Nation
THE STATES

Governors of States, during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday
Benue
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, says that God
has given the people of Nigeria everything a nation needs to be successful.
Ortom, who made the remark at Igbor in Gwer East Local Government Area of the state, however said the country had failed to harness its resources to become a successful nation.
The governor was at Igbor to inspect the Benue Burnt Bricks Company and Ikwe Wildlife Resort.
He noted that the state was blessed with abundant human and natural resources which needed to be properly tapped for the good of all.
According to him, the failure to transform existing industries in the state and across the country is part of what is retarding the nation’s development and the attendant hardships faced by people.
FCT
The Nigerian military says it has the constitutional and
moral responsibility to protect Nigerians and could not suddenly engage in mass murder as portrayed in the allegations by Amnesty International.
Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar, said this while briefing newsmen on the recent allegations of war crimes against some senior military officers by the Amnesty International.
Abubakar said following the Amnesty International report released on June 3, the Nigerian military as a responsible corporate organisation was bound to respond to the allegations in order to put the records in proper perspective.
He recalled that upon the written request from Amnesty International to the military to comment on the allegations, the military promptly commenced investigations into the allegations.
He said consequently, several investigations on the allegations were ongoing.
Gombe
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Gombe
State, has ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expedite action on the reproduction of necessary documents requested by lawyers to prosecute their petitions before it.
Justice Mathew Adewara, Chairman of the tribunal, being assisted by Justice Abba Mohammed and Justice Hafsat Abdulrahaman gave the order at the pre-hearing season in Gombe on Saturday.
The chairman gave the order following the complaints by Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), who is the counsel of the petitioner, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya and APC, who also petitioned the victory of Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo, joining the PDP and INEC.
He said they had made several efforts for the INEC to serve them with some of the viral documents to be use before the tribunal.
According to him, they were served with some and denied other documents as requested.
Jigawa
Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State, has re-
appointed Alhaji Sani Alhassan, as the Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board.
A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir, in Dutse, said Alhassan was reappointed based on his “excellent performance in the past.”
It said that the appointment was with immediate effect, and urged the executive secretary to continue rendering selfless service to the state.
“While we commend you for the excellent performances you recorded in the previous Hajj operations, we also urge you to continue with that in future operations,” the statement further said.
Kaduna
The Anglican Bishop of Wusasa Diocese in Zaria, Kaduna
State, Rt. Rev. Ali Buba-Lamido, on Saturday advocated death penalty for corrupt public office holders.
He made the call at the Sixth Synod of the Wusasa Diocese of the Anglican Communion, held in Zaria, Kaduna State.
According to him, the death penalty option is the only way to put public officers in Nigeria in check.
Buba-Lamido said the call became imperative in view of the fact that corruption could kill more people than a conventional weapon.
“If our leaders know that they would be prosecuted if found corrupt they would be on their toes to avoid corrupt practices,” he said.
Katsina
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to
be patient and accept democracy not as a system of government but as a lifestyle in order to ensure development of the country.
The president said this when he paid homage to the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar, after attending the Juma’at prayer at the Lowcost Mosque, in Daura, Katsina State.
The President, who delivered his speech in Hausa, urged those who were aggrieved after the 2015 elections to seek redress through democratic means and institutions.
Buhari noted that Nigeria was adopting democracy from the western nations and learning fast by avoiding mistakes made when studying the weaknesses and strengths of those nations.
According to him, if Nigerians decide to be hasty, some avoidable mistakes can be made.
Kwara
Nigeria has the largest population of people with sickle
cell disease in the world, with over 150,000 babies born with the serious condition every year, researches have shown.
A pharmacist with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Mr Lanre Alege, said this in a lecture delivered during June edition of the keep fit exercise for staff of the hospital at the Kwara stadium on Saturday.
He said it was estimated that only five per cent of the children with Sickle Cell Disease live past the age of 10 in Nigeria, compared to over 96 per cent surviving into adulthood in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Alege, who is the Coordinator of the programme, also disclosed that the recurrent pain and complications of the disease can interfere with many aspects of patients life, including education, employment and psychological development.
He said that Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder due to the presence of an abnormal form of haemoglobin in the red blood cells, called haemoglobin S (Hb S) instead of haemoglobin A (Hb A).
Lagos
Primary school authorities in the country have been ad
vised to encourage their pupils to make use of libraries to improve their reading culture.
A management staff in the Office of the Registrar of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Dr Ayoola Olatunde, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He said it was necessary to expose pupils to use of library facilities at tender ages.
The don described the primary school level as “ a crucial stage of development and a foundation, which the rest of the educational system is built on”.
Olatunde said that reading was one of the most effective processes of conscious learning, which must be inculcated in children.
Nasarawa
Chairman, General Private Nursing Practitioners of Ni
geria, Nasarawa State branch, Chief Stephen Angbas, has appealed to the state’s Ministry of Health to reduce the cost of renewing licence by practitioners.
Angbas made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lafia on Saturday.
The chairman, who is also the proprietor of Angbas Medical Centre, Lafia, expressed concern over the increase in charges of renewing licence fees by private nursing practitioners in the state.
“We are appealing to them to look at the issue of renewing licence fees and make it reasonable to allow the private sector participate in health care delivery services.
“In those days, it was N13, 000, but now it had gone up beyond our reach,” he said.
Plateau
The price of tomatoes has soared in markets in Jos and
its environs.
A survey carried out in some markets also revealed that the price of pepper has also gone up.
Our correspondent learnt at the Farin-Gada tomatoes market, that a basket of fresh tomatoes which sold for N800 two weeks is now N6, 000.
The paint bucket which sold for N300 two weeks ago, now sells for N800.
A basket of pepper that was sold for N600, now sells for N4, 000, while the paint bucket of pepper now attracts N700 up from N200 which it sold two weeks ago.
Taraba
The Chairman, Muslim Council in Taraba State, Alhaji
Inuwa Manu, has urged Muslim faithful to use the Ramadan to demonstrate love and peaceful coexistence among different religious adherents in the state.
Manu made this known in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo on Saturday.
He said the call became imperative following activities of miscreants who were bent on causing public disturbances in the name of religion in the state.
According to him, criminals have infiltrated religious bodies with the sole aim of causing confusion so as to benefit from it.
He urged the people to embrace peace and respect each other’s religion so as not to create room for the miscreants to capitalise on it to cause problem in the state.
Yobe
Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has assured
security personnel involved in the war against Boko Haram insurgents in the state of prompt payment of allowances.
Gaidam made the pledge on Saturday during a special parade by troops of 27 Task Force Brigade, Operation Zaman Lafiya, in Damaturu.
The parade was to decorate deserving personnel who had spent a minimum of six months in the ongoing operation against the insurgents in the North East.
The governor also pledged to provide more logistic support to the brigade, to assist with its operations.
Nation
UNIZIK Honours Business Mogul, Ezekwe, For Philanthropism
Nation
Don Calls For National Forensic Data Bank To Combat Rising Crime
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.
Nation
UPWA Hosts Colourful Inter-House Sports Fiesta
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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