Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa House of Assembly, last Thursday passed a bill empowering the state government to acquire loan from the capital market.
The House passed the bill into law at plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri. The bill was passed by the legislators after it was introduced for third reading by the Majority Leader, Alhaji Ishaq Bala and seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Simon Isa .
The law now empowers the state government to raise loan from the capital market through the issuance of debt securities in the form of registered bonds, for projects implementation.
An earlier report on the bill, submitted by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Laori Kwamoti (PDP-Numan) and which was adopted by the assembly, said the aim was to open new sources of funds to finance development projects in the state.
Benue
The Benue Government on Wednesday expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Canadian Government on training of teachers.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Chief Steven Lawani, who made the announcement when the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Chris Butter, paid him a courtesy visit in Makurdi. He said that the State Government was interested in the training of teachers in order to upgrade the standard of education in the state.
Lawani who commended the cordial relationship existing between Nigeria and Canada , expressed optimism that teachers from the state would be given adequate training by Canadian experts.
Earlier, Butter said that the Canadian Government was sending over 200 teachers to Nigeria for training exercises annually.
Kaduna
The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Thursday advised its top officials to adopt best information management practice, in line with the Freedom of Information Act.
Managing Director of FERMA, Gabriel Amuchi, gave the advice in Kaduna at a two-day seminar on the Act, with the theme, “ Information Management and Security of Document”, organised for Zonal Directors and Engineers under the agency.
He said, “although the Freedom of Information Act was to make public records and information more freely but as top officials your documents should be safe and secure at all times.”
Amuchi added that the Act covers all public agencies, including FERMA, but cautioned the officials on the adverse consequences of mismanaging information.
Kano
As part of the country’s Democracy Day activities, the Kano State Government said last Wednesday that it registered 16,000 commercial tricycle operators.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director of the state Road and Traffic Control Agency (KORATA), Alhaji Mohammed Diggol, said that the policy was to replace the ban on commercial motorcyclists in February.
Diggol said the decision to register the tricycles was due to government’s desire to regulate the activities of the operators and ensure sanity in the business.
He said the tricycles were issued with code numbers for easy identification due to the security challenges facing the state.
Katsina
A total of 157 students have been registered to begin 40 days programme on the memorisation of the Hadith, Sheikh Shuaibu Abubakar, Coordinator, Centre for the Memorisation of Hadith, has said.
Hadith are compilations of the sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad and is the second most important source of knowledge on Islam after the Holy Qur’an.
Abubakar, told newsmen on Thursday in Katsina that the participants were drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, adding that the programme was designed for those who had memorised the Holy Qur’an, have appreciable level of proficiency in Arabic and had obtained a minimum of Senior Secondary School Certificate.
Kebbi
Chairman, Kebbi Chapter of National Association of the Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON), Alhaji Musa Dan-Illela, says the nation’s mineral deposits are not optimally exploited.
He said in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday that many state governments were not harnessing their mineral deposits to generate revenue and create employment.
Dan-Illela suggested that governors should partner with their local governments in the extraction and utilisation of mineral resources for their economic development.
“Kebbi State is endowed with gypsum, bitumen, iron ore as well as precious stones in commercial quantities.
Kwara
The Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District, Sen. Simeon Ajibola, has advised politicians to shun politics of deceit and make the well-being of the electorate their priority.
Ajibola gave the advice in Ilorin on Saturday while presenting an 18 seater bus to Kwara South chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said that only sincerity of purpose and harmoniousworking relationship between political office holders and their constituents would ensure speedy development.
“It is only sincerity of purpose and total avoidance of politics of deceit that can fast-track development. “Closeness to the people at the grass roots as well as the general well-being of the electorate should be given greater attention,’’ he said.
Jigawa
The Chairman , Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Jigawa State, Alhaji Adamu Maigoro, has commended the efforts of the government in revamping the agricultural sector.
Maigoro who gave the commendation in Dutse on Thursday said that the state government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, had distributed 7,200 tonnes of fertiliser and 2,000 tonnes of improved rice seeds, to encourage paddy rice production in the state.
He added that the state government also made available about 2,000 tube wells and hand pumps to irrigation farmers and called for the adoption of practical measures to encourage the establishment of rice mill, to add value to the local produce.
Kogi
The wife of Kogi Governor, Hajia Halima, has promised to work with the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in order to improve upon the life of people of the State.
Wada who made the promise in Lokoja on Friday at the opening ceremony of the Zonal Delegates Conference of the association enjoined the association to extend its activities to the rural areas to further promote the cause of women, children and the less privileged.
She commended the association in the state for touching the lives of the people through its activities and lauded it for getting the people well informed about happenings around them
Nasarawa
The Executive Chairman, Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Malam Abdulkarim Abdullahi, has commended the state government for transforming its education sector.
Abdullahi who made this known in an interview in Lafia last Thursday, said that the transformation had improved the standard of education for the overall development of the state during the last two years.
“Gov. Tanko Al-Makura deserves commendation for giving top priority attention to education sector by improving the standard of primary, secondary and tertiary education in the state.
Osun
The Osun Waste Management Agency says it arrested 200 persons, including 50 whom it prosecuted for contravening the state sanitation laws between January and May, 2013.
The agency’s General Manager, Mr Ganiyu Oyeladun, who made this known in an interview in Osogbo, last Thursday said that the offenders, who were tried by mobile courts, paid penalties ranging from N2, 500 to N5, 000 fines.
“Although our service is not to necessarily fine or punish, we are interested in enforcing total compliance. “The period of grace is over and we want total compliance with environmental laws,’’ he said.
He said that the bi-monthly sanitation exercise in Osun had paid off, adding that there had been a drastic reduction in incidences of communicable diseases related to poor environmental management.
Sokoto
The Chairman, Wurno Local Government in Sokoto State, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, said recently that his administration spent N45 million to construct Almajiri schools in different parts of the state.
Chacho in Sokoto that the council spent N1 million to construct each of the schools, and that the programme was part of the council’s resolve to prevent street begging among youths in the area.
He said that local teachers charged with the responsibility of teaching the youth had been placed on monthly allowance.
Chacho added that the administration was also working on modalities to provide lunch for the students.
Plateau
Sen. Joshua Dariye (LP-Plateau Central) has advised politicians to look beyond 2015 elections and work for better and united Nigeria.
Dariye gave the advice in an interview in Jos last Thursday, said “Whether 2015 comes or not, we should look beyond it. This one wants to be, the other wants to be that, I don’t think this should be the case,” he said.
The Senator, however, expressed delight that the country’s 14 years of unbroken democracy was on course, in spite various challenges confronting the nation.
Dariye, one-time Governor of Plateau, also expressed optimism that the country’s democracy would thrive, if the mistakes made were identified and corrected.
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.