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THE STATES

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Adamawa
The District Head of Yola in Adamawa State,
Alhaji  Sa’adu Bawuro, has urged traditional title holders in his domain to  sensitise students in the area on the dangers of violence.
Bawuro made the call when he visited  Yelwa Primary School in Yola South Local Government Area.
He  urged title holders to take the sensitisation campaign to primary and secondary schools in their domains to enlighten students on the dangers of violence.
He said the  move  had  become necessary in view of the prevailing insecurity ravaging the  state and other North Eastern states.

Bauchi
Justice Rabi Umar of the Bauchi State High Court has
ordered the Police Commissioner in Kaduna State and the DPO in Saminaka to pay one Gideon Okoh the sum of N1 million for unlawful detention.
Passing the judgement in Bauchi, Umar said that the arrest and detention of the applicant on the orders of the DPO and on the insistence of the commissioner violated his fundamental human rights.
She therefore ordered that the duo and one Alhaji Sabo Gidan-Dutse to jointly pay the money to the applicant.
The judgment also added that apart from the N1 million, the DPO should refund additional sum of N5,000 taken from the applicant as bail money and N1,000.00 taken unlawfully.

Ekiti
Campaigns for the June 21 governorship election in
Ekiti State will formally begin on March 23, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said recently.
The INEC office in the state disclosed this in a Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the election released in Ado-Ekiti and made available to newsmen.
It also gave April 1 as the date for the collection of forms for the election by political parties.
According to the commission, verification of voters status will hold between March 7  and March 9, while Continuos Voters Registration (CVR) will take place between March 12 and March 17.

FCT

The police have started taking strategic proactive mea
sures to ensure peaceful elections in 2015, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, said recently.
Mba made the disclosure when he paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director, Editorial Operations, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Mr Isaac Ighure, in Abuja.
He said that “beyond the internal preparations that we are doing, we are actually taking other proactive measures to ensure that we have hitch-free 2015 elections.
“We are also maintaining very strong surveillance on our campuses.”

Kaduna

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has
restated its commitment to ensure the success of ongoing power sector reforms in the country.
The Chairman, TCN Board, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim gave the pledge while inspecting facilities of Kaduna Transmission Company.
Represented by a member of the board, Prof. Peter Akper, the chairman said the reform was key to achieving national growth and development.
“We must emphasise that the government takes the power reforms very seriously; because it is the only key that we have to achieving our developmental objectives generally,” he said.
Kwara
A university teacher, Prof. Shehu Jimoh, has identified
polluted value system, disfunctional education, corruption and insecurity as some of the challenges facing Nigeria.
Jimoh, a former Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of IIorin, made the observation in IIorin while speaking with newsmen.
He noted that the education system was not functional, stressing the need to review and re-engineer the system to restore its lost value
The don called on government to tackle the challenges facing the country for more development to be attained.

Lagos
The police in Lagos State have arraigned a 43-year-old
lawyer, Yinka Oluwole, who allegedly stole N10 million from his client.
Oluwole, who resides at No. 1, Jolaosho St., Obanikoro, Lagos, is standing trial before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court.
He was charged with stealing and obtaining money under pretext.
The Prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused and one David Okoro, still at large, stole the sum from Mr Femi Onamusi.
Olatunde said that the theft occurred on October 10, 2013, at No. 5, Obalodun St., Ilupeju, Lagos.

Niger
The management of Ibrahim Babangida University, Lapai
in Niger State, has matriculated 2,222 students into its various programmes for  2013/2014 session.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ibrahim Kolo, said at the university’s 8th Matriculation ceremony in Lapai that the new students constituted the largest number of students ever matriculated by the university.
He said the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences had 545 matriculating students; Natural Sciences, 470 students; and Education and Arts, 783 students.
Kolo said the Language and Communication Studies had 298 students, Agriculture; 75 students, while Faculty of Applied Science and Technology; 52 students each.

Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command says it has placed one
Bisi Onigogo on its “wanted list’’ for allegedly beating his daughter, Yemi, to death.
This was contained in a statement by the command’s spokesman, Mr Muyiwa Adejobi, issued last Tuesday in Abeokuta.
Adejobi said Onigogo allegedly committed the crime on March 3 at Ogbere in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.
He said that Onigogo was annoyed over his daughter’s misbehaviour and allegedly beat her to death, and escaped immediately he noticed she was dead.
Ondo
The Osun State House of Assembly has con
doled with its Ondo State counterpart  over the demise of its Speaker, Samuel Adesina.
The Deputy Speaker of Osun State Assembly, Mr Akintunde Adegboye, who led a delegation to Akure, described the late speaker as a leader,  who contributed to the development of Ondo State.
According to Adegboye, the late speaker must  be immortalised for creating a harmonious relationship between the executive and the lawmakers.
He expressed regrets at the  loss to the people of the state, and urged the lawmakers to maintain the existing peace the deceased had enthroned.

Oyo
A former Chairman of  Odua Investment Com
pany Ltd, Chief Sarafadeen Alli,  has  urged  pharmacists  to  refrain from aiding criminal activities.
Alli  made the observation  at the opening ceremony of the 30th  anniversary of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan.
According to him,  pharmacists should refrain from directly or indirectly  abetting criminal activities or  conspiring with drug traffickers.
Alli, who spoke as the guest speaker on  “Pharmacy Practice in Relations to Nigerian Law,’’  said pharmacists had responsibilities to the profession, colleagues,  clients  and the public.

Taraba
The Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) said
it would prosecute motorists with old number plates and drivers licence as from July 1.
Corps Commander, Clement Oladele, who is the Head, Advisory and Planning Unit of the Corps, stated this in Jalingo at a workshop to sensitise motorists on the need to switch over to the new policy.
Oladele noted that the workshop became necessary given the fact that the June deadline to phase out the old system was fast approaching.
“Nigerians are aware that  October 1, 2013  was set as deadline for them to switch over to the new licence and number plate following the launch of the new policy by President Goodluck Jonathan, but for some reasons the deadline was shifted to June, 2014.

Former Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi (left), with Governor Aliyu  Wamakko, during an APC stakeholders meeting in Sokoto last Monday.

Former Secretary to Sokoto State Government, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi (left), with Governor Aliyu Wamakko, during an APC stakeholders meeting in Sokoto last Monday.

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Rumuaholu Community Denies Land Grabbing Allegations, Accuses Obio/Akpor Chairman of Interference in Land Dispute

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The Ekeanyanwu family of Rumuaholu Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has strongly refuted allegations of land grabbing levelled against it, describing recent media reports as false, misleading, and deliberately fabricated.
The family made its position known during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the residence of Dr. Colonel Ogwumerum Eke in Rumuaholu. The briefing was attended by community leaders, stakeholders, and family representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Dr. Eke dismissed claims attributed to the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Hon. Gift Worlu, which allegedly labelled the family as land grabbers. He described the allegations as baseless, frivolous, and lacking any factual foundation.
According to Dr. Eke, the Ekeanyanwu family remains the legitimate owner of the parcel of land known as Ohia Agbada, comprising approximately 6,000 plots situated along the Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road corridor. He further maintained that Victory Estate, located within the disputed area, belongs exclusively to the Ekeanyanwu family and not to the Rumuosi Community as claimed by the council chairman.
Dr. Eke stated that ownership of the land had been affirmed by the courts, citing Case No. CCC/22/2015 at the Choba Customary Court. He explained that while the suit was instituted against another family in Rumuaholu, the Rumuosi Community sought to be joined in the matter but their application was rejected by the court.
He further disclosed that the family currently holds 15 subsisting court judgments in its favour relating to the disputed land, including judgments from the Customary Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.
The family spokesman alleged that the Obio/Akpor council chairman, in collaboration with the local Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, was attempting to undermine the court decisions and dispossess the family of its land through what he described as “backdoor means.”
Dr. Eke accused the chairman of assuming the role of an appellate authority over matters that had already been conclusively determined by competent courts.
Expressing concern over recent developments, he alleged that individuals acting under the influence of the council chairman had destroyed properties worth millions of naira within Victory Estate. He described the action as a direct affront to existing court judgments and the rule of law.
Displaying copies of court judgments during the briefing, Dr. Eke questioned the rationale behind branding judgment creditors as land grabbers, insisting that those challenging the court rulings were the real offenders.
He called on members of the public to disregard what he termed misleading radio announcements purportedly made by the council chairman and urged government institutions and security agencies to uphold the sanctity of court judgments.
Also speaking at the briefing, Elder Prince Ndaokani, Principal Oji Owhor of Rumuaholu Community, supported the Ekeanyanwu family’s claims. He maintained that the disputed land originally belonged to Dr. Eke’s late father, who, according to Ikwerre native customary law, acquired ownership through the clearing and development of the land.
However, the allegations were dismissed by the Chairman of the Obio/Akpor Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, Chief Alex Wali, who responded on behalf of the local government council.
Chief Wali declined to engage directly with the claims made by Dr. Eke, stating: “That man cannot be gifted with our valued response to his tirades. People like that should not be in public but should be rotting in jail for heinous crimes against humanity.”
He maintained that nothing would prevent the council chairman from carrying out his constitutional responsibilities as the chief executive and chief security officer of the local government area.
According to him, the protection of lives and property remains a fundamental responsibility of government at all levels, and the council would continue to discharge its duties in that regard.
The dispute is the latest chapter in a long-running land ownership controversy in the area, with both sides maintaining opposing claims over the disputed property.
By Akujobi Amadi
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Asarama Kingdom Condemns Gruesome Murder of A Commercial Vehicle Driver

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The Asarama General Assembly in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has condemned the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some identified criminal elements in the community.
It would be recalled that on Thursday the 28th of May  2026, the kingdom was thrown into mourning, following the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some criminal elements
The Assembly which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt also called for the establishment of a Mobile police and police anti cultism departments  at the Asarama Police Division.
The Okangh Ama /Paramount Ruler of Asarama kingdom HRM king Appolus J Nteijaewaye who read the text for the briefing onbehalf of The Asarama General Assembly at the briefing said the community condemned in totality the gruesome incident.
He said the kingdom also extends its condolences to the bereaved family of the murdered driver, stressing that as a kingdom it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that such an incident never occur within it’s territorial space again.
The General Assembly also commended the prompt intervention of the Nigerian police Force which led to the arrest of some members of the criminal gang, adding that even though the crime was committed at Asarama, some of those allegedly involved were not indigenes of Asarama kingdom.
“As a kingdom we use the sober moment of this unfortunate incident to further commend the prompt reaction of the leadership and men of the Nigeria Police Force in Rivers state that led to their effective results aimed at eliminating criminality and deterring the evil ones in our society “
The Community also described the incident as a pointer to the level of vulnerability of not only Asarama kingdom but the entire society, against the background that the sanctity of life ought to be sacred and protected by individuals, groups, communities and governmental institutions”
Meanwhile ,The Asarama General Assembly has called for the establishment of a Mobile Police  as well as police anti cultism departments at the Asarama Police Division
It said this has become necessary inview of the strategic location of the kingdom as a gateway to the rest of Andoni communities and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Area.
“Owing to the peculiarity of our geographical location especially the amphibious nature of Asarama kingdom, intricately linked with its neighbouring inter ethnic Ogoni and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Areas in general and intra Andoni communities in particular, the relevant authorities should urgently approved special mobile police force,Anti cultism and Marin units to be attached to the Asarama Divisional headquarters”
The kingdom also decried the continuous neglect of the Asarama police Division, since it’s establishment adding that the division up till date,does not have a single firearm as well as enough personnel
It said this situation has exposed the community to activities of criminal elements.
“The sordid state of the only security outfit that ought to police our territory and beyond now seems to complicate the delicate insecurity that we are already exposed to, first as a nation and second as a people inhabiting an intricate amphibious gateway kingdom
“Consequently we hereby cry to the appropriate authorities to urgently equip the Asarama Divisional Police headquarters with adequate men arms and ammunition “the Community said.
John Bibor
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Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

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The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

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