Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State Government has reiterated it’s commitment to play a leading role in achieving the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The State Coordinator of MDGs, Alhaji Adamu Garbajo, made this known on Thursday in Yola at the opening ceremony of the MDGs Conditional Cash Transfer training workshop.
Garbajo said that efforts had been made to achieve the objectives of the MDGs in the areas of health, education, water supply, sanitation, agriculture and human development.
Ekiti
Five persons, including two women, on Thursday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court over alleged possession of a human head.
The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Ebenezer Ewuola, gave the names of the accused as Bakare Itunu (F), Jamiu Aremu, Akeem Abdul, Odekunle Fatai and Kikelomo Bello (F).
Ewuola told the court that the accused committed the offence in March at 53 Iyere St., Erio-Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state.
Ewuola said the offence contravened sections 517, 242 and 329 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.
Jigawa
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa State on Thursday arrested a suspected seller of cannabis and hard drugs (name withheld).
The Commandant of the agency in the state, Alhaji Mohammed Gidado, told newsmen in Dutse, that the suspect was arrested in Gumel Local Government Area of the state around 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday.
He said the arrest followed an intelligence report by men of the command operating in the area, adding that the suspect was found with 655 wraps of cannabis, three sachets of Diazepam (10 mg) and three sachets of Rohyphonol Flunitrazepam (1mg), popularly known as Roti.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) on Thursday agreed to jointly provide N2 billion loan to support small holder farmers to improve food production.
The Managing Director of the bank, Dr Mohammed Santuraki, made this known at a media briefing after he met with Governor Saidu Dakingari, in Birnin Kebbi.
Santuraki said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the loan would be formally signed soon by the two parties.
Kogi
Arrangements have been concluded for the installation of Ndakwo Ameh Oboni as the new Attah Igala on April 27.
Briefing newsmen in Idah on Thursday, the Chairman of the Coronation Planning Central Committee, Dr Ahmadu Ali said that the ceremony would take place at the ancient palace ground at Idah.
Ali, who is also the Ochada Attah Igala said that Gov. Idris Wada would present the staff of office to the new monarch.
He said that the historic event was unique and important to the Igalas because many of them would be witnessing such an occasion for the first time in 67 years.
Kwara
The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Issa Kayode, on Thursday charged health officials in the state to adopt the strategy of timely disease surveillance and control to promote a healthy population.
Kayode made the call in Ilorin at a sensitisation meeting on disease surveillance organised for health officials in the 16 local government areas of the state.
He said that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa had adopted a strategy called “Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR)”.
According to him, the IDSR aims to create functional disease surveillance system in African countries which will generate information for timely action on control of diseases.
Lagos
A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Wednesday fixed April 30 for hearing in the case of 15 Russian sailors charged with illegal importation of arms and ammunition. The case, which was slated for hearing, could not go on due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Okechukwu Okeke. No reason was given for his absence.
The accused include Zhelyazkov Andrey, Captain; Savchenko Sergel, Chichkanov Vasily, Varlygin Igor, Komilov Alexander, Lopatin Alexey and Baranovskly Nikolay.
Nasarawa
The Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board, Mr Clement Odeh, has urged youths in the state to embrace peace.
Odeh made the call on Wednesday during a reconciliatory meeting of all the ethnic groups in the state initiated by the Board in Lafia
“It is only when people agree to forget the ugly experience of what happened during the communal crisis and have accepted to forge ahead that lasting peace will be achieved. “If there is no peace, no meaningful development would be achieved,’’ he said.
Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command said on Thursday that it impounded 35 vehicles across the state within five days for violating the law against using tinted glasses.
The spokesman of the Command, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta that the command would intensify its efforts toward enforcing the order which, according to him, was from the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.
He said the command was also clamping down on vehicles with fake registration numbers, warning that owners of such vehicles would be classified as criminals.
Ondo
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has challenged security operatives in Ondo State to tackle the spate of abduction of innocent persons in the state.
In a statement signed by the Vice President of NUJ Zone B, Mr Dele Atunbi, in Akure, the union observed with concern that “in the last two weeks, three women had been abducted in the state for ransom with just only one of them out of the crucible”.
“While noting with deep sense of concern the pains and agonies of these women in the fangs of their abductors, the union is alarmed that the security operatives have not been able to unravel any of these incidences.
Oyo
The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has adjourned to June 13 hearing on the motion filed by the former governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel. The court could not sit on Thursday due to the inability of the judges to form a quorum.
The lead counsel to Daniel, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan, said he was not disappointed that the court was unable to sit; “We came here to do our own work, but unfortunately the court is not sitting because two of their Lordships are busy somewhere else on some important assignments. “It happens like that. Sometimes you come and your cases are done; sometimes your cases are not done, but the reason given by the court is a genuine one,” he said.
Daniel was dragged before an Abeokuta High Court by the EFCC on a 38-count charge of alleged financial misappropriation and conversion of state land to personal use.
Plateau
The Plateau State Government has rejected claims that the recent clashes in Wase and Langtang areas were communal strife between two tribal groups.
Commissioner for Information, Abraham Yiljap, said in Jos on Wednesday, after a state security meeting that reviewed the hostilities that had enveloped the southern part of the state in the past four days.
Yobe
Yobe State Government on Thursday approved N192.5 million for the procurement of ballot papers and other electoral materials for the June 2013 local government elections in the state.
The State Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Goni Fika, stated this while briefing newsmen after the state executive council meeting in Damaturu.
He explained that “the council approval N192.5 million being request from the State Electoral Commission for procurement of ballot papers and other electoral materials for the local government election”.
Zamfara
The Coalition of Maternal and New Born Child Health, an NGO, has commended the Zamfara State Government for making provision for nutrition in the 2013 budget.
The State Coordinator of the coalition, Mallam Ibrahim Tudu, made the commendation on Thursday in an interview with newsmen in Gusau, said “we have succeeded after various struggles and complaints to the government, now the government has provided it under the State Ministry of Health’’.
He said the budget would contribute a lot to solving malnutrition problems in the state, and explained that the coalition, in collaboration with Save the Children International, had also organised various seminars and workshops for members of the coalition and journalists.
Nation
Gombe Opens Bid For Construction Of Three-Arm Zone Project
Gombe State Ministry of Works, Housing and Transportation has opened bids for the construction of three arms zone complexes within the Gombe Capital Special Development Zone which held at the Ministry’s conference hall.
Speaking while presiding over the bid opening proceedings, the Commissioner, Engr. . Usman Maijama’a Kallamu assured the bidders that the bid opening would be carried out using procurement process which is based on specific regulations that are credible, fair, and transparent.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alh. Idris Yambiu Buba said that the Ministry will continue to align itself for optimal results in the implementation of government policies and projects in line with Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s commitment to bringing development to the State.
While assuring the bidders of a transparent process, the SSA to the Governor on Special Project, Arch. Yakubu Mamman thanked Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his foresight in infrastructural development of the State, adding that government is committed to ensuring that all bidders had an equal chance to participate and compete based on merit to maintain standards and specifications.
Nation
Gov Mbah Signs Bill To Establish Teaching Hospital In Enugu
Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday, signed the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS) Teaching Hospital Bill 2024 into Law, promising to expedite action to actualise the teaching hospital immediately to provide quality training and healthcare services in the Enugu North part of the State and the State in general.
Mbah, while commending the Enugu State House of Assembly for accelerating action on the processing and passage of the Executive Bill, said that establishing SUMAS Teaching Hospital was in line with his manifesto.
He said, “What we have done by signing into law the Enugu State University of Medical and Applied Sciences Teaching Hospital Bill is that we now have in place a legal framework to immediately begin to put in place all that is required to upgrade SUMAS to a teaching hospital. This is part of our campaign promises and we are committed to delivering on that expeditiously.
“We believe that the importance and significance of siting a teaching hospital in our Enugu North zone can never be lost on us. So, we are not going to spend any time in making sure that everything that is necessary and required to upgrade and get the teaching hospital operational is put in place. With this Law, we are going to redouble our commitment and our efforts to achieve that.”
He assured the Governing Council and the Management of SUMAS of his continued support, adding that his administration would equally be counting on their pedigree and contacts to bring the teaching hospital to fruition in record time.
“We are going to continue to support you and we are also going to continue to count on your experience, network, and profile in raising resources to actualize the project.
“This year alone, we are going to spend 33 per cent of our budget on education. This underscores the importance of education to this administration. So, be sure to come to us whenever there is a need. We are going to support you because we are interested in education and we are investing heavily in it,” he said.
On his part, the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uchenna Ugwu, who also spoke at the Bill signing witnessed by the Chairman of SUMAS Governing Council, Msgr. Obiora Ike, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Ogbonna, and top hierarchies of the institution, commended Governor Mbah’s speed and faithfulness in delivering on his campaign promises. He assured that the House of Assembly was ever ready to fast-track every executive bill that would impact positively on the state and its people.
“We promised we are going to support this administration by doing our job expeditiously to ensure that there is no delay in your delivery of democracy dividends to our people. Therefore, the SUMAS Teaching Hospital Bill received expedited hearing and today you have the signing of the bill into law,” he stated.
Nation
Ododo Applauds Security Agencies Over Rescue Of 43 Bus Passengers
Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo has applauded security agencies in the State for their efforts in the rescue of 43 bus passengers.
The Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Ismaila Isah disclosed this in a statement yesterday.
The statement noted that the governor welcomed the news of the release of the abducted bus passengers in Okehi Local Government Area of the State and called for sustained collaboration between security agencies and local communities to improve intelligence gathering and prevent crime and criminality in all parts of the state.
Ododo commended the caretaker chairman of Okehi LGA, Mr Amoka Eneji, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Professional Hunters, Ebira Local Hunters Group and other security agencies for their intervention, which led to the rescue of the passengers who were abducted outside the state.
“Governor Ododo also commends the response of security agencies to the robbery incidence in Felele area of Lokoja and called for more urgency in addressing cases of insecurity in any part of the state.
“The Governor reassured the people of the state that his administration will not relent in its efforts in deploying maximum resources to ensure that all communities in the state remain unsafe for criminal elements.”
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