Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The aid group of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has begun a one-week disaster management training of its disaster relief officers.
The training currently ongoing in Yola, Adamawa, is being organised by the national headquarters of JNI for its officials from all the states of the federation.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Yola, the Secretary-General of the JNI in the state, Alhaji Gambo Jika, said the training was to equip the trainees with modern skills to handle disasters effectively.
“This workshop is purposely organised for disaster relief officers.
“The reason is to equip disaster relief supervisors and coordinating officers from all the states of the federation and some from local governments here in Adamawa.
Bauchi
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has inaugurated a Community Radio Station in Kafin-Madaki, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
Yuguda at the ceremony pledged to complete nine other stations before the end of the year.
He said that the radio stations were established to improve the relationship between the government and the rural dwellers, adding that they would promote effective communication with the people.
The governor said community radio broadcasting was an age-long system already in practice in most parts of the world, including developing countries.
He said the stations were designed to disseminate information on weather, agriculture, politics and other socio-economic issues, particularly those in rural areas.
FCT
The Federal Ministry of Transportation has called for the full utilisation of the dredged River Niger to enhance economic activities in the country.
The Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, made the call in Abuja on Thursday in an interview with newsmen.
Oladunjoye recalled that the contract for the dredging of the Lower River Niger from Baro in Niger to Warri in Delta, a distance of 572 km, was awarded in December 2008 and completed in 2011.
Oladunjoye noted that some companies, including NINON Nigeria Ltd, manufacturers of ceramic tiles, started using the channel shortly after the dredging started to transport goods from Ajaokuta to Onitsha.
Gombe
The Gombe Coordinator of Child Protection Network (CPN), Mrs Grace Samuel, has appealed to parents to ensure that their children were given good training to become responsible citizens.
She stated this in Gombe when she led the network on a visit to the State Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Rev. Habu Dawaki, to mark the International Day for Street Children.
Samuel quoted a UNICEF report in May 2005 which stated that over 7.3 million Nigerian children of school age were not in school.
“These street children are exposed to untold dangers of molestation, abuse, loneliness and lack of care.
Jigawa
The residents of Dutse, the Jigawa capital, have expressed worry over excessive heat.
A cross section of the residents who spoke to newsmen in Dutse, said that both inside and outside of their homes were no longer comfortable for them.
Malam Sanusi Adamu said that the intensive heat had made life miserable for them.
Adamu explained that in the last three weeks, he had been sleeping outside his home with his family to prevent cerebro-spinal meningitis.
Also speaking, Alhaji Ali Makama, , a resident of Fagoji in Dutse, said he had pitched his tent under the tree near his house due to the excessive heat.
“I am always under a tree especially during the day after I return from farm; I eat and do some domestic works under the tree because there is no comfort in my house.”
Kaduna
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has passed the amended the Prerogative of Mercy Bill into law to make it more inclusive and effective.
The passage followed the adoption of a report submitted by the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Mr Irmiya Kantiok, at the plenary session in Kaduna.
The committee was mandated by the House to study and review the Kaduna State Cap No: 4 of 1991, otherwise known as the Prerogative of Mercy Advisory Committee Law of 1991.
Presenting the report, Kantiok told his colleagues that the law called for a review to ensure quick dispensation of justice in the state.
He explained that the review was necessitated by an executive bill submitted to the House by Gov. Patrick Yakowa.
Lagos
The Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) has called for the deployment of members of the State Rapid Response Squad (RRS) to Agunfoye-Igbogbo community in Ikorodu.
The call followed a protest by residents of the community to the House during which they submitted a petition on the activities of land speculators in the area.
According to the protesters, hoodlums have taken laws into their hands and destroyed properties, valued millions of naira.
The protesters alleged that the attacks and destruction of properties were carried out by a faction of Adeyoruwa’s family, claiming ownership of the disputed land.
Nasarawa
Governor of Nasarawa StateUmar Almakura has stressed the need for people in the state and all Nigerians to be united and to live in peace with one another.
Almakura spoke on Wednesday in Agyaragu in Nasarawa State, when he paid an on the spot assessment visit to the crises areas in the state.
“We strongly need this unity if we are to continue to forge ahead as a united and indivisible entity,” he said.
According to the governor, without peace and unity, socioeconomic development will continue to elude any society.
Almakura said that there was the need for all Nigerians to continue to learn to live in peace with each other, irrespective of religious, tribal, political or ethnic differences.
Ogun
The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has intercepted 40,000 litres of petrol from vandals around Arepo Village in Obafemi Owode Local Government of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Kareem Olanrewaju, told newsmen in Abeokuta on Wednesday that the products concealed in 800 kegs of 50 litres were intercepted in the early hours of Wednesday.
Olanrewaju said that the perpetrators had vandalised petroleum pipes in the waterways near Beach Estate, in Arepo Village.
Plateau
To elicit support for peace efforts in the North Central, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it will organise a special workshop for wives of serving military men serving in that zone.
“The workshop is next week and will sensitise women to the need to join the peace effort in the North Central states,” NEMA Zonal Coordinator for the zone, Alhassan Aliyu, told newsmen in Jos on Wednesday.
According to him, wives of paramilitary officers and women NGOs will also participate in the workshop scheduled for Jos.
Sokoto
Governor Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has donated 60 vehicles and one thousand motor cycles to the state police command to enhance productivity among the force.
Wamakko presented the vehicles to the visiting Inspector General of Police Mohammad Abubakar at Government House in Sokoto.
He said that modern communication facilities would be attached to all the vehicles to ensure effective policing.
Wamakko said the administration would continue to support the police to enable the officers and men of the command discharge their primary assignment without hindrance.
He said that already the state government had also directed local government chairmen to work hand in hand with their respective divisional police to ensure peace in their respective areas.
Yobe
Vegetable farmers in Yobe have decried lack of preservation facilities for newly harvested tomatoes, pepper, onions and melon.
A vegetable farmer in Garin Alkali told Alhaji Usman Bukar, newsmen that vegetable farmers in Jakusko, Bade and Nguru local government areas were faced with the challenge of storage.
Usman said that the price of onions in the market was not encouraging while they were no facilities to preserve the harvest.
Zamfara
Bungudu Local Government Council of Zamfara State has directed the closure of the Gidan Daji well which claimed the lives of six persons last week.
The council’s Sole Administrator, Alhaji Sa’idu Ma’aji, said in Gidan Daji that: “it is not medically advisable to allow people to continue to draw and drink water from it,”hence the directive to seal up the well.
Ma’aji said that although the well had been the major water source for the Gidan Daji community, a hand pump provided by the state government in the nearby village of Marke, could serve them temporarily.
He said that plans were under way to sink a borehole for the Gidan Daji people, adding: “And this, I assure you, will be done very soon.”
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.
