Nation
THE STATES
Gombe
Police in Gombe have confirmed the killing of a retired civil servant, Tijjani Magaji, 43, of Idi Dawaki quarters in Gombe by unknown gunmen on Saturday in Gombe.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, said in Gombe on Sunday that Magaji was shot dead around 7.30 p.m.
According to him, two of the gunmen came on motorcycle, shot the deceased and fled the scene.
He said police were still investigating the matter and that no arrest had been made.
A resident of the quarters, who preferred anonymity, said he witnessed the incident, adding that the gunmen fire close-range shots at Magaji.
The deceased was a civil servant in Gombe Local Government before he left the service for business.
Kaduna
Representing Soba Federal Constituency in Kaduna State, Rep. Ibrahim Khalid says he has disbursed N1.3 million to 130 youths in the area to empower them.
He said in an interview during the disbursement at Maigana Local Government Area of the state, Sunday, that the essence of the gesture was to reciprocate the efforts of youths during his election, which he said, paved the way for his success and urged members of the constituency to be patient, assuring them more democratic dividends.
Also in an interview, the former Chairman of Soba Local Government Council, Alhaji Kawu Ibrahim-Yakasai, described the gesture as timely and commendable.
Ibrahim-Yakasai, who is also a member of the disbursement committee, urged youths to make efficient use of the resources to improve their lives.
Commenting on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Mu’azu Mahawayi and Malam Buba Mohammed-Yakasai, expressed appreciation for the gesture, urging the lawmaker to sustain the tempo.
Katsina
The Commandant of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Funtua, Mr Betara Umar has confirmed the death of three persons in a road accident which occurred in the area last Friday.
Umar said on Saturday in Funtua that 17 other passengers sustained injuries in the accident which involved a bus and a car.
He said the dead passengers were two females and a man who died on the spot, adding that the FRSC officials had removed the bodies and taken the injured to Funtua General Hospital.
He said the accident occurred at Sheme village in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, noting that investigations revealed that the accident happened as a result of wrong overtaking.
Umar appealed to road users to always adhere to road regulations and abide by safety rules.
Kwara
An Italian national, Digi Modesto, working with Borini Prono Construction Company, kidnapped in Ilorin on May 30, has been released.
A police source said on Sunday in Ilorin that the expatriate was released on Saturday by his captors.
According to the source, the Italian was immediately taken away from Ilorin by the construction company. The source refused to confirm the amount paid to the captors before the release of the expatriate was effected.
It was gathered that the victim was kidnapped while going to inspect an on-going road construction at Bishop Smith road, opposite Stella Obasanjo Multipurpose hall.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Kwara State Police Command, DSP Fabode Olufemi, confirmed the release saying investigation was still going on.
The police spokesman assured the general public that the security agents in the state were determined to ensure security of lives and property, and urged members of the public to go about their normal business and assist the security agents with useful information that would always lead to the arrest of criminals in the society.
Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, has urged the residents to champion the cause of a sustainable environment.
He said this Saturday in Lagos, to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day set aside by the United Nations and scheduled to be observed from June 2 to June 17. The theme of this year’s celebration is, “Green Economy – Does it include you?”
Bello said this year’s celebration would dwell more on youths in the tertiary institutions and their involvement in the environment. “Youths, especially those in higher institutions, are change agents and potential crusaders of the Environment whose energy and resources we must enlist in the struggle for a safe and hygienic environment,” he noted.
Bello said that the debate was a way of promoting knowledge and spreading awareness about government’s greening programme and other environment policies among the youth.
The commissioner said the tertiary institutions involved in the debate included Yaba College of Technology, Lagos; State Polytechnic; Federal College of Education,Technical, Akoka; University of Lagos; and Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education.
Nasarawa
Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has imposed a curfew on Alago and Eggon communities in Lafia, where two persons died in a communal conflict on Friday.
The governor, who visited the two communities in company of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Abayomi Akeremale, directed that the curfew must run from 6p.m to 6a.m
Al-Makura expressed concern about the communal clash, promising that his administration would provide security of lives and property in all communities in the state.
The governor appealed to all the affected residents to remain calm while the security agents would find the perpetrators of the vicious acts and bring them to judgment and assured that government would provide relief materials to the victims and stressed the need for the communities to live in peace and unity.
Al-Makura attributed the occurrence of the clash to lack of patience and unity among the community members and urged the people of the affected areas to adhere strictly of the curfew, which he said, would hold until peace was restored to the areas.
Nasarawa
The Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, Mr Abayomi Akeremale, said that nine persons had been charged to court for disobeying traffic rules on the Karu-Mararaba road.
Akeremale said in Lafia on Saturday that the action was part of efforts aimed at enforcing traffic rules, particularly on the Karu-Mararaba highway which was known for serious traffic gridlock.
He stressed that nobody was above the law irrespective of his or her status in the society, urging citizens to cooperate with the police in efforts to ensure a crime-free society.
Besides, Akeremale said that 18 persons were been arrested under the bridge in the area, adding that nine of them had been charged to court since they had no means of livelihood, while the remaining nine were interrogated and discharged.
“You see, the powerful and mighty just park their vehicles indiscriminately on the Karu-Mararaba road and when you approach them; they will say they are working at so-so place, forgetting that nobody is above the law
“The law is not a respecter of anybody; we are all equal before the law, some people don’t believe that their actions are wrong until they are apprehended and charged to court. “We will continue to arrest them until they have a rethink and become aware that the law is a leveller,’’ he added.
Niger
The Niger Commissioner for Sports Development, Alhaji Hassan Abdullahi, has urged staff of the ministry to embrace computer literacy.
Abdullahi said in Minna while declaring open a two-week workshop organised by the Ministry of Sports Development for its staff to improve their computer skills, that computer literacy is one of the modern ways of keeping abreast of current developments across the globe.
“You must embrace computer literacy as this is the only way you can be connected to the current happenings across the globe. “Therefore, I want all the participants to take this workshop serious to ensure efficient and quality service
delivery,” he said.
Also speaking, Malam Abdul Abdul, the leader of the resource persons, described the computer as a friendly machine that could aid the work of every civil servant.
Ogun
Another multiple crash involving 24 vehicles near Sagamu, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway caused traffic disorder last Saturday, according to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
FRSC Deputy Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem, said that the accident occurred on Friday night when a trailer loaded with petrol fell and caught fire near the Sagamu interchange.
He said although no lives were lost, two persons sustained injuries while 176 people travelling in the affected vehicles had been evacuated.
The accident involved motor cars, mini and luxury buses, tankers as well as trailers, he said.
He appealed to motorists to use alternative routes to and from Lagos to avoid the gridlock, while fire-fighters, police and FRSC officers are battling to ease the traffic.
Last Thursday, there was a traffic logjam between Sagamu and Redeemed Christian Church on the expressway as a tipper, three fuel tankers and three articulated vehicles exploded on impact.
Plateau
Local government workers in Plateau have embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of the N18,000 minimum wage.
Chairman of the NLC in the state, Mr Jibrin Bancir, said in Jos on Saturday that the strike started on Wednesday, May 30. He said that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) was also in support of the indefinite strike.
Bancir said that while the state’s civil servants had been benefiting from the N18,000 minimum wage, local government workers in the state were receiving N9,000 as the minimum wage. He stressed that the strike was to compel the state government to pay the local government workers the new minimum wage.
“We are not longer comfortable with the 50 per cent of what was being paid to workers in PlateauState’s civil service,’’ he said.
The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) had rejected the 50-per-cent wage increase earlier proposed by the Plateau government.
Mr Samson Mafuyai, the state Chairman of NULGE, said that the union rejected the proposed wage increase because of the government’s inability to abide by the terms of earlier negotiations with the NLC and the TUC.
Sokoto
Gov. Aliyu Wamakko announced on Saturday in Sokoto that contractors executing projects for the State are to pay one per cent of their contract sum to the state Zakat and Endowment Committee.
He said the money would be deducted from source, hinting that a bill to give the deduction a legal backing would be forwarded to the State House of Assembly.
Wamakko spoke at the opening of a workshop on “Zakat and Endowment in Contemporary Society” organised by the State Zakat and Endowment Committee.
He said the direct deduction would boost the “monthly income of the committee to enhance its activities, aimed at alleviating poverty in the society.”
Wamakko also announced that the state government and its 23 local government councils would, henceforth, donate N31.5 million monthly to the committee instead of the current N7.4 million.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, commended the governor for alleviationg the conditions of the poor.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi