THE STATES

FCT

The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC)
says it will officially inaugurate the 2014 Christian pilgrimage to Israel on Saturday, October 18, commencing with pilgrims from FCT.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr John-Kennedy Opara, said this during a news briefing ahead of the transportation of the first set of 250 pilgrims on Saturday.
Opara said that the commission planned to transport and could even surpass its target of 30,000 intending pilgrims during this year’s exercise which would end in December.
He said the commission had put all necessary measures in place to ensure a hitch-free pilgrimage and urged the media to collaborate with the commission in sensitising intending pilgrims.
“The good news is that come October 18, 2014, we will commence the airlifting of the 2014 intending pilgrims to Israel as approved by Mr President.

Gombe

The new Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State Univer
sity, Prof. Ibrahim Musa-Umar, has advised the institution’s academic and non-academic staff to work together to uplift the university.
Musa-Umar gave the advice while taking over the affairs of the institution from the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mahdi,  in Gombe.
He called on the staff to make more efforts to ensure academic excellence and discipline in the university.
He assured the government and people of the state, as well as staff and students of the university that he would sustain the success recorded by his predecessor.
The vice-chancellor lauded his predecessor for laying a solid foundation which made the institution a force to be reckoned with in spite of the challenges he encountered.

Kaduna

Governor  Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State says
he would re-contest for the gubernatorial seat of the state in 2015.
Yero said this in Kafanchan, Kafanchan Local Government Area, Kaduna State, through his deputy, Mr Nuhu Bajoga, while on a visit to traditional rulers in Southern Kaduna.
Yero said he had since obtained nomination form from the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja.
He urged the people to disregard any insinuation that he would be stopped from contesting in the election, saying such speculations were aimed at misleading the public.

Kano

The Kano State Government last Tuesday at the
ongoing National Agricultural Show in Nasarawa State  has displayed some exotic wildlife such as lion, hyena, pythons, ostriches and crocodile.
These animals from the Kano State Zoological and Wildlife Management Agency, added an aesthetic flare to the show as many participants trooped to the Kano pavilion to see these wild animals.
Different species of other commonly found animals such as tortoise, antelopes and vultures were also on display to show wildlife diversity in the state.
The Deputy Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Kano State Zoological and Wildlife Management Agency, Mr Mohammed Ado, said the agency was committed to wildlife preservation.

Kwara

Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara State  has re
quested the state House of Assembly to confirm the appointment of Mr Emmanuel Kolo as the new Auditor-General for Local Government.
The governor made the request in a message to the House, read by the Speaker, Mr Rasak Atunwa, during a plenary.
Ahmed said the request conformed with the constitution.
Also during the plenary, the Deputy Speaker, Prof. Gana Yoissa, while seconding a motion for an adjournment, criticised metrological agencies for failure to give adequate information on weather forcast.

Nasarawa

A 30-year-old Abuja-based hair stylist, Becky Solomon,
who allegedly stole N50,000 and also escaped from lawful custody, has been arraigned in a Grade 1 Area Court, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
The accused, who resides at Karu, FCT is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and escape from lawful custody.
According to the prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Adaji, the accused, together with one Victoria Adeky who is still at large, committed the offences at 11: 45 p.m. on October 6, at Karu, Abuja.
Adaji told the court that the accused stole the sum of N50, 000 from a customer, Mrs Rose Adams who came to make her hair.
“Becky stole the money from the customer’s purse in the salon when she stepped out to make a call,” he alleged.

Ondo

The police in Ondo State has arraigned a 36-year-old
trainee driver, Kayode Akinbuwa,  in an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court for alleged manslaughter.
The accused, whose address and occupation are unknown, was arraigned on a five-count charge of manslaughter, dangerous driving as well as  driving without car particulars, road worthiness certificate and driver’s licence.
The prosecutor, Insp  Zedekiah Orogbemi told the court that the accused drove a Toyota Carina car marked  HS 134 EKY dangerously on a public highway and caused the death of  a 65 -year old farmer, Ebunola Iji.
Orogbemi said that the farmer was returning from his farm on September 19 at about  1.30 p.m. on the  Erinje-Ayeka road in Okitipupa.
The prosecutor said the accused committed an offence contrary to sections 5, 6, 10(2), 10(4) and 10(5) of the Federal Highway Act, Cap. F13, Vol. VI, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Ogun

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor of  Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Prof. Olusoga Olusanya,  Ijebu-Ode, has been  kidnapped.
Our  correspondents  gathered that Olusanya  was on his way back from the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB), Abeokuta,  when he was abducted by unknown gunmen last Monday evening.
He was said to have visited FUNAAB where he served as an external invigilator at the ongoing postgraduate examination when he was ambushed on a  bad portion of the Sagamu/Ore expressway.
The  don was  abducted  alongside his driver, with the latter dropped by the abductors on the highway at Odogbolu.
The news of the abduction of the DVC forced the university Senate to abruptly postpone its  emergency meeting earlier  scheduled for Tuesday.

Oyo

The Yoruba Youths Congress (YYC), a socio-cultural
group, last Tuesday announced its endorsement of Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
The National Leader of the group, Olalekan Hammed announced this to newsmen in Ibadan.
Hammed said that the group believed Buhari was good enough to fly the APC presidential flag, having considered his past records.
“Retired General Buhari is an attested disciplinarian who was able to curtail corruption during his regime as the Head of State of the nation between 1983 and 1985.
“His landmarks as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) are also still very evident in tertiary institutions of learning in the country,” he said.

Plateau

The Chairman of Riyom Local Government in Plateau
State, Mrs Josephine Piyo, has said that 27 people died in an attack by gunmen on Bachi District of the area on Thursday.
She said a joint team of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on visit to the area that the attackers torched 70 houses and left  them in rubbles.
Represented by the Council Secretary, Mr. Alex Kundang, the chairman said the attack also led to the displacement of no fewer than 3,520 people from their homes.
She said those displaced were currently staying at different camps for Internally Displaced Persons in the area.
Piyo described the situation as pathetic and that urgent national  attention was needed to address the situation as the attacks on Riyom people had become recurrent.

Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Othniel Likkason (left), presenting a gift to the best student of Immaculate Conception Secondary School (icss), Miss Ruth Enekhai, during the school’s graduation in Bauchi, recently. Photo: NAN