THE STATES

Borno

The Borno State Government said it would construct 250
houses for 800 residents of Bulabulin Ngarnam in Maiduguri who were displaced by the Boko Haram crisis.
Governor Kashim Shettima made the disclosure while inspecting the site for the construction of the houses near the Maiduguri Flour Mills.
Shettima said the gesture was aimed at providing shelter to the victims who had lost their property to the crisis and directed the committee handling the project to commence work on the site next week for early completion.
Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali, commended the governor for approving the construction of the houses and expressed willingness to commence work as soon as possible.

FCT

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala
Mohammed, has condemned media reports on a purported foreign trip by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, for medical treatment
Mohammed, who spoke  in Abuja, when the first lady paid him a condolence visit over the death of his brother, Malam Yusuf Mohammed, described the report as malicious.
“We want to dispute media reports that you are sick and rushed abroad, but here you are resplendent and beautiful. “We wish to tell the ‘Judases’ that they are not God and that anybody can fall sick,’’ he said.
He said that Mrs Jonathan’s support to her husband, the nation and vulnerable women was important, noting that she had a “positive impact on our lives’’.
Mohammed said that his late brother was a technocrat who lived a life worthy of emulation.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Agency said it was
collaborating with UNICEF to revive 1,700 health committees at ward level to effectively fight poliomyelitis.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Sufyan Babale, stated this at  a  one-day Sensitisation and training Workshop for traditional leaders’’ on their roles in polio eradication held in Sabongari, Zaria.
The programme was organised by the agency in collaboration with UNICEF “C” Field Office, Kaduna.
Babale said the revival of the committees became imperative in view of their importance toward the eradication of the disease.
In a speech, Mr Ufuwai Bonet, Chairman, Kaduna State Task Force on Polio Immunisation, tasked village and ward heads to attend review meetings regularly to enhance the fight to end the disease by the end of the year.

Kano

The National Chairman of the Peoples  Democratic Party
(PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu, has commended  traditional rulers in the country for promoting peaceful coexistence in the country.
He made the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero in his palace in Kano.
He expressed appreciation to the Emirate Council for organising prayer sessions for peace and stability in the country.
He told the emir that he came to introduce himself as the national chairman of the PDP and seek the blessings of the emir in the task ahead.

Katsina

Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State says it
immunised 127,263 children against poliomyelitis and other child killer diseases in January.
The Primary Healthcare Coordinator in the area, Alhaji Abdu Isa-Yankara, said this in Funtua while distributing treated mosquito nets and other consumables to hospitals under the Roll Back Malaria Programme.
He said 137,460 doses of oral polio vaccines were received for the exercise, while 125,354 children were immunised against the child killer diseases.

Kebbi

The Assistant Inspector-General(AIG) in charge of Zone10,
Amman Sule,  has assured political parties that the zonal command would remain neutral in the 2015 general elections.
The Zone 10 of the Nigeria Police Force comprises Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states with headquarters in Sokoto.
The AIG gave the assurance in Birnin Kebbi, during an interactive session with officials of political parties in the state.
He said the police would be strict in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities of keeping law and order and not engaging in partisan politics.
Kwara

The Alamayo of Amayo in Kwara State, Oba Jamiu
Oyewole, has called for closer collaboration between religious and community heads to promote lasting peace in the country.
Oyewole who made the call in an interview  at his palace in Ifelodun Local Government of the state said the collaboration would help to sustain government’s effort at ensuring peaceful co-existence among the people and also engender development.
He commended the Federal Government for the provision of social amenities across the state and appealed to the people to protect government installations cited in their areas.
The monarch said the process of ensuring peace and security was not for government alone, adding that it was a collective responsibility of citizens to ensure peace and stability in their localities.

Kogi

Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has assured youths
in the state of his administration’s support towards re-orientation of youths and positive engagement.
Wada made the pledge while inaugurating some tricycles purchased by Mopamuro Local Government and subsidised by 25 per cent.
Wada, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, said the state government was working on a lasting solution to enable the various councils in the state overcome their financial challenges and meet their obligations.
A statement issued by the press secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Michael Abu, said that Wada also commended the council for the youth empowerment initiative.
He commended the Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government, Mr Funsho Daniyan, for prudent management of resources.

Lagos

Some Nigerians have commended the plan to restructure
the Nigeria Police  by deploying Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) to zonal headquarters to strengthen policing.
The DIGs, to be replaced by Assistant Inspectors-General of Police at the Force Headquarters, will be empowered to deploy, discipline and promote officers and men in their zonal commands. The restructuring is to be done by the Police Service Commission.
In an interview in Lagos, some Nigerians said that the restructuring would enhance the performance of the police.
A security expert and the Chief Promoter, Chief Detective Magazine, Mr Dipo Kehinde, commended the plan to empower DIGs and some other senior officers to promote hardworking men under them. Oyo
Oyo
Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in Oyo State are set to defect to the Labour Party, a letter made available to newsmen on Sunday in Ibadan has revealed.
The letter, which was signed by Labour Party’s National Chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, stated that its National Working Committee had accepted the defecting APC members.
It said the new members would soon be inaugurated by the national leadership of the Party.
According to the letter, the faction of the APC set to defect to LP were mainly young politicians in the age bracket of between 40 and 50 years.
It said the defectors included some immediate past board chairmen in Governor  Abiola Ajimobi-led administration and aggrieved loyalists of the late leader of APC and former governor of the state, Alhaji Lam Adesina.

Plateau

Two suspected cattle thieves have been allegedly killed
by a vigilante group  in Kombili village, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau recently.
Their corpses were brought to Mangu Divisional Police Station by officers and men of the force.
Our correspondent reports that the suspects, together with others, were alleged to have invaded the village to rustle cattle but met stiff resistance from the vigilante of the village.
A witness said that the rustlers came to the village around 2.00 a.m. and succeeded in moving the cows from the house of a respected resident.
The witness said the suspects were moving away with the cows when members of the vigilante accosted them.

Sokoto

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in
Sokoto State, Alhaji Abubakar Kantoma, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the release of N250 million to the victims of a recent fire that gutted the Kara market, Sokoto.
Kantoma, who is also the Secretary of the Special Committee set up for the disbursement of the money, made the commendation in a statement  in Sokoto.
The market was razed by fire on February 5 and property worth millions of naira were lost. There was however no loss of life or injury during the incident.
Jonathan announced the donation on February 8 at a reception in Sokoto to welcome former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa to the PDP. Kantoma said the president had since redeemed the pledge.

L-R: Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) National Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Muhammed and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, at the inauguration of new leadership of ACF in Kaduna, yesterday.