NATION

Bauchi
The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has
assured that substantial portions of the ongoing rehabilitation of rail track in the Eastern corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri will be completed latest by December this year to enable trains to move from Port Harcourt to Gombe.
The minister gave the assurance yesterday while speaking with journalists at Inkil in Bauchi, shortly after inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation work, saying that over 90 per cent of the work had been completed so far.
According to Senator Umar, “At the moment, we are rehabilitating and indeed we completed over 90 per cent of the rehabilitation exercise. We hope that by December this year, substantial portions of this particular important corridor from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri will be completed. The only portion that will probably be left will be from Bajoga to Buni Yadi up to Maiduguri. This is because of the obvious reason we all know; the security challenges around Maiduguri side.

Benue

The police in Benue State, yesterday said it arrested
two persons in connection with the killing of a girl at her family farm in Mballagh village of Makurdi Local Government Area.
Spokesman of the command, DSP Daniel Ezeala, said the two men had traced two girls to their farm where they were working and killed one of them, leaving the other seriously injured.
He said the incident happened on Friday, but the men were apprehended by a police search party with support from the civilian task force.
Ezeala confirmed that the injured victim is now receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital while investigation into the matter has commenced.
He added that calm has returned to the area, and urged residents to go about their businesses without fear.

Ekiti

The pace-setting Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti
(ABUAD), has expressed its readiness to support the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) towards reducing the alarming rate of road accidents in Ekiti state in particular and in Nigeria in general.
Speaking while receiving the new FRSC Corps Commander, Barrister Stanley Chinedum, in his office, ABUAD’s Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, said the move was part of the university’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in ensuring the safety of road users and curbing the un-salutary consequences of loss of innocent lives and billions of Naira in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory properties round the country.
Babalola said his university would support the Corps in all ways possible to enhance its capacity for educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public on the proper and safe use of highways, particularly as he sees the FRSC as one of the most viable, effective and efficient public institutions in Nigeria whose contributions towards enhancing the safety of road users cannot and should not be underestimated.

FCT

The Federal Ministry of Education may lose four of its
cars if it fails to settle its indebtedness amounting to N7.2 million to a company by name Sirius Global Resources Limited.
The debt is as a result of the ministry’s failure to pay for the supplies of 200 pieces of printer toner among other office items.
The ministry has five days to settle the debt or forget the vehicles, which some staff of the ministry said are worth N50 million.
Our source saw towing vans moving the vehicles out of the ministry late Thursday on the order of an Abuja High Court.
The high court had ordered that movable items of the ministry should be impounded to help settle the debt.
Kaduna

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State
chapter, yesterday called on the federal government to apply similar security measures in the North-East to Southern Kaduna.
Over 5, 000 people have been killed in Southern Kaduna following various attacks by suspected terrorists.
In a communique issued at the end of its congress, the NUJ, led by its council chairman, Yusuf Idris, said the federal and the Kaduna State governments should be proactive in handling incessant attacks on the people of Southern Kaduna.
“The union condemns the continued attacks. Government and security agencies have not done much to curtail the killings in Southern Kaduna.
“The union is also of the view that the federal government should equally extend the same security measures in the North-East to the southern part of Kaduna, Plateau and Nasarawa states,” the communique read.

Kogi
Teachers in public primary and junior secondary
schools in Kogi in Kogi have refused to resume for the 2014/2015 academic session on Sept. 29 as directed by the State Government.
The teachers, under the aegis of Basic Education Staff Association of Nigeria (BESAN), said in a statement in Lokoja on Sunday that they would not resume duty until they were paid the N18,000 national minimum wage.
The statement, signed by the state Chairman of the association, Mr Suleiman Adomu, said that the issue of promotions and incremental steps without cash backing should be addressed by the state government without further delay.
Another demand made by the association was a stop to irregular payment of salaries to its members and full payment of the arrears of leave allowance being owed teachers from 2011 to date.

Lagos

Nominations for the 2014 Edition of The Nigeria Entre
preneurs Award have revved up with over 2,000 individuals and Corporate Organisation jostling for the prestigious awards scheduled to hold December 13, 2014 at the Eko Hotels & Suits, Lagos.
The Nigeria Entrepreneurs Awards is an exclusive award that seeks to reward excellence among the most committed and dedicated businesses operating in Nigeria.
The statement made available by the coordinating director of the Award, Mr. Uwabor Joshua, said that this year’s award is designed to reward excellence service delivery and create the consciousness among CEO’s in Nigeria.
The idea behind the awards, according to him, is to imbibe a culture of excellence in young and emerging business leaders and showcase thriving businesses in the Nigerian economy that will serve as model businesses for others to emulate.
Nassarawa
A 25-year old    Fulani herdsman, Abdullah Buldi,
arrested by Eggon youths after the invasion of Gidan Gambo village in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has confirmed that he participated in series of  attacks and destruction of properties in the on-going face-off between farmers and nomads in the state.
Buldi, who was captured while trying to escape after the invasion, said he was hired alongside 200 others to carry out serial attacks in Nasarawa South Senatorial District of the state.
He explained that N300, 000 was given to his leaders, who brought same to them at Ikposogye village where they were residing.
According to him, “when they gave us the money, we were also given arms and ammunition, including food and water. I never knew it will turn out bad for me. About 200 of us from Keana, Azara and Obi areas were hired to attack the village”.

Ogun

The Federal Government has concluded plans to part
ner with  Odua Chamber of  Commerce, Industries,Mines and Agriculture (ODUACCIMA), for a regional international trade fair billed to attract over 5,000 exhibitors and participants.
The Chairman, 2014 Odua International Trade Fair Planning Committee, Asiwaju Olaitan Alabi disclosed this at a press conference held at the MKO Trade Fair Complex, Abeokuta to herald the trade fair which will hold between November 21 and 30, 2014.
Accompanied by the National President of Oduaccima, Iyalode Alaba Lawson,and other south-west executives, the planning committee chairman explained that, the fair would take place at the Trans Amusement Park, Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
‘Oduaccima, an association of all Chambers of Commerce and Industry drawn from all states in the South-West of Nigeria comprising Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States, is organising this trade fair in collaboration with the Federal Government and the respective state governments’ the chairman stated.

Osun

There was confusion in Iwo, Osun State, recently when
some Muslim youth clashed with traditional worshippers (masquerades), setting the regalia of one traditionalist on fire.
The man behind the masquerade, simply called Ogundeji, was beaten to pulp before the regalia ws burnt. The victim sustained severe injuries and barely escaped the scene to safety.
The incident occurred during the annual Egungun Festival in Iwo and almost disrupted the activities of the traditionalists in the ancient town.
The Muslim group, known as Kamarudeen Muslim Society, was said to be organising a religious programme when the traditionalists came by and demanded that they must stop their drumming, which drew the anger of the Muslims following which a free-for-all fight ensued.

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya during a meeting in Abuja, recently.