Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa has approved the appointment of Mr Musa Kaibo as the new Head of Service of the state.
A statement issued last Friday in Yola by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kobis Thimnu, said the appointment is with immediate effect.
It said Kaibo’s appointment was as a result of the retirement of his predecessor, Alhaji Othman Mohammed.
Until his appointment, Kaibo was the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service.
FCT
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, has assured that the July 14 governorship election in Edo would be credible, free and fair.
The special adviser gave the assurance last Friday in Abuja while addressing newsmen on the forth-coming governorship election.
Gulak also promised that election materials would be distributed to all polling units on time to enable the electorate to exercise their franchise without hindrance.
On the recent court judgement reinstating elected local councils in Imo State, Gulak said that Gov. Rochas Okorocha had no constitutional power to dissolve the councils, adding that the court had done the right thing by re-instating the council chairmen.
The tenure of the council officials had not expired when they were told to go in June last year by the governor. A transitional committee was subsequently appointed to replace the 27 council chairmen. According to Gulak, the appointment of caretaker committees for local government councils is unconstitutional.
Kaduna
Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State has urged politicians to imbibe the spirit of togetherness to bring true national unity to the country.
At a dinner organised by the State Government to mark the end of the 2012 Nigerian Army Day Celebration, NADCEL in Kaduna last Friday, Yakowa said he had watched with keen interest the spirit of togetherness of the military, which other groups should emulate.
He commended the role the military and other security agencies played in bringing peace to the state and said the government and people of Kaduna were indebted to them.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Outsole Obadiah, said the country was proud of the army, and urged them to continue to distinguish themselves where ever duty calls either within the country or outside.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, said NADCEL had showcased what the army had been doing in the past two years.
Katsina
The Katsina State chapter of the Joint Health Sector Union has expressed concern over alleged imposition of high tax on its members.
The Chairman of the union, Alhaji Aminu Usman, said in Katsina last Friday that the introduction of the new tax regime had reversed the benefit workers derived from the new salary structure.
The chairman said “the union wanted to make it clear that this is not acceptable.’’
Usman also called on the government to pay six months outstanding arrears to health workers in local government areas in the state.
He however, acknowledged that the state government had implemented the Consolidated Medical Salary and Consolidated Health Salary Structure for its members.
The union reaffirmed its support for the three-week ultimatum given by the Nigeria Medical Association for the state to improve the deteriorating condition of health sector or face an industrial action.
Kebbi
Kebbi State Director of Information, Alhaji Garba Hamisu, has advised journalists in the state to shun sensationalism and uphold professional conduct.
The director, who gave the advise last Friday, in Birnin Kebbi in an interview, assured journalists that the ministry of Information would furnish them with relevant information for dissemination to the public.
“Journalists have serious challenge in the current democratic dispensation. Their reports and criticisms of government activities should be objective, fair and factual,’’ he said.
Hamisu appealed to journalists to shun materialism and give priority to rural coverage to enable people in rural areas offer meaningful advise to policy makers that would improve their standard of living.
“If you want to make quick money, then this profession is the wrong place for you, but you can excel and gain recognition and respect through proper conduct”, he added.
Lagos
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Umar Manko, on Sunday said that 244 suspected armed robbers were arrested by the command in the first half of this year.
Manko said that the arrest of the ring leaders of the various robbery gangs in the state remains one of the biggest achievements of the command during the period under review.
He said that 160 guns and 948 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the suspected armed robbers who had been terrorising the state.
The Police chief said also that out of the 54 cases of robbery recorded during the period, 59 suspected armed robbers were shot dead while five policemen lost their lives in the various encounters with the robbers.
Manko added that 239 vehicles were snatched at gun points, 227 vehicles removed from where they were parked while eight vehicles were driven away by drivers during the period.
Ondo
The Ondo State Government has reiterated its commitment to the care and protection of orphans and vulnerable children in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Rotimi Adelola, said this last Friday in Akure while inaugurating the quarterly meeting of the state Technical Committee on Orphans and Vulnerable Children.
Adelola noted that the response to the plight of orphans and vulnerable children was largely driven by the state government.
He said the meeting was to develop guidelines for the implementation of intervention measures for the care, support and protection of orphans and vulnerable children in the state.
The committee, he added, would “provide a clear understanding of the guiding principles, define roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders to enhance collaboration and strategic partnership”.
Osun
Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts has urged the executive secretaries of local government councils to explore ways and means to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of their respective councils.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Rasheed Olalekan, gave the charge while meeting with the Executive Secretaries and the management of six councils which appeared before it last Friday in Osogbo. The local government councils were Olorunda, Osogbo, Odo-Otin, Orolu, Irepodun and Ife-East .
Olalekan stressed the importance of IGR to the overall development of their local government areas in particular and the state in general if they work hard at improving their revenue profile.
Plateau
The leadership of the PDP in Plateau State has given its 19 members in the State House of Assembly three months to open their constituency offices.
The State Chairman of the party, Dr Haruna Dabin, said in Jos that the directive became necessary as the party believed it would aid its effort in the forthcoming elections, especially at the local government level.
He said that the flags of the party flying at those constituency offices would help in consolidating the gains of the party as the offices would provide party loyalists a place to hold regular meetings.
Dabin lamented that currently, only seven second time Assemblymen out of the 19 PDP elected members of the Assembly had constituency offices in the state.
“Only seven of them, who are second time legislators’ already have offices, we have 19 members in the Assembly.”
The PDP chieftain said that the directive which, would surely be complied with, was to enable the party to be prepared for major political events in the state that may soon unfold.
Zamfara
The Chairman of Gusau Local Government Area in Zamfara, Alhaji Lawali Mada, says the council will meet President Goodluck Jonathan’s December 2012 deadline on polio eradication.
Mada who made the pledge last Friday, at the launching of the second round of immunisation against polio at the palace of the Emir of Gusau, said the council had made all necessary arrangements toward meeting the objective.
He said the people of the area had been adequately mobilised through enlightenment campaigns conducted by health workers in collaboration with the information unit of the council to achieve the goal.
The Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Kabir Danbaba, said the Emirate Council had already mobilised all village and ward heads to sensitise their people for the success of the exercise, and expressed confidence that the polio disease would be eradicated from the area before December, this year.
The representative of World Health Organisation, Atiku Mai-ahu, urged the local governments in the state to be more committed in the renewed efforts by the Federal Government toward eradicating polio.
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.
