Editor in Chief, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Lawal Ado (left), being received by Governor Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State during his visits to the governor in Dutse on Sunday.

Adamawa
Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla of Adamawa State has
apologised to women in the state for being under represented in his new appointments.
Jibrilla made the apology while swearing in 49 newly-appointed Development Area Administrators at the Government House, Yola recently.
He urged the women to bear with him, adding that he would compensate them in future political appointments.
Only one woman, Ms Esther Pius, made the list of the 49 administrators sworn in.
“This is just the first major appointment made by this administration, I want to assure the women that they will be considered in future appointments,” he said.
The governor said that the administrators were selected on merit and should therefore work toward justifying the confidence reposed in them.

Borno
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
says the ministry will launch a national security campaign against insurgency in the North-East of the country.
Mohammed spoke when he paid a visit to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Bama town of Borno State.
According to him, intelligence gathering and robust advocacy will be used to sensitise Nigerians on the need to wage war against the insurgents.
“No nation succeeded in the fight against insurgency without the civilian component.
“So, we will let Nigerians know that the fight against insurgency is a national issue and not to see it as ethnic or religious issue,” the minister said.
He said that the ministry would roll out national jingles to educate Nigerians on the need to be vigilant and report any suspicious movements to the security agencies.

FCT
President Muhammadu Buhari says persons displaced by Boko Haram
insurgency will earnestly begin to return to their home communities in 2016.
The President stated this when a delegation from the International Rescue Committee (IRC), led by former British Foreign Minister, Mr David Miliband, visited him in Abuja recently.
According to him, his administration will do all within its powers to facilitate the quick return and resettlement of over two million internally displaced persons to their respective towns and villages.
Buhari said Federal Government would welcome the support of the IRC and other local and international non-governmental organisations for the rehabilitation of internally displaced persons.
“In 2016, the return of the IDPs will start in earnest. They will return to their communities to meet destroyed schools and other infrastructure which have to be rebuilt.

Jigawa
Commissioner of Police in Jigawa State, Mr Usman Tilli, has
said the command had deployed 400 policemen for Emir of Dutse’s 20th Anniversary and the ongoing Chief of Army’s Annual Conference in Dutse.
Tilli made this known when the Editor- in-Chief of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Alhaji Lawal Ado, paid him a courtesy visit in Dutse.
He explained that 250 officers and men were deployed for Emir’s anniversary while 150 others were for the army’s conference.
Tilli said they did not envisage any breach of peace but that the step was taken to maintain peace, law and order throughout the events in the state.
The commissioner said there was no threat of security in the state but measures had been taken especially in border areas with other states that had security problem to ensure there was no influx of hoodlums to the state.

Kaduna
The 2015 Research Institute Games (RIGAN) has ended with
Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, topping with 45 medals in Zaria, Kaduna State.
It won 16 gold, 16 silver and 13 bronze.
The week long games, tagged “NITT 2015 – Let’s go Zazzau” , featured 19 research institutes nationwide.
The Institute for Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, came second with 13 gold, 15 silver and 7 bronze, while National Roots Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia, came third with 12 gold, 1 silver and 6 bronze.
Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i congratulated the winners and told the losers that it was not the end of the road but “this is a chance to actively prepare for the next tournament”.
El-Rufa’i, who was represented by Alhaji Usman Mahmud-Hassan, Commissioner for Transport, advised Nigerians to embrace sports for their physical fitness and national unity.
Kano
No fewer than 3, 000 wheat farmers in Kano State have
benefitted from the N100 million state government’s agricultural loan.
The state Chairman, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN), Alhaji Faruk Rabiu,  told newsmen in Kano.
He said the beneficiaries had since collected seeds, fertilizer, pesticide and other inputs to enable them commence planting during this irrigation season.
He also said the association had set up three committees to monitor the activities of the farmers in all the 37 irrigation clusters across the state.
According to him, the association finds it necessary to constitute the committees in order to ensure that the farmers utilised whatever items they collected.
He said the first committee was charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the beneficiaries were the real owners of the farms to avoid fraud.

Kebbi
Sole Administrator of Argungu Local Government in Kebbi State, Alhaji Bashar Matawalle, said the council planned to train 250 unemployed youths on vocational skills to promote self-reliance.
Matawalle made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Argungu.
He said that the youth would be trained on vocational skills such as welding, tailoring, weaving, leather works, carpentry and soap making.
“We have registered 150 males and 100 females for the nine months training after which capital and equipment will be provide to the trainees who graduated,” he said.
According to the chairman, the training will commence in the first quota of 2016 in various acquisition centres in the local government areas.
He said that the council was committed to capacity building of indigent youth to eradicate poverty and unemployment.
He reaffirmed that the council was determined to create jobs, promote security and welfare of the people.

Lagos
Lagos State House of Assembly will laise with business
concerns in the state to equip schools with computers to aid students in their learning.
Chairman, Committee on Business District, Hon. Victor Akande, made the disclosure last Thursday in Lagos in an interview with newsmen.
Akande, who represents Ojo Constituency 1 said that business concerns would be requested to assist schools with computers.
He stressed the need for students to be computer literate like their contemporaries in other climes.
“We cannot afford to groom youths that will be naïve in their work after school.
“It is at this stage that they should acquire all they needed to live with for the rest of their lives,” Akande said.
He noted that Lagos State, being the centre of excellence should blaze the trail in e-learning in public schools.
Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State has urged members
of the State Executive Council to ensure prudence and transparency in the discharge of their duties.
Al-makura gave the warning at the inaugural state executive council meeting in Lafia.
He said it was imperative for all appointed executive members to ensure prudence and shun all corrupt tendencies in the management of public resources.
Al -makura said that his administration was anchored on probity, accountability and fear of God and urged the members of the council to key in to the policies of government.
He said all public office holders would be expected to exhibit exemplary traits in the management of public resources.
The governor called on them to be fair in order to earn the confidence of the public, adding that “we should know that people would account for their actions before God on the day of resurrection”.

Oyo
The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has ad
vised Nigerian universities to put in more efforts into researches and teaching techniques for them to be relevant in the 21st Century reckonings.
Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, the Executive Registrar of JAMB gave the advice in a lecture he delivered as part of Lead City University’s 8th Convocation and 10th anniversary of its establishment.
Ojerinde speaking at the institution’s base in Ibadan, Oyo State, said that Nigerian universities have potential to produce global leaders.
In the lecture titled: “Lead City University at 10: The Journey So Far”, Ojerinde said that private universities had contributed to the advancement of higher education in the country.
He said the modernisation of teaching and research in the country would propel its universities to rank amongst the highly rated ones in global index.
Plateau
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) recently commenced
the training of 500 youths from Yobe, Adamawa and Borno in various skills acquisition in Jos.
Dr Takwa Zebulon, the Director, Peace and Development Advisor, UNDP, said this at the opening ceremony of the orientation programme for beneficiaries of the UNDP-led livelihood support programme in Jos.
He disclosed that aside the skills acquisition training, the two weeks orientation programme would also entail mental training, leadership and civic education, conflict prevention and peace building.
“The training also has the business management skills training which entails training in book keeping and accounting and psycho-social and trauma counselling.
Sokoto
Sokoto State Government has declared a state of emergency in its
education sector to enable it to provide basic learning materials in all public schools across the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Umaru Nagwari, said this while addressing newsmen after the state’s weekly Executive Council meeting on Wednesday.
“The state government will not tolerate the era where pupils receive lessons on bare floor. Drastic measures will be introduced to provide all that is required to enhance learning culture in the state.
“Teachers will be retained to enable them to acquire more knowledge to impact on the children.
The state government will be spending N1.2 billion on the procurement of assorted fertilisers for farmers.
“The products will be sold at 50 per cent subsidised rates as part of the government’s commitment to enhance food security in the state.