Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
An Islamic Cleric in Adamawa State, Utaz Idris Njidda, has called for compulsory test for all prospective pilgrims to Hajj to determine their eligibility for the exercise.
Njidda made the call in Yola at the on-going Hajj stakeholders meeting organised by the Nigeria Aid Group of Jama’atil Nasrul Islam (JNI). He said that such examination on knowledge ability became necessary as many pilgrims had no basic knowledge of the religious rite.
Njidda, who is also a Hajj official from Fufore Local Government area of Adamawa State said that such test was conducted in his area after a two-month workshop, but that some were unable to answer simple questions on Islam.
He said, “Some could not recite Fatiha, Kalmatul Shahada or the five pillars of Islam correctly.
FCT
A Non- governmental organisation, Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria (SAP-CLN), has rehabilitated 470 women, including commercial sex workers, in FCT, Mrs Grace Adogo, Coordinator of the organisation, said.
Adogo made the disclosure in an interview with our Correspondent in Abuja during a sensitisation programme for FCT residents.
She said the sensitisation became imperative considering that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration had zero tolerance for street hawking, begging and commercial sex work in the city. She noted that among the rehabilitated women, 137 were repentant commercial sex workers, while the remaining were vulnerable women, single mothers, widows and mothers of child hawkers.
“We are also rehabilitating mothers of child hawkers in order for them to take their children out of the street and give them meaningful future.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government has said it had awarded contract for the construction of 475 metres drain in the Ringim Local Government Council to check flooding in the area.
The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Babandi Ibrahim, told The Tide in Dutse that the project would cost N66 million.
According to him, the project is in continuation of efforts to check flooding in the area, pointing out that the contract was awarded to Triacta Nigeria Limited, while the scope of the contract included, the construction of embankment, culverts and drain. He said the State Government had also constructed drains and culverts in other flood prone communities across the state to stem environmental degradation.
The Tide recalls that four persons died while more than 1,000 houses, farmlands and roads were destroyed across 13 Local Government areas in the last four weeks.
Kaduna
Alhaji Shehu Malami Nuhu-Babajo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won Saturday’s by-election into Kaduna State House of Assembly for Zaria constituency.
Announcing the result on Sunday, the Returning Officer, Dr Dauda Ishaya of the Agriculture Department, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, declared that Nuhu-Babajo scored 13, 659 votes to defeat four other candidates.
He said: “Shehu Malami Nuhu-Babajo of PDP has emerged winner, having satisfied all the conditions and recquirement of the law and scored the highest number of votes.
“He is hereby returned as elected member to represent Zaria state constituency at the Kaduna State House of Assembly.”
Others, Ishaya said, were Kasimu Iliyasu of CPC who came second with 9,031 votes and Muhammad Inuwa-Umar of PRP who got 999 votes to place third.
Kano
The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in Kano called on governments at all levels to focus on youth employment to tackle the growing rate of unemployment in the country.
The traditional ruler made the call at a special lecture organised by the Bayero University Kano in honour of CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
He stressed the need for the federal and state governments to create job opportunities for the teeming number of unemployed youths, to reduce redundancy among them, noting that empowering youths had become necessary for the economic growth and development of the country
Akiolu also advised politicians against any attempt to rig the 2015 election, to ensure the sustenance of democracy in the country and called on elected political leaders to emulate Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State in terms of infrastructure development efforts.
Katsina
The Funtua zonal forestry officer in Katsina State, Alhaji Hassan Ibrahim has called for collaboration among institutions, communities and individuals for the maximum protection of the environment. Ibrahim, who made the call in an interview with our Correspondent in Funtua, Katsina State, on Saturday, emphasised the need for people to complement government efforts on environmental protection programmes.
He said that government efforts needed maximum support from the public, considering the huge investments on annual tree planting, demarcation of forest and grazing reserves, aimed at safeguarding the environment.
“The consequence of environmental degradation affects every person along with animals, therefore, concerted efforts are needed for individuals to contribute toward environmental protection initiatives.’’
Kogi
The Controller of Prison in Kogi State, Mr Adam Omale, has tasked Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and religious groups in the country to complement government’s efforts at reforming convicts and other prison inmates.
Omale made the call in Lokoja at the decoration of 20 officers and men of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), who were recently promoted.
He said inmates should be shown love, care, attention and made to acquire skills, to reform them and ease their re-integration into the society on completion of jail terms, adding that the task of reforming convicts should be collective and not left for government alone. He called on NGOs, civil societies, religious groups, professional bodies and individuals to contribute their quota to the process.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government has yet to establish a functional family court to cater for problems confronting children, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Comfort Afolayan has said.
Afolayan who made the revelation in Ilorin in an interview with The Tide said although the government had approved the establishment of the court since 2009, it could not function because of the lack of accommodation and other logistic problems.
The commissioner said cases affecting children that were supposed to be handled by the court were currently being treated by some lawyers in the state Child Rights Act Committee and appealed to the government to provide accommodation and other logistics for the state Ministry of Women Affairs for the take-off of the court. The commissioner said government had domesticated the Child Rights Act since 2006, leading to the establishment of Children’s Parliament in the state.
Lagos
An expert on child abuse, Mrs Amaka Awogu, hascalled on parents to bond with their children to stem the rising tide of child abuse in the country.
Awogu, the Executive Director of Child Dignity Foundation, an NGO, made the call in an interview with The Tide in Lagos.
She said that parents should endeavour to develop close relationships with their children as that would be capable of building a sense of trust of the children in the parents. “Parents should learn to bond with their children and not shut them out to create trust; this will enable the child to confide in his/her parents at all times and in all situations.
Niger
Comptroller of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in charge of Niger State Command, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkarim says the command has deported nine Nigeriens.
He told The Tide in Minna that the illegal immigrants were arrested on September 11, in Minna without valid residence permits. “We arrested nine Nigeriens on September 11, 2012, right now they are on their way back to their country.
“They constitute nuisance to members of the public because they do not have any source of livelihood.”
Abdulkarim said that the immigrants claimed to be water vendors, adding, “they are not; they only use selling of water as a cover up.”
Ondo
The Vice-Chancellor, Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, Prof. Adebayo Odebiyi has called on the Federal Government to establish a Revolving Structural Fund for the funding of private universities.
Odebiyi, who spoke in an interview with The Tide in Owo, said the fund would boost development of manpower in the private universities. He said the credit should attract between two to three per cent interest and repayment period of 10 to 15 years. Odebiyi decried the exclusion of private universities from benefitting from the Tertiary Education Task Fund, pointing out that both public and private universities were contributing to the development of the nation’s manpower needs.
The Vice Chancellor remarked that if the government could provide enabling environment for foreign investors, then the same environment and credit facilities should be made available for Nigerians investing in the nation’s education sector.
Sokoto
The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka said on Saturday that 54 persons died in motor accidents in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara between July and August, 2012.
Chidoka made the fact known in Sokoto at a Special Marshals Sectoral workshop, with the theme, “Advocacy as a tool for improved road safety activities’’.
Chidoka, who was represented by the Sokoto Zonal Commanding Officer of FRSC, Mr Alfred Adeboye, said 15 persons died during the Eid el-Fitr celebrations in August in Zamfara and Kebbi states.
He said the zone, RS 10, came third nationwide in the ranking for accident rates during the period.
The Secretary to the Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Sahabi Gada, said the state government had given priority attention to road construction and rehabilitation, to ensure free flow of traffic.
Zamfara
A lecturer at the Talata Mafara Polytechnic, Zamfara State, Malam Ibrahim Magaji, has urged the Federal Government to adopt measures to strengthen the nation’s security agencies.
Magaji, who is the Head of Department of Mass Communication, told our Correspondent last Friday in Sokoto State that this would enable them to effectively tackle the current security challenges in the country. He said the measure would also empower the security outfits to deal with the insurgency, militancy, and other crimes that had been retarding the nation’s development. “The nation’s security officials need urgent capacity building to enable them put to an end all the acts capable of tempering with the peaceful atmosphere.
Eight states across Nigeria have converged in Port Harcourt for the 2026 edition of the President’s Inter-Senior Secondary Schools Debate Championship, hosted by Rivers State Government.
The three_days championship, themed “27th Democracy & 3rd Year Anniversary of President Ahmed Tinubu Inter-Senior Schools Debate Championship,” opened on Monday at Government Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, Port Harcourt.
The participating states are Ebonyi, Abia, Delta, Sokoto, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, and host state Rivers. Each state is represented by its top debaters selected through state-level contests.
Declaring the event open, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, said the championship goes beyond winning trophies. He described it as a national investment in the next generation of leaders.
“This platform is for nurturing young minds,” Nwagor said. “It builds critical thinking, research skills, confidence, effective communication, and the ability to engage constructively with views different from one’s own. These are the very qualities upon which responsible leadership and nation-building are founded.”
The Commissioner commended the organizers, participating schools, teachers, and coordinators for their commitment to promoting intellectual excellence among Nigerian youths.
He urged the students to compete with confidence, discipline, and respect. “Debate is not merely about winning an argument,” he noted. “It is about listening carefully, reasoning with clarity, presenting your evidence with honesty, and having the grace to learn from others. Let the quality of your ideas and the strength of your character define your participation here.”
Nwagor assured the participants that Rivers State is proud to play its part in raising a generation that will bring bold and innovative solutions to the country’s challenges. He wished all teams a rewarding, memorable, and successful championship.
Earlier in his welcome address, the National Coordinator of the President’s Schools Debate Nigeria, PSDN, Elder Dare Oritu, called the event a “gathering of minds” drawn from different parts of the country.
According to Oritu, debate is about three things. “It is about _unity_. It brings us together from different schools and backgrounds to learn from one another. It is about _broadening the mind_. It teaches you to think deeply, to listen well, to ask ‘why,’ and to defend your ideas with facts and respect. It is about _preparing you for leadership_. The problem-solvers and decision-makers of tomorrow are in this hall today.”
He reminded the students that debate is not a contest of aggression. “Debate is _not a fight_. We challenge ideas, not people. It is _not about who is better_. And it is _not do-or-die_. We win with grace, and we learn with humility,” Oritu said.
The PSDN National Coordinator encouraged all participants to compete with integrity, speak with clarity, and leave wiser than they came. He wished them the very best throughout the competition.
Highlights of the opening ceremony included the official draw for debate matches, administered by PSDN officials. The pairings will determine which states face each other in the preliminary rounds as the battle for the 2026 national title begins.
Amadi Akujobi
The National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), Port Harcourt, has graduated 61 students from its six-month Cybersecurity training programme. The institute also inducted 48 new students for the new academic session during a brief ceremony held at its Port Harcourt centre on Monday.
Centre Manager of NIIT Port Harcourt, Mr. Precious Ogulu Tom, said the institute is always excited to induct students into cybersecurity because it is one of its flagship courses with strong international recognition. He noted that the centre’s performance has earned it high ratings from ICSS, adding that in the past academic year, more than 20 students passed ICSS certification exams.
According to him, beyond the NIIT certificate, which is globally recognized, students also proceed to ICSS and complete their courses without difficulty. He credited the faculty for maintaining standards and said NIIT remains the leading ICT training institute in Port Harcourt and Rivers State.
Tom said NIIT has a presence in all major cities in Nigeria and its headquarters in India, with training covering all areas of ICT. He added that every year the institute produces at least one first-class graduate in Software Engineering from partner universities such as Middlesex University and the University of Sunderland. He described the institute’s approach as practical and hands-on.
On fees, he addressed comments about cost online, saying quality training requires investment. “Does anything good come easy? Nothing good comes easy,” he stated. He explained that students receive industry-standard books and globally recognized certificates, and invited parents and prospective students to register with NIIT for value-driven training.
Also speaking, Principal Instructor for Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking, Mr. Nyekwere TamunoTonye, said the cohort began in February with high expectations and completed the programme in six months. He said one notable achievement was that the class remained largely intact despite challenges, including system breakdowns and family issues. “At the end of this six months, we never lost anybody. That is the greatest. So, we give God the glory,” he said.
Nyekwere said students were exposed to multiple domains in cybersecurity and received strong practical training. He told the graduands that their real learning starts now and urged them not to relent. “This is no longer the time you go back to play,” he added.
He emphasized that the institute equipped them not only with technical and practical skills but also with character and a mindset for continuous learning. He noted that no institution, including Harvard or Yale, can teach everything, but good schools set the path, which NIIT has done.
He charged them to deploy their skills positively. “I don’t want to see any of you being arrested by the EFCC tomorrow. I don’t want to see any of you being arrested by the police. I don’t want to see any of you being arrested,” he said.
Senior IT Counselor and Head of Sales and Marketing, Mrs. Igbigbari Vincent-Eretoru, congratulated the graduands for completing the programme and defending their presentations according to NIIT academic standards. She said certificates are awarded in character and learning, and urged them to be good ambassadors of NIIT Port Harcourt by applying what they learned.
Responding on behalf of the graduates, Class Section Head Tamunotonyesia Epelle said many came in with questions and uncertainty about specializations but left with clarity, confidence, and technical competence gained through practical assignments, teamwork, and the instructor’s push to avoid mediocrity.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.
In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.
The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.
According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.
Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.
In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.
The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.
Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3
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