Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) has presented relief materials to hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in six satellite camps in Monguno, Borno State.
Alhaji Muhammad Kanar, the NEMA North-East Zonal Coordinator, presented the materials to the IDPs at a ceremony in Monguno, headquarters of Monguno Local Government Area.
Kanar said that the gesture was aimed at providing succour to the IDPs who were rescued by the military from suspected Boko Haram hideouts.
He urged them to consider their predicament as an act of God and utilise the items judiciously.
Kanar said the exercise would continue as more people were expected to be rescued by the military in their current war against terrorism.
FCT
The President of the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) has accused state governments of neglecting state universities established by their predecessors.
ASUU President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, levelled this accusation while briefing newsmen in Abuja recently.
Ogunyemi noted that the general problem of under-funding of Nigeria’s public universities was very alarming in state-owned universities.
According to him, many states have failed to fully implement the 2009 agreement in which they participated.
“State governments have been neglecting universities that they established and some state governors are going ahead to establish new ones while those brought to life by their predecessors in office are neglected to rot and die,” he said.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Government says it treated
30,141 severely malnourished children in 12 local government areas of the state between January and June this year.
The State Deputy Nutrition Officer, Malam Saidu Adamu, disclosed this at a Mid-Year meeting with UNICEF Bauchi office and State Government in Dutse recently.
Adamu explained that the figure of those cured with malnutrition represented 75 per cent, defaulters rate was 15 per cent while death rate of 10 per cent was recorded within the period under review.
He said that 120 health workers had been trained on Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) in six months.
Ogun
A 31-year-old, Rotimi Adekunle, who allegedly
stole a Samsung Galaxy phone worth N22,400 from a woman’s bag at a bus stop, is facing trial at an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is standing trial on a charge of stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Augustine Ozimini told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 2 at about 9.30 a.m. at Camp Junction in Abeokuta.
“Adekunle was caught in the act by an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, who was on duty at the junction.”
Ozimini alleged that some phones were also found on him when he was apprehended.
Kaduna
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
has arrested an imposter claiming to be a Lt. Col. and Commander of the Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Kachia in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Orndiir Terzungwe, Public Relations Officer, Kaduna state Command of NSCDC, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna.
“We received a distress call from our personnel who was on duty at WATCON factory located around Gamji Gate,” he said.
Terzungwe said on getting the report, NSCDC personnel visited the scene and got one suspect who gave his name as Obi Gerard, male, 50 years.
Kano
The Federal Government says it has commenced the re
view of the cost profile of all its revenue generating agencies.
Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, made the disclosure at a two-day National Revenue Retreat in Kano.
The retreat was organised by the Ministry of Finance as part of government’s effort to brainstorm on how to shift emphasis from oil to non-oil revenue.
Adeosun said that the measure was necessary in order to ensure that maximum operating surpluses were declared and remitted in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
She said that the ministry had commenced a number of audits of a range of agencies that would provide the government improved visibility into the revenue and cost profiles.
Lagos
The Agege Local Government Administrator in Lagos
State, Mr Gbenga Abiola, said skills acquisition, good environment and security remained his cardinal agenda.
Abiola told newsmen in Lagos that protection of lives and property, skills acquisition, as well as quality and affordable education would be given attention.
The sole administrator, appointed in June by the state government, said he intended to make the council area “livable.”
“When you have a conducive environment business will thrive. When we have healthy people, then we will have people to govern. We must make the environment of Agege livable”.
Nasarawa
An educationist, Mr Nze Uchendu, has appealed to Ni
gerians to protect indigenous languages from extinction.
Uchendu made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
He decried the neglect of indigenous languages for foreign ones, a situation, which he said was incompatible with the nation’s multi-cultural setting.
“Nigeria as a country is blessed with over 300 languages, but because of colonisation the English language from another continent, has become the official language of the country.
“Many Nigerians have started to see themselves as English people and see it as a crime to speak Nigerian indigenous languages.
Ondo
An Ore Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State has remanded
a 32-year-old driver, Muisi Ishola, in prison for allegedly knocking down a Federal Road Safety Corps marshal.
The Magistrate, Mr Banjo Ikusika, gave the order following the inability of the accused to meet his bail conditions.
The accused, who is standing trial on a two-count charge of dangerous driving and attempted manslaughter, was granted bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
The court also ordered that the sureties must be civil servants on grade level 12 with a year’s tax clearance and reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Ibrahim Ogundeyi, told the court that the accused had on July 12 along Ore-Lagos Expressway driven a Suzuki Zubaru car marked BDG 976 DJ dangerously.
Plateau
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari has do
nated materials worth millions of Naira to more than 500 less privileged persons in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau.
The beneficiaries include widows, orphans and the physically challenged who gathered in the council for the materials.
Our correspondent reports that some of the materials donated include bags of Semovita, Wheat Flour and cartons of Spaghetti and Indomie noodles as well as cash presentation.
Represented by the Council’s Chairman, Mr Stephen Jings, the wife of the president explained that the gesture was out of her desire to alleviate sufferings of the less privileged in the country.
“This Government is not ignorant of the plights of the less privileged in the country and as such it has decided to reach out to them in its own little way”.
Yobe
A community leader in Yobe State, Alhaji Zannah
Babagana has called for government’s support in the rehabilitation of the over 120 women and children rescued from insurgents by security operatives in Gwargware and Kur villages in Borno.
Zannah is the village head of Kukareta community in Yobe.
He made the call when the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), donated tarpaulin, foodstuff and clothes to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kukareta.
The community leader said that the women and children who were rescued from Gwargware and Kur villages in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno bordering Yobe, were now taking refuge in Kukareta village.
“Government and other NGOs must supplement the efforts of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency in feeding the IDPs.
“Some of the displaced persons in the self-established camp have returned to their communities.
“But the arrival of these women and children rescued from the two villages has created more feeding challenges in the camp,” he said.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
