Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda last Monday refuted recent media reports that he was lobbying to run as vice-president alongside President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osaro Onaiwu, Yuguda said he thought he put the speculations to rest when he previously stated that he was returning to his farm upon completing his second term as the state governor in 2015. Onaiwu said the governor said he would not be distracted from his commitment to stay focused on delivering dividends of democracy to the people of his state before he leaves office.
The Special Adviser further blamed the peddlers of such rumours as political jobbers who are looking for ways to profit from creating disaffection among politicians.
Borno
Five people, including a traditional leader, two Islamic clerics, a policeman and a resident were at the weekend killed in separate attacks in Borno and neighbouring Yobe State by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram.
Our source gathered that the traditional ruler who was the District Head of Auno, a small community along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway was killed last Friday night by suspected Boko Haram Islamists.
Sources said the gunmen drove to the residence of the district head in a volkswagen Golf car at about 9pm and opened fire to scare residents before they kill the district head. Auno is 22 kilometres west of Maiduguri, Borno State capital.
The two clerics, according to sources, were shot dead at Kandahar and T-junction areas of Potiskum town in Yobe State at about 8pm and 10pm last Friday while another resident was reportedly killed at about 9.30am last Saturday.
Unconfirmed report also indicated that a policeman was shot dead near Muna Motor Park along Maiduguri-Dikwa road last Saturday morning. Neither the police nor the JTF confirmed all the killings as at press time.
Ekiti
Ekiti State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has charged its members not to think that the state deputy governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, was killed by evil people, saying that her battle with cancer started manifesting since 2009 “when we were in the trenches.”
This is just as it mourned the death of Mrs Olayinka, saying that it would ensure that her death would not be a source of discord in the party.
Chairman of Ekiti ACN, Chief Jide Awe, who addressed newsmen in Ado-Ekiti last Monday, said “we are determined to ensure that her death will not be a point of disagreement among us in the ACN.”
Chief Awe, who described the death of Mrs Olayinka as a big loss to the party, said should there be any rancour among the membership of the party, “she will never forgive us.”
FCT
The PDP has alleged that a group of opposition parties are planning to use INEC and the judiciary to discredit its leadership and destabilise the party.
This allegation is contained in a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, in Abuja last Sunday.
According to him, they used judicial officers of questionable integrity to destroy the credibility of the PDP 2012 national convention which brought in its current National Working Committee. (NWC).
Metuh said that till date, the PDP remained the only political party in the country that conducted transparent internal elections which started with the ward, local government and state congresses.
The PDP spokesman maintained that the party’s 2012 convention was not only unique in the level of participation of party members, but was free of rancour.
Kano
The police in Kano State have demoted 10 officers for offences related to misconduct and the lack of professionalism, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Musa Majiya, said.
He said three of the 10 officers were Inspectors, demoted to the rank of sergeants, while the sergeants among them were demoted to the rank of corporals.
The spokesman said the corporals were demoted to the rank of constables, while the constables were issued with warning letters.
He noted that among the offences committed by the officers was corruption, incivility to the public, maltreatment as well as the lack of professional conduct.
Majiya said that 18 of the complaints lodged by the public were amicably resolved the command, as they were mainly due to the lack of understanding by the public and urged the public to be watchful and report to the command any strange police action.
Lagos
Mixed reactions have continued to trail the Federal Government’s inauguration of a committee to consider amnesty for the Boko Haram sect, with some politicians lauding the move, while others faulting it.
Reacting to the development last Saturday, Alhaji Musa Umar, the former Deputy National Chairman of the de-registered Alliance for Democracy (AD), said the decision was welcomed.
According to him, any hope of peace at this moment was worth pursuing.
Also, Mallam Yusuf Buba, the National Chairman of the de-registered Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), said that the decision was understandable and welcomed.
Niger
Worried by the difficulty in finding lasting solution to insecurity in the region occasioned by activities of the Islamic group, Boko Haram, Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has challenged the governors to fish out members of the dreaded group in their states.
Aliyu’s recent position is coming against the backdrop of allegations among a section of Nigerians that some Northern state governments know and dine with members of the group because, “they cannot exist in a vacuum or isolate themselves from other humans”.
Aliyu spoke at the opening of a one-week in-house workshop on “the review and evaluation of the 2006 population and housing census”, organised for all Federal Commissioners and State Directors of the National Population Commission (NPC) in Minna.
Ogun
Ogun State Govenor, Ibikunle Amosun last Saturday offered automatic employment to 19 first class graduating students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.
Amosun who made the announcement during the 22nd convocation ceremony of the institution in Ago Iwoye last Saturday, said the state civil service would be glad to absorb the students so that they can impact positively on the development of the state.
While congratulating the graduating students, Amosun said government would continue to give its support to the university.
Earlier in his speech, Prof.Saburi Adesanya, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution said 7,794 graduands were being conferred with first degrees and higher degrees.
Ondo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State and the state government, last Monday, disagreed over welfare of workers in the state, as the PDP accused government of inability to pay workers’ salaries.
The party, in a statement by its director of publicity, Ayo Fadaka, alleged that the state government had, since the beginning of the year, not been able to meet its obligations to the workers.
“Government, in an attempt to shield the fact of the matter, has embarked on a subterfuge that it is trying to unmask the existence of ghost workers in its workforce, but the truth is that, the Olusegun Mimiko-led administration, in its years in government, has grossly mismanaged the finances of the state to the level that it can no longer fulfil its financial obligations,” the PDP said.
Oyo
More Nigerians and political parties have joined in mourning the death of Ekiti Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka. The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Dauda Kolawole, in Ibadan last Sunday described her death as unfortunate, shocking and devastating.
It said the South West zone was passing through a difficult moment with the death of its illustrious sons and daughters whose services were much needed for the zone’s development.
Taraba
The Acting Governor of Taraba State Alhaji Garba Umar, has called on the Federal Government to reimburse the state for constructing two federal roads. Umar made the call in Jalingo last Saturday when officials of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) paid him a courtesy visit.
He said the reimbursement would cover the cost of constructing the 72 km Jalingo-Sunkani- Garbachede and 45 km Mararaba-Baissa- Abong roads.
Umar added that work on the Mararaba Baissa-Abong road had reached advanced stage while the Jalingo-Sunkani-Garbachede road would be inaugurated next month.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.