, and one passenger in one of the vehicles already stopped by the robbers,” Shinaba said.
Shinaba further said that one of the robbers was killed during the encounter.
He explained, however, that the command, through its men in Girei LGA and the support of C.I.D, was able to arrest a syndicate which specialised in trans-border car-snatching and armed robbery.
FCT
The Federal Government is making effort to manage migration through capacity building, advisory services and technical assistance on migration matters, says a top official.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, said this on Thursday in Abuja at a “Validation Seminar for Findings of Institutional Needs Assessments for Migration Agencies in Nigeria.’’
The theme of the seminar was “Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria’’
Anyim, who was represented by Hajiya Jimeta Rabi, the Permanent Secretary on Special Duties in the SGF’s office, said the government had established strong collaborations with national and migration stakeholders to enhance border management.
“Strong collaborations have been established with migration stakeholders to fight trafficking in persons, reduce irregular migration and mainstream migration in the country’s development agenda,’’ the SGF said.
Gombe
Sen. Joshua Lidani (PDP, Gombe-South) has spent N6.5 million on extra-mural classes organised for 1,500 school drop-outs in his constituency.
The Senior Legislative Aide to Lidani, Mr Caleb Ubale, told tnewsmen in Gombe on Tuesday that of the amount, N5 million was spent on salary of staff members employed to teach the students, while N1.5 million was spent on registeration of the students for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE).
He said the extra-mural classes were to prepare the students for the SSCE to enable them to secure entry requirements for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions.
Ubale said the students were drawn from Balanga, Billiri, Kaltungo and Shongom Local Government Areas in Gombe-South Constituency.
He said Lidani introduced the progrmme when he was the Deputy Governor of the state between 1999 and 2003, adding that it was a permanent scheme.
Kano
The Kano State Government has awarded N2 billion contract for the construction of six faculties at its proposed North-West University.
The state governor, Alhaji Rabi’u Kwankwaso, disclosed this on Wednesday while distributing 30 Toyota Hilux and five BMW motorcycles to some agencies.
“We have set aside money in the 2012 budget for the establishment of the new university, North-West University in Kano.’’
“I want to assure you that by the end this month, the contractors will be mobilised to site so that by the end of September this year, lectures will commence in the six faculties.”
He said the state government had also earmarked undisclosed sum of money to establish another university in the state in collaboration with Texas AM University in United States.
Kebbi
The Jega Local Government Area (LGA) in Kebbi would adopt measures to ensure total immunisation of all children against polio in line with the newly launched free-Torch campaign.
The UNICEF had adjudged the area was among the most critical areas where 19.2 per cent had missed immunisation against the disease.
The Chairman of the LGA, Alhaji Yahaya Bawa, told newsmen in Jega on Thursday that with 100 per cent increase in the allowances paid to vaccinators, additional efforts would be made to ensure that all children polio was eradicated.
He said the council area had approved that vaccinators be paid N5,000 as against the N2,500 paid to them by the UNICEF while the financial allocation for the entire area had been increased from N800,000 to between N1.6 million and N2.2 million.
“The amount would be determined by how densely populated the location of children to be immunised and we would not be left behind in total eradication of the disease.
Lagos
President of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Mr Bede Opara, has said that liberalisation of the electricity sector rather than outright privatisation will boost the nation’s power supply.
Opara said this in Lagos, while addressing members of the union and those of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) at a meeting.
He said that if the enabling environment was created and the sector liberalised, it would provide an opportunity for interested investors to increase the available megawatts.
“We believe that the government can see reason and appreciate other ways of carrying out the reform in the power sector.
“We have said that liberalisation is what will solve the power sector problem in this country; outright privatisation may not be the best for the sector, ” he said.
Niger
Suspected armed robbers on Wednesday night raided Maje police outpost in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, killed a corporal and stole a rifle.
The Niger State, Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Maishanu, confirmed the incident to newsmen in a telephone interview on Thursday in Minna.
According to him, ‘’some armed men attacked Maje outpost on the Dikko-Abuja Road, killed a corporal and stole a rifle.
“The army and the police are at present combining the area in search of the fleeing suspects but, I can assure that we will track down and arrest them, so that they can face the full wrath of the law.
“Similarly, the police have arrested some armed suspects in Lapai and recovered two AK-47 rifles from them,’’ he said.
Ondo
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, on Thursday urged residents of the state to assist internally displaced persons returning home from other parts of the country.
Olanusi, who made the plea in Akure when he received some internally displaced persons in his office, pledged that government would continue to assist such categories of people.
The deputy governor, who expressed happiness at the safe arrival of the returnees, said being alive was an indication of divine intervention.
The leader of the delegation, Chief Anthony Mirayegun, expressed gratitude to the state government for the efforts made to ensure the safe arrival of the returnees.
Oyo
The National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has called for appropriate legislation on blood donation activities in the country.
Speaking during a parley with journalists in Ibadan on Thursday, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of NBTS, Dr Wale Egbewunmi, decried the lack of legislation on such activities.
Egbewunmi called for strict laws on setting up of blood transfusion centres and their management as well as on blood collection, storage, testing and transfusion.
“Appropriate legislation will go a long way in preventing unauthorised practices as is the case at present,’’ he said.
Plateau
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has appealed to the Plateau Government to establish a functional state emergency management agency for prompt disaster management.
The Assistant Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, North Central Zone, Mr Abdulsalam Mohammed, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
He said the appeal was necessary in view of the current challenges in disaster management in the state.
Mohammed said Plateau was the only state in the North Central Zone that had yet to make a law for the establishment of an emergency management agency.
Sokoto
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, on Thursday in Sokoto reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Army towards defending the nation’s nascent democracy.
Ihejirika was speaking during a courtesy visit to the Acting Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Lawali Zaiyanu.
He said that the military would continue to complement the efforts of the nation’s security outfits towards promoting internal democracy in the country.
Ihejirika said that welfare, decent accommodation as well as retraining of the Nigeria Army officers, would continue to receive special attention, so as to ensure productivity among the serving personnel.
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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