Benue

The General Manager, Benue State Environmental Sanitation Agency (BENSESA), Mr. Ediga Akpa, has warned displaced people by flood not to return to their homes until they are fumigated.

Akpa told newsmen in Makurdi that the areas affected by flood needed proper sanitary attention, as they were no longer habitable.

He warned those, who were returning to their homes to desist from doing so, pointing out that the flood had brought many dangerous reptiles to the areas.

The general manager also said that the areas affected must be fumigated to meet the required standard of human sanitation before people would be allowed to move back.

He, however, said that individuals, who insisted on going back should seek professional advice to avoid contacting dangerous diseases.

Kano

The Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has stressed the need for parents, teachers and governments to close ranks and instil reading culture in children.

Mr. Lawan Abdu, the NUT Chairman gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Kano.

He lamented that, “many parents do not show interest in inculcating reading culture in their children, only few bother to encourage or assist their children to do homework or assignment”.

He also said it was necessary for all tiers of government to create conducive environment for learning, noting that the congestion of pupils in classrooms was making it difficult for effective learning.

Abdu, who wondered how reading culture could thrive in a congested classroom setting, said, “I teach up to 160 pupils in one classroom.”

Katsina

The police in Katsina State have confirmed the arrest of four officials of the state’s Board of Internal Revenue for allegedly defrauding the state government of an unspecified amount of money.

The police command’s acting Police Public Relation Officers, Malam Lawal Joka, told newsmen that investigation into the case was continuing.

The suspects, including three revenue officers and a Vehicle Inspection Officer, allegedly connived in an illegal sale of vehicle licences and other particulars.

The officials were alleged to have been issuing fake vehicle licences and particulars to unsuspecting vehicle owners, thereby making the board to lose huge sums of money.

Their arrest, it was also learnt, followed the board’s investigation during which they were allegedly found involved in the scam.

Kogi

Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, has urged flood displaced persons in the state to cooperate with government to ensure that its intention of mitigating their sufferings was not jeopardised.

Awoniyi, in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Mr Michael Abu, in Lokoja, made the appeal in Ajaokuta during a fact finding and assessment tour of displaced persons’ camps.

He said that the visit was to determine claims by such persons and ascertain some complaints over their welfare.

Awoniyi said that government was doing a lot to make them comfortable and expressed concern that some of the victims connived with some elements to sabotage the efforts.

He said that government could only succeed if those displaced worked with officials to fish out the saboteurs and urged the victims to also show gratitude by making genuine claims over the efforts put in place by government.

Nasarawa

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Nasarawa State, has urged mobilisation and orientation officers of the agency in the state to take the Federal Government’s transformation programme to the grassroots.

Mr Richard Abimiku, the Director of NOA in the state, who was addressing the Mobilisation and Orientation Officers of the agency in Lafia, said doing that would pave room for speedy development in the state and the country at large.

He said that the task became necessary because people at the grassroots should be aware and understand the transformation programme of the Federal Government in the country for speedy development.

Abimiku urged the officers of the 13 local government areas to take the transformation programme to the grassroots to make the people contribute their quota to the growth and development of the state and country at large.

Niger

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State has called on donors who made pledges to the Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation to redeem the pledges in the interest of the foundation.

Aliyu made the call at Government House, Minna when he received relief materials donated to flood victims in the state by the foundation.

Reacting to a remark made by the leader of the delegation, retired Lt.Gen. Salihu Ibrahim that only a few of those who made pledges had redeemed their promises, the governor said it was necessary for his colleagues, the Northern states’ governors to remain committed to the foundation.

He said the foundation ought to justify the cause for which it was established.

Ogun

Bandits have  killed five policemen in two separate attacks in Abeokuta and Ibafo, Ogun State.

ASP Muyiwa Adejobi, the Police Public Relations Officer of Ogun State Police Command, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the robbers perpetrated the callous acts in the early hours of last Monday.

Adejobi, however, said the command had arrested a member of one of the gangs, adding that the suspect had made a confessional statement.

He said that three policemen died in the Abeokuta shootout, while two were killed in Ibafo, both incidents happening during rescue operations.

He said that the policemen, attached to the Gateway Response Squad (GRS), received calls on robbery attack and rushed to the scene only to be shot at by the suspected robbers.

Osun

The Osun State Government says the late Mrs Sheila Solarin, wife of the late social critic, Dr Tai Solarin, had left a legacy of service to humanity.

In a statement issued by Mr Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the late Sheila was an educationist of note.

According to the statement, through the efforts of the Solarins, the Mayflower School, Ikenne, has become a reference point in school management.

“One can confidently say that the school, through the hard work, dedication and honesty of the founders, has set the pace for other educational institutions,” it stated.

Oyo

The Oyo State Government says it has awarded contract to convert five major roads to dual carriageways across the state, at a cost of N29.3 billion.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Bosun Oladele and his Works and Transport counterpart, Alhaji Yunus Akintunde made the pronouncement after the weekly executive council meeting in Ibadan .

According to the state government, the roads include the four-kilometre Ibadan-Oyo Expressway, Iseyin-Oyo Junction to Owode, as well as the expansion of the 2.5 kilometre Owode-Akesan-Palace Road .

The exercise involves repair of a 3.8-km portion of the old Ibadan-Oyo Road and the 6.32-km Ilorin Expressway Junction-Ikoyi-Takie-Palace-Ogbomoso Grammar School in Ogbomoso.

Plateau

The Minister of State for Works, Mr Bashir Yuguda, on Tuesday said the Federal Government spent N4 billion to construct Vom-Manchok Road linking Kaduna and Plateau.

Yuguda made this known in Vom on Tuesday when the National Good Governance team led by the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, inspected the road.

He said that the 43.2 km road contract was awarded to PW Nigeria Limited. in 1999 and explained that the project was completed and handed over to the government on January 26, 2012.

The minister said the road was given priority because it was an inter-state and inter-region route.

He described the 43.2 Km road as a “master piece of engineering in Nigeria’’ in view of the way engineers tore through high hills to build it.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State government has provided N7 million for the purchase of Sallah cows for the needy and orphans.

The cows will be distributed in the 63 districts of the 23 local government areas of the state.

Each district is expected to receive N100,000 for purchase of cows and N10,000 for the slaughtering and preparation.

In all, 9,450 people are expected to benefit from the gesture.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Aliyu Wamakko said the gesture was aimed at enabling the beneficiaries to celebrate Sallah with ease.

Wamakko, who was represented by the Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Prof. Garba Maitafsir, charged the district heads to be diligent in the implementation of the pilot scheme.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who was represented by the Magajin Rafin Sokoto , Alhaji Rilwanu Bello, commended the state government for the gesture.

Taraba

The Provost, College of Education, Zing, Taraba State, Mr Joseph  Isa has vowed to penalise any student flouting the college’s rules and regulations.

Isa, who gave the warning at Zing while briefing newsmen, was reacting to calls by some people for the recall of the five students the college suspended recently for inciting riot.

“To my surprise, one of the suspended students confronted me, bragging that he was the ring leader of the rioters,’’ he said

The provost wondered how “a student who is proud of organising disorder’’ could be recalled.

“The suspension of those five students is indefinite. That should serve as a lesson to any student who violates the school’s rules and regulations.’’