Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has mourned the death of elder statesman, Alhaji Bukar Mandara, describing him as a true nationalist and philanthropist.
Mandara died after a protracted illness at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) last Sunday, and he was buried on Monday at the Gwange Cemetery in the Maiduguri metropolis.
Shettima, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Communications, expressed shock over Mandara’s death, saying he was a man who worked tirelessly for the interest of the less privileged. “I received the death of Mandara with a total shock, although as a Muslim we believe that death is a necessary end to all humans,’’ he said.
FCT
The Lagos State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board has been adjudged the most outstanding state in the promotion of self-sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage in the 2012 exercise.
Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Mr John-Kennedy Opara, announced this at the joint conference of states pilgrims’ welfare boards and the commission in Abuja.
Rivers State was honoured for sponsoring the highest number of pilgrims; Borno State was recognised for its resilience in sponsorship of pilgrims in spite of daunting challenges while Benue was adjudged the most organised state.
Opara said that the honoured states had been consistent in their contributions to the smooth conduct of the 2012 exercise, and noted that the recognition was aimed at spurring the boards to work harder.
He said that the NCPC was committed to encouraging states welfare boards to organise intending pilgrims in a manner that appealed to requirements of both Nigerian and Israeli authorities.
In his address, the Chairman of the commission, Most Rev Nicholas Okoh, charged the secretaries and chairmen of the states boards to work hard in improving the spirituality of pilgrims in their respective states.
Gombe
The Pantami Magistrates’ Court in Gombe State has sen- tenced five persons to one month imprisonment each with an option to pay N1,000 fine each for breaking traffic law.
They are Abubakar Umar of Bakin Kura, Bauchi; Idriss Audu of Kabusa of FCT and Yohana Kalim of Tula Wange, Kaltungo local government area of Gombe. Others are Saidu Kabir and Mohammed Garba both of Tudun Wada Quarters, Gombe.
The convicts were sentenced based on their guilty plea and plea for leniency. Police prosecutor Sardauna Pukuma had told the court that the convicts were arrested on April 6, at about 8 p.m.
He alleged that the convicts drove different types of vehicles on the Gombe-Bauchi Federal Highway and disobeyed Police officers on stop and search, stating that the offence contravened the provisions of section 62 (J) of the Road Traffic Regulation (RTR).
Jigawa
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) last Tuesday, appealed to farmers in Jigawa State to ensure effective utilisation of facilities provided them by the fund to boost agricultural activities in the state.
The IFAD Country Programme Manager, Atsuko Tudo, made the call while presenting work bulls and other agricultural processing equipment to some farmers in Kiyawa local government area of the state.
IFAD had in March disbursed N180 million to 36 village areas to facilitate the implementation of its Community Based Agriculture and Rural Development Programme (CBARDP) in the state.
She said that the programme was designed to reduce poverty, provide means of livelihood and encourage agricultural activity and rural development.
Kaduna
Kaduna State branch of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) last Tuesday expressed concern over the lack of cooperation among workers in the health sector.
The chairman of the union in the state, Mr Emmanuel Wudiri, expressed the concern at a news conference in Kaduna to mark the union’s health week.
Wudiri said the situation had contributed to the series of failures in tackling the healthcare challenges in the country.
He stressed the need for synergy among health professionals to ensure effective and efficient health care services in the country.
Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State has assured non- indigenes resident in the state of adequate security of their lives and property.
Kwankwaso gave the assurance when the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Gary Nnachi, paid him a courtesy call in Kano last Tuesday.
The state Commissioner for State Affairs, Alhaji Aminu Abdussalam, who received the Igbo leader on behalf of the governor, said the state government would continue to accord priority to security to ensure economic growth and development of the state.
Katsina
The Police Commissioner in Katsina State, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji, has confirmed the attack of a police station at Ingawa local government area in Katsina State,
Magaji told newsmen in Katsina last Tuesday, that the intention of the gunmen, he described, as robbers, was to take away the police arms, and stated that one of the Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) fell on the roof of the police station and ignited the fire that destroyed the building.
“There is no casualty on the part of the police, but some of the suspects escaped with wounds and we have recovered five IEDs and three motorcycles. “We are pursuing them and we have alerted our neighbouring states and we are going to arrest them, God willing,’’ the commissioner said.
An eyewitness said that the incident occurred at about 9.30pm on Monday, adding that the gunmen, numbering about 10, invaded the police station and threw several IEDs at the building, one of which detonated.
Kebbi
The Secretary to Kebbi State Government, Alhaj Nurudeen Kangiwa, says the state government would partner with recognised professional security outfits to enhance security in the state.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Department, Alhaji Sani Sarki, Kangiwa gave the assurance when he received officials of the National Peace Corps and National Vigilante Groups in Birnin Kebbi last Tuesday.
He commended the security outfits for their decision to enhance peace and security and peaceful co-existence, adding “we commend your resolve that is centred on preventive measures on security.”
The National Commandant of the Peace Corps, Dr. Dickson Akoh, said the corps was recognised by the Federal Ministries of Education and Youth Development, while UNESCO and the UN had recognised its training methods.
Lagos
A downpour in Lagos last Tuesday caused flooding in some parts of the metropolis, resulting in traffic gridlock on several roads, which left many commuters stranded at bus stops for hours.
Some of the affected areas include Ajegunle in Ikorodu, Ikotun, Ikorodu Road, Alaka, Carter Bridge, Mushin , Ebute-Meta and Ile-epo along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Some motorists and commuters said that the flood on some of the major roads resulted in some vehicles breaking down, which affected the free flow of traffic.
A civil servant, Mrs Mary Udoh, said she was stranded in the rain for hours because most of the commercial buses had parked for fear of getting damaged.
Governor Mu’azu Aliyu of Niger State has called on the Federal Government to increase the funding of the National Population Commission to enable it effectively discharge its duties.
Speaking in Minna at the workshop on the review and evaluation of the 2006 population and housing census, Aliyu noted that national planning and development have been frustrated by manipulation of census figures over the years in Nigeria.
According to the governor, the manipulation of census figures of the country’s population has made it impossible to get an accurate figure of the populace since 1963.
Aliyu said that many Nigerians see census only in terms of ‘sharing the cake’ based on the mono culture of ‘oil money’ instead of laying emphasis on ‘baking the cake’.
Ogun
An Abeokuta Chief Magistrates Court has remanded in Ibara Prison a 33-year-old security guard, Mulero Ogunleru, for allegedly beheading a mad woman.
The Police Prosecutor, A S P Paul Etusi, told the court that the accused committed the offence on January 28 at about 5 p.m. at Ishaga Orile in Abeokuta. He said that the accused unlawfully killed a woman by cutting off her head with a cutlass.
“ Ogunleru was sighted by several eye witnesses at the same spot where the madwoman was murdered earlier in the day. “ He was said to be playing with her”, Etusi said.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006. The accused, whose plea on the one-count charge of murder was not taken by the court, had no counsel.
Ondo
Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State in Akure,last Tuesday, enjoined the judiciary to ensure speedy dispensation of justice, to restore the hope of the masses.
Mimiko during the opening of a three-day stakeholders’ workshop organised by the state judiciary, expressed concern over the delay in dispensation of cases in the country, adding that the workshop would reverse the situation in the state. According to Mimiko, the procedure, which is affidavit evidence based, will avert lengthy cross examination of witnesses as they will now rely only on adoption of his affidavit.
“With this, many of the civil cases in our various high courts will now be quickly dispensed with.
Sotoko
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 10, Sokoto, Alhaji Sule Mamman, said measures had been put in place to control the importation of arms.
Mamman said in Sokoto, last Tuesday, that officers were posted to border towns of Illelah, Sabon Birni, Isa, Gudu and Tangaza in Sokoto State.
He also said that some were deplored to Kamba, Kangiwa, Bagudu and Augie in Kebbi.
“They were briefed on security methods to be adopted to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those involved in the nefarious business.”
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.