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THE STATES
Adamawa
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has presented relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons in Lamurde Local Government Area of Adamawa.
More than 5, 000 people were on Sunday displaced in 12 villages in the area following what community described in a statement as retaliatory attack by mercenary herdsmen.
Presenting the items in a ceremony in Lamurde, headquarters of the local government , on Saturday, the North East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, sympathised with the victims over the unfortunate incident.
Kanar said the Federal Government intervention through NEMA had come with the necessary requirements that would ameliorate the sufferings of the victims in the camps and promised that the agency along with other stakeholders would make sure that adequate facilities, such as toilets and drinking water, were provided to ensure good hygiene in the camps.
Benue
No fewer than 30 PHCN wooden and concrete poles were destroyed by windstorm in Makurdi last Friday night.
The PHCN poles were destroyed by the windstorm that was preceded by rain, which only lasted 30 minutes.
Some of the worst hit areas were Gboko Road, Wurukum Roundabout, Ahmadu Bello Way in old GRA, North Bank and Highlevel Areas.
Both wooden and concrete poles were damaged by the storm, while some of the cars parked under trees were damaged as the trees fell on them. However, no roof was destroyed by the storm.
Borno
The Borno State Government said on Saturday that it has set aside N3. 9 billion for the renovation of eight secondary schools in the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Malam Inwa Kubo, who made the disclosure in an interview in Maiduguri said that the rehabilitation had reached advanced stage in most of the schools.
He named the schools as Government College Maiduguri, Government Girls Secondary School Yarwa and Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Gajiganna. Others are GGSS Baga, Government Secondary School(GSS) Kumshe, GGSS Lassa and GGSS Miringa.
He said that the project also include the conversion of Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Marama in Hawul Local Government Area to a boarding school.
FCT
A health advocacy group, the Norsemen Club, says it will begin an awareness campaign in schools in Abuja to sensitise the students on tips for healthy living.
The President of the group in the FCT, Mr Shegun Fakehinde, announced the plan last Saturday during a “Walk for a Healthy Nigeria’’.
According to him, there is the need to carry awareness campaigns in school, where younger ones will also have knowledge on how to live healthy.
“Most of our dear ones have fallen victims of HIV and AIDS and other dangerous diseases because adequate knowledge and education on their prevention were in short supply.
“We will propagate this massage in all nooks and crannies in the FCT to ensure that most people do not only exist but live,’’ he said.
The Grand Patron of the group, Dr Samuel Gambo, said the group would continue to create awareness and unite the youth.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hajiya Hadiza Abdulwahab, said in Dutse on Sunday that government disbursed about N86 million to women groups in the state to improve members’ living standards.
She said that catering to the needs of vulnerable groups was one of the cardinal principles of Gov. Sule Lamido’s administration.
The commissioner explained that it was based on the governor’s principles that the government released the money.
Abdulwahab said since the inception of the administration in the past five years, the welfare of women and children had “tremendously improved”.
She announced that the government had established 335 safe motherhood initiatives from the 36 it inherited from the previous government.
Kaduna
Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has appointed a former Secretary to the State Government, Me Waje Yayock and 10 others as special advisers.
This is contained in a statement, signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Ruben Buhari, it named the others as follows Musa Kali, Simon Gwaza, B.D. Galadima, Ibrahim Doka, Ali Waziri, Abdulkadir Kapaka, Mohammed Kampa, Edward Masha, Hajia Zulai Bello and Bala Sani.
The governor also appointed Alhaji Maisukuni Jema’a as the Chairman of Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board with 29 others as members while the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero is the Chairman, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency.
Kano
The Chairman of Shanono Local Government Council of Kano State, Malam Sagir Abdullahi, has lauded the tireless efforts of traditional rulers in polio eradication in the state.
Abdullahi stated this last Saturday during the flag off ceremony of the polio immunisation for the month of May in Shanono Local Government Area of the state.
He said that if not for the full involvement of the traditional rulers, the resistance level for polio immunisation would still be high.
The chairman charged parents to ensure that all their children were immunised to guard against further spread of the virus in the area and to other parts of the country.
Kebbi
Delegates to the forthcoming Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) conference have been admonished to shun sentiments and elect people of proven integrity.
Mr Rotimi Obamuwagun, Deputy National President of the NUJ,who is also seeking re-election, gave the advice last Saturday in Birnin Kebbi while on campaign tour.
He said his role in the past three years had been guided by the spirit of cordial relationship and mutual respect, which enabled the incumbent NUJ President, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, to reposition the union.
“The support you gave us three years ago enabled us to restore dignity, respect and peace within the various state councils of the NUJ as such we plead for another chance to enable the present leadership improve on welfare and professional rating of members,” he said.
Lagos
The police in Lagos last Saturday arrested one Asiribo Baba, 40, for allegedly shooting a bricklayer who attempted to rape his daughter.
Insp. Femi Martins said that Baba shot Ifeanyi Arinze, 29, who was making blocks at a building site in Agbara, Lagos.
He said investigations revealed that Arinze climbed the fence of Baba’s residence in Agbara to pluck oranges in the compound when he saw Baba’s 14-year-old daughter, who was sleeping outside.
“After he plucked the oranges, he went to the girl, who slept on the mat, and touched her breast but the girl screamed.
“Arinze covered the girl’s mouth with his hand but her younger sister, who had been playing outside, came and called people,’’ he said.
He said Baba, who had been listening to the screaming of her daughter, came out with a gun, ran after Arinze and shot him in the leg when he was about to jump the fence.
Osun
Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has inaugurated the 3rd Children’s Parliament in the state with a call on children to shun all forms of immoral behaviors.
Aregbesola was represented by Chairman, House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Olusegun Adeyeni,at the ceremony in Osogbo last Friday.
He described the new lawmakers as “special children”, advising them to be focused and responsible in handling the affairs of the parliament and urged them to leave a legacy of service to not only the children but the entire residents of the state and the nation.
Earlier, Mrs Mofolake Adegboyega, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, said the “children are being exposed to parliamentary duties with a view to enabling them know more about law-making and to be involved directly in decision making in matters that really affect them.”
The commissioner urged the parliamentarians to be law-abiding and shun malpractice, thuggery and all forms of negative activities.
Deborah Popoola, was sworn-in as the Speaker, Abiola Agboola, Deputy Speaker, Islamiat Kolawole, House Leader, Bukola Adepoju, Chief Whip and Seyi Afolabi as the Mace bearer.
Oyo
The Oyo State Government has rewarded medalists and officials in its contingent to the 2011 Garden City Games with monetary gifts for their heroic performances.
Mr Dapo Lam-Adeshina, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports, said the state had earlier promised to reward the athletes.
He described the occasion as a milestone, as it was the first that athletes were rewarded in the state, and expressed the hope that they would win more medals at the 2012 festival in Lagos.
Gold, silver and bronze medalists among the athletes went home with N500,000, N300,000 and N200,000 each respectively, while Coaches with gold, silver and bronze medalists were rewarded with N300, 000, N200,000 and N100,000 each respectively. Also among those rewarded were the officials who went home with N250, 000 each.
Yakub Adesokan, who sets a two world record in Power Lifting, was also awarded a cheque of N250, 000.
Sokoto
Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State has called on parents to ensure the immunisation of their children during the on-going polio vaccination in the state.
Speaking on the occasion of the start of 2012 Immunisation Plus Days at Rumbukawa Primary Health Centre in Sokoto North Local Government., Wamakko said government had already taken proactive measures to ensure that all under-five children were immunised.
He explained that government had partnered with the Sultanate Council, religious leaders and development associations to enhance the success of the exercise.
The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu said that a workable formula had been put in place to mobilise parents to participate in the exercise.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Malam Ibrahim Jibril, said that the involvement of eminent stakeholders would ensure full participation of children in the exercise.
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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