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THE STATES

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Adamawa

Gov. Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State has said that his
administration will upgrade basic infrastructure for the judiciary to enhance efficient service delivery in the state.
Bindow, who made this known when he inspected courts in Yola, said that enabling environment for the judiciary would impact positively on the people of the state.
According to him, his administration is built on justice and fairness and infrastructure in the sector will translate into providing justice to the common man.
He directed the Ministry of  Works to submit the cost of procuring generating sets to his office to cushion the effects of power outage in the courts.
“My administration upholds justice and fairness and I must do my best to ensure that our courts are giving a facelift where workers will get human environment to give their best.
“It is sacrosanct that an enabling environment will boost the productivity of our judiciary staff which will in turn impact positively on our people.”

Borno

The Japanese Government has announced a donation of
three million dollars in support of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sadanabu Kusaoke, made the announcement at the launch of the project in Maiduguri.
Kusaake said that the project was aimed at assisting the victims to engage in gainful activities like farming and trading for social stability.
“The Japanese Government has decided to support the project for early recovery and social cohesion in the North-East of Nigeria with a 3 million dollars donation.
“This is to help people who engage in gainful activities like farming and trading to contribute to the social stabilisation and recovery of the affected communities in the three states,” he said.
Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has declined to
grant an ex-parte order sought by the Ekiti State Government to restrain EFCC from investigating the finances of the state.
Our correspondent reports that Justice Cornelius Akintayo refused to grant the order on the grounds that all the defendants in the case must first be put on notice to enable them prepare for their defence at the court.
The judge consequently adjourned the suit to August 23 and ordered all parties in the suit to appear before him when the motion on notice would be heard.
The suit was filed by Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, to stop the impending investigation of the accounts of the state government by the anti graft agency.
Another relief sought by the plaintiffs was an order stopping the arrest of the Commissioner for Finance, Accountant General and the managers of the banks in which the state had commitments.
FCT

The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Sadanobu Kusaoke,
says 51 Nigerians have so far been granted scholarship for Masters Degree programme in various Japanese universities.
The Japanese envoy disclosed this at the sent-forth programme organised by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JAICA), for the successful candidates.
According to him, the gesture is an initiative of JAICA to assist Nigerian youths achieve their aspiration in life.
He congratulated the students for successfully going through the rigour of the selection process which he described as “very transparent”.
“The objective is to offer Nigerian students an opportunity to study at their Masters Degree level in various Japanese universities,” he said.

Jigawa
The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria
(AFAN), Jigawa State chapter, Alhaji Maigwa Jaga, says farmers in the state have shifted from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
Jaga disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse.
He said the farmers embraced the venture in response to the advice of Gov.ernor Muhammadu Badaru.
“Governor Badaru provided improved variety of sesame seeds, groundnuts seeds and rice seeds to farmers to enable them take off well,” he said.
Jaga said that the farmers were asked to form groups comprising 50 members each in all the wards of the 27 local governments of the state in order to test the viability of the programme.
Kaduna

The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme
(WAAP) says it is partnering with 40 Nigerian universities and agricultural institutions to facilitate agricultural technology transfer.
Acting National Project Coordinator, WAAP, Mr James Apochi,  said this to newsmen  in Zaria, Kaduna State, shortly after he visited some of the selected villages for the pilot scheme.
Our correspondent reports that the coordinator visited Guga Multi-purpose Association at Guga village and Nasarawan Buhari Farmers Cooperative at Nasarawan Buhari.
“We are partnering with 15 agricultural institutes, 11 federal colleges of agriculture and 14 federal universities of agriculture.
“We started with 52 villages and now we have 500 villages that have been adopted.”

Katsina

The Katsina State Police command, in collaboration with
other security agencies, recovered 2,151 animals from cattle rustlers in July, 2016.
Alhaji Usman Abdullahi, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police disclosed this in an interview with newsmen  in Katsina.
He said that most of the animals recovered by the security agents were cows, sheep, goats, camels and donkeys.
The police boss said that the animals were recovered in nine local government areas that were mostly vulnerable to the menace of cattle rustling.
“The security agents recovered the animals in Funtua, Faskari, Safana, Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia, Kurfi, Dutsin-ma and Kafur Local Government areas,” he said.
Commenting on the issue of arms recovery, the commissioner said that the command had recovered three locally-made pistols and one brown pistol from criminals.
Abdullahi revealed that the command also recovered three AK47 rifles, one beretta pistol and 20 dane guns.
He disclosed that the police had recovered 85 assorted life ammunition and 49 expended empty shells.
The commissioner called on the members of the public to provide useful information about criminal activities to the police for action.

Kwara

A team of medical experts at the University of Ilorin Teach
ing Hospital (UITH) have successfully removed a tumour of about 12 centimeter in diameter from the brain of a pregnant woman.
This is contained in the University of Ilorin (Unilorin)’s Bulletin made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
It said the successful operation was carried out on a 40-year old patient, whose right side had become paralysed before the surgery.
It stated that the feat was achieved with the assistance of Prof. Wale Sulaiman ,a visiting Neuro-Surgeon from the Ochsner Medical Centre, New Orleans, U.S.A.
The bulletin stated that the 13-hour surgery captured the essence of collaboration and team work in medical practice.
Lagos

The Lagos State chapter of Environmental Health Officer
of Nigeria (EHOAN) has called on the public to desist from eating at unhygienic places.
Chairman of EHOAN Mr Akin  Akingbehin, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen  in Lagos.
Akingbehin said the association was embarking on a zero tolerance campaign against food sellers operating in open places in the state.
“What is of utmost importance to us is the control of sales of food at open places.
“We are embarking on total clampdown on unhygienic display of food for public consumption.
“By this exercise, we are trying to prevent food-borne diseases, taking note of the fact that food is a veritable vehicle by which a range of illnesses which affect man are spread.

Nasarawa

A 36-year-old husband, Emma Edaih, has demanded com
pensation for the number of years he wasted in the name of marriage to his wife Uche.
Edaih made this known when he testified in a divorce petition by his wife at a Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
He claimed that he enjoyed his wife for only two months since they got married, adding that he had no problem with the court granting his wife’s request.
“But I demanded compensation for wasting my years with her in the name of marriage.
“Since 2013, we got married, I only slept with her the first two months into our marriage and after then, she never allowed me to touch her, nor will she let me sleep with her,” he said.
Osun

Three men, who allegedly assaulted a police officer while
on duty, have been docked at an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court.
The accused — Olateju Emaculate, 19; Adebayo Damilola, 21  and Olateju Threasa, 42 — are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and assault.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Fagboyinbo Abiodun, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 15 at about 6:30 a.m. along OlaOluwa Estate in the Osun capital.
Abiodun alleged that the accused conspired and assaulted Cpl. Adetiba Ololade, attached to Dada Police Station while carrying out his lawful duty.

Sokoto

The Sokoto State Government says it has trained 500 un
employed youths from different parts of the state in domestic electrical instillation, fashion designing, tailoring and cosmetology.
The state Commissioner for Youth Development, Alhaji Musa Ausa, disclosed this at a ministerial briefing in Sokoto.
He said that the exercise was aimed at creating job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
The commissioner said the state government paid N5,000 monthly allowance to each trainee for the three months the programme lasted.

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Cleric Preaches Love As Deputy Governor, Chief Judge Grace Wedding In PH

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The Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, Bishop Victor Uzosike, has described love as the bedrock of human existence, family stability and societal harmony, stressing that without love, nothing meaningful can thrive.

Bishop Uzosike made this assertion while speaking to journalists during the wedding ceremony of his daughter, Praise Uzosike, to Architect Chibuzor Akubueze on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The solemnisation was held at the Kingdom Life Gospel Ministries Outreach, Port Harcourt, and was attended by dignitaries from across Nigeria and beyond.

According to the cleric, love is not only the foundation of relationships but also a powerful force that determines the success of individuals, families and communities.

“If you do not love a place, that place will not bless you. If you do not love your children, they will not be useful to you. If you do not love your family, your family will become a strange island to you. What you do not love, you do not have. Love is the key,” he said.

Reflecting on his family’s journey, Bishop Uzosike said God’s love had sustained them through seasons of challenges and triumphs, noting that unity had remained their greatest strength.

“We have stayed together as one family. God has shown us love in miraculous and mysterious ways, especially during difficult times,” he stated.

Describing the wedding as an amazing and beautiful experience, the bishop expressed appreciation for the show of love from his daughter’s friends, many of whom travelled from the United Kingdom and Ghana to attend the ceremony. He revealed that some of them personally paid for their flights and accommodation, which he described as a rare display of genuine friendship.

He also disclosed that his first daughter, who lives in Manchester, United Kingdom, with her husband, could not attend the wedding due to tight schedules, but noted that she remains happily married and fulfilled.

While thanking guests for honouring his family with their presence, prayers and goodwill, Bishop Uzosike said he felt proud and grateful to God.

“One of the greatest gifts God can give to a man is children who are sound in all ramifications. My children can see, hear, speak and walk. That alone is enough reason to be grateful,” he said.

He praised the bride, describing Praise as an exceptional achiever who had distinguished herself academically. According to him, she completed secondary school at 15, graduated with First Class honours at 19, and earned distinctions in her MBA as well as her first and second master’s degrees.

“For a long time, people believed that highly educated women may not marry early or at all. Today, Praise has proved otherwise. She has made her mother and me very proud,” he said, describing her as a rare gem.

Bishop Uzosike also expressed joy over his son-in-law, whom he described as God-fearing, disciplined and professionally sound.

“He is well brought up, passionate about God and morally upright. His parents did a great job. My wife, Pastor Esther, also did an excellent job,” he added.

The wedding ceremony attracted prominent personalities, including the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu; the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, Justice Matilda Ayemeyie; and several senior clerics.

Bishop Fidelis Ugbong officiated the solemnisation, while Apostle Chika Onuzo delivered the sermon, identifying communication, sex and money as key factors that can strengthen or weaken marriages.

Prof. Ngozi Odu also prayed for the couple and paid glowing tributes, drawing admiration from attendees.

The reception, held at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Port Harcourt, was equally colourful. Justice Matilda Ayemeyie proposed the toast, describing marriage as not always a bed of roses and emphasising patience, commitment and understanding.

The event was chaired by Chief Henry Nwabugo and attended by notable personalities, including retired Supreme Court Justice Mary Odili; Apostle David Zilly-Aggrey; Hon. Otunba Jumbo; Nze Best Anele; and Prof. Henry Ogiri, among others.

Guests were entertained with dance performances by the couple, while the parents’ outing added elegance to the celebration. The master of ceremonies, Ambassador Kingsley, kept the audience engaged with humour and interactive sessions.

Overall, the wedding was a remarkable blend of spirituality, culture and celebration, marked by love, joy and unforgettable moments.

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Firefighters battle New Year Day inferno in Abuja, several states

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Federal Fire Service FFS entered the New Year on full operational alert, tackling multiple fire outbreaks across the country from midnight into the early hours of January 1, 2026, in what officials described as one of the busiest festive-season deployments in recent years.
The intensified nationwide response followed a December 2025 directive issued by the Controller General of the Federal Fire Service, Olumode Samuel Adeyemi, who had ordered that no firefighter should proceed on leave throughout the holidays.
According to a statement by the National Public Relations Officer and Head of Corporate Services of the FFS, DCF Paul Abraham, the no-leave policy proved critical as the Service moved swiftly to contain fires in several states.
The Federal Capital Territory FCT recorded its first fire incident of the year barely twenty-three minutes after midnight when flames erupted at Cake Hot Restaurant located within River Plate Park, Wuse, Abuja.
Abraham said fire crews from the Federal Fire Service and the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly and were able to stop the blaze before it could spread through the popular recreational centre.
While a section of the garden area was destroyed, no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
Officials said property worth an estimated ?1.5 billion was saved, although losses were placed at about ?500 million.
“Preliminary findings suggested that the fire was triggered by objects thrown during New Year celebrations, reinforcing long-standing warnings over the dangers posed by fireworks during the harmattan season”, the Service said.
The Controller General had repeatedly urged Nigerians to avoid fireworks, candles and open flames indoors, warning that the dry winds characteristic of the season allow fires to spread rapidly.
He also warned the public about electrical faults and power surges and advised that electrical appliances be switched off and unplugged when not in use or when occupants leave their homes, stressing that overloading sockets and extension boxes remains a significant cause of domestic fires.
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Enugu North LG chairman presents ?10.8bn 2026 Budget, prioritises roads …Security, Healthcare, Human Capital Development

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Chairman of Enugu North Local Government Area in Enugu State, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, has presented a Ten Billion Eight Hundred Million Naira (?10.8bn) 2026 budget to the legislative council of the local government.
The budget, tagged “Budget of Continued Growth and Consolidation,” was presented on Wednesday during a plenary session attended by councillors, department heads, and other stakeholders.
Dr. Onoh explained that the 2026 budget is designed to consolidate achievements recorded in 2025 while scaling up development across the council’s 13 wards. Priority areas include road infrastructure, grassroots security, healthcare delivery, youth empowerment, and digital governance.
He also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, highlighting significant revenue growth and successful completion of key projects. Notably, the council’s internally generated revenue more than doubled, attributed to the introduction of digital revenue collection platforms and other innovative measures.
Among the 2025 achievements, Dr. Onoh mentioned the reconstruction of major roads at European Quarters, Hilltop, Coal Camp, and Ukwa Street, Ihewuishi, as well as the upgrade of the local security architecture through the reorganisation of the neighbourhood watch into “The City Watch.”
On the 2026 budget, the chairman stated that projected revenue would come from statutory allocations, VAT, internally generated revenue, and counterpart funding through public-private partnerships.
He noted that capital expenditure would take the larger share of the budget, with over half allocated to the economic sector. Planned projects include:
Completion of transport terminals at Aria Market
Construction and reconstruction of urban roads
Establishment of two sports centres
Healthcare interventions
Youth skills development programmes.
Dr. Onoh emphasised that the projects, policies, and programmes outlined in the budget are aimed at complementing the initiatives of Governor Peter Ndubisi Mbah, who is setting standards for local government councils to follow.
Responding, the Leader of the Legislative Council, Rt. Hon. Chizoba Nnamani, said the budget would be carefully scrutinised in the interest of residents before its passage.
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