Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
As Muslims prepare to celebrate the Eid-El-Fitr, the Bauchi
State Police Command has commenced a 24-hour ‘stop and search’ operation with a
view to detecting any plan to disrupt the peace in the state.
The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Ladan,
said that although the state had enjoyed relative peace, his command did not
want to take chances.
“We have deployed patrol teams, with the mandate to stop and
search, especially suspicious vehicles and individuals, on a 24-hour basis.
“Policemen are now everywhere. We want citizens to sleep with their two eyes
closed, without any fear, during the Sallah period and even beyond,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bauchi metropolis has continued to witness influx
of people from neighbouring Yobe State, where the security situation is very
fragile.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government has released N120 million for the
payment of scholarship to students who are studying in various tertiary
institutions across the country.
The Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr Isa Wade, made
this known in Gombe in an interview.
He said that the payment of the scholarship would henceforth
be done through a card, known as “Talba Bursary Card” named after the
traditional title of Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo. Dankwambo has the title of
“Talban Gombe.’’
Wade said the Talba Bursary Card Scheme was part of the
government’s policy to address some of the problems in the payment of
scholarship.
“It is an e-wallet that enables students to access their
scholarship whenever the government pays; it’s just like an ATM card”, he
emphasised.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government has warned land developers
against erecting illegal structures capable of distorting the Dutse master
plan.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Lawan Audu,
gave the warning while inaugurating an 11-member reconstituted board of the
Dutse Capital Development Authority (DCDA) in Dutse.
Audu said that flagrant distortion of the master plan, which
was based on appropriate town planning could lead to environmental hazards and
retard sustainable development of the state capital.
He said that the government had adopted practical measures
to ensure strict compliance with the master plan designed to structure Dutse
into a modern town.
In a remark, the Chairman of the board, Alhaji Bashir Aminu,
pledged to make Dutse a model town in the country.
Kaduna
Two bridges, one linking Zaria city with Igabi Local
Government Area and the other, linking Zaria with Aba village, were washed away
by flood last week.
The two bridges were vital routes for the movement of farm
produce and animals from rural areas to the urban centres.
Some rural dwellers in the area said that they had to extend
their trips by many kilometres to arrive at their destinations.
Malam Buba Bala and Malam Harisu Usman said the collapse of
the bridges had inflicted hardship on, not only the farmers, but the entire
people of the area. The Kaduna State
Emergency Management Agency had been advising people on the need to take
necessary precautions to combat the expected flood.
Kano
The acting Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety
Commission (FRSC) in Kano State, Mr Kabir Nadabo, has warned parents not to
allow their underage children to drive vehicles.
Nadabo, who is also the head of operations of FRSC in Kano
State, said the warning become necessary because of the increasing number of
underage drivers, who are arrested daily.
Nadabo said that henceforth any underage driver caught in
the state would have his vehicle impounded, while his or her parents would be
arrested and prosecuted.
He warned that the command would not fold its arms and allow
the ugly trend to continue, and reminded car owners that the law prohibiting
car racing was still in force.
Katsina
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Katsina State has
advised motorists in the state to avoid night journey in order to reduce
accidents.
The Sector Commander
of the corps, Alhaji Habu Dauda, gave the advice while presenting ‘Road
Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme’ (RTSSS) certificates to 10 fleet
operators in Katsina.
He said the advice became necessary in view of the
increasing night traffic crashes in the state.
The sector commander enjoined motorists to be extra-careful
while on the roads and adhere to traffic rules and regulations.
Kebbi
The NLC in Kebbi State has urged the state government to
fast-track the payment of the balance of leave grant to workers.
The NLC Chairman in
the state, Alhaji Sadiq Ka’oje, made the appeal while addressing the delegate’s
conference of the Agriculture and Allied Workers Union in Birnin Kebbi.
He said that the payment of the leave grant by the
government had become necessary to avert an impending strike by workers in the
state.
Ka’oje said that the workers would not hesitate to embark on
strike if the government continued to renege on its promise. The chairman said
that the NLC would soon meet to determine the next line of action, if the
government did not rectify the anomalies.
Kogi
Ofu Local Government Council in Kogi State will soon embark
on mass transfer of primary school teachers to ensure distribution of teachers
across the schools in the rural areas.
The Education
Secretary for the Local Government Education Authority, Mr John Ojochenemi,
made this known in an interview in Ugwolawo, headquarters of the council.
Ojochenemi said the mass transfer was necessary to enable
primary schools in the rural areas to get adequate teachers, adding that most
schools in the villages lacked teachers whereas the urban areas had surplus.
According to him, teachers who refused posting to villages
will be sanctioned as they stand to lose their jobs, stating that the council had planned to meet
education stakeholders to discuss how to improve the quality of education.
Kwara
An Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdullahi Umar, has stressed the
need for religious tolerance between Christian and Muslim faithful in the
interest of mutual co-existence.
The scholar, who
condemned the spate of bombings and killings in places of worship, called on
those behind the dastardly acts to desist in the spirit of the Eid-el-Fitr
celebration.
Umar said that the
current security challenges facing the nation were disturbing, but expressed
optimism that peace would soon prevail.
He urged the Federal Government to renew efforts to contain
terrorism in the country through dialogue with the group claiming
responsibility for the attacks.
Nasarawa
The PDP in Nasarawa State has called on Muslims to use the
Sallah celebration for sober reflection and unity of the country.
The Secretary, Adamu Onyaki, in a Sallah message to the
people of the state, urged Muslims to continue to pray for the unity of
Nigeria, even after the Ramadan period.
The statement also advised government at all levels to
always encourage peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic and religious
groups for peace and development.
The party equally appealed to those with criminal tendencies
to refrain from such acts, adding that violence against fellow human beings was
an offence against God and humanity.
Osun
The first graduate in Osogbo Osun State capital, Chief
Ladunjoye Omigbodun, has died at the age of 100 years at his residence in
Osogbo.
The deceased, until
his death was the Ashipa Ataoja of Osogbo and Venerable of the All Saints
Cathedral Church, Balogun Agoro, Osogbo. He was the pioneer principal of Osogbo
Grammar School.
One of his sons, Mr
Goke Omigbodun, who confirmed his death to newsmen, said that prominent
dignitaries from the town had been trooping in to condole with the family.
The Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori,
was among scores of sympathisers who paid a condolence visit on behalf of the
state governor.
Oyo
The Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community
Development, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Atinuke Oshikoya, has
urged children in the state to engage in productive activities.
The commissioner made the plea in Ibadan at a programme
entitled “ A day out of school’’ organised by the ministry for orphans,
vulnerable children as well as selected children in the state.
Oshikoya also advised children to desist from acts that were
negative, saying the forum was designed to create confidence and a sense of
belonging in them.
Earlier in her remarks, Permanent Secretary in the ministry,
Mrs Olubunmi Sali, said 39 homes from across the state were represented at the
forum meant for informal activities.
Plateau
The Centre for Peace Advancement in Nigeria (CEPAN) has
challenged religious leaders to practise the messages of peace they preached to
the faithful.
Its Director, Rev. Samuel Goro, said in Jos that leaders of
both religions tended to practise the entire opposite of their messages.
“When you preach peace, we must see you as very committed to
it. Anything other than that is a negation of what is required in Jos today,”
he said.
He accused religious leaders of contributing to violence in
Plateau, and cautioned them against igniting violence among their adherents.
He noted that the two major religions preached peace, and
advised the clerics to champion such missions.
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.
