Adamawa

Alhaji Sahabo Jauro, the newly elected Chairman of Mubi North Local Government of Adamawa, has inaugurated five supervisory councillors and four special advisers.

At the inauguration on Wednesday, Jauro directed the appointees to submit their blueprints for improving the local government area as their performance would be assessed after nine months.

“After nine months we will assess your performance and see whether to allow you to continue or to replace you,’’ Sahabo said.

The chairman urged them to work hand-in-hand with elected councillors to ensure harmony.

Bauchi

The Bauchi State House of Assembly has pledged to enact more people-friendly legislation in 2013.

The Speaker, Alhaji Yahya

Miya, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi. Miya said that the Assembly would be more proactive in its responsibilities in the New Year.

“We had fruitful relationship with the executive last year and this enabled us to pass various bills on critical sectors like health, education, youth empowerment and job creation,’’ he said.

Ekiti

Politicians in Ekiti State have been urged to shun activities capable of causing disaffection among the people ahead of next year’s governorship election.

The Chief Missioner of Ansar -Ur- Deen in the State, Sheik Ameen Adebayo, made the call  at an inter-denominational prayer session organised by the state government for a crisis-free new year.

He urged politicians in the state to shun violence and watch their utterances as they prepare for the 2014 governorship election in the state.

Gombe

Alhaji Ali Goro, the Chairman, Joint Association of Physically Challenged Persons in Gombe, has called on the state government to involve members in employments concerning them.

Goro said involving members in policies and programmes involving them was necessary to avoid ‘diversion of slots’ meant for them.

The chairman was reacting to the 2013 budget proposal presented to the House of Assembly by Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo last week which made provision for the creation of jobs and skill acquisitions for the handicapped.

Jigawa

The Jigawa Government has proposed N4.4 billion as capital investment in agriculture for the 2013 fiscal year.

This is contained in the 2013 Appropriation Bill submitted to the state’s House of Assembly by Gov.

Sule Lamido  in Dutse. Lamido said the amount was provided for agricultural extension services, rehabilitation of irrigation fields, livestock and grazing lands development projects.

He explained that part of the amount would be spent on the procurement and distribution of fertilisers, seeds and other inputs to farmers.

Kano

Some Kano residents on Wednesday in Kano commended Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s administration for initiating adult literacy classes in the state.

Some of the prospective students of the classes, who spoke with our correspondent, expressed optimism that the initiative give them a new lease of life. “I was encouraged by my children to enroll into the classes to be formally educated,’’ Malam Sanda Uwaisu said.

He wished that someday he would be able to read newspapers written in Hausa as he had always relied on his children to read and then tell him the news.

Katsina

The Katsina State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday said that two people died in a New Year Day accident at Dandagoro, in Batagarawa Local Government area of the state.

Alhaji Habu Dauda, the FRSC Sector Commander, disclosed this in an interview with news  in Katsina.

He said that a man and a woman lost their lives in the accident, which occurred at about 9.22 p.m. On Jan. 1.

Dauda said that the accident involved an unmarked motorbike and a Volkswagen Golf 3 car, with Reg. No. CF927ABC.

Kebbi

The Emir of Zuru in kebbi, Alhaji Sani Sami, has called on prominent people from the emirate to empower the youth, and work for the unity and development of the area. Sami made the call  in Zuru while honouring some prominent persons from the area.

He said the people were honoured in recognition of their achievements, “especially for their exemplary conducts and activities’’

Kwara

An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court has remanded two students, Bala Abubakar and Sambo Aminu, over alleged possession of Indian hemp.

The accused were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Kwara Police Command on Unity Road in Ilorin.

According to the charge sheet, the accused persons were arrested on Dec. 30 after a search conducted on them revealed substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

The charge sheet said that when the accused persons were interrogated, they could not give a satisfactory account of the substances found on them.

Ogun

The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  said it had arrested two suspected pipeline vandals on Ajede road in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesman, Kareem Olanrewaju, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the suspects were aged 35 and 55.

“The suspects were operating with guns along side with others now at large. “Our surveillance team deployed to monitor the activities of vandals around the place relayed the information but the suspects took off before the arrival of the combat team, ‘’ he said.

Oyo

The Oyo State Police Command said on Wednesday that it was expecting an additional 300 newly-recruited officers in January to boost its manpower.

The police spokesman, Mr Ayodele Lanade, said this in Ibadan while speaking with newsmen

“Due to the nature of crime, you cannot rest on your oars. “Criminals keep changing the way they operate and so, the police cannot afford to relax, he said.

Plateau

The Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, Mr John Dabwan, has called for peaceful coexistence in 2013 among the various tribes in the state.

Dabwan told newsmen in Jos that people should work together for peace to return and for tourism to flourish once again in the state.

He also called on the people to support government efforts to develop the state.

Yobe

The Yobe Government on Wednesday mounted a water-tight security at the Yobe State House of Assembly in Damaturu, hours before Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam presented the state’s 2013 budget.

Our Source said  that the road to the assembly complex on Maiduguri road in Damaturu had been cordoned off by stern-looking security operatives.

Top government functionaries and reporters going to the assembly were subjected to vigorous screening by the security operatives.