THE STATES

Benue
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has said that 22
state legislators have started refunding car loans they collected for personal vehicles to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) .
Ortom, who said this when he received youths of Turan in Kwande local government, said they were expected to refund N317million to the anti-graft agency in Abuja.
He said the refund was necessitated by the shoddy manner in which the loans were disbursed to the lawmakers.
The governor said that the process fell short of best practices required in such financial transactions.
Ortom explained that out of the number, 12 legislators were from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while 10 were from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

FCT
The Department of State Services (DSS) says it has ar
rested 23 suspects between July and August in furtherance of its ongoing tactical and counter-terrorism operations to degrade capabilities of criminal gangs/syndicates nationwide.
This is contained in a statement signed by one of its Operatives, Tony Opuiyo, in Abuja.
Giving the breakdown, Opuiyo said that the service arrested one Mudaisiru Jibrin a.k.a. Namakele/Alarama, a leader of a newly-uncovered Boko Haram cell in Kano on July 17.
“Preliminary investigation so far conducted revealed that he was also the mastermind of the shooting of some students at Government Secondary School (GSS), Mamudo village near Potiskum, Yobe State, in 2013,” he said.

Gombe
The Child Protection Advocates in Gombe State have
expressed “deep concern” over the rising number of rape cases in the state.
One of them, Malam Yaya Hamman, Adviser, Child Protection Network (CPN), told newsmen in Gombe that the situation was becoming “scary and frightening”.
“Rape is becoming too incessant and persistent; it is certainly not good for the girl-child.
“Even when the perpetrators are apprehended, no punishment is meted out on them; that encourages them to do even worse things,” he said.
He blamed the situation on parents’ attitude and observed that most parents would rather keep quiet about it.
“Most parents think that the victim will be an object a subject of ridicule if exposed and will prefer that no one is told.
Kaduna

The Katsina State Government says it has received de
livery of 50 out of the 400 tractors to be supplied by an Indian firm through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to boost agricultural mechanization in the state.
Our correspondent recalled that was sequel to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the State Government and Indian firm about six months ago for the supply of the tractors to the farmers.
Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, the state Deputy Governor, who disclosed this while inspecting the 50 tractors in Katsina, said that the decision would encourage commercialization of agriculture through mechanisation.
Yabubu, also the Commissioner for Agriculture, said that the tractors would be given on hire basis to farmers through the Tractor Owners and Operators Association at subsidised rate.
`Kano

The Kano State Government will employ 1,000 sanita
tion workers as part of efforts to provide direct employment for its youths.
The state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, made this known when he briefed newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Kano recently.
Garba, who is also the Chairman of the Employment Committee, said apart from creating job opportunities, the scheme would also improve the sanitary condition of communities in the state.
The commissioner said that each of the worker would be paid N15, 000 monthly.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government, has alleged that the
immediate past administration in the state diverted N11.1 billion from the State Joint Account to the accounts of Association of Local Government Chairmen (ALGON).
The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari on Banking and Finance Alhaji Farouk Jobe, made the allegation while presenting a memo before the State Commission of inquiry investigating missing funds.
Jobe alleged that the money was diverted for personal use from various accounts between January 2011 and May 2015.

Kebbi
The Argungu Local Government Area in Kebbi State,
has registered 200 unemployed youths for skills acquisition to promote self-reliance.
The Sole Administrator of the local government, Alhaji Bashar Matawalle, stated this on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen in Argungu.
He said that the second phase of the skills acquisition training would focus on vocations which include: welding, carpentry, bids making, tailoring, weaving, and automobile mechanic.
The sole administrator said that the beneficiaries were drawn from 11 electoral wards in the area, adding that 200 trainees were registered, out of which 100 were women.

Kogi
The Kogi State Governmentsays that it has acquired
acres of land In Lokoja for the development of housing schemes for political appointees and civil servants.
The State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, told newsmen of the development at a media conference in Lokoja to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state.
Bello, who was represented at the briefing by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Alhaji Abulkarim Abdulmalik, said the housing schemes would be developed on a Public/Private Partnership arrangement.
Kwara
An Ilorin-based lawyer, Mr Afolayan Moses, has im
plored the Federal Government to expand the number of judicial divisions to decongest the courts and reduce the rate of adjourned cases in the country.
Afolayan made the call in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Tuesday.
He said that only expansion of judicial divisions would reduce persistent cases of adjournments in the court.
According to him, if government can expand the number of judicial divisions, it will expedite dispensation of justice and minimise adjournments.
The lawyer, however, condemned unnecessary adjournment of cases, saying, it was frustrating not only the clients, but the counsel.
`Lagos

An ICT expert, Mr Kola Samuel, has appealed to
the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for the sector to contribute to economic growth of the country.
Samuel who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Technology Masters Company told newsmen in Lagos that technology sector had the potentials of improving the economy and lives of the citizens.
He said that ICT was one of the main driving forces behind organisational competitiveness in the present day business environment.
“We need to be encouraged with improvement on some basic social infrastructures like high speed internet, hotspots, lower internet rates and technology hub centres.

Niger

A member of NYSC, Dr Uwaezuoke Ikesinachi,
has set up an eye clinic for the Nigerian Police Force in Minna, the Niger State capital.
Speaking at the inauguration of the facility, Ikesinachi said that the project was part of his personal community development services.
He said that the project would serve as a follow- up to the free eye surgery he had conducted on 30 indigent persons earlier this month.
“The idea behind this community development programme is to create a system that can keep running with or without the presence of the initiator.
”After providing free eye-screening, I don’t want to just leave without setting up a platform that will run as a follow up on the patients.”

Oyo

Federal Government has reactivated the construc
tion of the new Oyo-Ogbomoso expressway with the sum of N6 billion.
Our correspondent reports that the road, the second section of the Ibadan-Ilorin expressway, had been abandoned by past administrations.
The flag-off ceremony was performed by Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State which was attended by members of the National Assembly, top government officials and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said the road project would be completed in compliance with the Federal Government ‘s specification.
Fashola, who was represented by Mr Anya Omoregbe, the Federal Controller of Works in Oyo State, said that the ministry would ensure that Nigerians got good value for their money.