Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The Defence Headquarters said last Thursday that all the terrorism suspects in the custody of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri would soon be screened.
The Deputy Director, Civil-Military Relations’ at the Defence Headquarters Abuja, Air Commodore Ademola Onitiju, made this known at a town hall meeting with religious and political leaders in Maiduguri.
He said the screening by an investigative panel had become necessary to determine the level of their complicity in the charges against them.
Onitiju added that the military would collaborate with the civil authorities toward the speedy trial of those found wanting. “We are going to require the assistance of the political authorities toward trying the suspects in law courts,’’ he said.
FCT
Justice Oluseun Shogbola of the National Industrial Court, Abuja, last Thursday advised the parties in a suit to respect court order to avoid contempt of court.
Shogbola said this during hearing in a case of unlawful termination of employment filed by Mr Espedis Omo-Osagie against Loyola Jesuit College and Fr Ehi Omoragbon, the President of the collage.
The Judge noted that the counsel was bringing the issue to the notice of the court for the first time and cautioned the defendant to reconnect the light and water.
She also noted that such behaviour should not emanate from a Christian institution and warned the defendants not to take laws into their hands.
The defense counsel, Mr Gbenga Adesina, told the court that effort to settle the matter out of court had proved abortive and that defense was ready to open its case.
Jigawa
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State said that the alliance between the major opposition political parties in the country would not succeed.
Lamido, who said this in Dutse when he spoke at the Jigawa chapter of the PDP stakeholders meeting, also dismissed the alliance as “political jamboree perfected to deceive the electorate”.
He added that the alliance posed no potential threat to the PDP.
Lamido observed that the opposition parties had divergent interests, ideologies and manifestoes, which could jeopardise their effort to work as a single political entity.
The governor, who said that the architects of the alliance were former PDP members, explained that the development would promote PDP and make it more relevant in the country.
The state’s PDP Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Mamuda, said that the meeting was designed to appraise the party’s performance and fashion out ways to move it forward.
Mamuda said the party had conducted congresses, elected new officials to run its affairs in the state and concluded plans to construct a permanent office complex in the area.
Kano
The Police Command in Kano State, has declared three persons wanted in connection with the recent attempt to assassinate the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and series of armed robbery operations in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ibrahim Idris, made the announcement while briefing newsmen at the command’s headquarters in Kano last Thursday.
He gave the names of the wanted persons as Na Allah, a shopkeeper at Sabon Gari Market implicated in the attack on the Emir and Babangida Salihu of Sauna Kawaji, a Jigawa State indigene, suspected of being the gang leader of armed robbers and an associate of Na Allah.
The third person, Adamu Safiyanu, also known as Adamsy of Kafur in Katsina State, was declared wanted in connection with the recovery of arms, ammunition and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) abandoned at Sauna Kawaji quarters.
Kebbi
Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State last Thursday assented to the amended budget of N125 billion passed by the state legislature.
Dakingari had in November 2012 presented a budget proposal of N114 billion to the state House of Assembly.
The budget comprised a recurrent expenditure that was reduced from N34 billion to N30 billion, while the capital expenditure increased from N85 billion to N95 billion.
The Acting Speaker of the house, Alhaji Garba Bena, who presented the amended budget to the governor at a ceremony in Birnin Kebbi, said the increase was sequel to under estimations in many aspects of the budget.
He said the SURE-P and Oil revenue to the state were not captured in the proposals, stressing that the anomalies were rectified with the support of officials of the state Ministries of Finance and Budget and Planning, respectively.
Assenting to the bill, Dakingari said he would ensure that 80 per cent implementation was recorded in 2013.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government is to spend a total of N810 million to build a College of Engineering Technology at the state- owned university at Malete to boost youth empowerment.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said last Thursday during the foundation laying ceremony of the college, said that the amount was for phase one of the project.
He said his administration was determined to ensure that the university produced, “highly skilled engineers, equipped to become entrepreneurs in the competitive global economy of the 21st century”.
Ahmed said that this was also in line with the vision of his administration in establishing an International Vocational Centre in Ajasse-Ipo, designed to produce middle-level manpower.
Lagos
The X-Squad at the Police Command in the Lagos last Thursday arrested two suspected fake policemen operating illegally on highways and extorting unsuspected members of the public.
The suspects, a fake corporal and a dismissed sergeant, were arrested separately while terrorising motorists and other road users in Lagos. The fake corporal claimed that he was attached to the Railways Police Command in Lagos.
During interrogation he could not name his immediate past Commissioner of Police and the present one as well as other principal officers he was working with.
He could neither remember the duty post assigned to him in the acclaimed Railway Divisional Police Office at Iddo, nor remember the name of his Divisional Police Officer.
The corporal was caught in police black uniform with the service written on his left side and his names on the right side of the uniform as against the opposite at Oshodi, Lagos.
Oyo
The National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) has appealed to the Federal Government to ensure uninterrupted power supply at the centre to prevent the extinction of Nigerian crops.
The Director of the centre, said in Ibadan recently that the major constraint of the Ibadan-based centre was power.
He said that some of the germplasm or living organisms of both crops and animals inherent in Nigeria, had spent about 20 years in the centre’s gene bank.
Odofin said that the conservation was possible, in spite of the erratic power supply in the country, because the centre had no choice but to resort to the use of electricity generating sets, adding that the centre was the only government institution that had the mandate for germplasm conservation.
“God forbid for instance, if all the yams of our farmers are eaten by rodents, they must come to us to get new varieties or replacement from our gene bank to plant or else yam will become extinct,” he said.
Plateau
The Plateau State Government says it would achieve 40 per cent of the MDG on sanitation by 2015.
The Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development, Malam Idi Waziri, gave this indication while inaugurating the State Task Group on Sanitation (STGS) in Jos.
He said that the issue of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) required urgent action so as not to truncate development and accelerate poverty in the state and disclosed that inaugural ceremony was aimed at establishing the State’s Sanitation Task Group, noting that the national body had been in existence since 2002.
“The role of the task group is to have a manpower that will strengthen the sanitation transformation and will serve as a backup to the existing sanitation service delivery in the state.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government has earmarked N1.3 billion for the environment sector in 2013, Dr Jabbi Kilgori, the state Commissioner, has disclosed.
Kilgori said in Sokoto on Thursday that some of the projects earmarked for the year included the provision of adequate facilities for modern refuse collection and disposal.
According to him, the ministry has developed programmes to “intensively’’
sensitise the people of the state on best practice in waste disposal, with a view to curbing the menace of indiscriminate waste disposal.
The commissioner said that the state government would expend N6 million on the establishment of 30kms shelterbelts in the frontline local governments of Sabon-birni, Isa, Gada, Illela, Tangaza and Gwadabawa.
The Arewa /Northern Community in Rivers state has appointed Alhaji Shuaibu Wada Madawakin Tilda as the Acting Dan Buran Rivers State.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Cabinet Council.
The appointment follows the dethronement of the former occupant,
Alhaji Musa Saeedu.
A statement from the Palace of the Sarkin Arewa/Northern Community (Sarkin Hausawan) in Rivers State and signed by His Royal Highness, Alhaji Hussaini Isah said the dethronement is with immediate effect.
The statement further disclosed that the decision follows an allegation of acts of insubordination and conduct considered contrary to the values, discipline, and traditions of the Northern community perpetuated by the Fmr Dan Buran.
The statement advised the public to discontinue to recognising and addressing Alhaji Musa Saeedu as the Dan Buran of the State, adding that he no longer holds the title and remained suspended.
Responding via telephone interview, Alhaji Musa Saeedu said he will not make any comment regarding the matter.
The Alliance Française of Port Harcourt opened its doors to more than sixty French language teachers from Port Harcourt and across Rivers State at the weekend for an afternoon dedicated to celebration, creativity, and community spirit.
The event which was Supported by the Embassy of France in Nigeria, forms part of the global celebrations marking the Journée Internationale du Professeur de Français (French Teachers Day) a day officially set aside to observe worldwide every 20 November.
The Tide Entertainment reports that every year, French teachers around the globe are honoured for the passion and dedication they bring into their classrooms.In 2025, the theme chosen “Chanter, jouer, enseigner: la francophonie en musique” (Sing, Play, Teach: Francophonie in Music) invited the entire community to explore the joy of teaching through song, performance, and artistic expression.
A Day that brings teachers together for the French teaching community in Port Harcourt, this celebration is much more than a ceremony, it is a rare moment to step away from the classroom and reconnect with the simple joy of sharing, learning, and creating together.
The Alliance Française transformed the occasion into a space buzzing with music and entertainment. Teachers from primary schools, secondary schools, universities, and adult learning centers gathered to exchange ideas, reconnected with colleagues, and discover each other’s talents in an atmosphere filled with warmth and friendship.
Honouring Creativity with the theme “Our Teachers Have Talent!”This year, the Embassy of France launched a national contest titled “Nos profs ont du talent!” (“Our Teachers Have Talent !”), participants were invited to either interpret or create a Francophone song.For a month, from 13 October to 13 November 2025, teachers from across the country submitted their performances online, filling the digital space with francophone music.While winners of this nationwide competition were announced.
According to the the Director, Mrs Marina Lacal, Alliance Française Port Harcourt, excitement and anticipation were added to the celebrations, saying that in Port Harcourt, the festivities went even further. Port Harcourt experienced a Unique Celebration that went beyond the online competition, Alliance Française Port Harcourt created something special, an event where teachers met physically, shared moment of joy, and present their musical talents live.On stage, teachers sang the songs they love and those they have created, showcasing the creativity that animates their classrooms every day.
She explained that that off stage, they( participants )shared stories, network with colleagues, laughed together, and celebrated their unique contribution to the promotion of the French language in Rivers State.This gathering is also a moment of recognition. Every day, French teachers open doors for thousands of learners, children discovering their first French words, teenagers preparing for exams, university students shaping their future careers, and adults embracing new opportunities.
“Today, the spotlight shines on them. More Than an Event, A Tribute to Their Dedication The 2025 celebration in Port Harcourt was a heartfelt tribute to the teachers who make French come alive, those who inspire, guide, and encourage learners with unwavering commitment,” Mrs. Lacal said
The Director explained that It recognises their resilience, their creativity, and their essential role in building bridges between cultures.By offering them a moment of relaxation, fun, artistic expression, and professional networking, Alliance Française Port Harcourt reaffirms its mission to support educators, strengthen the teaching community, and celebrate the vibrant energy of the Francophonie in Nigeria.
Climax of the exciting event was the presentation of prizes to winners of the competition.
The Chairman Advisory Committee on Entertainment and Performing Arts, Khana Local Government Area, Hon. Lexy M. Mueka has expressed gratitude to the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area Dr. Thomas Bariere for his support and vision in promoting entertainment as a tool for peacebuilding and youth engagement.
Hon Mueka made this known to the Tide Entertainment during a recently concluded concert tagged “OGONI ARISE CONCERT” held at the No. 6 Field, Old Port Harcourt Township.
According to him, the concert was not just an event but a movement aimed at reawakening the cultural consciousness of the Ogoni people and inspiring the younger generation to use their talents positively.
The Tide Entertainment reports that the event, organized by Triple 3 Entertainment under the auspices of the office of the Chairman Advisory committee on Entertainment and Performing Arts to the Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, was a vibrant celebration of peace, unity, and cultural renaissance among the Ogoni people.
“Conceptualized as a platform to promote social harmony, empower young creatives, and showcase the rich artistic heritage of Ogoniland, the Ogoni Arise Concert succeeded in bringing together community leaders, entertainers, and the general public in a rare show of solidarity. The event featured electrifying performances by indigenous and regional artistes, dance troupes, comedians, and cultural ambassadors, all united under one message — Ogoni is rising again,” Hon. Mueka said.
“The Ogoni Arise Concert was designed to remind us of who we are — a people of strength, creativity, and unity. We wanted to show that entertainment can be a bridge for peace, a voice for our youth, and a celebration of our identity,” he added.
The event also featured a special Award Presentation Ceremony recognizing distinguished Ogoni sons and daughters who have made remarkable contributions in areas such as leadership, humanitarian service, creative excellence, and cultural promotion. The awards added a touch of prestige and purpose, reinforcing the concert’s theme of celebrating excellence while inspiring future generations.
Security at the event venue was top-notch, turnout of attendance impressive, and the atmosphere electric throughout the night.
Meanwhile, guests and participants had described the event as “historic, well-organized, and truly uplifting.”
