Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Borno State Government says it plans to construct street gates
in strategic areas of Maiduguri, the state capital, to consolidate the return of peace to the metropolis..
Governor Kashim Shettim stated this while receiving members of the Borno Welders Association who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Maiduguri.
Shettima pointed out that the project would commence in Gwange Ward as a pilot scheme,and later extended to other parts of the metropolis.
“Gwange has been selected for the take off of the project as part of the pilot scheme; we plan to erect eight gates to cover all the eight access roads in the area.
“Depending on the success of the project, we hope to extend it to other areas, like Kumshe, Mafoni and other parts of the city,” he said.
The chairman of the association, Mallam Ibrahim Idris, thanked the governor for the reception accorded them and assured of their supports towards developing the state.
Benue
A couple, Mr and Mrs Terhemba Makka and their two-year-old
baby were last Tuesday burnt to death at Katsina-Ala Street in Makurdi.
An eye-witness, Mr Uche Nnorom, said that the fire started at about 2 a.m., when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) restored electricity to the area.
He said that some youths, however, made efforts to put out the fire by breaking open a portion of the house, but could only rescue the deceased’s nine-year-old son, Aondongu.
The eye-witness said that the boy was immediately rushed to Bishop Murray Medical Centre, Makurdi, for immediate treatment.
He said that the entire house had been completely gutted before the arrival of men of the Fire Service at the scene.
Kaduna
Finetex Nigeria Limited, a textile company closed down in 2003
in Kaduna, has commenced the payment of over N200 million benefit to its disengaged workers.
The General Manager of the company, Alhaji MT Usman said in an interview with The Tide source in Kaduna that, more than 2, 200 workers would be paid off.
According to him, the money is the final agreed benefit to be paid the affected workers through their various banks.
Usman said the company was forced to shut down due to uncontrolled inflow of cheap textile materials from China, a situation, which he noted, had also affected most textile industries in the country.
The general manager disclosed that the management of the textile firm was working hard to resuscitate it to full production.
Katsina
The Youths Forum of Sayaya in Matazu Local Government Area
of Katsina State has threatened to boycott polio immunisation until the state government repaired the road in the area.
The threat was issued by the Chairman of the Forum, Malam Zaharuddeen Abdullahi, in an interview with newsmen recently in Katsina.
Abdullahi noted that lack of good road was the major problem facing the community, adding that the road was just about 17 kilometres long.
According to him, people of the area were facing difficulties, particularly during the rainy season, while taking their pregnant women to health facilities during labour.
The chairman also said two streams by the roadside have equally made it difficult for residents of the area to bury their dead during the rainy season.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Agency has embarked on the enlight
enment of pilgrims from the state against violating Saudi Arabia laws during the forthcoming Hajj.
The Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Imam said during one of the sensitisation campaigns in Kalgo and Bunza local government areas last Tuesday that, it was necessary for the pilgrims to exhibit good conduct during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
Represented by Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, a director in the agency, Imam noted that pilgrims from the state had in the past exhibited good conduct and urged those travelling this year “to sustain the unblemished record”.
Earlier, chairman of the sensitisation committee, Alhaji Sa’idu Maigishiri, said the state government had secured befitting accommodation close to the Holy Ka’aba and advised the intending pilgrims to ensure cleanliness.
Also, a member of the agency’s board, Alhaji Sani Dododo, said proactive measures had been taken to ensure that pregnant women did not participate in this year’s Hajj exercise.
Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka
Oladunjoye, recently urged parents to make the education of their children and wards utmost priority.
Oladunjoye made the plea in Lagos at the inauguration of School-Based Management Committee (SBMC)’s policy and guide book organised by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board.
SBMC is a voluntary group comprising community members, traditional rulers, students, parents’ forum, community development associations, religious leaders, teachers and head teachers.
The committee was established in 2007 to enhance effective governance of the 1004 primary and junior secondary schools in the state to attain free and qualitative education.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly recently banned media
outfits owned by the state from covering its activities.
The assembly took the decision after deliberating on a letter from the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service (NBS), demanding N10 million monthly as against N500,000 for live coverage of the assembly’s sitting.
Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP-Nasarawa Eggon West) raised the issue at a plenary session while discussing the letter sent to the house by the management of the NBS.
Akwashiki, who is also the Majority Leader of the house, told his colleagues that the General Manager of NBS, Mr Yusuf Musa, said that five commissioners and some advisers had directed that the outside broadcast van (OB Van) should not be brought to the house for live coverage during proceedings.
Ogun
The Ogun Police Command has arrested a 37-year-old man for
allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of a six-year-old girl last Saturday.
A statement issued in Abeokuta on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspect resided at Ayedi Street, Isale Ake, Abeokuta.
It said that the suspect, who confessed to the crime, lured the girl with a N50 note and took her to his room where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her while the mother of the victim was away.
Adejobi, who said that the medical report on the girl confirmed that she was defiled, added that the suspect had been taken to the state CID in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and prosecution.
The police spokesman said a bed sheet stained with blood and a pant were recovered from the suspect’s room adding that the command would work with relevant agencies, particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, to stop rape in the state.
Ondo
The Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Mr Jide Adejuyigbe,
tasked Christian and Muslim faithful on the need for peaceful coexistence.
Adejuyigbe made the appeal at Ikare Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of the state during a peace meeting with the representatives of Christians and Muslims of Ekan and Oyinmo communities.
The meeting was held to address concerns over the planned building of a mosque at Ikare Grammar School.
“Christians and Muslims in the state must shun violence and see themselves as members of the same family to avoid religious crises. They should continue to co-operate with the government of the state in sustaining the peace being enjoyed,” he said.
He advised individuals, groups and organisations planning to erect any structure within the premises of government-owned schools to seek approval from the appropriate authorities.
Osun
The Osun State Government has released N245 million for the
payment of the July salary of staff of the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) in Osogbo.
The Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH, Prof. Femi Fadiora, said this in an interview with our correspondent last Tuesday in Osogbo.
Fadiora said that the July salary was to be paid by the Oyo Government, adding that the delay prompted the Osun Government to intervene.
He said the hospital jointly owned by the two states share the responsibility of salary payment, with Osun paying for between January and June while Oyo pays the balance.
Fadiora, however, expressed optimism that ‘’the delay in the payment of July salary will not repeat itself in respect of August salary.’’
Oyo
A former Minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has urged
Nigerians to be patient with the Goodluck Jonathan administration, saying it ushered in the first true democratic government.
Adedoja, who made the plea at a forum organised recently in Ibadan by the League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State Chapter said that in spite of some national challenges, Jonathan had ensured that the nation remained on the path of development.
He commended the president for promoting Public Private Partnership to boost infrastructural development across the country.
Adedoja also said the challenges facing the nation’s education sector could only be dealt with in phases and urged Nigerians with developmental ideas not to give up on Nigeria.
Plateau
The Plateau Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil De
fence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested seven suspected pipeline vandals in the state.
The Commandant, Mr Vincent Bature, told newsmen recently in Jos, that the culprits were caught red-handed with 88 Jericans containing petrol and diesel.
Bature said the five suspects were arrested with the diesel while on their way to Saminaka town in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He solicited the cooperation of traditional rulers in Bassa Local Government Area where NNPC pipelines had passed through, to assist in educating their people on the dangers of vandalising the facilities.
Sokoto
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is to inaugurate the N2.6
billion, 20-million gallons per day Asare Water Treatment Plant constructed by the Sokoto State Government on August 29.
The Commissioner for Water Resources in the state, Alhaji Dalhatu Tangaza, made the disclosure in an interview recently in Sokoto.
According to Tangaza, the plant has since been test-run since last April and the test-running is still going on.
The commissioner said that some areas of Sokoto metropolis to benefit from the project include Arkilla, Damboa, old airport, Kasarawa, army barracks and Bado, among others.
Tangaza stated that the state government had earmarked N75 million for the relocation of water pipes along the 4.5-km Gidan-Man-Ada-Kalambaina-Cement company road, undergoing dualisation.
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.