THE STATES

Vice Chancellor University of Maiduguri, Prof. Ibrahim Njodi (right) presenting souvenir to Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, during a visit to the Governor in Gombe on Monday.

Adamawa

An Abuja based NGO, Wakiliyan Mata Empowerment Initia
tive, has distributed N1 million to 100 internally displaced women in Yola, Adamawa State.
Speaking during the presentation of the grant at the IDPs camp, Bajabure , Mrs Sharon Ikeazor , the chairman of the organisation, said that the gesture was to help women who were affected by insurgency to financially recover.
Ikeazor, who was the former Interim National Women Leader of the APC, said that more than 100 women would be empowered under the programme.

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command has said that it arrested
five suspected rapists and four other persons for alleged criminal conspiracy, theft and vandalism.
The command’s spokesman  Mr Zubairu Abubakar, said in Kaduna that the rape suspects carried out the act in Rigasa area of Kaduna metropolis.
He said the suspects were arrested on August 19 following complaints by the victim’s parents, adding that the other four suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy, vandalism and theft.
He said that the Regional Manager of Forlknox, Mr Musa Usman, had lodged a complaint with the police on August 13, that some unknown persons were vandalising the company’s property.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government has purchased 26,000 metric
tons of fertiliser for sale to farmers at a subsidised rate of N1,780 per bag, Governor Aminu Masari said in Kankia.
The governor, who disclosed this while launching the sale of the commodity, said that 100 bags would be given to each polling unit in the 34 local government areas of the state.
Masari said that the subsidy was to reduce the hardship farmers encountered in obtaining fertiliser and that the commodity would be sold only to genuine farmers irrespective of their political affiliations.
He said that government had retrieved 1,000 tons of fertiliser that were given to individuals by the former administration in the state, and warned against the diversion of the commodity.

Kogi

The Kogi House of Assembly has decried the absence of
motorable roads in Ibaji Local Government Area of the state and urged the federal and state governments to address the problem.
The Assembly made the call during plenary in Lokoja, following the adoption of a motion presented by Mr John Abah, (PDP-Ibaji), and called on government to provide at least, one major link road in the area.
Presenting the motion, Abah said the local government that was created in 1996 with an area of 13,375 square kilometers with a projected population of over 200,000 and a total of 97 towns and villages, had no link road at all.
He said that the area presently desired to have a road constructed from headquarters of the council, Onyedega to Ujeh and two others from Odogwu to Echeno and Odeke through Ubale to Affa.

Kwara

Federal Government’s N5billion bailout loan is meant for the
payment of salary arrears and allowances to primary school teachers and local government workers.
This explanation is contained in a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media to Kwara State Governor, Dr. Muideen Akorede, in Ilorin.
It will be recalled that Peoples Democratic Party had challenged Governor Ahmed to justify the need to borrow the money.
PDP spokesman, Chief Rex Olawoye, argued that the N3.5 billion federal allocation to the 16 local governments in June was enough to offset backlog of salaries.

Lagos

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)
has in Lagos urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to stop funding universities’ staff schools.
SSANU’s National Vice-President, Western Zone, Mr Alfred Jimoh,  said that the association might go ahead with its planned strike should the Federal Government privatise the schools.
Jimoh said that the association, which had in June carried out a peaceful protest over the issue, disclosed that it had received a circular to the proposed privatisation.

Nasarawa

A member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr
Abubakar Kana, has appealed to the Police Service Commission (PSC) to deploy more policemen to rural communities in the state. to curb crime.
Kana, representing Kokona West Constituency, made the call in an interview in Kokona, near Lafia.
He said that deployment of additional policemen to the area would help to check criminal activities, advising the PSC to take advantage of the planned recruitment of additional 10,000 people into the police force.
The assemblyman said that deployment of additional policemen to the area had become imperative to curtail armed robbers in the area.
Niger

The Niger Independent Electoral Commission has said it would
recruit 14,000 ad hoc staff for the November Local Government Polls in the state.
The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, who disclosed this in an interview in Minna, said the ad hoc staff to be recruited include supervisors, returning officers and presiding officers, adding that enough fund had been budgeted for the exercise.
Abubakar said card readers would also be used in conducting the exercise, adding that training was already on for the officers to address challenges of the process.
The chairman said the commission was collaborating with security agencies for a free and fair elections, adding that three armed men would be attached to each polling unit.

Ondo

A former Caretaker Chairman of Okitipupa Local Government
Council of Ondo State, Femi Aju, has been buried in his home town, Ilutitun, amidst tributes.
A funeral service was held at the Ebenezer Cathedral Church, Ilutitun, for Aju who slumped and died on August 14 in Okitipupa.
In his sermon, a cleric, Rev. Folurunso Akintunde, said that every human being must ensure that they lived a fulfilled and exemplary life in Jesus Christ and affect positively their fellow human beings.
He said there was no repentance in the grave, adding that every dead person would face judgment based on deeds while alive.

Osun

For the umpteenth time, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
has retained its rating as the best Nigerian University in academic, administrative, research and community service.
A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, in Ile-Ife, noted that the rating emanated from the latest web ranking of world universities conducted by a research group called Cybermetrics Lab of Spain.
He said Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in the latest ranking, which was released last Monday beat Universities of Lagos and Ilorin to 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

Oyo

The governorship candidate of Accord Party in the April 11
election, Senator Rashidi Ladoja has called no fewer than 29 witnesses in supporting his petition before the Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan.
Ladoja is challenging the victory of Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship poll.
Also joined as co-respondents in the petition are APC, Dr Rufus Akeju, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner and the commission.
Earlier, the respondent had objected to the admissibility of 39 original documents and materials used in the election.

Plateau

A philantropist, Chief Samuel Pukat, has trained 500 Plateau
youth as drivers, as part of efforts to reduce joblessness in the state.
Pukat told newsmen in Jos, that 300 youth were trained in Mangu, while 200 others were trained in Bokkos.
He said that most of the drivers he trained had secured jobs in the Nigeria Army, NSCDC, banks and other reputable organisations.
Pukat said that he had also trained 500 youths and women in 37 different tràdes in Bokkos.

Sokoto

A Sokoto-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yusuf Alibawa has advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to spare corrupt public officers found wanting.
He called for ‘thorough and comprehensive’ investigation into the ‘mind-boggling’ sums of money carted away in foreign banks by corrupt public officials.
Alibawa urged the President not to be dissuaded in his commitment to fight corruption, adding that the war against graft would only be won if indicted corrupt officials were prosecuted.

Taraba

The Taraba State Police Command said in Jalingo that uniden
tified gunmen shot dead two farmers on their farms in Kortse village in Gassol Local Government Area.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Kwaji, told newsmen that dozen others were injured in the attack.
He said that the gunmen also attacked six families, who were fishing in Kortse village, near Dan-Anacha, killed two persons, while others ran for their lives.
He said that when the news of the attack got to the police, they combed the area but could not arrest any suspect.

Zamfara

Zamfara State Government said it would screen traders wishing
to sell their wares and products at the state’s Hajj Camp in Gusau to avoid any security breach.
Secretary of the sub-committee on security for the Hajj in the state, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed this in an interview in Tsafe in Zamfara.
Abubakar said the government took the measure to protect the lives and property of the intending pilgrims and those of the officials.
He said the state government was partnering with security agencies in the state to carry out the assignment.