Nation
THE STATES
Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State (left) with the Editor-In-Chief of the Media Trust Ltd, Mr Mannir Dan-Ali, during his visit to the Governor in Birinin Kebbi on Tuesday.
Borno
The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-
Gen. Lucky Irabor, has attributed his troop’s recent successes in the anti-Boko Haram war in the North-East to improved welfare by the Nigerian Army Headquarters.
Irabor disclosed this when he spoke with newsmen in Maiduguri.
“When you see a troop that is fighting and making the kind of progress we have made from January to date, it means that the troop is motivated.
“If the troop is not motivated it will not give you that type of result,’’ he said.
Irabor was reacting to speculations about delayed payment of allowances to some soldiers working in the theatre.
“In January when my predecessor Maj.-Gen. Hassan Umaru took over the command, his maiden briefing was on the delay in payment of allowances to soldiers.
FCT
Stakeholders under the auspices of Project Harmony, a
non-governmental organisation, have urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s fight against corruption and mismanagement of the nation’s economy.
This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day National Conference on New Blueprint for Prevention, Resolution and Management of Conflicts.
The communiqué was signed by Mr Hassan Anka of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Mr Nneka Ikelionwu of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, among others.
It stressed the need for encouragement of grassroots trade union leaders by their apex unions to avoid abuse of trade union immunity.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government said it would partner
with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals and other company to exploit the state solid minerals.
Governor Nasiru El-Rufai disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna.
“We are working with several companies and the Federal ministry of solid minerals to exploit some of our solid minerals in Kaduna.
“For instance, we have a lot of gold in the Birnin Gwari axis and we have gone far in discussions with several companies to come and do that,’’ he said.
He said the state government was also looking at other precious stones in Southern Kaduna and granite and marbles in other parts of the state.
The governor said discussions were ongoing and that the state government would also meet other prospective investors at the economic summit.
Kebbi
The Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi,
said it had sponsored 40 academic staff for post graduate studies within and outside the country in the last five years.
Its Rector, Alhaji Sani Aliyu, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi ,.
He said that 32 of the beneficiaries, including 12 doctorate and 20 master’s degree holders, had since completed their studies while the remaining eight were still pursuing their programmes at the various universities.
Aliyu said four of the beneficiaries had been “outstanding and worthy of celebration’’.
Kano
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said it
had sanctioned 15 filling stations in Jigawa and Kano States for various offences in the dispensing of petrol.
The department’s Controller in charge of both states, Alhaji Isa Tafida, made this known to newsmen in Kano after monitoring some filling station in the city.
He said that one of the erring stations was charged for breaking the seal of the department, in addition to the offence of selling above approved pump price.
Tafida said that the station paid fines of N1 million for breaking the seal in addition to N300, 000 for selling above approved price.
Lagos
The Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(ISSSAN) has advised the Federal Government to ensure that all legal issues that would affect the proposed revival of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant were settled amicably .
ISSAN President, Mr Otori Maliki, told newsmen in Lagos that the Federal Government should ensure that it settled any court case involving the company before restructuring it.
Maliki said that the steel plant stopped functioning since 2005 when it was sold to Global Steel, an Indian Company, during former President Olusegun Obasanjo- led administration.
He said that there were transnational irregularities at the rolling mill when it was privatised and those issues needed to be rectified before rebuilding it.
“Since 2007, the government has been in arbitration with Global Steel and Global Infrastructure Limited at the International Chamber of Commerce, (ICC) London.’’
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has revoked the con
tract for the construction of the new Orange Market bridge in Mararaba.
Governor Tanko Al-Makura made this known during the inauguration of TA’AL Community New Orange Market in Mararaba, Karu local government area of the state.
He said that the state government decided to revoke the contract following the inability of the contractor to meet the required specification and alleviate the suffering of traders and people plying the road.
Al-Makura said that the inauguration of the market would help to fight poverty, unemployment, youth restiveness as well as boost the socio-economic development of the state.
“Because of the slow pace of work and the inability of the contractor to meet required specification, the state government has no option than to revoke the contract,” he said.
Ogun
The Deputy Speaker, Ogun House of Assembly, Mr
Olakunle Oluomo, on Saturday, said the proposed Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) in the state would engender rapid socio-economic development.
Oluomo told journalists in Abeokuta that the bill was currently before the assembly, adding that when passed, would also promote efficiency and widen the revenue base of the state.
According to him, the LCDAs will bring efficiency in service delivery through redistribution of workers and enhanced revenue generation initiatives.
“The bill for a law to amend The Local Government Law of Ogun State, 2002, is currently before the house and we will do our bit to scrutinise it before passage,” he said.
Oyo
The Oyo State Government said that the 10-month old
agreement it had with organised labour in the state over unpaid salaries subsisted, warning them to refrain from confrontation.
This is contained in a statement signed by Alhaji Ismael Alli, a former Secretary to the State Government and leader of the government delegation which was made available to newsmen in Ibadan.
“We urge labour leaders to embrace dialogue and consultation instead of issuing threats and ultimatum of strike.
“As stakeholders they should brainstorm on how to bail the state out of its financial predicament,” it said.
Plateau
The Commandant, Police Staff College, Jos, Mr. Jo
seph Mbu, has called on Federal Government to rehabilitate police colleges ahead of the coming massive recruitment in the force.
Mbu, an Assistant Inspector-General, told newsmen that the recruitment would be worthless without better facilities in training schools.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the recruitment of 10,000 policemen in the country.
Mbu described the state of police colleges as “in utter decay’’, saying hostels, lecture halls and other necessary facilities in the colleges were in very poor conditions.
Sokoto
A member of Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji
Ibrahim Kabiru (APC), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent in his fight against corruption.
Kabiru, who gave the advice in Sokoto in an interview with newsmen urged Buhari to ensure that all those found guilty of embezzling the national treasury were prosecuted.
He said that the insecurity challenges facing the country were as a result of corruption by public officers in the last administration.
The legislator urged the government to ensure that looted funds were recovered, adding that such funds should be used in rehabilitating ailing industries in the country.
Yobe
The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Emergency
Management Agency, Alhaji Musa Jidawa, has advised response groups to work as partners rather than competitors to avoid duplication and wastes.
Musa told newsmen in Damaturu that the emergency response actors had constituted a forum to coordinate areas of intervention to avoid over- lapping and duplication.
Musa, who is also the chairman of the forum, listed the actors as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Red Cross, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UN Population Fund (UNFPA), World Food Programme (WFP), the UNICEF and Action against Hunger, among others.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.