Nation
THE STATES
Representative of IGP, Mr Chris Olakpe (right), presenting food items on behalf of IGP to one of the widows of police officers that lost their lives on duty, Mrs Nandi Peter, during the presentation of food items to the widows in Jos last Monday.
Bauchi
The diverse ethnic and multi-religious communities of Yelwa, Kagadama, Gwallameji and Lushi of Birshi-Miri District, Bauchi, Bauchi state last Saturday celebrated six years of living together in peaceful co-existence.
The programme was organised by Muslim and Christian Youth Movement for Peace in conjunction with Birshi-Miri Concern Citizens Forum.
In his speech, Mr Yusuf Kumsu, the Chairman, organising committee of the programme, explained that the event was organised to celebrate six years of peaceful co-existence among the diverse ethnic groups in the communities.
The state Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda expressed joy for the lasting peace being enjoyed in the state in spite of the current security challenges affecting the neighbouring states and commended the organisers of the event as well as religious and community leaders for the wonderful initiative.
Benue
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, last Sunday, said some yet to be identified criminals, under the guise of Fulani herdsmen have been attacking and killing Tiv indigenes in the state.
Governor Suswam, while briefing journalists at the end of a security meeting held at the new banquet hall in Makurdi, said “some criminals are the ones attacking Benue communities, not Fulani herdsmen.
The governor added that the security meeting became necessary following the continued attack and killing of innocent Benue citizens in Guma, Gwer West and Makurdi.
Suswan said a committee had been raised, chaired by a Retired Permanent Secretary, Mr Moses Anagende, and 11 members to recommend ways of arresting the criminals. He said the committee has one week to submit its report.
Kano
The Kano State Government is to deploy sanitary in-spectors to all the 44 local government areas of the state.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas, who disclosed this in an interview in Kano after the monthly sanitation exercise in some parts of the state, expressed dismay over the sanitary condition of some areas.
He specifically indicted owners of some business outfits for operating without regards to basic rules of hygiene.
Abbas also said sanitary inspectors to be deployed to the council areas would be empowered with the necessary skills to ensure the discharge of their duties.
Katsina
Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State last Sunday said the state’s Local Government elections would be conducted in the first quarter of 2014.
Shema who disclosed this in Katsina at a state PDP zonal meeting said the elections date would be announced in January for the political parties to begin preparations
The governor, who was represented by Sen. Umar Tsauri, said all the materials needed for the exercise were on ground.
The 34 local governments in the state were being managed by caretaker committees as a result of the expiration of the tenure of elected council officials early in 2011.
“The elections will take place next year, God willing, because everything has been put in place,’’ Shema said.
Kogi
Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, has called on Nigerians to strive for legacies that would outlive their stay on earth.
Awoniyi made the call last Saturday at the funeral of Mrs Elizabeth Bello, former Chief Nursing Officer in Egbe, Yagba East Local Government Area of the State.
Awoniyi, who described death as a compulsory end for all mortals, held that it was unfortunate that people now lived without thinking of leaving good legacies behind.
He said the deceased would be remembered for putting smiles on the faces of women whom she medically assisted to achieve conception and delivery and called on the family she left behind to take solace in her good works and be consoled by the testimonies about her life.
Kwara
The Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Council in Kwara State, Alhaji Luqman Owolewa, on Sunday, said the council discovered 339 “ghost workers’’ on its monthly pay roll.
Owolewa said in Omu-Aran, headquarters of the council, that an audit committee would soon be set up to scrutinise the council’s pay system.
He said the audit committee became necessary in order to fish out more “ghost workers’’ and correct other anomalies in the council’s pay process.
The chairman said that the result of his assessment of the workers few weeks after assumption of duty showed that out of the 839 workers on the council’s pay roll, only 500 were genuine staff members.
Nasarawa
The traditional ruler of Shafa Abakpa Community in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Hussaini Kyafi, has urged the Federal Government and wealthy Nigerians to promote the country’s cultural heritage.
Kyafi stated this on Sunday at Shafa Abakpa, in the Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, during the 2013 Irewha Hunting Festival, an annual event which unites all the community’s tribes and brings members of the community together.
Kyafi said the event was a cultural heritage and traced its origin to the first settlers in the community, who were all hunters.
Special Adviser to the Nasarawa State Governor on Legislative Matters, Mr Musa Yusuf, said the event reminds Nigerians of their cultural values and virtues.
Niger
The Nupe Land Community Association for Grassroots Transformation has renewed its agitation for the creation of Edu State.
The Secretary of the association, Alhaji Baba Wachiko, who renewed the agitation in Bida on Sunday, said the new state, to be carved out of Niger, Kogi and Kwara states, “will cater for the needs of Nupe speaking people.”
Wachiko, who made the call in a paper he presented at the summit of the association, said the creation of the new state would serve as panacea for the socio-political and economic empowerment of the Nupe people.
He said “this agitation should not be treated as an exclusive affair of the Nupe speaking people. Rather, it is about the present and future status of Niger State which every reasonable Nigerlite should be interested in. The creation of a new state from the present Niger State is long overdue.
Lagos
The Lagos State Government said it had spent N1billion to support no fewer than 400 graduate farmers to set up their own farms.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, said in Lagos that the beneficiaries were those trained under the state’s Agricultural Youths Empowerment Scheme(AGRIC-YES).
The commissioner said that the essence of the programme was to create a generation of modern farmers, while creating job opportunities and promoting food security.
Lawal said that the programme was fully residential, adding that the government only recently inaugurated 200 units of two-bedroom apartments at the programme site, to improve the living standards of participants.
Osun
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has pledged to restore the lost glory of Modakeke in 2014.
Aregbesola made the promise in a message to the 28th Modakeke Ako-ri-aaye Day Celebration and Launch of N500million Community Development Fund, Saturday.
The governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Fatai Kolawole, said more local governments would be created.
He said this issue, which had been before the Osun Assembly, would be actualised and would surely favour the people of Modakeke.
Plateau
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, last Monday donated foodstuffs to widows of policemen killed while on duty in the Plateau command.
The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Olakpe, who represented the IGP, said the items was to enable them celebrate the New Year.
Olakpe said the items included a cow, 30 bags of rice and eight cartons of vegetable oil, stating that the items were for 30 widows that lost their bread winners in the line of duty within the past 12 months.
Responding on behalf of the widows, Mrs. Nandi Edache, commended the IGP for the gesture and called on the IGP to accelerate the payment of their husbands’ benefits to enable them settle their children’s school fees.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government last Sunday announced plans to sponsor 200 students to pursue various degree programmes in Cyprus and Pakistan.
Gov. Aliyu Wamakko disclosed this at the Yabo Local Government Area of the State when he inaugurated some projects executed by the Old Boys’ Association of the Sarkin Kabi Shehu Model Primary School, Yabo.
Wamakko said that the students were expected to depart Sokoto for Cyprus and Pakistan in January 2014.
He commended the members of the association for executing the projects and appealed to others to emulate them.
Wamakko stressed the need for all and sundry to complement the government’s efforts in providing a conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning.
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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