Nation
THE STATES
Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree (left), former Speaker, Rt. Hon Tonye Harry (middle) and Leder of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, scrutinising the 2013 Appropriation Bill prior to its passage, recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga
Adamawa
The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria has constructed a health clinic worth N4.5 million in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa.
The acting Bishop of Yola Diocese, Reverend Ishaku Bala, who disclosed this at the opening of a three-day conference of the diocese on Friday in Gombi said that the clinic was built to address the health needs of the people in the area.
Bala added that the church had implemented several human capacity buildings programme to improve the living standard of its members across the state.
“The church has also established poultry and fish ponds that will accommodate more than 1000 chickens and different variety of fish,” he said.
Borno
The Defence Headquarters said on Saturday in Abuja that 65 persons suspected to be terrorists had been apprehended by its Special Task Force (STF).
A statement signed by Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, said the terrorists were caught while attempting to infiltrate Maiduguri as they fled their various camps now under attack.
The statement said the arrest was a continuation mission aimed at ridding the nation’s territories of all insurgent activities.
“The facilities have now been occupied by our troops,’’ it said further.
The statement said further that, in another development, troops have engaged and dislodged elements of insurgent groups who carried out the May 7 attacks on citizens in localities such as Gamboru ward.
FCT
A member of Forum of Legal Practitioners, otherwise known as ‘Lex Fora’, has advocated death penalty for rapists.
A former Chairman of the forum in the FCT, Mr Paul Eshiemomoh, who made the suggestion in an interview in Abuja on Sunday, described the act of rape as barbaric and animalistic.
“Because I don’t see any sense in a man going to rape an underage, such people should not be allowed to leave among people in the society Yes, I support imposition of death penalty for rapists because it will serve as deterrent to others,’’ he said.
Eshiemomoh said that the law prescribes maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment for rapists because it is a major crime, and decried the poor handling of rape cases by some prosecuting agencies, such as the police.
Jigawa
Two hundred and students of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Dutse Campus, matriculated on Saturday for the 2012/13 academic year.
The Coordinator of the Study Centre, Malam Abdullahi Abubakar, said at the matriculation ceremony that the centre, established in 2008 with five students, currently had 751 students.
Abdullahi expressed concern over the low patronage for programmes of the school and appealed to the people to embrace them considering that NOUN was like any other university.
He said that NOUN provided opportunity for both the young and the old to continue their education through the distance learning process.
Kaduna
The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) has warned that it would punish its staff involved in extorting money from customers.
Addressing the Customers’ Consultative Council at Sabon-Tasha Business Unit forum in Kaduna, the Managing Director of KEDC, Malam Mohammed Idris, said the management was worried by frequent complaints of monetary extortion by its staff.
Idris said the company was determined to deliver quality service to customers and would not allow any bad eggs to tarnish the image of the company and rubbish its efforts to meet the aspirations of its consumers.
Kaduna
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna, has accredited seven programmes of the Federal College of Agricultural Produce Technology (FCAPT), Kano.
The college was established in 2008 to train middle level manpower in agriculture, post-harvest technology and agricultural produce inspection. The Provost of the college, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, who disclosed this in Kano on Sunday in an interview said the accreditation was for the institution to award National Diploma in Science Laboratory Technology, Food Technology and Statistics.
He said the college was in the process of developing a curriculum for National Diploma in Produce Post-harvest Technology and Produce Inspection.
Nasarawa
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nasarawa State command, has started a sensitisation campaign on traffic rules and regulations for primary school pupils in Lafia.
Addressing the pupils of Loremm International Primary School, Lafia, on Friday, sector commander, Mr Francis Udoma, advised children to educate their parents on how to drive in accordance with the rules governing driving.
Represented by Mr Basil Igbana, Udoma urged road users to exercise caution as they drive to reduce the rate of accident, and advised road users to make sure their vehicles are in good condition before starting any journey.
In her remarks, the proprietress of the school, Mrs Ego Okafor, who was represented by Mr Bob Nwankwo, described children as “agents of change’’.
Osun
The Osun Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sikiru Ayedun, on Saturday said the state government was preparing to give a facelift to historical sites to boost tourism.
Ayedun who made this disclosure in a telephone interview in Lagos, said the state was blessed with an array of culture, arts and tourism opportunities to make it the number one tourism destination in the country.
The commissioner said it was on the basis of the derivable benefits from the venture that necessitated government’s decision to embark on the project.
Ayedun revealed that government had previously restored sites such as the Olajokun Memorial Park, Osun Grove, “Opa Oranmiyan”, Oke-Mogun shrine in Ile-Ife and the Oluminrin Waterfall in Erin-Ijesa.
Oyo
Three African Congres of Nigeria (ACN) Governors, Babatunde Fashola of Lagos, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti have pledged support for Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State’s urban renewal project.
The governors made the promise on Saturday at a reception at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium Ibadan, to climax the chieftaincy titles conferred on the governor and his wife.
The governors, who spoke separately, said that Ajimobi had restored the glory of Oyo State, adding that he had achieved the set goals of his administration in two years.
Plateau
Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang has described Presi
dent Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of emergency rule in three states as the best decision for the country.
Jang made the declaration while speaking to newsmen on arrival at the Jos Airport after a three-week trip abroad ,last Saturday.
“Our president knows better as the chief security officer of this country, and he has acted in the interest of all citizens.“Without peace, there is no way Nigeria can enjoy the patronage of investors. Peace is a prerequisite for investment, development and growth.“Ours is to support everything the President is doing, so that we can bring total peace to our country,’’ he said.
The governor said he and some others were just back from an investment summit in Canada aimed at attracting investors to the country.
Sokoto
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria ( NAHCON), has allocated 6,450 seats to Sokoto State for the 2013 Hajj, top official of the pilgrims agency has said.
The Chairman, Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA), Alhaji Muntari Maigona, said in an interview in Sokoto on Saturday, that Gov. Aliyu Wamakko had approved over N25 million for the provision of computers and other accessories for the establishment of ultra-modern ICT-compliant Hajj registration centres.
He said that part of the funds would be used for the intensive training of the Hajj registration officials in the state to ensure success of the ongoing biometric registration of all prospective pilgrims.
Zamafara
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, says police will now strengthen partnership with communities to identify potential national security threats.
The IG said this on Saturday in Gusau at the opening of a one-day Intelligence Sensitisation and Community Partnership Workshop.
Abubakar, who was represented on the occasion by the AIG North West Zone, Suleiman Fakai, said partnership with communities would now take “central role in preventing and responding to terrorism and reducing citizens’ security concerns”.
The measure, according to him, will also enhance national security, protection of lives and property and stabilise democracy.
Gov. Abdulaziz Yari, who was represented by the Commissioner for Local Government, Muttaka Rini, expressed readiness to always partner with security agencies to ensure peace in the state.
Yari said government would always support the agencies with logistics to enhance their performances in the protection of peoples’ lives and property and ensure peaceful coexistence among the communities.
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.