Adamawa

Adamawa House of Assembly on Monday passed a vote of confidence on its Speaker, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri.

The vote of confidence followed speculations of an impeachment move against the speaker who assumed office eight months ago.

Mrs Wilbina Jackson (PDP-Guyuk) moved the motion during the plenary session presided over by the Speaker. The motion was seconded by Mr Alloysious Babadoke (PDP-Leko/Koma).

Jackson, who lauded the leadership quality of the speaker, said that under his leadership, the house had remained vibrant, adding that everybody was carried along.

She listed the passage of 17 bills and 32 resolutions by the house within the past eight months as some of the positive developments recorded under Fintiri’s able leadership.

In his remarks after the motion was passed in a voice vote, the speaker thanked his colleagues for their support and assured them of the commitment of the leadership of the house to work for the progress of the state.

Bauchi

Security at the NYSC orientation camp at Wailo Village of Bauchi was beefed up on Monday during the closing ceremony of orientation training for Batch ‘B’ 2013 NYSC members posted to the state.

Some of the security men were seen lying in the bush, prepared to handle any unforeseen happening.

After the ceremony, the NYSC members were advised to collect their posting letters immediately and leave the camp.

In his speech at closing ceremony, Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Sagir Saleh, reiterated an earlier directive to stakeholders to ensure the safety of corps members.

He also called on the corps members to relate freely with their host communities, throwing them a challenge to learn some local languages before the end of the service year.

The Director of NYSC in the state, Mr Nuhu Kwaghe, appealed to those benefiting from the services of the corps members to provide enabling environment for optimal output.

Benue

The Director General, Benue Planning Commission Mrs Dorcas Ukpe, says the commission will assist the state government to tackle unemployment through entrepreneurship.

Ukpe who said this on Monday when she paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof. Daniel Uza, noted that the commission would collaborate with the university in the area of entrepreneurship.

The director general stated that the collaboration would be targeted at reorganising the Benue Investment Farm to create job opportunities for the teeming youth in the state.

She stated that the partnership would also assist the state to reduce unemployment to the barest minimum.

The vice chancellor commended the DG for the initiative, saying it was an important move that would ensure the development of new jobs for the people.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Commissioner for Health, Dr Tafida Abubakar, has ordered directors and other medical professionals in the state’s Ministry of Health to offer voluntary medical services at public hospitals in the state.

According to a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr Inuwa Tahir,  in Dutse on Monday, the measure would address the shortage of medical professionals in the state.

“All personnel with clinical affiliation, including directors, doctors, nurses and other professionals, outside the facilities are to report to any clinic of their choice to provide supervisory and clinical services.

“This will not only boost the morale of staff in the hospitals but also reduce the perennial shortage of staff. “The State Government have allocated over 12 per cent of its budget to the health sector, yet the services have not improved to the satisfaction of the populace,”  he added.

Kaduna

A Kaduna Upper Customary Court on Monday struck out a divorce case between Rebecca Folorunsho and Gabriel Folorunsho for failure of the parties to appear before it.

The Presiding Judge, Mr Adamu Musa, said the court had no choice but to strike out the case, which was scheduled for hearing on Monday.

Adamu said neither the parties nor their counsel gave any written or verbal reason for their failure to appear before the court.

Rebecca of 25 Barnawa High-cost, Kaduna, had on June 2, filed a suit seeking the dissolution of her three-year-old marriage to Gabriel, over the respondent’s alleged failure to assume his responsibilities.

In another development, the court granted a request by the counsel to the State Commissioner of Police (CP), for an extension in the matter between the CP and one Hamisu Usman.

Katsina

A Chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Katsina State, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, has accused the state government of obtaining $74 million (about N4.44 billion) foreign loan.

Inuwa made the accusation on Monday while addressing party members at a campaign rally for bye-election into Dutsi constituency in the state assembly.

He said, “We members of the CPC in the state are disturbed over the foreign loan of S74 million which the state government had collected for the construction of 350 housing units in Abuja. “Disturbed because the state has never been indebted for a kobo either internally or externally since its creation in 1987.”

Inuwa, a former Secretary to the State Government, said the 350 houses being constructed in Abuja were not the priority of the ordinary people who wanted improved access to potable water, food, education and healthcare.

Kogi

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi said on Saturday that the state government would soon take delivery of modern farming equipment worth over N200 million from China for distribution to farmers.

Wada who disclosed this on Monday in Lokoja while briefing newsmen on the outcome of his trip to China,  said that the equipment which comprised potable machines for cultivation and tilling of land, were ordered by the former administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.

According to him, the outgone administration had paid for the farming implements with the aim of migrating the farmers from traditional to modern farming methods.

Lagos

Police in Lagos on Monday, arraigned a 32-year-old unemployed man, Bartholomew Mbatuonu, before an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing the property of an accident victim, who later died.

The Prosecutor, Cpl. John Iberedem, told the court that Mbatuonu stole three bags containing various women clothes, shoes and cash totaling N200, 000 belonging to Mrs Georgina Chijioke, who was involved in a bus accident around Maza Maza on the Lagos-Badagry expressway on July 2.

Iberedem said that the accused pretended as if he was helping the accident victims and in the process stole the bags. He said that Mbatuonu, of no fixed address, was facing a one-count charge of stealing.

Mbatuonu pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Chief Magistrate, E.A. Ogundare, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000, with one surety in like sum.

Niger

The Niger Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Muazu Bawa, has said that the state government spends 95 per cent of its funds monthly on the payment of salaries.

Bawa said at a stakeholders meeting in Minna that the situation was “not good for the development agenda of the state”.

The meeting was convened due to the threat by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to begin strike over the non implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

He said the government would not pay the new minimum wage because monies accruing to it were inadequate to accommodate the new wage bill.

Ondo

The Ondo State Government on Monday said it was committed to operation zero pothole embarked upon by the Ministry of Works to facilitate socio-economic development.

The Commissioner for Works, Mr Gboye Adegbenro, said this in Akure while inspecting some road rehabilitation projects being executed by Ondo State Agency for Road Maintenance and Construction (OSARMCO).

He commended the agency for the achievements recorded in road rehabilitation, saying that the administration of Gov. Olusegun Mimiko came to power with the determination to achieve zero potholes on the roads.

“The state of roads in Ondo state when this administration came on board was deplorable, but everybody can see the difference today as our people express happiness and appreciation,’’ Adegbenro said.

He said that the authorities of OSARMCO were committed in their assignment and had successfully put some roads in good condition.

The commissioner, who inspected the Orita Obele – Ijare Road, the Oke-Obere Mechanic Village road and other roads being rehabilitated in the capital, said the agency was currently working on Oba-Ile Neighbourhood Market Road, Ala Quarters culvert and other access roads.

Osun

The Zone 11 of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday invited security operatives to train its senior officers on security consciousness and tips.

The operatives, who were from the State Security Service (SSS) and the Nigeria Police, lectured the FRSC officers on national security.

The officers, drawn from Osun, Oyo and Ondo states’ Sector Commands of the commission, were tutored on intelligence gathering, combating crime and other security tips.

The Zone 11 Commanding Officer, Mr Sambo Kinya, while addressing the participants, said the seminar was organised for officers to be abreast with security challenges in the country and plan ahead for any situation.

“The seminar will make us identify related security threats, roles of intelligence in FRSC and at the national level with a view to preventing loss of lives and property,” Kinya said.

He said that the statutory duties of the officers of the commission had attracted attention of some groups, which were becoming threats, and there was the need to be security conscious.

Taraba

A Jalingo High Court on Monday remanded two men, Habu Idi and Muazu Ibrahim in prison custody for allegedly gang-raping a 13 year-old-girl at Zing in the Zing Local Government Area of Taraba.

Although a magistrates’ court had previously granted bail to the accused persons when the case was mentioned for hearing, Justice Yahya Bashir ordered that one of the accused, Ibrahim, should be remanded in prison custody. Ibrahim was in court while Idi was not.

The judge directed the State Counsel, Mr Habu Audu, to liaise with the magistrates’ court to locate Idi.

Audu had earlier told the court that the accused persons committed gang-rape, criminal force and assault which he said, were punishable under section 283 and 265(A) of the Penal Code.

The case was adjourned to October 16.